Let me start off by saying the Chicago Marathon was an incredible experience. I will also say it was likely the most difficult running day conditions I have ever experienced or chose to participate running in period.
Here is a recap of the race (from what I can remember) due to incredible amounts of sweat and attempts at pretty much failed attempts at proper hydration:
Start Line and Grant Park Crowds: After saying goodbye to my lovely girlfriend Susan and her wishing me luck I did my best to weave my way up to the 4 hr 30 min to 4 hr 45 min pace groups. I found a good spot by a couple of people who were sitting down which I decided was a good idea so as not to waste needless energy (so I sat down with them...while apparently the rest of the Chicago Marathon crowd decided to stand around us.) The National Anthem sung by Jo Dee Messina
was a nice pre-race motivation.
The Start and to Mile 1:
The gun goes off and after 19 minutes and 20 seconds I finally get to cross the starting line;) I get into a comfortable 10:30 to 10 minute pace early so as to stretch and not go out too fast. Pacing is key and from the previous 2 marathons I have done I know all too well about the importance of pacing properly early.
The crowds, number of runners and roar of the crowd is amazing. I have never been in a race with so many people cheering others on...it was truly amazing. Across a bridge and then under a bridge with everyone yelling fired me up as I started to pick up the pace just a little.
Mile 2: Approaching my first scheduled water break it became apparent that getting water might prove to be a bit difficult on this hot and humid day. Apparently I was on the wrong side of the street and this water stop was going to be skipped. I wasnt all that concerned so I thought to myself I would get water at Mile 4. Looking down at my watch as I crossed Mile 2 I was on a perfect 10 min / mile pace. I was feeling good.
Miles 3 to 4:
Approaching the first 5K I noticed I was sweating more than usual and the sun was now peaking around the corners of the tall Chicago buildings. Approaching Mile 4 I realized I would now need to start hydrating early and often..as I knew it was early and it was already getting hot. The problem now being that I realized everyone else in this marathon was getting hot and thirsty at the same time. Not wanting to panic and being stubborn that I wasnt going to stop my good pace now I elected not to fight the crowd on the right side of the street trying to get water and Gatorade which seemed to be in short supply. So, instead of water...I ate my Energy Strawberry Banana Gu Gel at mile 4 hoping that would provide some stability and energy to Miles 5 to 6.
Miles 5 to 6:
I was wrong about the Strawberry Banana Energy Gu Gel. Although it provided likely a little extra energy, this was not a supplement for proper hydration and I paid for it dearly in the coming miles. Knowing and now feeling that I was in dire need of water and/or Gatorade I was on the right side of the street...looking for the Gatorade signs that signaled a water station. I then saw it just after Mile 6 along with the 50 to 100 other people huddling around the tables for any sign of water and/or Gatorade. After hearing the volunteers telling us they were out of water and Gatorade, but there was water just a little further down was quite a bit disheartening and mentally demoralizing. Thankfully, I did find some water...albeit with about 2-3 minutes of searching and waiting for it to be given to me....but I did get some finally. After an hour of running the heat is already an issue.
Miles 7 to 10:
After the 1st hydration fiasco...I now was becoming very concerned about the amount of sweat that was STILL on my body and not evaporating...thus not enabling my body to cool effectively. My shorts were drenched and were hitting my legs on each stride I took. Mile 8 and 9 were tough and I remember that I had never felt as drained early in a marathon as at this time. Not a good feeling. Mile 10 I remember trying to get water again and the only water at this station was a guy dipping cups into a bucket of water and giving it to people. Simply put...there was not enough supply of water at the time of demand and need. This was unfortunate.
Miles 11 to 13:
It was at mile 11.5 I felt it was necessary to start walking a little. This was very frustrating especially knowing that I had completed 2 16-19 mile runs before without walking. I was just sweating too much and not getting enough fluids. If I wanted to finish without getting sick or risking injury I needed to start walking....and so I did.
Miles 13 to 14:
The halfway point was reached in 2 hrs 41 minutes and I can utterly say I was mentally ready to quit. Knowing that a sub 5 hour time was out of reach and not knowing if water was going to be in supply...I was looking for a way off the course. I could not find a taxi...so I kept going.
Miles 15 to 16:
I was now a little miffed that I was doing so badly...and that I was mentally giving up. I was not in the best shape, but I do know I put the training miles in so I should have been able to hydrate and at least finish. I ran walked some more...and thankfully to a guy who stopped and encouraged me from Minneapolis, Minnesota a little...I think that led me to at least me getting a finishers medal.
Miles 17 to (stopped race finish):
So according to the official marathon statement...the race was cancelled and runners were re-routed back to Grant Park from the 1/2 marathon point if u hadnt reached it by 3.5 hours or 11:30am. Others were allowed to continue.... I crossed the 1/2 marathon at 2 hrs 41 minutes and mile 16 before 3 hrs 30min even with a 19 minute gun delay...yet...me and others were forced back to Grant Park early and were not allowed to finish the race. I have some other friends who were allowed to finish with times of 5hr 45 min and 6 hr respectively, but the police around me directed us back toward the finish line bypassing the final 9-10 miles. This was frustrating...but all the same I likely would have had to withdraw from the race due to the heat and lack of proper hydration.
As many are frustrated at the marathon organizers for the decision to cancel the race early...I believe this was the best decision to be made due to the number of amateur runners in the race. It is just not a good decision to continue something that continues to get worse. As others will likely argue...I still believe the race directors made a decision that was needed due to the extreme heat, humidity, number of medical emergencies and apparent short supply of water and Gatorade.
-Carl (The Water Buffalo)
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Chicago 2007 Marathon Weather Forecast...Wowsers!
Well...well...yesterday I checked the Chicago Metro forecast and it was suggesting a cooler day (lower 70's for a High). Now the weather story seems to be a bit different as of today...I am hoping for a cool front to come through Chicago early for a cooler marathon experience;)
Accuweather as of 10/3/07 @ 4:05 CT says a high of 86 degrees and hot and humid for Sunday Oct 7th!
AccuWeather Oct. 7th, 2007 Chicago Marathon Forecast
High: 86 °F RealFeel®: 86 °F
Very warm with the temperature tying the record from 1947 with intervals of clouds and sunshine.
Not exactly my idea of a fun weather situation for a marathon experience being that it will be quite hot and humid. All the same..I'm looking forward to the Chicago Marathon and will enjoy it all the same...just wish it would be cooler than lower to mid 80's in October!
-Carl (The Water Buffalo)
Accuweather as of 10/3/07 @ 4:05 CT says a high of 86 degrees and hot and humid for Sunday Oct 7th!
AccuWeather Oct. 7th, 2007 Chicago Marathon Forecast
High: 86 °F RealFeel®: 86 °F
Very warm with the temperature tying the record from 1947 with intervals of clouds and sunshine.
Not exactly my idea of a fun weather situation for a marathon experience being that it will be quite hot and humid. All the same..I'm looking forward to the Chicago Marathon and will enjoy it all the same...just wish it would be cooler than lower to mid 80's in October!
-Carl (The Water Buffalo)
Monday, October 01, 2007
Going the distance
By measuring marathon course meter by meter, JAY WIGHT assures runners of fair race
September 30, 2007
BY ESTHER J. CEPEDA ecepeda@suntimes.com
Armed only with a battered bicycle, a handlebar-mounted note pad and an ultra-low-tech odometer, Jay Wight painstakingly measures every inch of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon course.
After race organizers have spent most of a year tying themselves into logistical knots by checking traffic patterns, ordering 50,000 Mylar blankets and securing 22,000 feet of fence, Wight comes in a few weeks before race day and methodically clicks off every single meter of the course so that elite and weekend runners alike can rest assured they've run a course that's no longer or shorter than the standards set by the guys with the yardsticks at USA Track and Field.
''Marksmen say their guns aren't weapons, they're tools,'' said Wight, 50, a two-marathon vet from Hoffman Estates who has been measuring ''the Chicago'' -- as it's known to runners all over the world -- for 20 years. ''This is my tool. I've got another bike at home, but it's just a bicycle.''
His ride, a bordering-on-rusty gray Trek, has a special counter -- a variation of the Jones counter that has been used to measure Olympic marathons since 1976 -- mounted on its front axle. It counts every revolution of the wheel and clicks them onto a counter on his handlebars through a cable.
Twice before the big day, he's on the course at 5 or 6 a.m. on Sundays, armed with his spray paint, hammer and nails for the three-hour ride to measure and mark the entire course.
''There's a half-mile calibration course on the lakefront that was set up in 1985, and I ride it first to make sure I know how many counts I have in each meter,'' Wight said.
It gets way more technical after that, with splits counted and marked at every kilometer and every mile.
''I've tried GPS and I have an electronic bicycle calculator, but it's just not as reliable as the tried-and-true method,'' Wight told me as we stood at the X-marked spot that will be the finish line next Sunday. ''For instance, GPS doesn't work well in any place with tall buildings, and it's only true within a range of five to 10 meters. Plus, it doesn't register elevations.''
But do a few feet here or there really matter?
''People come to Chicago to run fast,'' he said. ''If a record is set, it has to be exact. The course can never be shorter.''
In fact, it's so crucial that the course not be too short that there's a little ''just in case'' -- a ''fudge factor,'' if you will.
''We figure in one meter per kilometer, so it is possible that, depending on the route, a person could run 42,237 meters instead of the 42,195 I've certified the course as.''
On race day, the tool stays home and the toy comes out. Wight gets to be the race leader, riding a scooter -- ''so I can actually stay ahead of guys who run the thing in 2 hours and 5 minutes'' -- to verify that the winner actually ran the entire course as it was certified by the International Association of Athletics Federations.
The Chicago Marathon is but one of the 82 courses Wight, Illinois' race-course measurement certifier, has given his blessing to. Here are some tips he has for the competitors:
''Know the course, hug the curves and run the tangents.''
The course is on the marathon's Web site, so that part is easy.
As for hugging the curves, ''You want to run the shortest distance, so if you're running down the middle of the course, you're probably running too far,'' he said.
And the tangents?
''Take the shortest distance between two points, know where the turns are and run on the diagonal through them,'' he said.
How about potential pitfalls?
''The bridges with their steel grates are the toughest, though at least the first one is covered with carpet,'' he said. ''The absolute worst spot is the underpass at Ashland between Cermak and Archer, north of Pilsen. It can get real bumpy and wet down there.''
He should know. A crash there during the measuring process last year left the front tire of his trusty steed ''lookin' like Pac-Man.''
His final words of wisdom: ''Run the shortest route, and you'll run faster. Just remember how the course was measured.''
September 30, 2007
BY ESTHER J. CEPEDA ecepeda@suntimes.com
Armed only with a battered bicycle, a handlebar-mounted note pad and an ultra-low-tech odometer, Jay Wight painstakingly measures every inch of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon course.
After race organizers have spent most of a year tying themselves into logistical knots by checking traffic patterns, ordering 50,000 Mylar blankets and securing 22,000 feet of fence, Wight comes in a few weeks before race day and methodically clicks off every single meter of the course so that elite and weekend runners alike can rest assured they've run a course that's no longer or shorter than the standards set by the guys with the yardsticks at USA Track and Field.
''Marksmen say their guns aren't weapons, they're tools,'' said Wight, 50, a two-marathon vet from Hoffman Estates who has been measuring ''the Chicago'' -- as it's known to runners all over the world -- for 20 years. ''This is my tool. I've got another bike at home, but it's just a bicycle.''
His ride, a bordering-on-rusty gray Trek, has a special counter -- a variation of the Jones counter that has been used to measure Olympic marathons since 1976 -- mounted on its front axle. It counts every revolution of the wheel and clicks them onto a counter on his handlebars through a cable.
Twice before the big day, he's on the course at 5 or 6 a.m. on Sundays, armed with his spray paint, hammer and nails for the three-hour ride to measure and mark the entire course.
''There's a half-mile calibration course on the lakefront that was set up in 1985, and I ride it first to make sure I know how many counts I have in each meter,'' Wight said.
It gets way more technical after that, with splits counted and marked at every kilometer and every mile.
''I've tried GPS and I have an electronic bicycle calculator, but it's just not as reliable as the tried-and-true method,'' Wight told me as we stood at the X-marked spot that will be the finish line next Sunday. ''For instance, GPS doesn't work well in any place with tall buildings, and it's only true within a range of five to 10 meters. Plus, it doesn't register elevations.''
But do a few feet here or there really matter?
''People come to Chicago to run fast,'' he said. ''If a record is set, it has to be exact. The course can never be shorter.''
In fact, it's so crucial that the course not be too short that there's a little ''just in case'' -- a ''fudge factor,'' if you will.
''We figure in one meter per kilometer, so it is possible that, depending on the route, a person could run 42,237 meters instead of the 42,195 I've certified the course as.''
On race day, the tool stays home and the toy comes out. Wight gets to be the race leader, riding a scooter -- ''so I can actually stay ahead of guys who run the thing in 2 hours and 5 minutes'' -- to verify that the winner actually ran the entire course as it was certified by the International Association of Athletics Federations.
The Chicago Marathon is but one of the 82 courses Wight, Illinois' race-course measurement certifier, has given his blessing to. Here are some tips he has for the competitors:
''Know the course, hug the curves and run the tangents.''
The course is on the marathon's Web site, so that part is easy.
As for hugging the curves, ''You want to run the shortest distance, so if you're running down the middle of the course, you're probably running too far,'' he said.
And the tangents?
''Take the shortest distance between two points, know where the turns are and run on the diagonal through them,'' he said.
How about potential pitfalls?
''The bridges with their steel grates are the toughest, though at least the first one is covered with carpet,'' he said. ''The absolute worst spot is the underpass at Ashland between Cermak and Archer, north of Pilsen. It can get real bumpy and wet down there.''
He should know. A crash there during the measuring process last year left the front tire of his trusty steed ''lookin' like Pac-Man.''
His final words of wisdom: ''Run the shortest route, and you'll run faster. Just remember how the course was measured.''
Week 16: Chicago 2007 Marathon Training
Well the final week of Chicago 2007 marathon training is here and thankfully its taper time! What a long and enduring process its been with ups and downs, but I am thankful up to this point that I am healthy and injury free up to this point:)
My goal for the Chicago 2007 marathon is to purely finish of course:) Ideally, I would like to finish with a personal best of better than 4 hrs 27 minutes, but I dont see that happening based on the training times I have seen in the past 2 months.
Realistically, I see a 4 hr 45min to 5 hr marathon finish time unless I find a compelling reason to run reverse splits for the last 10 miles...(yea...that wont happen!...) It will be an amazing experience running with 44,999 other people:)
Mileage Targets for Week 16:
10/1: Ran 2.0 miles around SW OKC neighborhood
10/2: Rest
10/3: Ran 8 miles around Lake Hefner
10/4: REST
10/5: REST
10/6: REST
10/7: MARATHON TIME! 8am CT Downtown Grant Park...Chicago, IL!!!
Target Mileage: 10 miles
Actual Mileage: 10 miles
My goal for the Chicago 2007 marathon is to purely finish of course:) Ideally, I would like to finish with a personal best of better than 4 hrs 27 minutes, but I dont see that happening based on the training times I have seen in the past 2 months.
Realistically, I see a 4 hr 45min to 5 hr marathon finish time unless I find a compelling reason to run reverse splits for the last 10 miles...(yea...that wont happen!...) It will be an amazing experience running with 44,999 other people:)
Mileage Targets for Week 16:
10/1: Ran 2.0 miles around SW OKC neighborhood
10/2: Rest
10/3: Ran 8 miles around Lake Hefner
10/4: REST
10/5: REST
10/6: REST
10/7: MARATHON TIME! 8am CT Downtown Grant Park...Chicago, IL!!!
Target Mileage: 10 miles
Actual Mileage: 10 miles
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