Somewhere along the line in 2015 I completely lost my way ... in a good way, don't worry. I started with the goal to complete a 5k on January 1 and an Indoor Triathlon on January 3. After those two events I thought my year long goal, the "Look at me, Look what I did" goal would be to complete a half marathon. The furthest out half marathon that held the possibility of decent weather was the Chicago Half Marathon. I set my eyes on it, but wasn't quite sure back in January if I wanted to really put it out there, sign up, and say "I'm going to do a half marathon."
Seriously, I lost my way.
On Sunday, September 27, 2015 I completed my third half marathon this year.
The Chicago Half Marathon comes on the heels of my completing the Chicago Triathlon, which if we're being honest came after two other half marathons, another sprint distant triathlon, two indoor triathlons, and seven 5k's. Not bad for a girl who wanted to complete a 5k, see what an indoor triathlon was all about, and attempt to run 13.1 miles in a row. Over 100 miles of racing competition this year, I'd say I completed my original goal, got lost along the way, and achieved things I never thought possible ... at least not for me.
Ironically in running the Chicago Half Marathon it added to ... in the past three months I have now either run or biked the entire distance of Lake Shore Drive in one of three races. When I put it into perspective like that, I think that's a pretty big deal. When I put it into my mind like that, I think, Lake Shore Drive seems to go on forever. So then I go back to thinking I'm a pretty big deal. There, I said it, I think slightly highly of myself ... and that's okay.
Traversing to the Chicago Half Marathon proved to be the most challenging race location of any race I've done so far. In short, it's just not in a convenient location in Chicago, and add in the closure of streets for the race I found myself checking my gear, running to the portapotty line and getting into my corral technically 2 minutes after they closed corrals; I wasn't alone.
I'm not fast. I'm not, and I'm okay with that too. In fact when I registered for the Chicago Half Marathon given my last time, the Rock 'N' Roll Half, I was assigned corral N. I thought at the time "Gosh, how many corrals can there be?" I knew there was upwards of 14,000 runners participating, but I kept thinking "How far through the alphabet do the corrals go?" I had my answer. N. They go to N. I was put in the last corral. I started at the back of the pack. But I started.
Two days prior to the Chicago Half, Kristine and I worked out and she said she was stretching my hips out for the race. I'm sure my hips were stretched out, but that didn't mean my inner thighs and my rear weren't just sore from working out. So I started with a deficit. But I started. I also had been fighting the typical Chicago area, fall is here who knows what the weather will do allergy/sinus/facial mucus problem: This year is the Fall 2015 edition. But I started.
I started at my typical pace and I felt good. I was passing people. I was running my third half marathon of the year. Once we made a few turns and we were on Lake Shore Drive I knew I'd spend the next couple hours running on Lake Shore Drive until the turn around and then I'd head back on Lake Shore Drive to the finish. Not exactly the most exciting route, but the weather was idyllic with no sun, overcast but the temperature was in the low 70's. It was perfect.
Around mile 4 I was running on the far left side of the two lanes as I witnessed a girl running on the far right side of the two lanes. This girl was running, she was chatting with her male running cohort. She didn't see it. She didn't notice. But she ran into and kicked a dead raccoon that was laying as fresh road kill. While it's disturbing to think, picturing it again as I type, it's hilarious. When I run I keep an eye on where I'm moving forward but as well as what I'm running on. It would be so easy to fall into a pothole, or plant my foot wrong on a rogue rock. Maybe this is what makes me not the fastest runner, then again I've never run into a roadkill raccoon either with my method.
We ran to McCormick place before we ran up an off ramp, over Lake Shore Drive and down an off ramp bringing us to the turn around and roughly mile 8.5. Right after we got to the bottom of the ramp there was an aid station. This aid station was in fact the only one with nutrition. I did not stop for nutrition and didn't need water so I tried to run around everyone who was dead stopped. I had found a groove and I was going strong. I failed. I could not weave around people in and out or around. I lost my groove, I slowed to nearly running in place. All of those stretches I did on Friday they caught up to me.
Right there. Right then. And while the race was still pretty straight away for the duration it was all downhill for me so to speak. I slowed down. I never walked. But I'm pretty sure I could have truly walked faster than I ran at times. I was so solid up to that point. I lost my groove. It happened. I just couldn't get it back. As I looked back later at my splits it was confirmed. Right there, between mile 8 and 9 I lost it.
Mile 1: 11:46. Mile 2: 12:03. Mile 3: 12:12. Mile 4: 12:01. Mile 5: 12:07. Mile 6: 12:18. Mile 7: 12:38. Mile 8: 13:18. Mile 9: 14:00. Mile 10: 15:14. Mile 11: 15:55. Mile 12: 16:26. Mile 13: 15:55. Finish time of 2:58.23.
I started. I finished. I ran it all. I could have walked it, I probably would have been faster near the end. But I finished. I always just want to finish. Sure one day I'll surprise myself and break my own record, but until then I start and I finish.
After I crossed the finish line my friend Brett was waiting for me. He had also run the race but I knew he'd finish before me. In fact, I didn't even know if our paths would cross because he is a more seasoned athlete. But there he was, I saw him! We chatted, he congratulated me. He kept me focused and reminded me to go back and get snacks and water. He reminded me to stretch. Once the official times were released later that day I learned that Brett finished AN HOUR before me. 60 minutes. He waited 60 minutes! And later when I asked him about it he said he knew it was important to have someone waiting at the finish. He was right.
I finished the half marathon 9 months prior I had decided I wanted to try to run. Between the initial idea and the actual run so much had happened. I continue to learn. One day I'll be faster. Another time slower. But in all seriousness there may never be another 6" medal for the finishers like at the Chicago Half Marathon, 2015.
Seriously, I lost my way.
On Sunday, September 27, 2015 I completed my third half marathon this year.
The Chicago Half Marathon comes on the heels of my completing the Chicago Triathlon, which if we're being honest came after two other half marathons, another sprint distant triathlon, two indoor triathlons, and seven 5k's. Not bad for a girl who wanted to complete a 5k, see what an indoor triathlon was all about, and attempt to run 13.1 miles in a row. Over 100 miles of racing competition this year, I'd say I completed my original goal, got lost along the way, and achieved things I never thought possible ... at least not for me.
Ironically in running the Chicago Half Marathon it added to ... in the past three months I have now either run or biked the entire distance of Lake Shore Drive in one of three races. When I put it into perspective like that, I think that's a pretty big deal. When I put it into my mind like that, I think, Lake Shore Drive seems to go on forever. So then I go back to thinking I'm a pretty big deal. There, I said it, I think slightly highly of myself ... and that's okay.
Traversing to the Chicago Half Marathon proved to be the most challenging race location of any race I've done so far. In short, it's just not in a convenient location in Chicago, and add in the closure of streets for the race I found myself checking my gear, running to the portapotty line and getting into my corral technically 2 minutes after they closed corrals; I wasn't alone.
I'm not fast. I'm not, and I'm okay with that too. In fact when I registered for the Chicago Half Marathon given my last time, the Rock 'N' Roll Half, I was assigned corral N. I thought at the time "Gosh, how many corrals can there be?" I knew there was upwards of 14,000 runners participating, but I kept thinking "How far through the alphabet do the corrals go?" I had my answer. N. They go to N. I was put in the last corral. I started at the back of the pack. But I started.
Two days prior to the Chicago Half, Kristine and I worked out and she said she was stretching my hips out for the race. I'm sure my hips were stretched out, but that didn't mean my inner thighs and my rear weren't just sore from working out. So I started with a deficit. But I started. I also had been fighting the typical Chicago area, fall is here who knows what the weather will do allergy/sinus/facial mucus problem: This year is the Fall 2015 edition. But I started.
I started at my typical pace and I felt good. I was passing people. I was running my third half marathon of the year. Once we made a few turns and we were on Lake Shore Drive I knew I'd spend the next couple hours running on Lake Shore Drive until the turn around and then I'd head back on Lake Shore Drive to the finish. Not exactly the most exciting route, but the weather was idyllic with no sun, overcast but the temperature was in the low 70's. It was perfect.
Around mile 4 I was running on the far left side of the two lanes as I witnessed a girl running on the far right side of the two lanes. This girl was running, she was chatting with her male running cohort. She didn't see it. She didn't notice. But she ran into and kicked a dead raccoon that was laying as fresh road kill. While it's disturbing to think, picturing it again as I type, it's hilarious. When I run I keep an eye on where I'm moving forward but as well as what I'm running on. It would be so easy to fall into a pothole, or plant my foot wrong on a rogue rock. Maybe this is what makes me not the fastest runner, then again I've never run into a roadkill raccoon either with my method.
We ran to McCormick place before we ran up an off ramp, over Lake Shore Drive and down an off ramp bringing us to the turn around and roughly mile 8.5. Right after we got to the bottom of the ramp there was an aid station. This aid station was in fact the only one with nutrition. I did not stop for nutrition and didn't need water so I tried to run around everyone who was dead stopped. I had found a groove and I was going strong. I failed. I could not weave around people in and out or around. I lost my groove, I slowed to nearly running in place. All of those stretches I did on Friday they caught up to me.
Right there. Right then. And while the race was still pretty straight away for the duration it was all downhill for me so to speak. I slowed down. I never walked. But I'm pretty sure I could have truly walked faster than I ran at times. I was so solid up to that point. I lost my groove. It happened. I just couldn't get it back. As I looked back later at my splits it was confirmed. Right there, between mile 8 and 9 I lost it.
Mile 1: 11:46. Mile 2: 12:03. Mile 3: 12:12. Mile 4: 12:01. Mile 5: 12:07. Mile 6: 12:18. Mile 7: 12:38. Mile 8: 13:18. Mile 9: 14:00. Mile 10: 15:14. Mile 11: 15:55. Mile 12: 16:26. Mile 13: 15:55. Finish time of 2:58.23.
I started. I finished. I ran it all. I could have walked it, I probably would have been faster near the end. But I finished. I always just want to finish. Sure one day I'll surprise myself and break my own record, but until then I start and I finish.
After I crossed the finish line my friend Brett was waiting for me. He had also run the race but I knew he'd finish before me. In fact, I didn't even know if our paths would cross because he is a more seasoned athlete. But there he was, I saw him! We chatted, he congratulated me. He kept me focused and reminded me to go back and get snacks and water. He reminded me to stretch. Once the official times were released later that day I learned that Brett finished AN HOUR before me. 60 minutes. He waited 60 minutes! And later when I asked him about it he said he knew it was important to have someone waiting at the finish. He was right.
I finished the half marathon 9 months prior I had decided I wanted to try to run. Between the initial idea and the actual run so much had happened. I continue to learn. One day I'll be faster. Another time slower. But in all seriousness there may never be another 6" medal for the finishers like at the Chicago Half Marathon, 2015.
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