Chicago Marathon - RunMarathon

The race started at 8 a.m. and the humidity was already high. I was perspiring while waiting for the race to start. We all knew temperatures were expected to reach records, near 90, so I decided to slow my pace by about 1:10-1:20 a mile. Much slower than I wanted but better that than die.

I took four Gu packets and a thing of the Enlyten SportStrip electrolyte strips. New product, I think, that replaces endurolytes as you go. I believe they saved my bacon. Anyway at the water stops I was expecting to have two waters and a Gatorade. That worked well as I was ahead of most of the runners and they actually STILL had water when I came through, thankfully.

I started out with the 3:45 group and stayed with them until about mile 6 when I pit-stopped at the portolets. I came out of the john just as the 3:50 pacers were going by. It was still relatively cool so I picked it up and, by mile 13-14ish, I caught the 3:45 pacers again. I was feelin' good!

That is, until about mile 18-19. With shade no longer there to help and the temperature rising my hamstrings started cramping. I kept popping the Enlyten tabs and had another Gu but it didn't help much. At mile 20 my calves followed my hammies' lead and started cramping. I slowed through the water station and fell back with the 3:50 group. I decided to just stick with them and not push it too much.

Then mile 22 hit and BOTH calves and BOTH hamstrings seemed to all lock up at once. I thought `FU** it' and started walking, not really because I wanted to but my legs wouldn't allow me to jog without cramping severely. It was hot and I figured better safe than risk injury.

At mile 24, after TWO WHOLE FU**ING MILES of walking I thought I heard Scout say `HTFU, you pu$$y' so I lowered my head and started jogging. I said to myself `If you stop you won't get restarted, so just run the rest of the way.' I found some nice pace booty and just kept up with her for the last 2.2 miles. On that last stretch I think there were three water stops but I just ran through them grabbing water as I went.

I was pumped at the finish, yelling and screaming and trying to get the crowd into it. It was probably the happiest I've ever been to finish a damned race in my life!

Nothing really except train more. That one week of training got me to mile 20. Imagine if I trained for TWO weeks!

Tried to walk to the massage tent but it was soooo far away. So I just stretched on the sidewalk for about 15 minutes, got up and walked home.


The heat. The heat. The heat. Lack of training. Next time I'll actually register for the race instead of accepting someone else's bib just before the actual event. That way I know to train.


I can't say much about the water stations being empty because when I went through they were pretty well stocked. I heard the later runners went without starting with the second or third water station. THat's bogus and the RD should be FIRED if that's the case. REally -- how the fu** do you run out of WATER during a marathon. That's just poor planning.

I was ready for the heat and slowed my roll considerably. When my legs cramped, I walked, when I felt like I needed a drink, I got one. Too many unprepared people and first-timers who've never done an endurance race fu**ed it up for the people who WERE prepped.