Chicago Marathon 2006

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  • Sorry about not being on the thread for a while but my wife took her turn to go away (to California) leaving me with our four children!

    As my training has been poor and I've now got a hectic schedule this week I've decided that it would be pointless to race while feeling already fatigued, especially as I'd be flying out straight afterwards. I'm therefore going to pass through Chicago and visit friends.

    Zed/AndreaB and the others who expressed interest - I'll leave the Friday 7pm reservation at Harry Caray's open for use by you. Confirmation no is 220621 in my name and is for 6 persons. There are more tables available at that time if any others want to join the gathering http://www.harrycarays.com/.

    On a separate note I'm shortly going to cancel a room at The Red Roof Inn only ten minutes walk from the start (162 East Ontario Street). The rate for the two nights of Friday and Saturday was $175 per night for the room (two queen beds). If anybody hasn't sorted accommodation then either post a message or pm me and I can look into transferring the reservation.

    I hope that that the weather is kind and that everybody arrives in good health and ultimately achieves their aim - since I belatedly joined, I've read the thread with amazement at the dedication shown by entrants of all abilities. I've now got my flak jacket on to receive incoming for being such a wimp..........
  • Sorry to hear you're not joining us AndyHawkins. It always a bummer when you have to drop out of a race but if the training's not been happening its probably for the best.

    How are all the colds etc now JimBob & dieselgirl? I'm mostly ok now - did 10mile race yesterday and was running at a comfortably fast pace. Did the whole thing in 1hr26mins and my mile times were all 8.35 +/-5secs. So I'm really pleased especially as the racetime calculators now reckon on a marathon time of somewhere between 4hrs and 4.10, based on this time and recent half-marathon times. Cool eh?
    Doing slow steady 4 tonight at club, STRETCHING tomorrow and a gentle plod on thursday afternoon, followed by a l=touchmore stretching.
    THEN ITS RACE DAY BOYS AND GIRLS!! EXCITING OR WHAT?!?!?!?!!
    I can't wait now!
  • Cheers for the well wishes guys.

    Took my own advice and di absolutely NOTHING this weekend. Collapsed into bed after work on friday, and slept thru to sat morning.
    Lots of lemsips, hugs, moaning, more hugs, sorted me out.
    Was out on saturday night for bowling and casino, and managed to leave the roulette table with more money than a i went on with for like the first time,,,,, ever!

    Rested up again sunday with horror movies, lemsips and a good old sunday roast.

    Will run again tuesday night, and maybe weds am, before a full body massage, haircut, clothes shop and onto catching my flight on thurs.

    Just hope it's fully out of my system for sunday.

    Trust everyone else is fit and well. Reading the posts it seems everyone is ultra ready and taking it all seriously, which is slightly worrying....

    take care

    jim
  • Andyhawkins: thats a shame you aint racing :-< Enjoy the trip anyway...I have noted the Harry Carey Reservation - was still wanting to go - ANYONE else?

    Got massage today - legs feel good after that. If only I could fly her out to do that post race and Monday and Tuesday....

    Watched the video - seemed to speed along but the miles clicked by very slowly! Enjoyed it though...
    Rest up folks...

    Zed
  • Afternoon,

    Andy sorry to hear we've lost another runner - hopefully that'll be the last one.

    Managed a 15M very hilly mud-run on saturday, it was slow but very enjoyable, and couple of hours recovery on the bike on sunday. My heels are beginning to feel better so I'm getting mroe confident in making it round on sunday. Current plan is for a 10K (middle 2 miles @ MP) tonight, a tempo-ish 8M tomorrow, then a couple of recovery 5M with some fartleks before flying on friday.

    Enjoy the taper everyone.
  • Andy - sorry you're not running. Thanks for organising the table though - I've made a note and look forward to meeting people there.

    Did about 12 miles slowly yesterday. I didn't actually plan to go that far, but got lost and so had to do an extra 3 miles or so. Feeling fine though. I'll do a couple of short runs this week, although I'm always scared of doing something like twisting my ankle at this stage.

    I haven't plucked up the courage to watch the video.

    Pasta, pasta, pasta.
  • Just been checking out the weather forecast for Sunday looks idea, little wind, cloud cover and pretty cool temperatures.
    http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?hourly=1&query=60601&yday=294&weekday=Sunday

    Getting paranoid now as got a couple of niggles which I am a lot more aware of although I am sure they have been there for the last couple of months. Did 13miles yesterday with the last 2 at marathon pace.
  • good bit of taper madness there B5D.

    Personally I'm going down the sore throat route... honestly, there has been plenty of it going around and I'm feeling a little bit achey too - I'm not imagining it...
  • Does a Double Decker count as carbo-loading?!?! its been deader than a dead thing at work today and I just want to bunk off and go and finish ironing the stuff I need to pack before club tonight!
  • I just watched the video, damn those straights look like torture, similar to NYC between 16-20 mile

    Why is it you always feel everything on the week before a marathon, I've had sore neck, back & the flu type feeling for the past 2 days. Stupid imagination no doubt
  • PadamsPadams ✭✭✭
    The usual taper madness seems to be setting in then!

    Caz - the straights do look bad on the video, but when there are crowds on both sides it looks a lot less boring! I don't remember cursing the course at all last year, unlike every other race I have ever done where at some point I've thought "I wish this hill would end" (up or down) or "Surely there can't be a headwind all the way around!" or "When will this uneven terrain end?" or something else to moan about.
  • I'm really looking forward to Sunday, even after watching the high speed 26.2 miles on video.

    I'm sure the crowds will assist, the only thing I can moan about is myself, making sure I get round and do a respectable time, anything under 5h will do, preferably 4h20m fingers crossed.
  • Totally agree about how fast the film seemed but how slow the miles ticked by. The bit around near the lake looks nice, and running down the bottom of those skyscraper canyons should be fun, but it does make me more than a little scared! Hopefully there will be plenty to keep one's mind off the scarey aspects.

    Didn't run much over the weekend ... I did a 3k race on Friday that took a lot out of me. Managed it in 12:25, and it left me feeling quite tired. I guess I'm still in recovery mode from Tahoe. Doing a bit of a hill jog at lunchtime today then taking it easy for the rest of the week.

    Thanks for the reassurance Padams. I'm just looking forward to a good run. Still haven't decided which pace group to join, but I had my confirmation ticket faxed through from blighty, Bib # 9623.

    Andy, I'm sorry that you've had to pull out. Bad news. Maybe another year, eh?
  • As for the weather on Sunday morning, bring some warm clothes to put on and chuck away at the start line. O°C on Saturday night! Brrrr!
  • bib number? Yikes I haven't got anything since my confirmation postcard way way back...and I leave on Wednesday.....

    Sure they will still let me in?!??!


    Off for pasta tea..
    Zed
  • Zed - I haven't had anything through either, since my confirmation postcard. I'm in the states now and even if I get it sent on from home, it probably won't arrive in time. I don't think it should be a problem though - we'll be in their records and as long as we have the confirmation postcard, it should be fine. I'm not worried.
  • AndreaB: yes I am not really that worried just the usual last minute stuff.

    Am packing tomorrow. Anyone else wearing their trainers and taking their kit on the plane? Just a little paranoid bag might go missing...

    Zed
  • Oh yes. I'd never leave my trainers to the hold. But that's just my paranoia I guess. It's just one less thing to worry about as far as I am concerned.
  • Sorry - cheap one there. Wearing trainers on the plane - I've still got to break them in. So far they've only done a tready 10k.
  • trainers on the plane for me too ..

    taper madness is here now - had a good weekend - did my last 8M yesterday and it's something tiny today like 2M I think .. off on Thursday so trying to do all I need to leave husband and 2 small children for a week ..

    Crazy dreams - so far I've missed the start because my pasta order didn't arrive, I've not been able to find my hotel with kit I need, this morning I dreamed that I forgot I was running a marathon and went really slowly and stopped for a cup of tea .. what's going on?

    Zed - will we see you (and everyone else) at Cereality at 8:30? Looking forward to it!
  • My paranoia about trainers is even weirder - I was told that you shouldn't walk in running shoes because you walk differently to how you run, so my trainers will be in my beautiful new pink suitcase my parents bought me for my birthday!
    The only problem with this, is that its pink. Therefore I can't play the girly card and get bloke to pull it along.Oh well, such is life!
    We've got military-precision-planning going on to even get to the start & father-in-law is panicking because the trains only go every 15mins and we might be late if the first train's full. I'm all for cabs but then my dad thinks the traffic will be bad because of road closures etc.
  • Sounds like the whole family is suffering from taper madness! You're off on Thursday aren't you? That should give you plenty of time to talk to people in Chicago and get their advice.. If they're anything like folk here they'll love chewing the cud on transport options ..

    Like the pink suitcase quandary.. :)
  • Wher'e everyone going for the PRE RACE pasta loading??

    I don't arrive in Chicago until Saturday at Noon.So by the time I've got to the hotel and the Expo there'll be little time for anything else

    Need to find a cheap cheerful place to load up those carbs later in the evening
    Cheers
  • Hey everyone on this thread GOOD LUCK on Sunday, will be thinking of you all and looking forward to hear all of your times. Sounds like you have been doing great so far so keep it up.

    Enjoyx
  • Dieselgirl: yes Cereality by 8:30am for me. Might be there earlier....jelly babies on the table reading a book probably.

    Should I bother doing 3 miles today? Will go later....it will make all the difference won't it?

    Nigel: not sure where I am eating Sat night yet....might be cheesecake factory?

    Zed
  • To everyone running at Chicago this year, have a great marathon. I think it is one of the very best - great course, lovely people and I am so jealous......! Ran it last year and was fab. One quick word of advice - get to the exhibition as soon as you can as they run out very quickly of the fantastic black Chicago Marathon New Balance Running jackets large size (OK if you want a small!)
  • Just a quick note to say Good Luck to everyone taking part in this. Unfortunately I had to pull out back in July due to a bad injury, but this seems to have come around so quick since then.

    All the best!!
  • Coops, Bedders and Lofters, Thanks for the good wishes...just looking forward to going now!

    Had a bad dream last night. Dreamt that Ben and I arrived to the start line 12 hours too late for the start. There was NO-ONE there, but we started any way.
    As we passed the 10k marker, our chips regeistered a time fo 13hrs for the first 10k, and my mum (bless her) was watching the results on a laptop, and commented on how proud she was that her boy managed to run 10k in just over half a day.

    Genius


    Will let you know if it goes like that on the day!
  • Best of luck everyone!!!

    I've enjoyed reading this thread but not participated in it as yet. Really looking forward to Sunday and of course checking out Chicago.

    Can relate to the anxiety dreams dieselgirl, I had one last night that the route was all stairs and I ended up on my hands and knees in tears....enjoying the carbo loading though!

    I'll have a small NZ flag sewn on the back of my vest so if anyone spots me say hi, aiming for sub 3.30.
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