Schaumburg Half Marathon 2015 Race Recap

Yesterday, I ran the Schaumburg Half Marathon. The day before the race, I got an e-mail that the course had to be rerouted due to road construction. It would actually be the third different course layout in the three times I've run it.

Goal: Since I had just run a fast Lincolnwood Turkey Trot 10k less than six days before, I was hoping for a convergence of my new found speed and my residual marathon endurance. I ran low mileage all week in order to help my legs and lungs recover. I was actually feeling good the night before the race and even enjoyed a little brandy. I also spent some time analyzing my splits from previous half marathons and combining that knowledge with how I currently felt, I came up with a target race pace of 6:30/mile. I would start out slow for the first two miles then try and lock in the 6:30/mile pace for the rest of the race. My goal was to run a smart race with a slight negative split and see if I could flirt just under 1:26:00.

Getting To the Race:  I drove on an almost empty Kennedy expressway and made it from my house to the parking lot in Rolling Meadows in 30 minutes.

Pre-Race:  After getting out of my car, I headed over to the yellow school buses (aka "shuttle buses") which would take us to the starting line. This was a point-to-point course so our checked bags would have to be shuttled back to the finish line. Someone on the bus said "hi Pete" and it was Kim P.

The shuttle bus was caught in a huge traffic jam of cars blocking the entrance to turn into the drop off area. Apparently, each driver had to be told individually that the drop off area was full. Then each car would stop in the middle of the road to let runners out. Each car was blocking the entrance for a minute a piece. I saw a woman jump out of her car in the middle of the road to run to the start line, she dropped her watch without knowing it, and a minute later I saw it was run over by a car and shattered into pieces. Ouch. Anyway, the two mile shuttle bus ride from my car to the start line felt like it took about the same amount of time it took me to drive from Chicago to the parking lot in Rolling Meadows.

Race temps were forecasted for 32 degrees, so I decided to run in shorts and a long sleeve wicking shirt. I got my packet and made my way over to the bag check area. Wendy spotted me, we said hi, chatted and got a pre-race picture. After only knowing her through her blog and tweets over the past couple of years, it was nice to finally meet her IRL.

Pre-race with Wendy (src)

With about five minutes left, I went to check my bag, but the bag check line was super long. Luckily the line of people crossed in front of the starting line, so I knew the race could not start until all of the bags had been checked - which meant I would be okay. With about a minute to spare I checked my bag, then crawled between the corral barrier into the 7:00/mile area. The horn sounded and we were off!

Miles 1 through 3: The first mile of the race was a loop around a parking lot. I had started pretty far back, so I spent a little bit of energy passing people. I was still carrying my water bottle, so I decided to run the first six miles with my own water, then throw it out at an aid station. As we turned around and headed back the other direction I waved to Wendy. Eventually, I made my way up to the 1:30:00 group and ran with them for a little bit. Some kids in the 1:30:00 group were goofing around and shoving each other. One of the kids got shoved into me, and almost knocked me over. I was ticked off, so I surged a bit by running on the grass and got around them. 6:34/mile.

Miles 4 through 6: After getting past most of the crowds, I started running through the quiet woods. It was quite nice running in the great outdoors and hearing only the peaceful sounds of breathing and footfalls. Since there weren't many distractions, it was a good opportunity to evaluate how hard I was breathing and gauge how I was holding up. I determined I felt fantastic! After cresting then descending on a bridge over a road, a small but enthusiastic crowd cheered us on. 6:26/mile.

Miles 7 through 9: At about the halfway mark, the course made a u-turn and headed back towards the start. Erica cheered me on, and I ran across a grassy area back to the bridge. I passed a few more runners, but my pace slowed as we were running into the wind. I was passed by a guy who I think had been pacing someone behind me, but for some reason, he had left him and sped ahead of me. 6:28/mile.

Miles 10 through 12: I was pretty much running alone for this stretch. Once again in the stillness it was really nice to do a check of how my breathing and legs were holding up. I glanced at my Garmin and was pleased that my pace was still quick and I still did not feel overly strained. However, since I was by myself, I was afraid of making a wrong turn as there were various trails and parking lots in which to veer. Luckily through the trees ahead, I could occasionally see the (at that point) third place woman ahead as she was wearing a bright pink jacket so I could relax a little. 6:19/mile.

Miles 13 and 13.08: The woman in pink passed another woman who was losing speed. I passed her as well and we crested a small hill which led down to the finish line. The woman in pink was just ahead and I made attempt to pass her on the final uphill stretch to the finish line, but the finish line came up and we were done! 6:20/mile.

I crossed the finish line and got my medal about two feet later!

Analysis:

Age Group: 1st of 86
Overall: 16th of 1415

Official finishing time was 1:24:33 for a new "Schaumburg Turkey Trot PR" by over four minutes!  I won my age group and beat the second place male in my age group by almost two and a half minutes! It was also my second fastest half marathon ever. However, I think the course was short based on my Garmin results (that's why I put 13.08 above in my racap). My guess is that the course was probably hastily put together the day before, using someone riding a bike with a GPS watch to measure. The biker may have taken slightly wider tangents than a runner would (just a guess). Typically my GPS measures about 13.2 for a regular half marathon - since I don't run all of the tangents perfectly. In any case, it was still the second fastest GPS pace I've run for a half marathon (6:28/mile), so it can still legitimately said to be my second fastest ever. Adjusting for the short course, I probably really ran about a 1:25:10 which would still be my second best. I also ran just two seconds per mile below my target pace of 6:30/mile, so my pre-race analysis paid off.

Post Race:

I picked up my gear and headed back to the finish line. I spotted Kim finishing - then Wendy flew on by. I took a few pictures of her finishing strong. I walked over to the finisher chute where Wendy and I chatted as I waited for my AG medal. Before we left for our cars, we got this pic:

Conclusion:

Great racing weather, good friends and a fun time had by all.

Next Up: An easy week with lots of rest. After that I'll probably start training for the "It's S-NO-W Fun Run" and the "F3 Half" in January.

Lincolnwood Turkey Trot 2015 10k Race Recap

A decent amount of snow fell the day before my seventh Lincolnwood Turkey Trot. Then an arctic chill set over Chicagoland on race morning making the roads slick with ice. Temps were 15º - conditions which were quite different from last year's race. For the first race in awhile, I wore long running pants to cover my legs and three layers for my upper body. It would probably end up costing me a few seconds to be weighted down and less aerodynamic, but the trade-off would be worth it just in case I hit the wall during the race and had to walk two or three miles back to the finish line. This is the race that had always featured groovy turkey trophies for the AG winners, however this year they did away with the turkey trophies and replaced them with run-of-the-mill medals. Talk about a let down!  Anyway, instead of a PR, I was shooting for a 2nd best PR, which would be any time under 39:06.

Pre-Race

Luckily, I had picked up my bib on my way home from work on Friday, so I didn't need to get to the race early for packet pickup. I left the house at 8:15am for the 8:45am start. 15 minutes after leaving home, I scored a street spot, then waited in my heated car for a few minutes. Then with about five minutes left, I sprinted across the icy sidewalks over to the start line. Once in the start corral I talked with John B who was running the 5k. Over the PA system, the mayor of Lincolnwood announced that the roads were clear of ice and that the race would commence on the sound of the air-horn since the starting cowbell was frozen solid. However, someone rang the magically-thawed-out cowbell and suddenly we were off!

Pre-race in Lincolnwood

The Race

Mile 1: Unwisely, I started just a few rows from the front, and got caught up trying to hang with the 5kers. Big mistake - as some were really flying. About a half a mile into the race a few of them started to get gassed and slowed way down, creating a wall of rapidly slowing runners that I was stuck behind. This ticked me off, so I swerved way to the outside and then gunned it in order to pass them. I knew that was also a mistake as I had wasted a bunch of energy surging. My lungs were struggling to handle the speed combined with the dry arctic air that they were not yet acclimated to. It was the fastest mile of the day, but it should have been my slowest. 6:04/mile.

Mile 2: I knew I needed to slow down, so I did but was immediately passed by about six runners. This was demoralizing. Daniel K passed me like I was standing still. He probably got to the race late and was just running his normal race pace as he finished third overall. 6:15/mile.

Mile 3: Things started to settle down as everyone (including myself) settled into their race paces.  6:15/mile.

Mile 4: I made my way up to Pratt Avenue, where I was briefly joined by the 5k walkers. One walker looked at me and said "that guy must be running a seven minute mile!" He was only off by 45 seconds. 6:15/mile.

Mile 5: My breathing was labored and my lungs were burning in the dry air. I didn't know how I would fare over the last 2.2 miles so I started to pull back ever so slightly on my pace to make sure I had enough juice for the homestretch. 6:19/mile.

Mile 6: There was good news and bad news. The good news is that I was almost done. The bad news is that the last 1.2 miles is always wall-to-wall with 5k walkers and today was no exception. Many of them walked three abreast and there was no separate lane for the 10k runners who were barreling through. I gently brushed passed a few walkers, and had to weave around a few more. It was like an obstacle course with oblivious walkers taking up the road as our fast race was going on around them. 6:15/mile.

Turn at mile 5.5

Mile 6.29: Down the homestretch I was really gasping for air. I felt like I was slowing down as I had to swerve around regular walkers and those who were magically turning into runners near the end. Luckily the end was in sight and I barreled over the finish line and was done!  5:50/mile.

Race Summary: 

Post race with finisher turkey medal

• Official time: 39:06. Official pace: 6:18/mile
• Overall Place: 12th out of 464
• Age Place: 3rd out of 65 (these are 10 year age groups).
• Tied my 2nd fastest 10k ever. 
• AG medal attained! Unfortunately, they are no longer giving out turkey trophies, but I still managed to get a turkey AG medal, which I can add to my turkey race momentos.

Post-Race:

I picked up my finisher medal (new this year) then had some hot soup in the heated tent. I went back outside and spotted Erin in the finisher's chute and we said hi. 

Race Takeaway:

I'm happy to have tied my 2nd fastest 10k ever, but I know I could have finished faster. If I had not been wearing all of the layers and running pants, maybe I could have broken 39:00. However, my major error was starting too fast - something I will definitely try to avoid at my next race.

Next up:

Schaumburg Half Turkey Trot on Saturday!

Hot Chocolate 15k 2015 Race Recap

This was my fourth time running the annual Hot Chocolate 15k. It's an opportunity to use some of my residual marathon fitness for a potential 15k PR. This year's version would feature picture-perfect racing weather which perhaps would bode well for a PR and maybe something more...

The Expo:
This year, the expo was moved from McCormick Place to the Hyatt on Wacker which was a welcome change. No more 22 mile round-trip drive through city traffic to get my packet for a race distance that amounts to an extended 10k. I was able to ride the "L" and read a book on the way down and get my packet and bib and them jump back on the train before my two hour CTA transfer window expired. Over the last three years, the race organizers have proven they can hold a quick and organized packet pickup. The packet pickup disaster from a few years ago is now a distant memory.

Pre Race (Mistake and a Jerk): 
I was all set to take the 45 minute "L" to the race, but was running slightly behind schedule, so instead, I hopped in my car, and with LSD completely empty, made it near my $16 parking garage just north of Grant Park in just over 15 minutes, however once on Lower Wacker, I took a wrong turn and found myself in a lane which forced me to head south on LSD. Since all the Grant Park exits off of LSD were closed I could not turn around until south of Soldier Field! This mistake took me an extra 15 minutes of driving by the time I got back to the garage. Since it was so close to race time, there was a line of cars waiting to go through security check. I got in line with about 25 minutes before my corral was due to close. All of a sudden a woman in her car cut in line and drove up near the front of the line of cars waving her work ID badge out the window. I knew right away that she thought that she could cut the line because she worked in the offices above the parking garage. However, I saw she was not going to work, but was actually going to run the race - she was wearing an official "Hot Chocolate" participant jacket. So, I rolled down my window and yelled at her saying we were all trying to get to the same race. She replied that she was just trying to get in "her building" and thought they would open up a special lane for her. Yeah right! Anyway, someone let her in ahead of them. Hope she is happy with herself. People can be such jerks sometimes.

I finally made it into the garage and parked with about 15 minutes to spare to get to the race, get my bag checked and then get into my corral before it closed. So, once I left my car I started running with my backpack on. I ran about a mile around Grant Park to the entrance on Michigan Ave. Then I ran another 1/2 mile through the crowds to gear check. I zipped up my backpack in a clear bag and checked it. I had about 5 minutes to run the length of Grant Park to my corral before it closed. Other people were jogging, but I went into a full sprint! It was about 35 degrees outside, but I was sweating quite a bit. I made it into the "A" corral with a couple of minutes to spare, but completely out of breath and overheating.

I searched the corral for any friendly faces, but since Lynton moved away this year, I did not see him or anyone else I recognized. The race time was nearing and I was still very warm despite the cold temps. I realized that my best bet was to throw away all of my extra layers and just run in a singlet and shorts. So, as the countdown to start began, I chucked my sweats and long sleeve shirt over the railing and the only "extra" articles of clothing I kept was my ski hat and gloves, which I would also dispose of during the race if I became too hot.

Race Strategy: 
In my previous three Hot Chocolate 15ks, I have been very conservative in the first 10k and then opened up the pace for the final 5k. Maybe I was sandbagging just a little and giving away precious seconds early on? I realized that since I had residual marathon endurance, but not speed, running a conservative first 5k then gradually speeding up over the last 10k would be a better strategy. I thought that maybe, just maybe if I could bring the first 5k in closer to 20:00 than 21:00, I might be able to speed up just enough to run a sub 60:00.

The Race:
First 5k:

The Chicago Marathon "blue line"  was still on Columbus drive and it was nice to see it again a handful of weeks after my course PR at that event. Once on Lower Wacker along the river, I ran a relatively slow first mile in 6:52 pace as I tried to determine how my legs and lungs felt and tried to predict how they would be able to handle the remaining 8.3 miles. Some of the 5k runners sped past me with labored breathing and headphones blaring. The wind was in our faces as we turned southbound on Clark St, and then again on Michigan Ave. It was already time to bid adieu to the 5kers as they made their way up "Mt. Roosevelt" to the finish line. 

20:30, 6:34/mile

Second 5k:
We continued running down Michigan Ave on the marathon course in reverse, until we veered off onto 31st street and then MLK Drive for the sharp turn north. During this stretch last year, some woman was running with her phone's speaker blaring music. This year, it was completely quiet except for the exquisite sound of hundreds of footfalls of people racing. The sun was just rising over the lake, it was clear and cool and I had grooved a beautiful pace. I could see the lead runners coming back towards me absolutely flying on the other side of the street. My body did not need to use any energy at all to cool my core since it was barely 40 degrees, so it could devote all of its resources to fueling my legs. My legs started to naturally turn over faster on their own with almost no effort. This is a rare occurrence - when my legs go on auto-pilot and I'm along for the comfortable ride. Endorphins started coursing through my veins, and a big smile appeared on my face - I knew for sure that I could at least sustain this pace for another 5k and that I would get a PR. 

19:56, 6:25/mile

Third 5k:
As we headed eastward at the 10k mark, the lake appeared. I kept doing calculations to figure out how fast I would need to run to get my sub-60 minute finish, but in my blissed-out state of mind I could not do any advanced math. With the wind now to our backs, I knew that at the very least I could run 7:00/mile the rest of the way in and PR, but beyond that I figured I would have to absolutely crush the final 5k to finish under 60 minutes. The McCormick Place tunnel appeared and I took off my sunglasses in order to see the potholes for the trek through the "Smelly Tunnel". Once we got back into the open air I put my sunglasses back on, but they were all smudged and I was looking through hazy lenses. I could not see very well, but did not want to waste time cleaning my sunglasses. I had no idea how close I was to a PR since I stopped looking at my watch and just put my head down and kept running. As we went up the final hill and made the turn onto Columbus drive, I could make out the finish line clock in the distance but could not make out what the numbers were. I got side-by-side with another guy and as he sensed me trying to pass him, he turned on the speed and I gave chase. I had no clue what my time was. It was only until we were about 20 yards from the finish line that I could finally see the numbers on the clock. The numbers were counting up - 59:49 then 59:50 then 59:51. At 59:52, I crossed the line and was ecstatic. I threw my fists in the air and flew past the finish line punching the air!

 19:25, 6:16/mile.

Almost there...

Finished!

Result:
PR by two minutes and 24 seconds! 

Basking in the sparkle of my new PR and new candy bar medal!

Time: 59:45

Overall: 45/12,176

Age Group: 3/358

Official Pace: 6:26/mile

 5k Splits:

1st 5k: 20:30

2nd 5k: 19:56

3rd 5k: 19:25

Analysis:
This was my fourth year running the Hot Chocolate 15k and my fourth 15k PR in each attempt! 59:45 means that I can tick off that magical sub-60 barrier off of my running bucket list. This was the best weather for a race I've experienced in over a year, so I'm glad I took advantage of the conditions when they were perfect. I also finished 3rd in my age group, so I am going to look out for my age group award in the mail.

Since I haven't had a post with some charts in awhile, I thought I'd regale you with a couple of looks at how I've fared in the race over the last four years.

My paces by year

My average paces by 5k splits 2012 through 2015

I've run this race four times and PR'd it every year. I'm getting smarter strategy-wise over time. However, this year I had an 18 month running base going into the race so my fitness was the best it's ever been at this time of the year.

Post-Race:
Near gear check, I spotted and then high-fived Lauren's husband Mike and then made my way over to get my fondue and hot chocolate:

Post-race "fondue mug"

The chocolate fondue was nice and messy and there was chocolate on my face and hands:

Giant fondue cup with hot chocolate in the middle!

Once again, I did not bring a flask of Peppermint Schnapps to help "flavor" the cup of hot chocolate. Maybe next year...

Conclusion:
This is one of my favorite races of the year and seems to be "hiding in plain site" of the Chicago running community due to some snafus three years ago that they have more than made up for. It has everything: Easy parking, thousands of porta-potties, beautiful finisher medal, and a chance to run down Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive. Keeping my 15k PR streak alive will be a huge task next year, but one I'm looking forward to.

Chicago Marathon 2015 Race Recap

Race Highlights

* 2nd fastest marathon ever

* Course PR (fastest of my five Chicago Marathons)
* BQ-minus 16:54 minute time of 3:08:06 for 26.5 miles

* Post-race with fellow BRC team members
* Not as hot as I had expected 

In my previous post I stated my "A" marathon goal was to run a sub-3:05:02 PR, and my "B" goal was to run a course PR of sub-3:09:00. Due to the warm temperatures predicted for the race, I knew that it was probably not going to be an "A" type of day. So, I set out to attain my "B" goal. I accomplished that by almost a minute. One of my "running smarter" goals was to run a negative split, and although this didn't happen I got pretty close (a one minute 54 second positive split).

Pre-Race

I called a cab (no Uber, I'm old school) shortly before 6 am, and made it down to Grant Park in about 20 minutes, a few yards from one of the Jackson gate. The lines through security were longer than last year, but only took about five minutes until I was through. Unlike last year, I was not able to secure a spot in the Balbo Hospitality Tent. I found out at the expo that the tent sold out two weeks before the race.

Out in the elements before the race - no luxury tent this year!

Once in Grant Park, I checked my bag and then headed over to my corral. I bumped into Eric who was volunteering, we talked a bit and then I continued on my way.

I waited in the "A" corral as they introduced the wheelchair racers and I actually got to high-five a few of them as they made there way to the front. I then bumped into fellow BRC member Todd and we chatted for a few minutes, just before the start of the race, and then before we knew it, we were off!

The Race

First Half

The first three miles were probably the roughest mentally for me. I was unsure how my legs would hold up since they had been pretty sore during my taper and early on, I started losing confidence that I could hold pace. For some reason, my energy levels were down, my nerves were getting the better of me and I was second-guessing myself as we ran up LaSalle Street. I was wondering if I could even make it another 24 miles of continuous running. I knew I needed a boost, so for the first time in my marathon career I ate some carbs (a Shot Block) in the first three miles. Soon thereafter, my energy levels increased, along with my confidence and I grooved a good steady pace. Crisis averted. My goal was to run the first three miles at 7:25, 7:20, 7:15. I actually ran them in 7:19, 7:11, 7:15. So far so good.

While running, I tried to follow the blue dashed tangent line as well as possible. However, other oblivious runners were weaving around the line as I tried to jostle for position so I could run on top of it. I assume they had no idea that that it was even there. By weaving around they were actually not running the tangents and adding distance. Anyway, at one point in Lincoln Park the blue line swerved way out into a turn, which surely could not have been the shortest distance around that turn. So, I lost a little faith in the blue line at that point. I passed the porta-potties that slowed me down last year and kept streaming ahead. I wanted to lock into a 7:05/mile pace at mile six, but I actually did that a mile too soon at mile five.

So now, I just needed to hit a 7:05/mile pace until the finish and I would have a course PR. The temps were miraculously still tolerable and I had been progressing at a conservative pace with the wind to my back. At mile eight in front of the Treasure Island on Broadway, my aunt and uncle were waiting to cheer me on. I ditched my bottle of water and picked up another one from a spectator. I also grabbed a wet sponge from an aid station and slipped it under my hat. Of course there was a photographer right at the sponge stop to catch all of the action:

Putting a wet spunge under my hat as other runners look on!

I popped the last three of my shot blocks in my mouth and took my first Gu. Luckily in the Loop there was a station handing out entire packages of Shot Blocks which saved me from having to eat more Gu. Woo hoo! Then I spotted Todd just ahead of me and slowly made my way up to him. However, he slowed to get water at an aid station and I kept going, so I passed him. A minute later he had caught back up to me and so we ran together for through the halfway point where I saw Marcia, Emily and Erica who were cheering me on.

First half split: 1:33:06 (7:06/mile)

Second Half

Todd and I ran side-by-side through the "Charity Block Party" around mile 14, I tried to mentally block out the crowd noise to prevent running my standard "surge" at this point in the race. I kept looking at my GPS watch to make sure I remained on pace. Although my Garmin said it was the fastest mile of the day, it sure felt (and looked) like I was maintaining my pace.

Anyway, we made our way back into the Loop and I could see the sun beating down on the skyline ahead. I was bracing myself for warmer temps. However, it did not seem to be getting too much warmer. The wind was strong, but it was seemingly blowing from a different direction depending on the block. So, it was easy to put it out of my mind, even if it was a headwind because I knew that around the corner, it would be tailwind! I kept going, easily hitting my pace mile after mile and felt well. The temptation to speed up was great, but from running this race four times before, I knew that I would need every bit of energy once I got in the homestretch on Michigan Ave. 

Eventually I lost track of Todd. At mile 17, unbeknownst to me at the time, I ran in front of 2012 Olympian and current Women's Running cover runner Sarah Attar. Kelly snapped a photo of her Oiselle teammate and me:

One of us is an Olympian (source: Running Kellometers)

Unfortunately, Kelly and I did not see each other, but luckily she realized I just happened to be in some of her pictures! Anyway, I was probably not drinking enough water because I wasn't sweating as much as I should have been with the temps rising like they were. Not wanting to slow down, I even skipped a water stop or two, something I have never done in the past. Every mile or so, I would get a twinge in my left thigh which was a strong indicator that a cramp was coming on. So, I backed off my pace ever so slightly, not wanting to over-do things and completely cramp up. At mile 20.5 I spotted Annabelle and she cheered me on.

In Chinatown, there were a few spectators smoking. Cigar and cigarette smoke wafted in the air all around me and it filled my already hurting lungs. Once I caught my breath I yelled "NO SMOKING!" in the direction of one of the smokers, which ticked them off so they began yelling back at me. My admonishment probably didn't help things, as they were probably happy that they were messing with the runners' breathing, but I'm glad I said something.

After yelling at a smoker in Chinatown

On a happier note, at mile 23.5 I passed Xaarlin and Eric (again!) and Xaarlin snapped my picture:

At mile 23.5 (src)

Even though I felt strong at the time, a glance at my Garmin showed that my pace was slowing. I ran mile 23 and 24 each in 7:26/mile. I feared accelerating in order to try and get back to pace, as pre-cramp warning signals were coming from my legs. I'm sure dehydration was taking its toll, but in my mental state at the time, I did not correlate the twinges in my legs to needing water. As I turned onto Michigan Avenue, I made some mental calculations and realized a course PR was within my reach as long as I held a sub 8:00/mile pace until the finish. So, I skipped past the last couple of aid stations and just focused on getting to the finish line by putting one foot in front of the other.

I passed Ken from the BRC in front of the Weathermark on South Michigan Ave. and he was cheering and filming a video of me. I rounded the corner at Roosevelt and Michigan and bounded up the hill passing other runners on pure adrenaline. Once at the top, I looked down Columbus Drive to the finish line. I saw that the finish line clock was ticking up to (what for me was) a 3:08:00 and I could possibly score a 3:07:59 if I hauled some major booty. So I used up everything I had left and then did a sprint down the hill, but the finish line did not come up soon enough and the clock passed 3:08:00.

Mustering a sprint to the finish

  Second half split: 1:35:00 (7:15/mile)

Results 

Analysis: My official time was a 3:08:06 for an official pace of 7:11/mile. My Garmin shows that I ran 26.7 miles for a 7:02/mile pace average. I got my course PR by almost a minute. I also BQ'd by 16+ minutes, which means I'm pretty much assured of getting into the 2017 race if I so choose. I re-qualified for the 2016 Chicago Marathon next year, but also I'm now a legacy finisher and I can run Chicago without qualifying for the next four years! Now I can go all out during my (hopefully cooler) spring marathon and really focus on running my PR pace for the entire race.

Enjoying my post-race 312

 Post Race

After drinking water, a Gatorade shake and grabbing my beer, I headed over to the changing tent, got dressed and walked the mile and a half trek back through the race crowds to the Weathermark on south Michigan Ave. I stopped at Jimmy John's on the way and ate a sub sandwich as I negotiated the crowds.

I met up with the BRC - everyone cheered and the bell behind the bar was rung in my honor. Declan was there with his kids - he had just BQ'd the day before in his 2nd marathon ever!

Todd, Declan, Annabelle and Declan's daughter

After chatting and laughing for a couple of hours, we went out on the street to watch and cheer the 5-hour marathoners. I said my goodbyes, and then joined Declan and kids for a ride on the Red Line before I transferred at Belmont.

Perhaps next spring's marathon will include some PR weather so I can be more aggressive from the start and then get my legs to cooperate so I can hang on at the end. But all-in-all it was a fantastic day. So many friends and family cheering me all day long made me feel like a rock star!

Chicago Marathon 2015: Goals

My foray into carbo-loading starts today. Luckily, I just realized that a few days ago I bought a 150 piece assortment of Halloween candy which WAS to be given out for trick-or-treaters on October 31st. We'll see if there are any Payday and Snickers bars left by Sunday. Hey, it's all in the name of carbo-loading, right? Also with the arrival of carbo-loading, it's time to say goodbye to the days I spent fat loading. For almost two weeks I ate loads of eggs, full fat yogurt and washed it down with glasses of whole milk. It felt fantastic and satisfying and it has not caused me to gain any weight at all. Maybe there is something to this new "Fat is Back" dietary trend?!

Anyway, the forecast is not looking too good for Sunday - with highs hurtling towards 70+ degrees during the race and winds of 15 mph coming out of the southwest. So, I figured I need some backup plans, especially since I don't run well in the heat. Here they are:

Plan A:  3:05:02 or less: Start at 7:20/mile for the first mile, gradually speed up, then lock in a 6:55/mile at around mile six. Goal attained: Personal record.

Plan B: 3:08:59 or less: Start at 7:30/mile then lock in a 7:00/mile: Goal attained: Chicago Marathon personal course record.

Plan C:  3:15:00 or less: Start at 7:30/mile then lock in at a 7:15/mile pace. Goal attained: Auto-qualify for Chicago Marathon 2016.

Plan D:  3:22:30 or less: Start at 7:40/mile then lock in at a 7:35/mile pace. Goal attained: BQ for 2017.

Plan E: Simply finish the race: Start at 9:00/mile then gradually slow down as I get trampled by fellow "A" and "B" corral runners until I am in a comfortable waddle or walk. High-five as many spectators as possible and drink beer when offered. Goal attained: Zen-like happiness and auto-qualify for Chicago Marathons 2016 through 2019 as I will be a "legacy finisher".

Which one will it be? I will have to make a game-time decision at the start line. If I'm feeling warm before the horn sounds, I will have to bid adieu to Plan A and decide if it will be a B through E kind of day. I learned the hard way during my first (Chicago 2010) - that overheating turns the final miles in the sun up Michigan Avenue into a death march. No matter what happens - post-race I will be enjoying a beer at the Weathermark on Michigan Avenue and later in the day I will be eating a hearty German meal in my neighborhood while wearing one of these:

My 2012 Medal

Let me know if you're running, or where you'll be along the course and I will try to look out for you! Good luck to everyone!

A Few Chicago Marathon Tips

Well, it's about that time. The weeks of tempo/strength/speed and long runs are over and we sit a few days out from the big day. The only thing left to do from here until Sunday is to do two or three short shakeout runs and do hourly refreshes of weather.com to get updates on Sunday's forecast.

Speaking of which, as of today, it looks like it will be 10 to 15 degrees warmer this year than last year. If the wind forecast is correct, the middle miles will be hard fought into the wind. Here's hoping the forecasted wind and heat taper off by Sunday.  That said, here a few tips that will hopefully help you to have a slightly better Chicago Marathon no matter what the weather.

Dashed Blue Line - Unfortunately last year I didn't find out about the "dashed blue line" that is painted on the Chicago Marathon course until after the race (even though it was under my feet for some of the time). If one theoretically could run the entire race right on that blue line, they would run exactly 26.2 miles. This is also known as "running the tangents". According to my GPS watch, I have run 26.5 miles in each of the last two Chicago Marathons (2013, 2014). If I had been able to shave off 0.3 miles I would have saved over two minutes of running.

See the "Blue Line" at the tip of the arrow
from 2014's race.

Motivation on Michigan Avenue - Michigan Ave. is the long, hot homestretch of the marathon. It covers approximately 2.5 of the last 2.7 miles usually in the full sun. Traversing this section seems to take forever. A way to keep distracted on this stretch is to break down the distance by looking out for each kilometer marker (41 then 40 all the way to 37) since klicks are shorter than miles. Even better, remember that at each intersection from 35th street to 12th (Roosevelt) the numbers go down one every block (I got this one from Mo). So you just have to focus on running to the next intersection to see a new (and lower) number.

Expo Parking - If you don't want to pay for parking in the McCormick place garage, you can sometimes find a free or at least cheaper street spot just west of the convention center. However, it is a bit of a hike, so if you go to the expo on Saturday, you might consider shelling over the bucks to park in the garage which might save your legs from walking too much the day before the race.

Balbo Hospitality Tent* or the CARA VIP Experience - I was gifted a pass for the Balboa tent last year, and although it is expensive ($125), it is heated, provides unlimited food and drink, has plentiful and virtually unused porta-potties, private gear check and post-race massages. All of this takes place right next to the finish line.  It's close to an upper-crust marathon experience, but if you're only running one marathon a year, it might be worth a splurge since it provides a comfortable environment prior to the race. Also, CARA sponsors a "VIP Experience" at a local hotel with many of the same amenities for a lot less ($35 pre-expo price). However, it's about a nine block walk north of the finish line and around the same distance to the start line due to the security checkpoints before the race. However, they do have a bank of VIP porta-potties closer to the start line. If you are arriving to the race from the south or are headed southbound after the race, it might not be very convenient for you.

In the Balbo hospitality tent before last year's Chicago Marathon

Well, those are my tips, hope they help even if they won't make us any cooler during the race. Anyone have any specific to Chicago Marathon tips?

* Just checked the Chicago Marathon site and it looks like tickets are no longer available for the tent for 2015. Womp.

Running a Smarter 2015 Chicago Marathon

Last year, I missed my marathon PR at the Chicago Marathon by four minutes. In order to improve on that time and perhaps actually PR, I've outlined the things that I plan to do differently at this year's Chicago Marathon:

Around mile 8 in 2014

1) Negative split: I've run seven marathons and I've run positive splits all seven times. Check out the blue line in this graph of last year's marathon's mile splits.

My 2014 Mile Paces

All you need to see is that the line slopes upwards after mile 13. I would like to finally see that line that slope downward (or at least be flat) after mile 13!

2) Add extra time to pace calculators: According to the McMillan Pace Calculator, based on my last 5k time I should be able to run a 2:58:00 marathon, according to my last half, I should be able to run a 3:00:00 marathon. However, as I've learned in the past pace calculators don't work for me for the marathon distance. I am better off adding a few extra minutes to my predicted marathon finish time and go with that pace (say a 3:04:00). If I feel good later in the race, then I can speed up and attack the lower number.

3) Plan for a bathroom break: I've had to stop at a porta-potty in the first half of all of my marathons. I need to factor this extra minute "break" into my pace calculations. Also, once I leave the porta-potty I need to not speed up to try and get back with the "group" I was running with, or to try not to make back lost time as quickly as possible.

My 2014 port-potty stop according to my GPS map

4) Try not to stop: Besides the bathroom stop last year, I also had to stop because my heart rate monitor fell off. This year if I don't use the porta-potty (by not drinking too much pre-race), I could save a minute. Also, I recently bought a Garmin 225 watch with a wrist-based HRM. So, unless my watch somehow falls off, I won't have to stop to adjust anything this year.

Keep right on moving...

5) Don't surge at mile 13 or 14: At the halfway point of every marathon, I throw in a reckless fast surge (see chart above) for a mile that wears me out. After this surge, my pace gradually drops off and I start hurting. I simply need to cut that out!

6) Take extra nutrition: Last year, during the final four miles I got three separate leg cramps. Although a lot of that may have to do with diminishing form as I got tired, I need to get an extra gel down to deliver some carbs and sodium to my muscles which could help avoid the dreaded leg cramps.

No plan is ever perfect, but I just want to avoid repeating the same dumb mistakes that I seem to make at most marathons. Saving just a minute or two by racing smart, could mean the difference between a PR and not a PR.

Why I wish the Chicago Marathon was next week (and why I'm glad it's not)

I'm entering the last two and a half weeks of "quality" training for my PR attempt at the 2015 Chicago Marathon in October. I'm feeling like I wish the race was next week instead of in four weeks. Here are some of the reasons why:

1) I'm injury-free: Who knows what could happen injury-wise in the next four weeks? I rolled my ankle 10 days before Boston 2012, and had to take a deferral until 2013. A marathon is difficult enough when I don't have any injuries. The more time I spend training the greater the chance that I will overdo it (or do something stupid) and end up in injury jail.

2) Any improvements in fitness from now on will be small: I feel as though I'm as fit as I'm going to be for this marathon. I can knock out my quality (i.e. tempo, strength, long) runs now without a problem. I've been on my training plan for the last 13 weeks, and since February of last year I've probably averaged 40+ miles per week. So, how much will two and a half weeks of quality runs really improve my fitness?

3) I am close to my ideal racing weight: I am reading "Racing Weight" by Matt Fitzgerald and am following his running nutrition methodology (for the most part). I've been eating lots of lean protein and salads, and I have brought my weight down 12 pounds since February. How much longer can I keep up with this healthy eating?!  I'm looking forward to a rich German meal washed down with a giant German beer and a big slice of apple strudel on October 11th.

Near mile 23 of the Chicago Marathon 2014 (src)

On the other hand, here are some reasons I'm glad the marathon is not next week:

1) I need a little more quality: They say the most important quality work is done in the weeks just before the marathon. I have seven more quality runs and they are set to be the hardest so far. If those seven runs help me to build just a little more strength in my legs, maybe the last 6.2 miles won't be as grueling during the race. If these runs help to improve my finishing time by two minutes that may be the difference between a 3:06 (not a PR) and a 3:05 (PR).

2) Maybe I could still lose a couple of pounds: They say that an extra pound equals one extra minute of marathon finishing time. So if I can somehow shed two or three more pounds in the next two weeks, I would (theoretically) be about two or three more minutes faster during the marathon without expending any extra effort. Plus, I wouldn't have to lug that extra weight around for 26.5 miles for which my joints will surely be thankful. I'm only giving myself two more weeks to shed any weight, because during my taper, I will need to start fat loading and it's not good to focus on weight during a taper.

3) It should be cooler! I hope I'm not jinxing anything here, but October is usually cooler than September, so for each degree it's cooler - I'll be just that much faster.

Me and Declan with beer post-race 2013.

Anyway, maybe my "hurry up and get here" mentality is due to the fact that I'm looking forward getting some time back on my calendar, when I don't have the whole week jammed with (slower) marathon-specific training runs. Maybe I'm also looking forward to racing shorter (i.e. faster) distances. In any case, I can't change the date of the marathon, and it's probably a good thing I can't. I'm pretty confident of my abilities now, but hope to be more so come October.