13.1 Chicago - RunHalf Marathon

This race sucked so bad. My goal time was a sub 1:50, and I really pushed myself to make it in less than 2 hours. It was so hot - and coupled with a very cool week leading up to the race, I had little preparation in 90 degree heat. The course started under "yellow" conditions, meaning to exercise caution. I kept up my goal pace of 8:20s for the first three miles and it was a struggle. NO shade and really hot. Around mile 4 I gave myself permission to walk through the aid stations. At this point my pace slowed to about 8:45s. Cold towels were given at the 7 mile turnaround. At this point I was giving myself 45 sec walk breaks every 5 minutes. Around the my 8 mile mark, course directors on golf carts said that the course was changed to "red" conditions, meaning racers should really monitor their liquid intake and take plenty of walk breaks. At this point I was doing 9:30s and even up to 10:30s. I saw my husband around mile 11 and if I had saw him earlier, I probably would have just stopped racing, but being so close to the finish I made myself continue. I passed him and continued to run (no walk breaks) until the finish line. I sprinted the last quarter mile or so, finished, but there was no finishing clock! I had my own watch and signed up for timing texts, so I knew my finishing time. But, unknown to me, at around my mile 11, right after I passed my husband, he said that directors changed the course to "black" meaning that the race was stopped. I didn't hear the message and nor did anything I was still running with. No one was cleared from the course and it remained open. Anyway, so at this point I still thought the race was continuing, as people were still racing.

I got my finisher's medal, banana, water, etc., and waited for my husband.When we met up, I put on compression socks from my bag he carried. He told me he heard the race was called off, and we went to the results tent and they confirmed - they stopped the clocks around 1:45. So even if I had made my goal time of a sub 1:50, it still would not have been fast enough. I was really bummed that the clocks were stopped, as I busted my butt to race.

Later on, we saw in the paper that a 26 year old died and that numerous people were taken to the hospital. In my cooldown, I noticed I had heat rash. My arms and legs were pretty spotted.


heat! I know that 92 degrees isn't that hot where many people race, but in Chicago, in the beginning of June, that's hot. And the week leading up to the race was cool, so it was hard to acclimate. I was pretty bummed about this race - there were only 130 official finishers, so I don't have a time for future corrals. I'm starting to think about doing another half-marathon - but in October!


The race directors did what they could for the heat. I think they were well prepared and did the smart thing. There was plenty of water and sports drink, cold & wet towels were handed out on the course, and volunteers would pour jugs of water on your head during the aid stations if you asked. I think there was a misting fan on the course too. Unfortunately, it was crazy hot and with no shade the race was called off at about the 1:45 mark.