The "March to Chicago" results

Ran an amazing race. I was 66th overall at 2:32.58. The weather was OK because of decent winds although it definitely cooled things off especially in the shade. Chicago is my new favorite marathon!!

Ran much slower than I planned. While training, we did our long run progression 18, 20, 22, 24 at a planned 3:05 pace (~7:00/mile).

Come race day the plan was to go out in 1:28 and try to negative split it. All my training buddies did exactly that (save one, who had to take potty break at mile 22). One ran 2:52 (one heck of a fast 2nd half) one ran 3:01 (had to walk the last 400 m due to a serious cramp - he was on pace at mile 26), and the other ran 3:02 (potty break, but kept miles at under 6:45).

I started having serious problems at mile 19, cramping. Had to jog/walk the last 7 miles. Ended up in 3:25. Very sore, confused and disappointed.

Wondering what went wrong. . . .

edit: "hear", not "here"

Did not run due to injury.

I was never more prepared for a race than this one...What a disappointment. 3:00:59 when I was shooting for, and in shape for, a 2:45, just really sucks. Felt fine and was on pace thru 18, fell off a bit the next few miles, but the tank was completely empty at 24. How the hell did I run 8:50's (Without walking!!!) the last 2 miles? Time to get back to 5 & 10k's! The marathon just kicks my butt everytime.

I finished in 2:43:34...171st overall

...First go at the distance, and overall fairly pleased. I was hoping for 2:35 and was on pace through the half (1:17:05) but then collapsed. I ran sub 6's (5:45-5:50 mostly) through 11 and then fell apart. I went out too hard, and didn't group together very effectively with the groups of 3-5 that would pass.

I had some trouble with my fluid intake (I have not mastered the art of drinking on the run). I took in very little fluids and when I did, I nearly inhaled it through the nose! I also was unable to poop prior to the run (long lines) and was a little worried about my body's reaction to the energy gel (usually none too kind). But it all worked out.

I need to work on a greater number of 20+ mile runs, and making those progressively harder. But good to get one under my belt.

Cheers!

I was looking on the results for some buddies. Is there a benign explanation for why, if two guys were running side by side, one would have registered a 10K split and the other not?

I, too, was going for 2:45. I was on pace for it at the half, but I just well apart around mile 19. These things happen. I still managed a 4:00 PR with a 2:53:00, but it was pretty painful getting there. I'm a pretty young buck at 19, so I figure my best years are still ahead of me. The race also reminded of why I limit myself to one marathon a year. Still, I have no regrets even if I did miss my goal because I did everything I could to try to get there. Plus, there's no complaining about a PR. My only real scare was having my hamstring tighten up suddenly 200m from the finish line, something that's never happened to me in a race before, but I was able to work it out as best I could to get me to the finish line.

Note sure if I'm currently banned...

I got sick last Saturday and was sick all week. I was hoping I would get better by race day, but I was up coughing and snotting Saurday night. Felt pretty good at the start line and did the first half at an around 6:45/mile. Round about 15-16 the tank ran dry. I started doing that death shuffle, snot was pouring down my face, the body just wasn't working any more. No energy available and feeling faint, I quit at 18 and walked back to the hotel.

Didn't help me feel any better to know that the women's winner had the flu last week.

Well....

I started out fine. Right on my projected pace. Went through the 1/2 in 1:13:15 (or thereabouts). Had done a 1/2 marathon 3 weeks prior a bit over a minute faster and felt jolly at the end. However, I knew at this point during the race that trouble was afoot.

Stayed relatively close to pace for the next 3-4 miles, and then the wheels came off. The last 10 miles were very painful, and I even had trouble holding my head straight for the final 4-5, but I didn't ever walk, and kept all the miles under 7:00 with the exception of the last hill. Came in with a 2:38:15. Was hoping for better, but was pleased with the effort and experience of the race. Learned a lot, and will be ready to go at it again.

Thanks a lot to the finish line and medical crew at Chicago for their help at the end, it was much needed and appreciated.

It sounds like a lot of us had very similar races. I was shooting for 2:40-2:43, ran 6:06 pace the first 15 (2:40 pace) and struggled through the last 11 miles to finish in 2:55. I thought about dropping out by 18, but I just kept jogging along. The last 3 miles were 9:15 pace, but I never walked! Disappointing, but I'll be back.

how can i see the top 100 finishers? i don't want to search by name or age group.

finshed @ 2:41:31 im 142nd place

my legs totally went as I crossed an arched bridge at mile 21-ish. It didn't look like much but sapped the shit out of my legs. I went from 6:30s to 7:30s in the blink of an eye. Also that last little incline felt like heartbreak hill. At least Sell felt the same thing, as he says in today's Tribune.

Did not run due to achilles injury.

I did go and watch. Plane and hotel were paid for. Had a good time. It killed me to not be out there, though.

What a day - my experience was pretty much similar to some of the rest - planned on running 2:58, was well on pace for this until mile 17 when the wheels started falling off. Ended up finishing at 3:06 and change. I had very little sleep the night before - the sink in my hotel room backed up and flooded the bathroom at 1:00 am.

What about the Gatorade at the Chinatown aid station? Doesn't anyone seem to realize that people get sick when it's mixed so sweet?

Dennis sorry to hear to you didn't have that great of a race. I must have passed you somewhere in the 20's. If I had known who you were I would have given you a shout out. Thanks for starting all of the threads leading up to this 'thon. You might remember me, I was wearing an orange and black jersey with a big cockroach on the back. I finished 66th at 2:32.53 for a 1:12 PR.

Congrats, 1:15/1:17 is solid pacing. You passed the marathon IQ test (which I've failed a number of times myself).

Speaking of IQ tests, if anyone is still trying to figure out how to see the results in time order, just go to the age group search and select "all."

If too many of you trained poorly. I can't imagine Hadd and RC's runners all blowing up at the end of their marathons.