Chicago Marathon 2017

Just entered the 'Windy City' marathon.....

Flights look expensive at the moment (close to £900) so will hold off these for a while....

Booked in the Congress Plaza Hotel which came in around $285 a night which is a bit steep but location looks spot on.

Only 246 days to go! image

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  • It's not official yet, but all being well, I'm in!  This'll be major #2 of 6 after Berlin 2015.

    Wow, those flights are pricey.  where are you travelling from?  Can get a return from Edinburgh for under £500, but I'm intending to stay for a week or so if I can.  I probably won't book anything else until the new year.

    It's a bit early, but still looking forward to it!

  • This is #5 of 6 for me. Flights are from Heathrow, although might get the train to Edinburgh if they're ??400 cheaper!
  • Want to do this in 2017, got a GFA at Manchester in 2015, but as we all know was a short course by 200 metres plus , did 3.12.26 at manchester so for entry to  London. Was allowed an extra 2 minutes so in that again for 2017, but want to know if any allowance  for Chicago .

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  • Booked in hostel international , very near grant park

  • Hi

    Just booked flights for  1400 pounds from Manchester for the two of us. Don't know if I have made a mistake?!!!!

    Also provisionally booked in Hilton for $300 a night

     

    Too late now!

  • I've put in a GFA registration so waiting to hear back. Haven't booked any flight or accommodation and I doubt I will until next year as i'm just back from the Big Apple (NY Marathon) and my bank balance is hurting due to the terrible exchange rate, and USA (especially New York) is a really expensive place to visit. The marathon was fantastic despite running it injured and now I can't put weight on my leg without some twinging. Looking to get it seen to and having a bit of a break now. Foolish I know but it would have been a long way to go to not run my 5th Major. (15th Marathon)

    So Chicago will (hopefully) be my Six-Star. I've got quite a few pals running next year as well and more in the ballot so it should be quite a jolly-up.

    Meadower - great job with your GFA and love that you had to just gun it as the Garmin packed up towards the end and you didn't know you had bagged the time until you had a text alert! image London 2018 on the horizon as well ... well on your way to the six-star mate!

    RTB - love the emblem! re the ShortMAR Manchester15 qualifying time you could email the organisers and ask in advance of placing the entry. If they do accept the race ask which results to put as your results link .... maybe this? http://www.chiprace.co.uk/results.aspx?CId=38&RId=932&EId=1&r=961

    If they question it you could also direct them to the VLM page passage of text referring to the extra 2 mins here: https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/en-gb/how-to-enter/good-age-entry/

    BB - yes the flights are too much at the moment just keep checking over the next 6-8 weeks. I want to fly from Heathrow as well and would rather not change but might have to if the Directs don't come down in price.

    WMMs on your horizon too image.... once you get 5 you can get on their website listed under 5 Star finishers .... bit of added motivation to finish the challenge. (let's face it ... it is a very expensive challenge but the races are superb for route, atmosphere and organisation as they should be)

     

  • I'm in for Chicago tooooo! But like Jimbob, will be getting flights a little later after a big spending autumn.

    Jimbob! I'm in the same boat with an injury, albeit a groin strain. October was just easy running, but have decided no running for three weeks now in November. It's improving, especially with the physio work, but am nervously looking towards December when I start building up again. Seems that a groin injury is a tough one to kick.

    Will see you at London before Chicago too.

  • aye you will Foxy ... maybe at the Reading half as well?

  • Anyone heard re-guaranteed entry yet? My email reply said within 10 working days but it's been more than that since I entered. This will be my 5th major if I get in. Waiting for confirmation before looking into flights/accommodation - will probably do what I did for Boston, fly out 2 days prior and home the evening of the race.

  • ElliotWorth wrote (see)

    Anyone heard re-guaranteed entry yet? My email reply said within 10 working days but it's been more than that since I entered. This will be my 5th major if I get in. Waiting for confirmation before looking into flights/accommodation - will probably do what I did for Boston, fly out 2 days prior and home the evening of the race.

    Haven't heard anything back yet but I've a few pals who have so I'm sure we'll hear soon.

    As for flying home on the night of the race, I'm avoiding that. Did it in Boston last year and it was horrible. It didn't help that I holed up in a bar all afternoon with pals knocking back the brews, so I was stiff as a board on the plane ... couldn't sleep at all having booked a night flight with the intention of avoiding jet lag by sleeping on the flight home.  

    Already booked the time off work but like you Elliot don't want to pay out on anything until I have the confirmation of accepted entry.

  • Thanks JimBob - I'll just have to be patient then!

    I flew home after Boston this year, it was a surprisingly smooth experience despite a rough race so I will probably repeat for Chicago to save on hotel costs. Mind you, I didn't spend the afternoon in the pub which probably helped! image

    I see flights with BA for a Fri - Sun flight out and back are in the low £400s which seems good value.

  • Accepted email arrived this morning. Chicago here we come!

  • Finally accepted this morning after their long delay. Hooray! 

    Disappointingly the c.£400 flights are nowhere to be seen. I had them on my screen on the 16th but didn't want to book until I had confirmed acceptance.

    Hopefully they will pop up again? image ball ache .... the delay in processing applications could prove quite costly

  • Amazingly, both myself and husband got acceptance emails - very excited!!



    I'd already booked Chicago Loews hotel (on cancellation basis) - already sold out now so glad I did!



    Checked flights and the cheapest is ??645 direct London to Chicago so will hold off - hopefully some New Year sales? image



    Can't wait - this will be number 4 of 6 marathon majors for me! Who else is in?image
  • Flights booked.  Out for 10 days in all, getting in on the Friday.  Hotels will have to wait until February or so, cannot afford anything else until Christmas credit card is taken care of!

    Sales there were (are?), Nicole - hope you got involved!

  • Flight prices have now come down, I can get ??490 direct with BA but Chicago wasn't included in recent/current BA sale - so still hesitating a bit - will prob just wait until New Year in case it gets added! Also slightly tempted by ??750 premium economy flights with the generous legroom! But with 2 of us that is a lot extra.



    Realised I had accidentally booked the wrong Chicago Loews hotel - by the airport! So cancelled and rebooked it via the Chicago marathon website hotel booking system. Meadower - either that way or by using something like booking.com you don't need to make any payments until you actually stay
  • Flight also booked for me .... BA.COM. .. got some money off with some Avios points so it came in around 550 direct on the BA planes there and back (not AA which seems to run most of the flights)



    Like you guys credit card taken a beating recently so holding off on accommodation till early next year.



    Managed a couple of slow runs over Xmas so far to take the annual mileage past 2100, but despite all those miles in the legs I am suprisingly unfit and a little out of shape.



    Was hoping 2017 might be an "Olympic year" for me but feel a long way away from attacking PBs in the spring. I'd be happy just to complete the races I've signed up for ... or even just make the start line. Who knows, see if I can shift some Xmas lard in January .... maybe there is still hope. Happy New year All x x x
  • Hey Jimbob, know how you feel! After a great start to 2016 and PBs it all went wrong just before I did Boston when I had a terrible chest infection. Since then has been a story of ill health and injury struggles. Developed plantar fasciitis shortly before Berlin in September and have been struggling with that since, then taken out a couple of weeks ago with a nasty virus/stomach bug which took me out training for a week. Now seem to be suffering from piriformis syndrome! I've been getting in a few runs over Christmas but very slow and feeling difficult! Think it's going to be a long road back to the shape I was in a year ago image Currently just started official training for Rotterdam in April, does anyone else have other marathons planned? Happy New Year to you all and let's hope 2017 is a good one!
  • Hi Nicole. ... Thanks for the empathy. Good luck getting prepped for Rotterdam. I've London to get ready for but it will not be my A race this year .... i'm planning less mileage in the early part of this year. I feel like my body can't take all the training at the moment so hoping to just get round London feeling not too smashed up. I'm hoping this approach will help me to feel more up for training later in the year and have a good go in Chicago. There'll be a decent sized crew of us doing Chicago so we will arrange meet up places to drink and eat pre and post race. I see you are racking up Majors Nicole and must be homing in on the 6Star. Our paths have crossed a few times on other threads. How's that going?



    We'll sort out meet up venues later in the year. I'm running Reading Half, VLM and Vitality London 10,000 (formerly Bupa London 10,000) this Spring ..... If anyone wants to connect with me at these races, message me through Runnersworld.co.uk. At the Vitality race we have a bit of a meet up with quite a few of my pals from the Paris Thread and we have a post race picnic / beer up in Green Park.



    Happy new year all. I woke up this morning to go for a 10 miler .... tried the calf on the roller and it felt dicky so blew it out and went back to bed.
  • ..... managed 5 today ... damn it's hard to get going at the moment! it doesn't help that I have been "on the crimbo food trail" for the past few weeks and the jeans are quite snug at the moment.

  • Am in for this and am already excited. Flights booked and airbnb flat sorted. Major number 4 (the 3 US races remain...). Looking to do some 10kms for the first half of the year as I did 3 marathons in 2016 and it was too much. This is going to be a fun 10 months!

  • Good to hear you got out, Jimbob.  Onward and upward!

    Good luck with the Rotterdam training, Nicole.  Coincidentally I think a good few of the bodies joining us in Chicago will also be in Rotterdam.  I won't be one of them, though, I'm heading for Blackpool.  Pancake flat, so PB potential if the wind behaves.

    Nice one on the Majors trail, Chris.  Very jealous of anyone who's been able to tick Tokyo off their list, I'd love to get out to Japan at some point.

  • 3.08.51 on Sunday in London. Pretty decent run out but still 10 minutes off 2016's time albeit off a lot less training. Set myself a target of 3.09.30 based on form at a recent half, but on the day couldn't resist chancing it and ran sub3 pace for about 25k before a gradual fade.  Will try to increase the training a little and see if I can give it a good go in October.

    It also gives me healthy BQ which keeps my options open for 2017 while I assess funds and try to decide what to do next year.

    Hope everyone's had a good spring campaign. I'm having a month off proper training now.
  • OrbuttOrbutt ✭✭✭
    Hello All, Orbutt reporting for duty. 
    I see a lot of familiar names here so thought I should say hello and get involved in the Chicago excitement. 
    I've  just completed Hamburg, which was chilly but a great event, if a little slower than target. 
    Next up is Liverpool in 4 weeks, so no resting for me yet. 
  • Nice work Jimbob, are you  trying for sub-3 at Chicago, it's my plan to try and get that for the first time in October...as you say, serious training starts in a month or so here too. Good luck in Liverpool Orbutt - i think you can give yourself a little rest after that one :-)
  • I try not to throw too many numbers about at this stage. I'm looking to improve on Sunday's run which is where I guess I am. It's all about targeting quality training over the summer, and the body letting me do that training without getting crocked. For now 3 hours is a good one to aim at. I'd like to be able to run as steady for the full race as I did for the first 25k the other day. Was right in the zone there for a while.

    Good luck with the training Elliot. I'm sure you'll do well - nice Boston London double last year :)

    I like to think a few of the group I am travelling with will be c.3hr or thereabouts. Fingers crossed.

    Good luck in Liverpool O .... May the force etc ...
  • Big BertieBig Bertie ✭✭✭

    Ok then, show of hands please... who's running Chicago and what's everyone's target... (let's ask that question again in three months time!)

    Training plans... are people following one or making it up as you go along? I'm sticking with the tried and trusted P & D with a few minor amendments. Going for the 18 week option which starts on June 5th! Seems really early! Does anyone swear by any other plan?

    I'll enjoy the last few days of relative inactivity before getting stuck in...

    Hope everyone has had a strong year to date and is fighting fit and feeling refreshed...

    All the best! BB

  • OrbuttOrbutt ✭✭✭
    Hi Big Bertie. 
    I'm in. 
    I'm targeting 4:05 again. 
    I tend to make up my own plan but it's probably similar to most plans. I think P&D would have more mileage than mine though, because I'm a lightweight ;)
  • 61 days to go...

    How is everyone shaping up?

    I guess being just under nine weeks out we're building up the miles nicely... Hope everyone is injury free!

    Orbutt - I've sort of hashed together a bit of P & D and a bit of advice from people who know a lot more than I do. Seems to be working so far... Time will tell!

    Nicole - are you fully recovered now? How was Rotterdam? I've always thought that's one to do so be interested to hear some feedback.


    Happy running all!


  • ElliotWorthElliotWorth ✭✭✭
    edited August 2017
    Going well so far; tired but that's how we're supposed to be! Shaping up to try and do sub-3 for the first time but lots of work yet to do. Anyone doing the 5k run on the Saturday? - thinking of using it as a pre-race easy run as the start is very close to my hotel and will give me something to do....!
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