Quick story: I finally made it to the Chicago Marathon after two DNSs (2007, 2020), but lined up and finished in 2023.
Some Background
I had three main running goals for 2023: attempt for an age group record for the 25K road race; win the overall age group title for the USATF Masters Grand Prix (best 5 out 8 races over the year); run a sub 3 at Chicago and thus join the exclusive 40+ year sub 3 span club (fewer than 20 runners have done this). That was pretty audacious but entering a new age group allows for wild goals.
I achieved the first two with a 1:40:39 25K last spring, breaking the previous record which had stood since 1991) by a minute. And I capped off the second goal last month with an age group win at the 12K masters championships in New Jersey, finishing the year with three firsts (12K, 10 mile, and half marathon) and two seconds (1 mile and 5K).
While those two could hardly have gone better, I knew the marathon would be tough. For reasons that I’m still working on my performance level has dropped off at the marathon level. After running 2:58 in 2017, my past four attempts have been 3:12 (bad weather), 3:02, 3:00, and 3:01 (more bad weather).
A big reason I want to break three is to run 5 Decades Sub 3, and as of this year make the rather exclusive club of attaining a 40+ year span between first and latest sub 3. Ian Mickle of California just extended his span to 46 years 76 days, the new record. I ran my first sub 3 in 1983 with a 2:35, and then 2:44 in 1999, 2:54 in 2008, and 2:58 in 2017. At 34 years even, I’m ranked 50th. Only 15 runners so far have recorded 40+ years.
Training
My three-month training block prior to taper went about as well as I could expect, averaged about 63 miles a week, with a high of 77 in September, and 5 or 6 weeks in a row of 70 miles a week in August into September. I will follow later with a training summary for this marathon block.
Travel and Pre-race
Flew out on Friday with Tamara and we stayed in downtown Chicago to minimize logistical issues, but it was still a challenge just to get around. I think if I do a major city event like this again, I’ll fly in on Thursday to give an extra day to adjust.
Race Day
I did this as part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors masters championships, where you have to qualify based on time from the previous year. Last year’s times put me in the top 10 or 15 in the rankings, and I figured that a top 10 would be achievable, maybe top 5 so that was my secondary goal.
I met up with my clubmates Tim and Paul (in photo) above. Both are highly competitive masters runners, Paul finished 2nd at last year’s WMM age group championship, and Tim was 3rd in his age group at Chicago last year.
Race weather was as perfect as you can get (read men’s world record on the day!), mid-40s at the start and a slight breeze, and high clouds. To start I decided on gloves, arm warmers, and an old t-shirt under my singlet, so if things warmed up during the 3 hours I could peel and drop layers.
I arrived at the corrals at a little after 7 but waited to 7:15 before squeezing up as possible far into Corral B as possible, and lined up 20 0r 30 meters behind Corral A, just behind the 3:05 pacers. I wasn’t too nervous waiting, more excited, as I peeled off my throw away sweats as the final count down to the elite wave ensued.
Finally at 7:34, almost 5 minutes after the elites went off, I crossed the start line and we were off!
The first four or 5 miles were the noisiest I had ever experienced and that includes Boston and NYC marathons. So many people! And so many runners going at the same pace, you couldn’t really slow down or speed up.
I never felt great on Sunday, my legs were slightly tight from the beginning, and while breathing was fine my legs were never comfortable. We were running 10 or 15 wide on the streets of downtown, with runners just a meter behind and ahead. It was tight and I had to watch my feet.
5K – 6:57/mile – noise tunnel with lots of turns through downtown
10K 6:52/mile heading north along LaSalle and Stockton Drives we strung out a bit, running 3-4 wide and the noise abated some, although there were people lined up and cheering the entire way.
15K – 6:53/mile. I only was able to see the long blue line on the pavement after about 15K. A marathon tradition, the blue line depicts the shortest possible route on the city streets. Therein, I kept my eyes on the line.
Half – 6:53/mile. I had little clothing glitch at 11 miles when I peeled off my undershirt and attempted top put the singlet back on and had to have someone re-pin my age group identifying back bib, which had come loose and that cost about 15 or 20 seconds. I was 1:30:16 at the half. The pace was not easy, but it was not uncomfortable. I just wondered if I could sustain the pace for another half.
30K – 6:53/mile. I probably felt best from about the half through 20 miles, and felt like I could get under 3. Just past 18 miles an older man with a megaphone announced Kelvin Kiptum’s world record of 2:00:35. That was inspiring and kept me going. However my upper glute/back were getting a little tight by 19 and that may have been setting up for what would come over the final miles.
35K – 6:59/mile. Here I had my first real warning shot, with a quick sharp cramp in my upper calf at about 21 miles so I eased up to 7 minute pace for a bit hoping to hold off anything worse. Doing the math, started reconciling with maybe not breaking 3 today. I could live with a 3:00 or 3:01. Just keep going.
40K – 7:42/mile. This 5K segment was where I ran into trouble. I really had to slow down after 22 miles as my inner thigh muscles would cramp up whenever I tried to keep the pace at around 7:00, so I had to shuffle.
42k – 8:33 pace. Over the final stretch, I had to walk a few times for 20 meters or so to calm the muscle spasms in my thighs.
I was so grateful see signs indicating 800 and then 400 m to go.
Finish – 3:05 (7:04 pace). This was not what I had hoped for. While happy to have finished the race (on fumes) I was initially disappointed in the outcome. Nevertheless, I was 6th for my age group and 2nd American in the Abbott World Marathon Majors masters championships. I can’t complain too much. To have a less than perfect race and still place decently in my age group at an event like this is a pretty good silver lining.
Aftermath
I had a terrible calf cramp while walking through the finish area, but two volunteers helped me up and walk it off for about 5 minutes and after that I was okay. Getting my gear bag back at the Abbott tent took 90 minutes of pure frustration as they didn’t have the volunteers to properly sort the bags, so it was a free-for-all.
I was disappointed for the first couple of days following the race, not sure if I even wanted to do another marathon. However, as the events of the weekend sunk in, I can step away happy finisher of the Chicago Marathon, and I’ll be back for a couple more cracks at sub 3.
rrunnin234 