Bank of America Chicago Marathon – Chicago, IL (October 13, 2013)

Race: Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Place: Chicago, Illinois

Date: October 13, 2013

Time: 3:28:28

I just ran my first marathon!  My first 26.2 miles.  I ran it through 29 neighborhoods in Chicago.  I ran it strong.  I never hit a wall.  I had a plan.  I stuck with it.  And I had some of the best support on the ground I could have ever asked for at a race.  The weather was perfect.  And I, honestly, had the time of my life.

How many people can say that when they’re running 26.2 miles, eh?

But this post doesn’t start at the race.  This post started 18 weeks ago when I not only began a challenging training program, but also took it upon myself to find a sports nutritionist because I wanted to be sure that I got to this race and was able to run this race in the best shape possible…and ready.  There are so many times before where I did so many things wrong…especially when it came to fueling and hydrating during races.  I didn’t want that to happen here.  You only get your first marathon once.  I wanted it to be a good and happy memory.  So, Donna, if you are reading this, all your advice and help really, really paid off.  I listened to you about how to fuel properly for a marathon, how to hydrate properly for a marathon, what to eat, what to avoid, and how to figure out what worked best for me.  Some weeks were better than others…but that’s why we have those 18 weeks of training.  You figure it all out.

So, as the taper kicked in and my mood shifted from runner’s high to evil step-runner mode (I do NOT handle taper well.  Let this be my PSA to all of you), I had to really trust my body and try not to let the mental game of…running less = poor performance get to me.  Mind games.  They happen.  I was very respectful of my taper, doing exactly as my plan called for.  That meant the week leading into my marathon, I didn’t run much.  For three days, I ran 4 miles each morning.  Two of them were at marathon pace.  One was more speed work and pacing related.  Then…two full days off.  No running.  No morning walks.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.  Rest the legs.  Get them ready.  I wanted to run so bad during those days…but I didn’t.  I made myself rest.  It was two of the hardest days of my life.

Friday night, my friend Jenn from Ohio rolled into town.  She has been to quite a few of my races and is such a huge support.  She wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to come to Chicago to see me run.  Nope.  So, she headed this way and got in as I was still trying to make myself pack for the race.  I was distracting myself.  With everything.  Including organizing my BondiBand’s by color.  Packing…yeah…focus.  She and Cathy got me on task, and once my running bag and my regular duffel bag were packed with what I could pack that night…the three of us headed out to grab some dinner.

Since it had been way too long since Jenn had come into the area, I had her pick a place where we could eat dinner.  I sent her places that had options for everyone, including me.  And she surprised me when she chose Dakshin, a local and amazing Indian restaurant.  I threw it on the list because I knew it had good food.  Never did I expect Jenn to pick it.  But she did.  And I was proud of her for branching out.  So, we made the drive over to Dakshin and settled in for some crazy-good Indian food.  If you live in Louisville and haven’t tried this place…DO IT!  Since it was only two days to my marathon, I was being extra cautious about my food.  Being a Celiac means being so careful when it comes to eating out.  I wanted carbs and protein…so I ordered the Dal Tadke Wali…which is home style yellow lentils which are tempered with Indian spices.  YUMMY!  It was served with this delicious basmati rice that has coriander seeds and various Indian spices cooked in with it.  Keep that in mind as you scoop it onto your plate…FYI!  Needless to say…the food was delicious and Indian food is one of my favorite cuisines anyway.  I don’t get the authentic stuff often…so this really made me happy.  Cathy, in case you were wondering, chose the Goat Korma…which was apparently spicy.  Jenn went with the safe, but still off the beaten path for her, Tandoori Chicken.  It was spicy for her too.  So, with me being the one who loves spice…I got the mildest meal of all three of us.  Go figure.  Anyway…after our amazing food, we went to celebrate the upcoming race with some ice cream from The Comfy Cow.  I was a Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice scooper.  Hey…marathon training means ice cream.  This was Jenn’s first taste of Comfy Cow ice cream, so she went with the Bonjour Toast offering.  Cathy went with Vermont Maple Walnut.  With full bellies…we headed back to the apartment to settle in for the evening and watch Spirit of the Marathon to get keyed up for Sunday…and followed it up with Marathon Thoughts…which if you haven’t pulled that up on YouTube…shame on you.  Do so now!

We crashed out that evening at a decent time.  The people downstairs were having a party, so sleep wasn’t easy and I didn’t get much of it.  My alarm went off early…because my training plan called for me to do 3 miles or 30 minutes of running that day.  Since we had a drive to Chicago ahead of us, I got out of bed, put on my running clothes, my reflective gear, and headed out to run.  The rest days were good for me…and my legs felt good as I pushed through three very early miles.  I came back and snuck inside so as not to wake anyone yet.  Went to shower and finish packing.  Then, Jenn was up.  And soon Cathy was as well.  We ate a quick breakfast (cereal and some gluten-free French toast sticks…which…eh…) before packing up the car with all of our stuff, a cooler of drinks and snacks, and hit the road to Chicago.  We had to detour around Indianapolis due to Highway 65 being shut down going through downtown, so this tacked on some time.  My friend Heather, like one of my best friends who I have known since third grade!, was in Chicago to see me run.  She flew in from Minnesota for the occasion and texted to let me know she was there and grabbing some breakfast.  We had hoped to get in around 10 a.m.  We got there around 11 a.m.  We met up with Heather at the Hilton Chicago, the host hotel, and the hotel we were staying in for the weekend.  We valeted the car, put our luggage on a cart to be delivered, and I got us checked into the hotel.  We were up on the 8th Floor…which just happened to be the floor where many of the elites were staying.  The luggage would be up shortly, but the four of us headed up to the room.  The first set of keys I was given, didn’t work…so I headed back down to the lobby to get that fixed.  There was a much longer line now and more of a wait.  But, I just let it roll off my back.  These things happen.  No sense getting worked up over it, right?  The key situation was fixed and we got some commemorative keys to boot.  LOVE them.  Back up to the room and my friends were already inside.  I closed myself out just to make sure the keys worked this time.  They did.  And soon after…luggage was delivered.

This is how I know my friends are totally amazing.  The guy bringing in our luggage carried in the famous Donkey sign first, saying the most important thing had to come in first.  He immediately put it up in the window facing the lake.  It made me smile…a lot.  As he was bringing in our bags and cooler, he was asking questions about the race…and I mentioned it was my first marathon.  He said to my friends that they had a long day ahead of them tomorrow…at least a 4 hour or 4-1/2 hour wait for me to come in.  To which, Heather chimes…”Nope.  She’ll run it in 3:30.”  Cathy and Jenn totally ran with that as well and I just nervously laughed.  He asked what my number was because he’d have his eye on me.  So, we told him, tipped him, and he was gone.  With that bit of business taken care of…and bathroom breaks made, we hurried downstairs to 8th Street entrance of the Hilton and got in line for the shuttle buses to take us over to McCormick Place, where the expo was awaiting us.  The first bus that arrived filled up fast…but we got on the next one and soon were on our way to the expo.

Lately, my race expos have been tiny and rather…disappointing.  Utica…was probably the best one I had been to all year…and I’m not counting Disney races in this.  Disney is a monster all its own.  But this expo…was HUGE!!  We walked into McCormick Place and just followed the sea of runners…which guided us to the monstrous exhibit hall where all things running related were happening.  First things first, however…and that was getting my packet.  I headed over to where this BIG sign declared PACKET PICK-UP, and stepped up to this little table where they scanned my participant guide and sent me over to Booth 5 to retrieve my bib number and packet.  I headed that way, and my information was already pulled up and waiting on me.  I was handed my bib, an envelope of information, and told where to go in order to get my race t-shirt.  I grabbed some Chicago Runs For Boston bracelets for me and my friends and went to head to get my t-shirt.  But…got waylaid by this awesome wall where people were able to remove a magnet and sign their name.  We all did it…writing messages and the like…and keeping our magnets as mementos.  Then, we got to battle the crowds.  I was ready…and as we made our way up the first row of exhibitors…I just casually glanced at the booths.  I was hoping to make it out of the expo without spending too much money, so the less time I looked at things, the more likely that was going to happen.  I managed to get up to the tables in the back that had the t-shirts and bags for the participants.  I retrieved mine…and, as I learned my lesson from Disneyland, immediately pulled out the t-shirt to make sure it was a proper fit.  It was.  So now…we were loose to check out the exhibitors and try to make it out with as much of my wallet in tact as possible.

It was a valiant effort…but an ultimate fail in the end.  I found CEP’s booth and picked up some compression sleeves for my friend Natalie.  She wanted the blue ones I wore once to the fun run…and I promised if I spotted them at the expo in Chicago in her size, I would buy them.  Well…it happened.  And they were now hers.  Not far from there was the BondiBand booth.  And my friends and I set out on a mission to find a 26.2 BondiBand.  We found SO many good ones, just not 26.2.  Then…we started finding them…in hideous colors.  With some luck…I found two that were okay.  One in blue with pink numbers, and a red and black one.  I asked my friends which I should get, and since my uniform for the race was red and black…that was what we went with.  I purchased two other BondiBands as well…

Oh…I also got to meet Hal Higdon.  Like…THE Hal Higdon.  How amazing is that? I bought his new book, 4:09:43 – The Boston Marathon Bombings, and was able to have it autographed.  This happened because I get a call from Cathy saying…”I’m standing next to Hal Higdon.  You better get over here!”  And with some direction…yep…it happened.  And I was this little fangirling runner trying not to squee and make a fool of myself.  Because…DUDE…it’s Hal Higdon.  AND while Hal was signing my book, right behind me on the main programming stage…Deena Kastor.  DEENA KASTOR!!  One of my running idles.  I was…in runner heaven, I think.

But…there was much to do that day so lingering too long was not going to be an option.  We were just scraping the surface of the expo.  So…we made our way past booths…in which I ignored the Newton booth…because I couldn’t afford more shoes at the moment as much as I wanted another pair.  We sampled different NUUN flavors.  We tried some protein bars (gluten-free, of course), we walked past Scott Jurek, the vegan ultramarathoner…and I once again had to attempt not to squee!!  I was doing good…not spending any more money…and we were making lots of progress through the expo.

Then, lo and behold, I hear someone calling my name.  It’s Matthew and Dawn, who I run with on Saturday mornings with my group.  They were up in Chicago as spectators, not runners, in this marathon and saw me walk by.  In that mass of people…they spotted me.  We hugged…we talked…they asked how I was feeling.  I said the nerves were gone, now I was just excited.  So…I was already feeling better.  Lots of people I knew were here…they were going to be cheering…it was going to be a good time.  They told me to have my bib scanned at the Nike booth…so I took that advice and headed that way.  Bib scanned and the screen read, “Karen Owns Chicago.”  SWEET!  I was about to leave, after getting a free poster, when I spotted the official merchandise.  No shirts though…but we were directed over to the Nike booth.  UH OH!!  Yeah…might as well have just drained my wallet when I walked in there.  Needless to say…a jacket and a shirt later…I was now leaving the expo…because I was running out of money.

We returned to the Hilton and took things up to the room.  We had a small amount of downtime to sit and chat.  Heather did some foam rolling and I started to get my race outfit out and laid on the table so it was ready for the morning.  We called down to valet after that to have the car brought around because now…it was time to feed our faces.  I had discovered what sounded like an amazing place to get a gluten-free pizza.  The place: Da Luciano Pizza, Pasta and Catering.  It was located in River Grove, so it was about a 20 minute drive.  We got there…went inside…and was asked if anyone needed a gluten-free menu.  I was feeling good about this already.  We were seated and left to look at the menus.  While all the pastas sounded awesome, my pre-race tradition is gluten-free pizza.  I wasn’t changing that up.  Nope.  So, we all placed our orders…and I got my gluten-free pizza with mushrooms, onion, and roasted red peppers.  YUMMY!  Food came out and I devoured my entire pizza and even ordered a gluten-free cannoli for dessert.  That, BTW…was super-duper delish.  The pizza was really good too.  It hit the spot.  And I was now properly fed (carbs!).  We dropped Heather off at a train stop so she could head back to her hotel…and then we were headed back to the Hilton.  We all changed, brushed our teeth, and…climbed into bed around 8:30 p.m.

This was early for me.  This never happens.  I always try to get to bed early on race night, but it never seems to work out.  So, I immediately figured that I’d have trouble falling asleep.  WRONG.  I was out.  And I only woke up, briefly, twice during the night with the, “What if I didn’t set my alarm?” panic I always have.  I rested…and rested well.

My alarm went off at 4 a.m. and I snuck out of bed, hoping not to disturb Cathy and Jenn as I fumbled around in the dark, grabbing my outfit for the race and heading into the bathroom.  I dressed.  I did my hair.  I came out as Jenn was heading into the other bathroom.  Cathy finally dragged herself out of bed too.  We all had a quick bite to eat and I was texted by Heather to say she was on her way.  I wasn’t sure cereal would be enough on a marathon race morning, but was told to stick with what I knew.  So that morning, I ate a serving of Chocolate Chex cereal…no milk…slowly and leisurely, as I checked my e-mail and Facebook on my phone.  I had so many people wishing me luck.  Text messages were coming.  And just as I finished eating and went to brush my teeth, Heather texted to say she was at the hotel and heading up.

I got my fuel belt ready with my hydration needs, tucked my GU packets into my skirt pockets…and when Heather arrived…we were all set to head down to the lobby.  And…with perfect timing my friend Cheryl texted to ask if I was at the Hilton.  I said I was and she said her gear check was right there and she wanted to come over and see me.  We made plans to meet in the lobby…which was bustling with runners.  But…she found me.  And we hugged and talked about the race…and took pictures…because that’s what we do.  Time was nearing for me to head to the gate that would take me to my corral.  So…with us each wishing each other luck and telling each other to have a good run…we parted ways.  She was in the 2nd wave of runners to go out…and I was in the 1st.  In fact, my corral, Corral C, was only accessible through Gate #1.  Heather lead the way there…and we just talked a lot about anything but racing.  We even took selfies on her phone while walking.  HA!  We paused at the corner and took photos with each other…rotating through and then crossed the street to Gate #1.  This was as far as they were allowed to go.  The security checkpoint was right there…so…they wished me luck…Jenn sent me off with her usual sayings, which are magic, I swear…and I went to get in line for the no-bag security check.  One more wave…and they were off to find a spot near the start…and I was off to get to my corral.

It was still dark out, but I just sort of followed the signs to get me to Corral C.  It was a bit of a hike, but not bad.  Not really.  I was clinging to my banana for all it was worth and trying to get the butterflies in my stomach to settle.  Not nervous butterflies.  The excitement was starting to build.  And I was just…wanting to settle in and zen.  So, I found the entrance to my corral, but didn’t go right in.  I stood on the side and did some stretching…some walking…some pacing.  I wanted to be loose.  I wanted to clear my mind.  And the moment I stepped into that corral…I wanted to be focused.  So…I just paced the sidewalk for about 30 minutes, stopping to stretch out my legs every now and again.  At 6:55 a.m., I peeled my banana and sent to get into Corral C.  Security checked my bib number, I entered and moved up to a spot where I remained for the rest of the time.  I ate my banana quicker than I intended to…but I think that was just me needing something to do.  I just hoped it would stick with me long enough to get me to the point I chose to be my first fuel point.  I packed an extra GU pack though, just in case I needed it.  I was taking no chances.  But…I was fine.  The corral filled up quickly.  I had to help the guy behind me start his iPod.  His daughter loaded up a playlist for him, but he had no idea how to work the player.  I helped him out and he thanked me.  I talked to some people around me, making friends, and hearing from others about their experiences with the Chicago Marathon.  Exciting!  The announcer had everyone remove their hats and the National Anthem played.  Runners shed clothes they wore to keep warm, and we all shivered in crisp 45 degree air.  At 7:20 a.m., the wheelchair start headed out.  Then, at 7:21 a.m., the handcycle racers got underway.  It was 7:30 a.m. when the start officially happened…with the elites up front…and the corrals behind them.  We were slowly moved up as each corral was sent off.  It was so comical when those holding the rope to the corral tried to clear out as those of us in Corral C were turned loose to head to the Start.  I stuck to the left of the course, because Cathy said she’d be aiming for the left side of the road…I trotted to the start…crossed the line…and was off.

Chicago Marathon!!

This marathon runs through 29 neighborhoods of Chicago.  It kicks off in Grant Park, which is beautiful, by the way.  I took off from that start line, heading for the underpass we go through.  The crowd was already prominent and loud.  It was awesome.  I started off smiling and I don’t think that grin ever left my face for one moment.  Soon, I found myself in the Streeterville neighborhood, home of the Magnificent Mile, lots of luxury hotels, great shopping district, and Navy Pier.  People were lined up 5 deep on the side of the road, making as much noise as possible…and just being loud.  I wasn’t sure where I was going to see my friends…but I was through the first mile and didn’t see them at all.  Onward.

The Loop was up next…with all the gorgeous architecture it brings to Chicago.  I was heading up LaSalle Street…and just before Mile 3…I see the Donkey sign.  There are Heather, Cathy, and Jenn and they are making some noise!!  I think my smile grew even more.  I waved as I ran by.  Jenn yelled, “RUN DONKEY!  RUN LIKE A PRETTY PONY!”  Um…this is becoming a new mantra I think.  I LOVE that.  It was awesome seeing my friends as I neared the 5K mark.  Pressing on, I entered Near North Side, where the streets were lined with trees, offering some shade from the sun, and residential areas as well.  Then it was into Lincoln Park…then Wrigleyville (yes…Wrigley Field!)…then Lakeview East.  And in Lakeview East…Boystown!  Boystown is the first officially recognized gay village in the United States, and is also the cultural center of one of the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities in the nation.  This is immediately evident in the race because, aside from the rainbow flags, runners are greeted by a stage full of drag queens.  It was really awesome and definitely a change in the usual mix.  It made me smile!  It was a party right on the course.  This was one of my favorite neighborhoods to run through.  The vibe was awesome.

The different neighborhoods continued…Park West, Old Town…and then…around Mile 12…River North.  What made Mile 12 so damn special was that this was where Cathy and Jenn found me again on the course.  Somehow I missed them.  I didn’t know they were going to be there…but my eyes were always searching that crowd for my friends and my sign.  How I missed it…I don’t know…but they were there and have pictures to prove it.  Regardless…I must have felt them in spirit because I was still going strong!  My friends are awesome.  From there it was through some more of the city’s amazing neighborhoods…West Loop Gate, Greektown, and the West Loop.

I bet you’re wondering where Heather went then.  Well, she already had a place in mind for where she could see me again on the course.  After Mile 3…she hopped a train and found me again right around Mile 14…in front of Soul City Church.  And…WOW…was she loud and cheering as I came through.  I heard her above the roar of everyone else in the crowd.  She wanted to be at Mile 14 because it marked the furthest I had ever gone in an official race.  With 10 half marathons under my belt…13.1 miles has been the standard.  She wanted to see me into that next step.  And she did it with perfect Heather style!!  And even got the pastor of the church to scream right along with her.  What a way to take on the second half!

Near West Side was next…then Little Italy (aka: University Village).  The smell of Italian food was prominent.  And it smelled really good.  From there it was into the Illinois Medical District.  And then, as we come around toward Mile 20…the Pilsen neighborhood.  Mile 20…is usually where The Wall hits.  But I never even hit it.  The Wall was not even a force to be reckoned with.  It was dead to me.  And I powered through this difficult part of the race without even slowing down.  I was feeling good.  My race plan for fuel and hydration was working…and fatigue wasn’t even hitting me.  There was no stopping me…not here.

East Pilsen was next…followed by Chinatown.  I loved Chinatown.  I rounded the corner into this neighborhood and was greeted by a big, silver Chinese Dragon.  The atmosphere was uplifting and awesome.  And the area smelled ethnic and awesome.  And it really made me want Chinese food.  I haven’t had Chinese food in forever due to my food allergies.  I miss it.  A lot.  Chinatown was SO awesome.  The crowd here was massive and loud.  Uplifting for sure!

Which was good because heading into Mile 23 was the hardest to contend with…because the crowds faded as we hit the industrial area.  There was very little crowd support.  It was only for a little over a mile though…the crowds did come back.

Bridgeport was next…then came the turn to “head home” and through the Park Boulevard neighborhood.  It was straight up Michigan Avenue from that point on.  The final 3 miles were upon me.  And this was where I started to slow down.  I felt strong, but the sun was up and the temperature was nearing 70 degrees.  I was hot.  But with only a 5K remaining, I was ready to give it all I had.  Bronzeville…The Gap…South Commons…Prairie District…

At around Mile 26…South Loop and Central Station…where the crowd gave runners a much needed lift as all of us tackled the one hill on the course.  And it was NOT nice having us run up a hill at the very end.  Let me tell you though…they did their job.  I slowed down just slightly as my legs really didn’t want to run up that hill, but the crowd got me there.  And so did my friends, who I heard screaming for me.  This was the last point they could see me at before the finish line.  I was going to reunite with them in the runner reunion area afterwards.  So, they were loud and awesome and I was on my way to the finish.

The Finish Line came into view and I kept smiling.  I think I was smiling the entire time I was running, but that Finish line just went to show how tough I was…how far I’d come.  It was beautiful.  I gave my final push to cross the line and threw my arms up in victory.  I finished strong.  I finished feeling good.  I got past the photographers and paused my Garmin.  Then…immediately started crying.  I didn’t hurt.  I wasn’t tired.  It was just I had so many doubts coming into this marathon, and then I went and did something extraordinary.  I finished it far faster than I anticipated or even dreamed.  Everything felt like a blur.  I took a few deep breaths and kept moving…getting some water…and then receiving my finisher’s medal.  Bananas…snack boxes…more water…and finisher’s photos…that all followed.  I downed some Gatorade as I moved…then had some water.  I made my way through the finish area toward the runner’s reunion, where I was to meet Cathy, Jenn and Heather under the letter V…because it would be less crowded than the beginning of the alphabet.  I saw the sign…and my friends…and went running toward them.  Cathy came up and gave me a tight hug, immediately telling me my official time.  I cried some more.  I cried more as Heather gave me a hug and then some more when Jenn gave me a hug.  We were just…so happy!  I was so FREAKIN’ happy.  I made sure I drank some more water and I laid down to put my feet up while I called my parents in Birmingham, Alabama to tell them about my race and my finish.  They were so thrilled and proud of me.  I only wish they could have been there to share the moment as well.

After I hung up the phone, I stood up and went to get in line for a stretch and massage.  The line was long, but I knew this would help in the end.  While I was waiting, Cathy went off to see if she could find any official finisher’s gear.  She returned about 10 minutes later (the line hadn’t moved) and handed me a gorgeous red rose and a bear wearing a Chicago 2013 26.2 t-shirt.  Ironically, the bear’s name was Dean, which was a sign…had to be…since the captain of the charity (Action for Healthy Kids) that I was running for is none other than Dean Karnazes.  Eventually, it was my turn for a stretch and massage.  That was the best thing ever.  It helped get those muscles loose.  The therapist working on me mentioned how flexible I was…and I told her it was from years of yoga.  After a good stretching…we decided to make our way back to The Hilton so I could get showered and changed.  My intention, even though I wasn’t sore, was to take a cold shower.  I turned the water on, stuck my hand in…and totally nixed that plan.  I’ve never taken an ice bath or ice shower after a run, why start now?  Especially when I didn’t feel I needed one.  I bounce back really well from long distances on my own.  Never change up the routine.  Anyway…I was clean.  I foam rolled.  It was time to go see some sites around Chicago.

Our plan for the day was to hit up Garrett’s Popcorn for amazing popcorn of awesomesauce.  Cathy promised me a gallon tin of the Cashew Caramel Crisp.  We also got a small bag of the Chicago Mix…because we needed something to snack on.  All of us bought our share of popcorn to enjoy…and we went walking the Miracle Mile.  With Nike being one of the sponsors, they had all the official Finisher’s merchandise.  So after a stop by The Bean…and The Chicago Tribune building…Nike was next.  As we neared the building, employees were out cheering on everyone who was wearing one of the finisher’s medals.  It really made it SO special.  We ducked inside…and Cathy purchased two shirts for me…and Heather put money toward a nice pull-over (in Heather gray).  After that…a walk back to the hotel.  Heather needed to meet up with our friend Janet to go to church and Jenn, Cathy and I were going to grab some dinner.  Instead of the Mexican place we had reservations for that night, we ended up sticking to the hotel and eating at the pub that was connected.  I had a salad.  They had fish and chips.  From there…back up to the room to relax a little while and wait for Heather and Janet.  Because gelato was on the menu for dessert.  Well earned…and dessert is best when done with friends.  I didn’t want the evening to end…but, much like my little cup of gelato…it did.

Sadly, it was time to say goodbye.  Janet was going to get Heather to the airport, as she had to fly back to Minnesota that night.  So, lots of hugs and promises to get together again soon…we parted ways.  I walked Janet and Heather to the elevators and gave hugs and said goodbye…for the time being.  I returned to the room and got changed into pajamas.  Foam rolling was next.  And then…we were all ready to settle in, watch some television, and then get some sleep.

The problem was…I couldn’t fall asleep.  I was tired, but sleep just wasn’t going to come.  So, all night I tossed and turned and watched the clock.  I finally got out of bed…and went to change.  Soon, Jenn woke up and then Cathy.  Cathy and I went to walk a bit around the track at the fitness center before we finished packing everything up and getting ready to check out.  Chicago was a blast…but we had a long drive ahead of us.  So…after a quick jaunt to Caribou Coffee…we had our luggage loaded up, my car brought around…and we hit the road.

I am very, very proud of my accomplishment…and I know a lot of this was made possible by the people who have helped me along the way.  First of all…major huge props, hugs, love, and appreciation go out to my sports nutritionist.  Donna…without your advice, guidance, and all-over support and enthusiasm…I don’t think I would have made it through that distance without hitting The Wall.  As The Wall and I are still perfect strangers…I hope to continue this trend.  You are awesome and I’m so glad we are working together.  Your advice and your help have, definitely, made me a better, stronger, and faster runner.  You helped me develop a plan to go the distance and feel good at the end of said mileage.  Guess what?  It worked!  Tons of praise, love, hugs, and cowbell jingles go out to my family (who couldn’t be in Chicago), my friends, my co-workers, my runners, and the strangers who got me to that finish line.  This has been a long journey…and you’ve seen me through all of the insanity.

To Cathy…who saw me try and fail, try and succeed, rode 18 miles on a bike one Sunday with me to keep me company on a miserably hot day, who has seen me through injuries, seen me struggle, seen me overcome, and just continued to be the best damn crew a runner could ever have.  To Jenn…who coined my new favorite phrase when it comes to running, who always tells me not to pants my poop…and who compels me with the power of Dean…who shares my love of all things chocolate, ice cream, and delicious…and who never judges me when I get up early when I visit and go for crazy long runs.  Even if it’s in the kitchen during a snowstorm.  Next time, I promise not to slam into the island.  And to Heather…who I have known since 3rd grade…and despite your move to Minnesota as we were heading to middle school, kept in touch and still, to this day, is the best damn friend this girl could have asked for.  Your amazing belief in me and my abilities is unstoppable.  You teach me to reach for the stars and go beyond even what I think I am capable of achieving.  Your drive is contagious.  It always has been.

So…my official results of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon are that I finished in a time of 3:28:28.  I am still shocked with my time and blown away by what that time means.  I was 3,897/39,122 finishers overall.  I was the 592/17,527 female to cross the finish line.  And I was 154/3,274 in my division.  You cannot believe how thrilled I am with these results.  I felt so good about this run.  I conserved energy…even though I took that first mile fast.  I knew to ease up and let my body find it’s rhythm and its pace.  I ran strong.  And with that…achieved more than I ever thought possible.  This past week has been dedicated to recovery…although my body hasn’t really felt like it needed it.  Like I said…I bounce back.  This was such an amazing experience.  I never stopped smiling during the race…and it’s been hard to get me to stop smiling since then as well.