Chicago Marathon - RunMarathon

I never felt awesome on this run. But it started out ok. I went out too fast, but not insanely so. Took a Gu at 1 hour and that is where I started feeling wonky. I drank at every water station but that Gu sat in my tummy like a rock. I tried Jelly Beans about 45 minutes later and couldn't really get them down so I gave up on that. I held on to a great pace until 13.1 and a respectable pace until 20, but things really started falling apart around 17. I can't explain it, but all of a sudden I felt like I was at a rave or on drugs or something. My music was pounding away but I couldn't really hear it, I was running, but it was like someone else was doing it, and I couldn't really register the crowd or the other runners except like they were all one big mass of movement. I was lucid enough to think, "Hey, I might pass out or something and then I won't be able to finish." But not lucid enough to think, "Maybe I SHOULD stop." I started to walk while I was drinking water. Then as the agony in my legs, back and neck really kicked in, I started to walk the ENTIRE water stop. I ate one more gu, hoping it wouldn't make me any more nauseous, and it didn't. I think I took Gatorade once, but mostly stuck with water. Pour on head, head, head, neck, back, left leg, right leg. Mile 21 was where I started to sob once in a while. I know, pathetic. I hated me too. Then about mile 22, I actually started to get kind of combative. Like I thought about yelling and screaming about how much I hated marathon, with lots of foul language. In retrospect perhaps it is a good thing I didn't share my inner monologue with the crowd. Psych ward restraints would have been painful in my state. I gave up on music and just listened to the crowd and the ranting in my head. Every time I walked a water stop, I considered not starting up again. But it hurt just as bad to walk as it did to run and my aerobic system was under-taxed anyway, so I always started back up again.

Not sign up for a marathon.

Drink more course Gatorade...that would have gotten me a little more nutrition while I was feeling like I had rocks in my stomach. I am not blaming this on nutrition though.

I went out too fast (a bad habit of mine that I have previously gotten away with) but not so fast that I should have felt like I did at 17. I trained all summer in the heat, I did 3 20 milers with decent mileage. I really really tried to train right for this thing, and I am confused as to why the wheels fell off so hard.

Experience may have played a part...I had no idea what to expect the last 6 and I certainly didn't expect to feel so awful so early on, which made for a LONG last 9 miles. Maybe next time I will be more mentally prepared for the end. My problems at the end were definitely partly mental and there was a point where my mindset went from fighting the race to simply suffering through it. I really hate to walk.

I have to say, it is going to take some convincing to ever get me to attempt this distance again. I really didn't like the training, the taper was terrible, and the race was a death march. But, like BabyDaddy said, it will be tough to leave it on this note. We'll see.

Kinda had trouble walking a straight line, light headed, so got some support from a nice volunteer at the finish line. Found BabyDaddy on the "grassy knoll" and we both blurted out at the same time ohmygodthatwastheworstraceofmylife. We didn't even stay for our free beer (see I TOLD you we weren't right)...it seemed too far to walk and there was no shade anywhere. Pizza for lunch and Hooter's wings for dinner!


The things that always limit. Fitness, experience, plan, plan execution, emotional distress, the desire to cuss loudly. I need to find a way to blame all this crap on others! OH and WTFWTFWTF with the blisters??? Who is to blame for blisters from shoes I have worn for 3 20 milers with no mishap.


I have nothing to compare it to but it seemed very well run. I have seen much smaller races that were more disorganized than this.

The Tribune's sunny "Heat didn't impact Marathon" really pissed me off. I ran the last 6 with my husband last year and I certainly didn't see any of the following: A woman holding her stomach like she had been shot, another woman lying straight out on the pavement, with her friend yelling at her, "JUST STAY AWAKE!!!", two dudes just rolling on the ground in agony less than 400m from the finish, another dude weaving and projectile vomiting 50m from the finish.

I seriously may need counseling for PTSD. Sheesh.