malmo wrote:
It's the City of Big Shoulders. Yeah, Chicago is my kind of town.
Right, Frank.
malmo wrote:
It's the City of Big Shoulders. Yeah, Chicago is my kind of town.
Right, Frank.
Things sure have changed! I ran in the first Annual Windy City Marathon on Sunday, March 11, 1962. There were no women or gels. 15 started the race and 9 finished. The last runner 's time was 3:30:15. It snowed the night before so the race was run back and forth on a two mile stretch along the Chicago waterfront. There was slush and ice in places. I never warmed up!
Have run Chicago 5x but am sitting out this year.
Random tips:
Get to the course early. Entry into the A and B corrals is a mass of humanity. Porta johns get overwhelmed easily.
If you can get into the VIP tent pre race, do it. Private johns and a warm comfortable place to sit.
Take it easy when you turn off Jackson onto LaSalle after mile 2. People (pace groups in particular) tend to speed up here due to a combination of crowd support and the tall buildings screwing up GPS watch reception. Every race I've run there's been a surge here from mile 3-6.
Miles 14-22 are relatively slow from a crowd and scenery standpoint and have little shade and more wind. If it's a sunny, windy day the second half of the race can be deceptively hard from a heat, hydration, and effort standpoint. They should really run the race in reverse to maximize shade and crowd support at the end.
The last 5 miles suck. You feel like you'll never stop going South and then once you turn North on Michigan the wind hits you and you have a long, straight stretch with nowhere to hide. You're also running through some of the least interesting areas of the city.
Post race, go grab a burger and beer at Au Cheval. If there's a wait then grab a drink at Lone Wolf while you wait.
I'll be throwing down in wicker park/5 corners that night- Columbus day off.
Likewise I have run 5x but am sitting out this year.
There are a few bridges where the road surface is iron grated. They lay down a strip of carpet down the middle. I would definitely go for the carpet as the grating is hard on the feet and legs especially if you are wearing flats
The weather was really hot two if the times I ran it, warm one other time, and okay the other two times. Hope you get good weather. I'm in one of the suburbs 30 miles out, and it's chilly and really blustery today
Good luck
txRUNNERgirl wrote:
I'm running Chicago for the first time next week and so is nikeman. Who else is running? What is your goal? Does anyone have any advice for the course? I know it's flat and fast, but is there anything I should know about?
The despair on the faces of people in Little Italy may throw you for a loop. Every once and a while , you will see old women, who have worked a hard life, looking at you running with a strange curiosity. Then She will disappear back behind the curtain, leaving you both ashamed and frightened.
Some of you make it sound like this is a slow marathon. Brutal finish? Too many turns? Ice on the ground. Strong headwinds? When the conditions are right, isn't this the marathon of choice to go fast?!!??! At least some local club runners I've looked up have performed well and PR'd in Chicago marathon.
For a sub3 attempt, wouldn't this be better than Portland with its hills?
Good luck to all running next weekend!
It is a fast course, but I want to be mentally prepared for any challenges that could arise as well.
portland runner 97229 wrote:
Some of you make it sound like this is a slow marathon. Brutal finish? Too many turns? Ice on the ground. Strong headwinds? When the conditions are right, isn't this the marathon of choice to go fast?!!??! At least some local club runners I've looked up have performed well and PR'd in Chicago marathon.
For a sub3 attempt, wouldn't this be better than Portland with its hills?
Good luck to all running next weekend!
That's the trap, by thinking that Chicago is the "easy marathon". It is the fastest marathon, but you'd be taking the wrong mindset if you plan to toe the line of the easiest marathon.
Can someone with some chicago experience help me out with this. I'm in the A corral and hoping to run with someone in B Corral. How close do they let the front runners from B to the back of the pack from A at the Start line? Is it a separate gun? Forgive my ignorance, I've never run a major before.
The corrals are broken down into Elite, American Development, then A-E and F-K.
Elite and American Dev (ADP) will start when the gun goes off at 7:30.
Corral A (if they do it like a year ago) will be held back 60 seconds then released. They will pull up the ropes between A and B, and B and C just before 7:30. If you are in the back of A you will have no problem finding someone in the front of B.
After that, I'm not 100% sure. I think they hold back C, D, and E another minute to let the others clear out.
Corrals F-K are Wave 2 and go off at 8:00.
Since this is your first Major, pay attention to what the others are saying here about bathrooms, getting to the start line, etc. Buy your parking ahead of time (Spot Hero or Park Whiz). Find a hotel lobby to hang out in. Start walking to the start line an hour before your start time. Avoid gear check if you can (throw away clothes only).
Good luck.
A good place to watch thick women in yoga pants or bun huggers.
I found myself nervous in the start corral , and on edge with all the people. I tried to just focus on one thing, but there were literally thousands of people around me and if I had to escape, there is nowhere to go. the darkness of the early morning did not help.
3:30+ seems more likely than sub-3:15, but maybe your training has gone awesome and you'll overcome the marginal weather.
gaRUNNERgirl wrote:
3:30+ seems more likely than sub-3:15, but maybe your training has gone awesome and you'll overcome the marginal weather.
I'm well aware anything can happen in a marathon, but I shouldn't run 3:30+ unless I'm really hurting. I'm sure LetsRun will be there to kick me while I'm down ;)
A Goal: 3:15 or under (Big PR)
B Goal: 3:22 or under (PR)
C Goal: 3:35 or under (BQ)
D Goal: Avoid a PW
My marathon history:
2011 Eugene 3:44:16 (crashed the last 6 miles)
2012 Houston 3:34:04 (bathroom break at 24.5)
2013 Boston 3:59:28 (PW, cramped up and started walk/jog at mile 10)
2014 Newport 3:27:21 (crashed the last 4 miles)
2015 Boston 3:22:02 (PR, but crashed the last 3 miles)
Yes, look me up in 2 years and you can pace me...world record for 3 hours span....I'm gonna do it, or at least try my best Mr. Kurtis:)
nikeman wrote:
Anyone else looking to run 2:58-2:59?
If the weather is even close to optimal, LET THE DOG OUT!It's a fast course. no surprises, I couldn't see in the tunnel but that was the only because I'm nearly blind. And the sticks have Vaseline on them, they are not Popsicles. Don't make that mistake.
txRUNNERgirl wrote:
I'm running Chicago for the first time next week and so is nikeman. Who else is running? What is your goal? Does anyone have any advice for the course? I know it's flat and fast, but is there anything I should know about?
Congrats on achieving your "C" goal. Also seems like a PR for a legal course. Boston in 2016??
No Boston in 2016. I want a break from marathon training to do some shorter races and plan my wedding. Might run New York that fall though since I got an automatic qualifying time (no lottery) for that.
txRUNNERgirl wrote:
No Boston in 2016. I want a break from marathon training to do some shorter races
Good idea. I set PRs in 10k, 5k two months after marathon training. Switching from marathons to shorter races and back is great. Unfortunately, I have to do a marathon next, and I don't care for marathons.
BTW, how did the LRC staff members do at this marathon?