Chicago Marathon 2006

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  • BIG NEWS! I've got my Pale blue Polo Shirt now, with a nice embroidered logo on the front and '2006' on the sleeve! For all my protestations, its not too bad and I won't feel like too much of a twerp in it.

  • For music it has got to be rocky and "Eye of the Tiger", I heard it with about a mile to go last Sunday in Eindhoven and I found myself trying to sprint the last mile.
  • So are you going to be wearing it on the plane?

    I woke up this morning with a slight earache which I probably would not have taken any notice of under normal circumstances but NOW .. Anyway, went to see my doctor who turns out to be a runner and offered me antibiotics "just in case" .. isn't that great:).. Obviously hoping that nothing's going on but better to knock it on the head in time.. Meanwhile Emma - still downing your concoction and trying to control increasing nervousness ..
  • Oh and the scissor sisters get me round at the mo'..
  • DG - be careful the antibiotics are through your system before next week. I know what you mean about injury paranoia though - on the treadmill doing a half hour hill session at lunchtime today and I convinced myself I had shinsplints in my left leg and ITBS in my right!

    Shouldn't we all be listening to Razorlight's 'America' right now?!
  • TAFKAT - know what you mean. Only got them for 5 days though and half a dose - hopefully just enough to keep paranoia at bay...

    Everything becomes a worry right? I'm sure your legs are fine but relaxing is SO hard at this point. Anyone having crazy dreams yet? I've already dreamed I'm a day late for the race.
  • No crazy dreams yet!

    but almost as bad...

    My marathon booklet arrived yesterday and I had a 5 minute flick through it in the evening. I woke up at 1am and decided I could only sleep well if I read it cover to cover. Didn't even skip the wheelchair bits!
  • you're definitely getting primed for the big day..
  • I was just thinking back to this time last year - I was preparing for the New York marathon, and I was so relaxed (blasé, even) about it as my training had gone fine.

    Little did I know!

    I'm sh!tting myself right now!


  • Carb loading is fun. Getting my girlfriend to cook for me every night in the name of training!

    Excellent!
  • TAFKA.... Ah yess. Ignorance definitely IS bliss when it comes to marathons hey?!
  • Is there any recognised research about the benefits of pizza loading?

    Struggled to manage around six miles tonight. Went out around half seven and the humidity was ridiculous. Saying that, the second half got easier, especially as I found a half k or so where a stretch of grass was being watered and I ran through the sprinklers!

    Lows of -1C in Chicago today (highs of 15); could be a chilly start (it was last year, and that was run a couple of weeks earlier).

    Tune of my training has probably been Ring of Fire, kind of apt seeing as I broke my butt.

    No dreams yet, dieselgirl, but definitely having panics :)

    Ben
  • Ring of fire, LOL Ben!

    Been busy printing out copies of the CTA train system maps, timetables, logistics, how to get to start, how to get from Cereality to expo (has anyone else figured this out?), course map (looks like lots of long straights, hope not to get bored and despondent on them).

    Ended up just booking a room at the Marriott near O'Hare (am I the last person to get around to booking accommodation?!), which is close to the blue line so should be an easy commute in on the morning. Looks like it takes 40 minutes to Jackson. I'll be in preferred II start. Anyone else there?
  • Don't worry BluewWombat, I haven't been able to look at my booklet yet (it should be back in the UK), but if the course is unchanged from last year then although it did have lots of straights, for the first twenty miles or so you barely notice the fact due to great support and scenery.

    It did get a bit more lonely between 22-24 miles (approx) when the course winds around the Soldier Field area (the crowds were sparse here). I must admit this was the toughest bit (not uncommon for a marathon, I know!) but the water station workers and cheerleaders based along these miles did their best to boost flagging runners.

    Our crew is staying out in Itasca and commuting in. It's a bit further out than O'Hare, but commuting is no problem. We cabbed it to the startline last year in around 45 minutes (whilst taking the train into Union on other occasions). Chicago's public transit system is great so you should have no worries).

    Ben
  • Feel like a total fraud even looking at this thread at the moment - did a good fast 4 on Monday at club but I'm soooo stuffed up with a cold now and I'm really worrying about the marathon. I'll still do it, but was aiming for a good time and not sure that's going to happen now.
    hmmm, off to buy Sudafed and head back under the duvet....

  • BW - you're not the last to book accom... I've just got sorted at the Best Western in Des Plaines - about 20 miles/half hour train ride from downtown. Reasonable standard and not $300+ per night! Special train leaves at 6am on morning of race - if I miss it I'm stuffed! Des Plaines boasts such delights as a McDonalds Museum, the high school where "The Breakfast Club" was shot and is also where famous American serial killer John Wayne Gacy was finally tracked down... I should leave my booking til the last minute every time!!!

    I'll try to make it into Cereality for Saturday morning before heading to Expo - do we have many on board for this??

    Has anyone thought about where we're going to celebrate/drown our sorrows post race? Must be someone who can recommend a good bar? Preferably somewhere a few yards from the finish line!

    Pete
  • A good bar? We had burgers and a beer in Exchequers (lots of runners there!), there were plenty of screens and booze on offer.

    I'm going to the Expo on the Friday so Saturday is just a chilled one (at Woodfield or WalMart most likely!)

    Moses, I'd book a cab just to be on the safe side. Shouldn't be a problem from the hotel and although you have to jump out before Grant Park it's only a short walk to the start. Maybe they'll be other runners at the hotel you can share the cab with?
  • E - you'll be ok!!! Just forget about running for a few days - it does bugger all at this stage anyway

    The hay is in the barn....
  • E - don't be silly. You're no fraud - you just have a cold which will be gone by next week. TAFKAT is right - the hay is in the barn. I think the main point of the taper is to let you do some running to stop you from going crazy or driving others crazy. Honestly - you've done lots of training and will be surprised by how much better you'll feel next week because of this enforced rest. Definitely! Sleep, sleep, sleep, drink loads of fluids. Give yourself a break as well and don't let a target time ruin the marathon for you..

    Steve Runner says you should have 3 targets - 1 perfect one (perfect weather, perfect physical condition, perfect everything), 1 medium one (probably more realisic ..) and one which is just you getting round because you had some bad luck on one or more variables. It's going to be an amazing experience, you're going out there with all your family who are SO supportive - just enjoy it. It's all meant to be fun..

    I'll meet people at Cereality on the Friday - BW - can you figure out where the free buses to and from the expo stop? I can e-mail a friend in Chicago and ask him if you like. Otherwise we could all pile into a taxi .. Is it 8:30 or 9 that we meet there? I've got an architectural society boat cruise booked on the Saturday morning - should keep me off my feet - and might go the cinema in the afternoon - I learned in NYC last year that you have to make a very concerted effort not to walk about too much the day before!

    Keep your spirits up and the madness away guys!
  • Just found out my friend can't do a massage tonight so thinking I might go for a run? Did 5 miles last night and it felt so little....need for miles kicking in....must not give in....must taper....

    Shall do 5 Friday and then final 10 miler on Sunday....last day of work tomorrow.

    Will be at Cereality from 8-8:30 arrival as trying to get early breakfast routine prior to race day. There Saturday too but Expo on the Friday post Cereality for me....

    Dieselgirl: was thinking the same re seeing some movies Friday and Saturday pm.

    Off to Woodfield Mall on the Monday post race....hopefully not limping too bad....

    Getting excited now....
  • Definitely agree about staying off your feet as much as poss on Saturday. Made that mistake at NY last year (although attempted to correct the sitaution by sunbathing in central park in the afternoon - it really was that hot!!)
  • Legs still recovering from my 2 hour stretch on Tuesday night.
    May manage a small 5 mile ish run tomorrow, but its massage and relaxation this weekend.

    Getting totally excited about Chicago now. It's gonna be fun!

    BJP - Cheerleaders are cool! And Yea, there are lots of benefits to carb loading with pizza.

    Hundreds...



    E - Rest easy. Cold's are rubbish, but there is no point training through them as it only serves to make you feel worse.

  • E:-), don't panic, as others have said you have done the training you need to and once you recover from your cold, you'll probably find the forced rest will have a positive effect.
    Just take it easy and relax for a week or so, don't put pressure on yourself and you'll be fine.

    Zed, Woodfield is great, isn't it? Lots of escalators to help the legs (and many popular food emporiums to help with...everything)

    Will see what the earliest train to Chicago from Itasca is on the Friday morning. Flying from the UAE to UK then Chicago on back-to-back days so will either be wide awake and raring to go, or jet-lagged and wondering what's going on...

    Ben
  • PS - Cheers Jimbob, I'll load up this weekend! Hope the moving went well too.

    Cheerleaders are cool and don't get enough recognition for their tireless crowd-pumping use of formation dancing. I imagine it is a pretty hazardous occupation too, those pom-poms look pretty dangerous. Cheer on, cheerleaders, cheer on.
  • I think the international runners should get assigned a cheerleader each. Just so long as we get to pick them :-)
  • Haven't posted since start of the thread, been lurking for the last week or so.

    Anyone staying at the Travelodge 65 East Harrison?

    Great tip from Nick Baker and a brilliant location.Probably a bit basic though.

    I'm there for the Saturday night before moving to the (hopefully) better Amalfi on Kinzie St.
    on the Sunday, post race.

    My number is 4805 and I'm hoping to do 3:30

  • You sound positively sane - are you sure you've been tapering?!
  • Tafkat - LOL..

    hi Nigel - welcome, as you see we're rapidly becoming a very sociable bunch.

    BJP - is the butt fine now?
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