Chicago Marathon 2023

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. — Thomas Edison, inventor

Almost four weeks ago, I crossed the finish line at the Chicago marathon. This was my 5th marathon. I still can’t believe it as I am typing those words. My FIFTH marathon!! If you would’ve asked me 10 years ago if I thought I would run a marathon, I would’ve said you are crazy. Yet secretly hoped that I could be the person that did.

Running has always been in my heart. I had tried so many times and stopped. Never really understanding what it takes. Just lace up and go. Right? Yes and no. Running is something that you either hate or love. Those emotions can be within the same few moments. Especially in a long run when you are a back of the packer runner. That is where I live. Is it where I will always be? Not necessarily. It is just where I have been the last few years. Life gets in the way of training or I get in the way of training. It doesn’t go very well.

This race was my redemption race! I ran NYC marathon for the second time a year ago and completed the Dopey Challenge (5k, 10k, 13.1 miles & 26.2 miles) in January of this year. Honestly, NYC was harder than the Dopey Challenge. Both of the marathons, I didn’t train like I should have. That is 100% my fault. I can explain all the reasons why, but end of the day. It’s on me. I crossed all the finish lines. All in tears. Some tears from the accomplishment. Mostly from pain. Chicago was going to be different. I started base training a couple of months ahead of marathon training. Things went well until they didn’t. I ended up with a slight injury a couple of weeks prior to the race. I did everything possible to heal enough to run. I showed up for race day!

Chicago was the first race I had raised funds to be able to participate. I raised funds for Run for Autism. A fantastic charity that I could not be more proud to represent. The night before the race I had the pleasure of attending the pre-race dinner. I met some amazing people that have been touched in one way or another with autism. I would do it all over again just for that experience.

Sunday, October 8 was race day! My Chicago race roommate and I headed to the corrals. We went so far together and he went to the corrals while I went to meet my Run for Autism group. Again, they hosted the runners so well! It was quite chilly that morning. It was so nice to not be in the corral waiting, but inside a warm hotel banquet room across from the race. Nerves were running wild! It’s just part of racing. I still get nervous for a 5k. My friend smartly suggested that I get a robe as my throw away clothes to keep warm while waiting. Best suggestion ever! After a bit, the leaders walked the corrals across to the race to start lining up.

One of the things I enjoy especially in the marathon distance is talking to others in the corrals. You hear stories of why they have trained and are running 26.2 miles. The common thread is almost always because I need to do this. There is something in endurance athletes that pushes us to the brink. I’ve heard it is to heal trauma. That’s a theory I can get behind. There are those that run multiple marathons because you just have to push. Do it one more time! Or you are a Six Star chaser like I am. The Abbott World Major marathons are a whole different story.

It’s now go time! You can feel the nervous energy everywhere. We all squish together as we are herded towards the start line. The excited music is blaring. You can't help but dance! You are making sure for the 100th time that you have everything. At this point, it’s just anxiety messing with me. We get closer and closer to the start line. Everyone has one wrist in front of them with their other hand ready to hit the start button on their watches. The first 3 miles in Chicago is buildings everywhere. Your GPS is useless. Those miles are purely on feel. You have to be sure you aren’t going too fast and have to slow down later.

The first half of the race I was very conservative. Probably too much so. I did have fun, took a selfie and have a few sips of a beer with one group. Between that and 2-3 bathroom stops, it cost me. The pace car which I’ve never experienced in my life was behind me. There was a lovely person announcing that if you are not keeping up with the pace car you will either have to move to the sidewalk, or you’ll be swept. My heart dropped to my toes. In my head, I hear if the pace car passes you, you will not finish the race. While I was trying to comprehend this information during the next mile, I did the math and knew that I had 12 more miles to stay ahead of the pace car.

I can’t properly convey how panicked I was for the next couple of miles. I picked up my pace. A lady was in the same very concerned position that I was in. I could see her turn and look behind me. You could see in her face that she wasn’t going to let that car pass her. The lightbulb went off in my head. Chase her! Do not let her out of your sight. I chased her for 6 miles. I had to grab Biofreeze at an aid station and she was gone. My heart sank a bit. I thought just keep going! You’ll find her. The mission was to find the ‘rabbit’ to chase again. I searched for her as the miles were going by. I kept pushing. I had gotten away from the pace car. It was starting to creep up on me again.

At mile 23, it was right next to me. I made the decision to chase it. I did for another mile. Mile 24, my Piriformis muscle on my left leg decided it was done with running. Thankfully, my mind and heart were not done. I ran as much as I could for the next mile. Mile 25 was brutal. A blister on my second toe on my right foot was screaming at me. It was likely from the seam on my compression sock along with the pain from overcorrecting from my right leg.

Sadly, the pace car passed me between miles 23 and 24. I no longer could keep up with the pain in my leg. But, I was finishing this race. For those last couple of miles, I cried from pain and missing my time goal. Also, thinking that when I finished that I wouldn’t get my medal and a finish time. Mile 26 was fast approaching. You could hear the finish line far before you saw it. I gave it everything I had to run across that finish line. The volunteer congratulated me and handed me my 5th marathon medal! I finished and have a finish time. It was not a DNF!! I also received my 2nd Abbott Worlds star.

Crossing that finish line meant so much to me. It was the culmination of months of hard work and dedication. I wanted to run this race without being in pain and suffering. While that did not happen, the pain came much later than it did at NYC or Dopey. For that, I am grateful. You read so many things about running a marathon. Mostly it’s about how a marathon changes you. That is the most true statement. While my life didn’t change after any of the finish lines, it’s what’s inside that changes. It proof that I can do hard things. By my life experience, you’d know that. This hard thing is of my choice. It’s a goal that I set to raise funds, train and finish. I did all three of those things.

If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience a different life, run a marathon. - Dean Karnazes