Chicago Marathon - RunMarathon

Well, again, the heat made for a tough day. As we walked to the start me and LazyMarathoner commented on how it felt like last year. It wasn't as bad but it wasn't good. I was kind of clammy on the walk there from my condo, which is like three blocks from Grant Park.

So Louis and I started out, and by looking at our splits I can say we were going to fast. It was his first marathon and he vowed to stick with me until he could no longer run, and he did very well through mile 18 when I dropped him. Not sure what happened to him but I turned and he was nowhere to be found. So I pressed on.

I saw LazyMarathoner (hot, by the way, fellas) and Core and a few others at mile 3.5 and 11.5, which was really nice.

Everything was cheddar until mile 13 when I had some lower GI distress, but that faded quickly. I was feeling very strong until about mile 21. I started to slow at that point, but stuck with the 3:40 pacers in front of me, since that was my goal. I just wanted to keep them in sight. I ended up walking the mile 22 water stop and lost the pacers, sadly. I just needed a bit of a break. I got going again and was HURTIN' at about mile 22.5 (I think) when I was Crowny and Mrs. Crowny!!! He was yellin' ``You'd better haul ass, 2Goggs!'' which was definitely a huge boost at that point. Ouch.

At about mile 23.5 I started to get dizzy from the heat and decided to take it back a notch and walk the water stop. I had two cups of water and two Gatorades. That made me feel better so at 24 I decided just to jog slowly and not worry about the time. Which is when the 3:45 people passed me. I wasn't happy but I just couldn't keep up with them. Everytime I tried to go faster I'd get dizzy, so I'd take it back.

Eventually 24 and 25 and 26 went by and I turned down the home stretch onto Columbus and heard LazyMarathoner yelling so I gave her a wink and a smile and then ran the last 200 trying to pump up the crowd. I love that finish.

Drink more water. I was so focused on talking Louis through the 'thon and keeping up with the 3:40 crew that I wasn't taking enough time to drink at the water stops. Plus the 80-some degree weather didn't help. Oh and maybe if I'd do some longer runs when I'm NOT racing then I could do better. Ah F it. I'd rather run a 3:48:XX and enjoy life.

I walked through the finishers chute and got my chip removed and a heat wrap and a bottle of water. The water needs to be closer to the finish line. I was dying for water at that point and none was close. I made it about 200 meters when I HAD to sit or I was going to fall. I sat on the cement for a bit then had to ask some dude to help me up. I got up, walked another 200 and then sat again.

I decided to go look for my people. Had an apple to eat. Bad choice. I found LazyMarathoner and told her I needed to get home. She tried to help me walk but I was in a bad way and I just told her to back off in a rude way. (SORRY KRISTIN!!!) I got about halfway home and I could feel that apple trying to get out. Finally I found a nice, private shaded spot behind a tree and yakked about four or five times. All apple, a little gatorade and, I think, some water. But that's it. FUN! I got home, showered and crashed for about two hours.

Yakkage isn't so bad when you need to expel the demons from within. It's kinda like poopage in that way.


Lack of training, lack of water and the heat. Plus I couldn't latch onto any quality pace booty. I know it was out there but everytime I'd grab on, I'd get slapped.


Great race overall but the past two years have been brutal in the heat!!! I'm pretty happy considering in the past five weeks I did a half ironman (Great Illini HIM, Sept. 6) and two marathons (Omaha, Sept. 28 and Chicago) and didn't die or give up during any of the three.