Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon 2011 from the perspective of a non-runner

It’s Sunday, August 14, 2011 at 6:30 am and I am in the “holding corral” for my group at this year’s Chicago Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon 2011. I am among over 20,000 runners who are hitting the streets of Chicago for this ½ Marathon to benefit the American Cancer Society.  We are starting off at Grant Park running through the Loop and will visit 11 diverse neighborhoods including Greek Town, River North and the Gold Coast with the finish at Buckingham Fountain.  This new world-class course was designed by Olympian Alan Culpepper and it is supposed to be a cool, fun, flat course.

But despite that, my body is pleading with me not to do this 13.1 mile marathon.  Then it gets going and I stayed energized with the live local bands at every mile and the cheer stations along the sidelines. There was even one group doing something from River Dance. The music was great until about the 11th mile, the band slowed down the tempo (uh…do they not know we need energy). But the energy poured right back in at the next two miles. Plus, I was pumped to pass people up along the route, including Al Roker.

(L-R) Al Roker (Today Show), Sarah Rienerstsen (Wake Up With Al, Weather Channel) and Stephanie Abrams (first female leg amputee to complete the Ironman Triathlon World Championship Sarah Rienertsen (Amazing Race)) take part in the XSport Fitness Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon at Grant Park on August 14, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/WireImage for XSport Fitness)

The Finish Line Festival was a great finish to this running (rockin’) party. Post race concert included Dan Evans (Biggest Loser, Musician) and he sang the National Anthem before we started.

If you missed out on this Chicago X-Sport Fitness Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon 2011, you can still catch one from this series as it holds twenty six running events across the world.

Now, how I got it here is interesting (to me anyway):

On July 9th, I went out with my friend and trainer to the Windy City Running Club.  My trainder does the warm up for their training group.  So this was several weeks into their training but my first week out.  My trainer, who knows that I am competitive, encouraged me to just hang with the rock/run group since I don’t run.  He reminded me that just because we stop and walk doesn’t mean I won’t get in a good workout (he had to tell me that because I wouldn’t understand not breaking a sweat).  Well, his pep talk was still a waste of time because when we got going, I was like this is way too slow for me.  So I caught up with the running group and did 7 – 11min miles.  I was siked.  So I decided that I could run and would do this running thing more often.  So I went out a couple of times after that and did 4 and 5 mile runs then decided I should get good shoes.  So I headed over to Fleet Feet and they tested my running (I pronate) and got me fitted for a pair of running shoes.  I tweeted about my good experience with them so they replied back and asked me what I was training for.  Good question, I didn’t have any desire to run any marathons so I said “life and a bikini”.  And the next day, I went out and ran 8 miles.

Now because I didn’t have any big race that I was planning for, I spent the next few weeks running sporadically 3 to 5 miles a couple of times a week.  It just helped to round out my fitness routine of weight training, spinning and kickboxing.  But then, I got invited to do the Chicago X-Sport Fitness Rock ‘n’ Roll 1/2 Marathon a week before the event (the invite was 8/5) and of course, I said “yes”.  So the next day, I thought I should run a longer distance, remember the longest I had run at this point was 8 miles.  So I went out and ran 10 miles.  And then I told everybody that I talked to that I was running it so I would feel accountable and not back out.

Then the anxiety set in!  I could feel my body saying “WTF, I don’t have any desire to do that.”  So it was hard getting in two runs the week before the race (only one 5 mile and one 3 mile) and then taking that cardio kickboxing class on Wednesday night might not have been a good idea either.   So I started reading websites and how I should have trained for it and the number of miles I should have already covered.  It is so much information and so many theories even how many days my body should rest.  So my body said “NO” to even going to the trainer on Friday so I didn’t.  I walked some but no running or anything else. On Saturday (the day before the race), I went out to eat (carbo loading) but then read that I should have added more carbs over the week and not all in one meal…ugh.  So more anxiety!!! I just went to bed.

Finally morning comes and the meal before the race becomes the next hurdle.   I got stuff for the meal but when I got up (which was way too early for me) my body just didn’t want it.  So I had some water and headed to the course.  Once there, I was going to take off my glasses and put on my contacts (didn’t put them on before I left because my allergies were bothering me) but guess what, no contacts…I forgot them.  So I took off my glasses and checked them with my bag.  But I was back at gear check 5 minutes later to retrieve them because when someone told me to look at the numbers for my corral and I couldn’t see them, I knew a 2+ hour run blind was not a good idea.

So I try to loosen up and relax and when they let our corral loose to go through the start line my body kicks in.  It’s ready!  I do a light breeze through the course not challenging my body at all so my breathing is really easy.   The course promises to be fun since we are running through the city and the their are bands all along our course.  After we pass band three, I think this is nothing, I could run this all day.  I love the city and walk it often so I even thought I probably walk 13.1 miles often as I wait to see the sign that says 1/2 way mark.  But to my horror, I see a sign that says 5k…this is how far I would have run if the race was only a 5k (3.1 miles).  “Are you kidding me” my body screams.  I thought this was half over.  So I soon pass the 4 mile marker and I promise my body we can stop at 7 miles and walk/run.  But once we get to 7 miles my body has a different plan…faster.  You see my goal was to finish in 2:30 and my body knows if we don’t make it, we’ll be back running another course before the season is over.  So now every time I can see a mile marker, my body picks up the pace and “sprints” to the mark and then we can slow down but never walk.  So with this new plan a little over halfway in, I am on track to hit my goal.  Well, I missed it by 4 minutes and 3 seconds so I guess my body has to do it again.  I can totally do better especially if I train, right?  Hmmm…10 minute miles????  Vegas, maybe?

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