Chicago Marathon!!!

Yea, I'm in.  Just got my bib number.  20 miles last Saturday followed by ice bath-- not sure which was more painful.  Nutrition seems to be working.  Looking forward to 1st marathon! Shooting for 4:10.

This is beginner triathlete dot com, not beginner marathoner dot com.

Just kidding!  I am in. 

It will be my 10th marathon and 5th time at Chicago.  It is a blast!  Wall to wall people.  The energy is insane.

3rd time's the charm, right?

I'll be there, with bells on!

(okay, not really... all the other runners would plot to kill me... or trip me and leave me behind the porta-potties...)

I am no where NEAR ready for Chicago!     Mileage is way down.   Weight is higher.     BUT   lots of overall training hours in via bike/swim/run combo     And hoping that I gained some sort of endurance for Chicago via IM-WI  that I completed.  Its kind of a fine line between being fully recovered from IM-WI  in time for Chicago to benefit from the fitness gain (however much I got from it).      

This is Marathon #6  for me   and #3 Chicago        I will start from Corral "C"  and have no idea what pace I can really hold at this point.    So will run really conservative and hope that somehow in the later stages of the race that I can hang on to it.     Bank as much energy as possible and maybe just maybe  I can finish it under 4 hours.    

So the last two years have been completely opposite temperature wise.     2 years ago it was pretty cold (preferred)  last year it was hotish.    Hoping this years porridge will be "just right"??????

Hoping all my BT compadres  running Chicago   have an awesome time!  

I'm pretty excited about Chicago!  What an awesome race it is.  Based on my Fox Valley Marathon time, I'm shooting for sub 3:30.  Sub 3:25 would be awesome, but more unrealistic.

Legs feels fairly recovered already and will run today for the first time to test drive recovery.  Plan to do my first post-race tempo run next week if all goes well.

Can't wait!!!

bigpaps - 2011-09-24 3:53 PM I'm in. Will be first marathon and I'm pumped. Did my 3rd and last 20 miler today. Was feeling really good through 14 today and wanted to hit a mile hard so I ran 1 mile at about 7:10 per mile but by the end I was hurting. After the race i fed the grass with my vomit    anyone know what mile(s) they have hammer gel

Mile 17.8 they have Cliff shots (gel)    that's it.  

I will tell you what,  one thing I can't stand at the Chicago mary is miles 20-24  they start handing out bananas.   And the peels are EVERYWHERE  its like a cruel joke.  running on weak/cramping legs while trying to not slip on your A$$ on these peels.   seriously how dumb is this?  Have they never watched a Warner brothers cartoon?   

Congrats on getting your 20 milers in.   You will have a great time!    More advice would be to try and not vomit at mile 20  there is still 6.2 miles to go.

Good luck to everyone. 

I'm actually doing a Prairie State Half in Libertyville the day before, but no marathon for me this year.  I wonder how many people will be with me in Libertyville the day before the "big" event?  Well, at least I don't have to worry about crowded space

My boyfriend is doing the Prairie State Marathon and I'm doing Chicago the next day. Starting to worry about the high temps that are predicted!

I am in - doing my 2nd Marathon - and 2nd in Chicago. Last year was hot and I had severe knee pain the last 11 miles but finished and 100% certain I will do better this year.

Good luck to all - run fast and get it done before the real heat hits!

Anyone run Chicago last year from the "open" corral?  About how long does it take to get to the start line if you're in the front to middle part of the open corral?  Just wondering...

Good luck to everyone!

I'm in also, this will be my third, however my training was horrible this year. I had alot of fun this summer and got most of my long runs in. I did twenty a couple of weeks ago. Anyway good luck to everyone!!!.