Chicago is ONLY about 2 weeks away, who's in?

Pete wrote:

4. Ready yet? Chomping at the bit.

It's "champing" on the bit, eh?

1. What's your goal? 2:55, 2:50 on a great day with everything going right.

2. What's your PR? 3:07 last year in Chicago

3. How did the training go? It had it's moments. Had several weeks in the 80's, and peaked at 92. Unfortunately went on vacation, and got a new job, which both cut into my training.

4. Ready yet? I think so, although I've had a really tight hip and quad the last two weeks, but I've been getting massage's which are helping.

5. Surviving your taper? I hate this part, this is where the mental demons come in, and make me start to doubt myself. But my training partners will help stroke my ego back.

6. Are you local or flying in? Flying in from Indy on Thursday morning.

7. How long are you staying in Chicago? Arriving Thursday, leaving Monday.

8. What's your race number? 2234

9. Any OTHER plans besides the Marathon while in Chicago? Have to have lunch @ Due on Saturday with good freinds, and then dinner Saturday night @ Ben Pao (Have to have Kung Pao Beef before I race).

10. Comments? Good luck to everyone running, especially those trying to make the trials. If we get the usual great weather, and the incredible crowds, we all can't help but have great days.

Goal: Sub 2:20, but would be content with sub 2:22

PR: 2:32, ran that 2 years ago while running 130 mpw during

the marathon week, ran the marathon as a quick training run

Training: It was hard and intense running the long repeats

rather than just distance runs like in college summer training

Ready: You bet, I've been focusing on competing in a competitive marathon since college, lost three races this year, won everything else I raced

Taper: It's nice not running so much, but hard not to pig out on food like I used to after running 20 mi long runs

I'm driving over to the race on Saturday morning and heading back Monday.

Bib Number: 1223, man...compared to you all I have a pretty high number...that sucks.

Hopefully I will not be going to work Monday after getting the qualifying mark!

1. trials qualifier

2. 2:32:52 (tempo run @ Boston)

3. high week of 140mpw; avg weekly mileage somewhere around 100mpw

4. We'll see

5. Surviving the taper is the easy part

6. Flying in on sat. afternoon

7. Flying out on Sun. afternoon

8. #176-rejected for elite start-5/03, accepted for competetive start-8/03, bumped up to elite start-9/24/03

9. nope, this is not a vacation

10. Where are all the trials qualifiers planning to meet up?

~MP

expect massive cheating by the top runners as this meet director refuses to test hematocrits....hey, tour de france does it, how freakin hard can it be....

On the other hand...a couple of counterpoints:

- I'm sure there's no drug users in the Tour (SARCASM!).

- Give me a list of all of the road races that do test hematocrit level. You make Carey Pinkowski out to be the big, evil race director when he's simply doing what 99.9% of the other RDs are doing (not to mention putting on a fantastic, successful race).

Don't get me wrong. If you do a search for previous posts of mine, you'll find I'm very critical of "the powers that be" in regards to drug testing/policies, and quite skeptical of top athletes & drug use. But don't single out Pinkowski as a bad guy. If all of the road race directors around the world could agree to test at their races, then that would be great. But unfortunately that will be awhile...

Oh, and way to add to the discussion of people excited about racing at the Chicago Marathon after months of training for it. I'm sure your point will be really relevant for the people who have been posting on this thread. I'll have to go out and pick up some EPO at Walgreens on my way in for the race. Good one! (SARCASM!)

BDG

1. What's your goal? 2:49

2. What's your PR? 2:29 (another lifetime ago)

3. How did the training go? Not bad...got in a 111 week

4. Ready yet? Don't have a choice

5. Surviving your taper? and liking it...

6. Are you local or flying in? Flying in Friday...

7. How long are you staying in Chicago? Until Monday afternoon...

8. What's your race number? 1572

9. Any OTHER plans besides the Marathon while in Chicago? Visiting my brother...

10. Comments? Big group from KC meeting at the letter "K" Should be a fun weekend...

Oh, ok, I'll play.

1. What's your goal? 2:40

2. What's your PR? 2:46:00

3. How did the training go? Best ever, but still have regrets. Averaged 78 mpw over last 16 weeks, so more mileage and more quality than when I ran the 2:46.

4. Ready yet? Guess so. Right after my 1:15:34 half a few weeks ago and some great workouts, I felt ready. After a 16:23 5K today, I have my doubts.

5. Surviving your taper? Yea, I'm so busy at work, I don't have time to think about the race. PF on right foot is bothering me a little, but it wouldn't be a taper if something like that didn't rear its ugly head.

6. Are you local or flying in? Local.

7. How long are you staying in Chicago? See 6.

8. What's your race number? 1841

9. Any OTHER plans besides the Marathon while in Chicago?

10. Comments? Drop me an e-mail if you are planning on running around 2:40 pace. Good luck to all, and enjoy Chicago!

1. What's your goal? sub 2:22

2. What's your PR? 2:27:29

3. How did the training go? very solid; peaked at 126 miles. averaged 100 plus for past 16 weeks. last couple marathon specific workouts: 8 miles warm up- half marathon at marathon pace- 4 cool down. then last week 16 miles at marathon pace.

4. Ready yet? goal marathon pace finally feels like second nature. i've been nervous/excited for the past 3 weeks. i'm ready.

5. Surviving your taper? not tapering too much yet, but i'm cutting back slowly and feel very good

6. Are you local or flying in? flying in from hagerstown, md on friday

7. How long are you staying in Chicago? fri-mon

8. What's your race number? 1368, bothers me a little bit but it will all work out race day. i was never checked last year as i proceeded into the warm up area for the elites. i may cruise in there and act like i know what i'm doing. if i end up in the competitive start area and i shove you trying to get to the front, please accept my apologies

9. Any OTHER plans besides the Marathon while in Chicago? hang out and enjoy the beer table post race

10. Comments? my focus is on being patient, finding a rhythm and really focusing past the 20 mile mark instead of trying to survive. best of luck to everyone. it's gonna be a lot of fun.

1. What's your goal? It was sub-3, but some quad issues have curtailed training, so sub-3:10 (My wife and I will both be going for this)

2. What's your PR? Too slow to mention, but had previously done very little training.

3. How did the training go? Fantastic until last 3 weeks, had sharp pain in leg and have taken last week off.

4. Ready yet? No, but my wife is.

5. Surviving your taper? Too much of a taper because of leg.

6. Are you local or flying in? Driving in.

7. How long are you staying in Chicago? Til Monday

8. What's your race number? 1841

9. Any OTHER plans besides the Marathon while in Chicago? No, what do you recommend?

10. Comments? Always looking for running company.

Forgot to change bib numbers: 950 and 6402. See you in Chicago and good luck to all, especially those going for trials qualifiers.

To "xc7swim" and "Boiler" and others who came up with injuries in recent weeks, don't worry too much about "lost fitness" in the last 2-3 weeks. I have been thru this and in my experience you may not feel tip-top lean and mean -- you may feel doughy or sluggish -- but the good, useful stuff is still there. Stick to plan.

To "shipalum," dude, unless you averaged 8:30 for all those miles, you're ready. Barring three-sigma stupidity in the last 72 hours, marathon performance is almost purely a function of preparation. Go knowck the cover off the ball -- Best, JAM

PR: 2:29:27, Chicago last year

Goal: Has been 2:22:00 for the past year, but now I have to go by feel on race day. At least 2:26, 2:22 still if a miracle happens during my taper.

Training: Went great for most of the year. Hi week 126, many many 100+. Then I had sudden-onset overtraining symptoms in mid-August, have been fighting that ever since. I can finally train well again, but I feel it's been more maintenance than gaining fitness for most of two months now. Missed a lot of key workouts...But I'm still destroying the times that led to 2:29 in training.

Number: 2394, Competitive start. How many first-borns does it take to start in a decent position at this race??? I am at a loss as to why they didn't keep last year's sub-elite setup. I spent 5 months trying to get a better start and all it did was get them to royally screw up my entry several times.

I hate tapers, I just want to get into the race and see what I can still do after all the troubles...

Taper,

Here is my mileage for my final stretch, for what it's worth. There is a TON more to it than just mileage (had to throw in a disclaimer, ha). What it was supposed to be and what it came out to are two different stories. Because I did have a calf injury that shortened things up a little. Good luck.

Goal Weeks:100,140,100,140,100,70,100,100,100,80,60,64

Actual: 116,140,100,140,100,71,101,101,75,74,(haven't done the last 2 yet).

Hinderloppet wrote:

Flying in! Thought about road triping, but I figured the Rockies would be getting a little rough right now, and on race day it might be hard to find a place to park in Downtown Chicago.

Don't worry about parking, Hinderloppet. Downtown Chicago is a virtual ghost-town on weekends.

If you can find weekend parking in downtown Bend, Chicago will be a piece of cake!

1. 2:54 (slowish master)

2. 2:51 (in 1983, at age 23; don't ask when I never lowered it)

3. Good, with modest mileage (high week of 81, 5 x 20, 1 x 22, two 15 milers at MP that went great)

4. Yeah, ready to go.

5. Ask me in a week.

6. Flying in Sat. a.m., unfortunately

7. Until Tues.

8. 418

9. Visiting w/ old college teammate and gloating after destroying him in the 'thon; family stuff on Monday w/ wife and kids

10. If weather is perfect I could see taking a run at the ancient PR, but I expect doing so would be folly. Won't be terribly disappointed with high 2:50s.

What is the number range for Elite?

What is the number range for Competitive?

Thanks.

Not sure, but I am thinking 3 digits and under is "elite", just a guess though. Don't know what the "competitive" numbers are.

Elite: 1-200

Wheelchair: 201-250

Competitive: 251-2500

Preferred: 2501-8000