Special Edition of my Marathon Blogs: The Chicago Marathon 2007;
Can I get a Whoo Whoo, to my Early 9:30s!
I was originally going to write a special edition dedicated to my 6:00am start 9:30 group as they have become a special group to me. Then something horrible happened: Mother Nature and it changed the direction of where I thought I was going to go with this ..so called 'blog'
18 weeks of training, 18 weeks as a CARA pace leader, 18 weeks of motivational e-mails, 18 weeks watching many runners grow to become marathoners. My e-mail list grew to about 54 people in my group (well not quite 'my' but it's how I talk about them so deal with it). There are about 20-30 of these runners that were dedicated to showing up enough that I remember their names. Now if you know anything about me- I am horrible with names so this is an accomplishment in itself for me.
I think the secret to life is to be open for change and challenge yourself….otherwise you get flustered and/or bored. I worried about being a pace leader - to me, being a pace leader meant I had to have enough energy for myself and for the others. You can't have a 'bad day' because those other runners are counting on you. Well, good thing I became a pace leader because I had the best training season yet! Being a pace leader was added challenge and change to just being a runner.
Beyond me having my best training season thus far, there were many other rewards. My runners were incredibly appreciative and they let me know it. What more can you ask for but throughout the season get e-mails like this (This one is from Connie after she crossed the finish line) Hi Tara! Thank you so much for the inspiring words and helping us to keep going throughout the training. I just really wanted to let you know that you've been an awesome pace leader, coach, cheerleader, therapist and whatever else it takes!!
….or Runners (new friends) having liked being with you so much for all those long and sometimes painful hours that they ask you to run with them in them in the Marathon. The pink shirt they made me will be one of my favorite and most treasured shirts I've ever 'earned' (Thanks Amy and Laura!)
As last year I made two great 'after marathon' friends (who have become two of my best friends in Chicago), Sara and Rachel. This year I've made many more. As Kathleen's end note to her friends and family summarizing her past 18 weeks of training states: "Most would believe that after training for 18 weeks the journey ends. For me, I think my journey is just beginning…" Yes, Kathleen, the journey is just beginning!
I plan to continue to let marathon training consume my summers (as I told my runners, I have been in training every summer since I moved to Chicago, I don't know life without it), and I plan on being a pace leader for years to come.
Other than this being my first group and my first experiences as a pace leader - what is it about this marathon that goes down in History? If you have to ask that question….I will give you the date again: Chicago Marathon Oct 7, 2007. Got it yet? Besides this being the last Marathon under the LaSalle name (though legal Day 1 was Oct. 1st…. So I like to have a power trip saying….it's already Bank of America's Marathon…haha MY marathon…just like MY runners…deal with it!) this Marathon goes down in history as the hottest marathon EVER. Okay maybe it's just the hottest Chicago Marathon ever. But it was 90 heat index.
If you have ever run a marathon in the cold before, you will notice, when you are lined up in that starting line (especially a marathon of 45,000 people). You keep warm….all those bodies work as a heater. For last year's Chicago Marathon- it wasn't painful cold until around the half when people were spread out and you hit the wind. So now imagine that heater in full action- when it's 75 degrees (pre heat index) at the 8:00am start. People were already feeling it at mile 3! AND when the people usually spread out after the first 10 miles or so, it never happened so that heat stayed contained.
Jenny and I were watching the runners on the corner of Cornelia and Broadway. I was cheering and waiting for my runners to arrive so I could run to the end with them. I knew it was hot, but didn't phase me as Jenny and I commented on the runners- already at mile 7 looking like they were never going to survive even 10 miles. We just thought - OH they are just running way too fast too soon! Then you get the pace groups- I was waiting to see the 4:10 or 4:15 signs before I ever thought I'd see my group. Luckily I had my pink shirt on as Amy called out to me to jump in….they were by the 4:00 pace groups. Me, filled with energy was all ready to go. HA I'm sure I looked abnormal at that part as I didn't have a drip of sweat on me. I questioned their great idea to be in the 4:00 pace group- and they said "no they are off, we have been running 10:30s this whole time (That would be about a 4:35ish?)" Dumb me, I didn't get it. Somehow, this one hot day (probably because I wasn't crammed in like a sardine at the start to get the body heat up so fast as they were), I was feeling great and not able to fully understand the conditions out there….or not quite yet.
We saw Daniela, one of my strong front runners walking right around mile 8. I could NOT believe that and asked her to start running with us- she did but we lost her at the next water stop. Then Amy really started to feel it. It scared me, I tried to tell stories to keep her focused, but when we stopped to walk, her face went so pale, I just worried she'd collapse. The thing you have to watch out for when running a marathon, is you are told it's tough, you are told you will hit a wall, you are told you will be in pain. So, what's the difference between the pain you can survive, and the pain that will kill you? People who run marathons have it in themselves to push hard to see it as a mental game and you just have to fight that. Because of this, it can be extremely dangerous. Luckily, Amy had the sense to understand her body and allowed herself to feel some sort of disappointment- but kept herself out of the Aid Stations (or worse).
Feeling bad for leaving her (to walk for a little longer to regain her strength, cool down and rehydrate). Laura and I continued forward. At this point Laura was still strong, but when we lost the shade from the buildings and were out on the open road it just wasn't getting any better. Laura's dehydration affected her in her legs…the cramps started to hit hard. We started to run-walk quite often. The tears started to form in her eyes just like they had in Amy's. I just wanted to kick Mother natures ass and cool it off. Laura fought on trying her best to run-walk. Around Mile 18 when we saw her boyfriend she stopped for a minute, and at that point, the human eye could see how bad it was. Her legs were shaking uncontrollably. She had to keep them moving to get to the finish. There was no option of stopping and stretching.
Both Amy and Laura are two of my star runners. They had run up front with me, keeping conversation flowing, helped me pace and made me feel like I wasn't an annoying leader for my continued shouts of "TWO BY TWO!" They mastered the 20 miler wonderfully at a dead on 9:30 pace. They are good! You know something is wrong when they are in dire need to walk around the half as they had never dropped out (dropped out as in need to walk) on a single training run!
The other thing about this run, is you'd see the athletically fit looking people out on the sides laying the grass. Every single aid station was FILLED with people from the half on. Over the cheers you could hear the ambulances working in overtime. At one point, I remember hearing a thud, the next thing you know a person is running across the street with a wheel chair, and I turn around- and there's a guy on the ground, I'm just hoping that thud wasn't his head but I am pretty sure it was. The expression "dropping like flies" fits the events that were taking place all around us.
By mile 20 I was trying to make it fun and wanted to skip through the water being sprayed out of a fire hydrant by the firemen. Just as I'm about to do this I hear a police officer yelling. Of course I worry she's saying something that would attract attention to the girl without a bib so I stopped. What was she yelling? "THE RACE IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED DO NOT RUN, WALK" I still get chills down my spine thinking of this moment, what it means to race history, what it means for conditions to become such a threat that they actually close the race. After some phone calls to others, I learn from Rachel we were given an option to get on a bus and bus it back to the finish or just walk it back.
Laura and I continued to walk/run until China Town where her friends met up with us and she had a healthy entourage giving her the strength to not let it get to her too much. At one point I left her to walk at a more brisk pace with Rachel and Kathy. Of which every now and then we'd start running, until yet another police officer would yell at us for doing so. Since the race was officially closed, Rachel and I decided this meant we were allowed to cross the finish line rather than jump out before Roosevelt. So, the long walk was well worth it when Me, Rachel and Kathy crossed the finish line feeling stronger than one should feel finishing a marathon (Kathy being the only one to complete the 26.2 distance….still felt strong). That finish got me excited for my next two marathons (and my hope is I walk less than that in the NYC…as I'm assuming weather conditions to be more favorable…and I'm assuming my ability to recover in a week is wonderful!).
So, we crossed that finish line- but the thing is, at that moment, I felt like someone who had family that worked in the World Trade Center (Sorry if that offends anyone bc this wasn't as serious- but you get my point?) I just wanted to get to the CARA tent and start finding all my runners. While I was relieved to see most of them and anxious to hear their stories, they were feeling all different. They were feeling defeat they walked so much and didn't get their goal times. I can understand this, but not actually running the full marathon, I saw it on the other end- just happy that they didn't end up in an aid station or at the hospital. Reuniting with Amy was probably the most dramatic of them all as Dan stopped me to see if my runners made it past the point they didn't allow people to go further. As soon as we were done talking, I saw my pink shirt friend and ran to hug her. Seeing her, and seeing the color back in her face, made me so happy she slowed down when she did. I guarantee she would have otherwise been at one of those aid stations.
So what's the aftermath? 1 dead, over 350 admitted to the hospital and 10,934 did not make it to the finish line. Busses took people to the finish and allowed them to cross the finish and get their medal. As I didn't see ALL of my runners I looked up most of the dedicated 20-30. They all finished and only a few took the bus. They are my 'children' I'm so proud of them! They listened to me to hydrate hydrate hydrate before the race (even if it meant racing water at dinner Friday night with Mike and Pat because they insisted on drinking beer). Then there's my positive spirited Shelia,…I really hope she soon enough appreciates her finish. She just wanted to run ONE marathon in her life, and while the experience wasn't what she hoped, I really hope feeling from wanting it to be the best day of her life but resulted in being the worst day of her life is a temporary feeling. As a shirt I saw said "What matters is the journey, not the destination" And we definitely had a fun Journey (training).
Now for me? I still have 3 weeks before I challenge myself in 2 marathons in 2 weeks. Sara and I planning on making a good run tomorrow of 15ish miles (We will see after 18 run/walk miles today). Taper time will start on Tuesday.
I was originally going to write a special edition dedicated to my 6:00am start 9:30 group as they have become a special group to me. Then something horrible happened: Mother Nature and it changed the direction of where I thought I was going to go with this ..so called 'blog'
18 weeks of training, 18 weeks as a CARA pace leader, 18 weeks of motivational e-mails, 18 weeks watching many runners grow to become marathoners. My e-mail list grew to about 54 people in my group (well not quite 'my' but it's how I talk about them so deal with it). There are about 20-30 of these runners that were dedicated to showing up enough that I remember their names. Now if you know anything about me- I am horrible with names so this is an accomplishment in itself for me.
I think the secret to life is to be open for change and challenge yourself….otherwise you get flustered and/or bored. I worried about being a pace leader - to me, being a pace leader meant I had to have enough energy for myself and for the others. You can't have a 'bad day' because those other runners are counting on you. Well, good thing I became a pace leader because I had the best training season yet! Being a pace leader was added challenge and change to just being a runner.
Beyond me having my best training season thus far, there were many other rewards. My runners were incredibly appreciative and they let me know it. What more can you ask for but throughout the season get e-mails like this (This one is from Connie after she crossed the finish line) Hi Tara! Thank you so much for the inspiring words and helping us to keep going throughout the training. I just really wanted to let you know that you've been an awesome pace leader, coach, cheerleader, therapist and whatever else it takes!!
….or Runners (new friends) having liked being with you so much for all those long and sometimes painful hours that they ask you to run with them in them in the Marathon. The pink shirt they made me will be one of my favorite and most treasured shirts I've ever 'earned' (Thanks Amy and Laura!)
As last year I made two great 'after marathon' friends (who have become two of my best friends in Chicago), Sara and Rachel. This year I've made many more. As Kathleen's end note to her friends and family summarizing her past 18 weeks of training states: "Most would believe that after training for 18 weeks the journey ends. For me, I think my journey is just beginning…" Yes, Kathleen, the journey is just beginning!
I plan to continue to let marathon training consume my summers (as I told my runners, I have been in training every summer since I moved to Chicago, I don't know life without it), and I plan on being a pace leader for years to come.
Other than this being my first group and my first experiences as a pace leader - what is it about this marathon that goes down in History? If you have to ask that question….I will give you the date again: Chicago Marathon Oct 7, 2007. Got it yet? Besides this being the last Marathon under the LaSalle name (though legal Day 1 was Oct. 1st…. So I like to have a power trip saying….it's already Bank of America's Marathon…haha MY marathon…just like MY runners…deal with it!) this Marathon goes down in history as the hottest marathon EVER. Okay maybe it's just the hottest Chicago Marathon ever. But it was 90 heat index.
If you have ever run a marathon in the cold before, you will notice, when you are lined up in that starting line (especially a marathon of 45,000 people). You keep warm….all those bodies work as a heater. For last year's Chicago Marathon- it wasn't painful cold until around the half when people were spread out and you hit the wind. So now imagine that heater in full action- when it's 75 degrees (pre heat index) at the 8:00am start. People were already feeling it at mile 3! AND when the people usually spread out after the first 10 miles or so, it never happened so that heat stayed contained.
Jenny and I were watching the runners on the corner of Cornelia and Broadway. I was cheering and waiting for my runners to arrive so I could run to the end with them. I knew it was hot, but didn't phase me as Jenny and I commented on the runners- already at mile 7 looking like they were never going to survive even 10 miles. We just thought - OH they are just running way too fast too soon! Then you get the pace groups- I was waiting to see the 4:10 or 4:15 signs before I ever thought I'd see my group. Luckily I had my pink shirt on as Amy called out to me to jump in….they were by the 4:00 pace groups. Me, filled with energy was all ready to go. HA I'm sure I looked abnormal at that part as I didn't have a drip of sweat on me. I questioned their great idea to be in the 4:00 pace group- and they said "no they are off, we have been running 10:30s this whole time (That would be about a 4:35ish?)" Dumb me, I didn't get it. Somehow, this one hot day (probably because I wasn't crammed in like a sardine at the start to get the body heat up so fast as they were), I was feeling great and not able to fully understand the conditions out there….or not quite yet.
We saw Daniela, one of my strong front runners walking right around mile 8. I could NOT believe that and asked her to start running with us- she did but we lost her at the next water stop. Then Amy really started to feel it. It scared me, I tried to tell stories to keep her focused, but when we stopped to walk, her face went so pale, I just worried she'd collapse. The thing you have to watch out for when running a marathon, is you are told it's tough, you are told you will hit a wall, you are told you will be in pain. So, what's the difference between the pain you can survive, and the pain that will kill you? People who run marathons have it in themselves to push hard to see it as a mental game and you just have to fight that. Because of this, it can be extremely dangerous. Luckily, Amy had the sense to understand her body and allowed herself to feel some sort of disappointment- but kept herself out of the Aid Stations (or worse).
Feeling bad for leaving her (to walk for a little longer to regain her strength, cool down and rehydrate). Laura and I continued forward. At this point Laura was still strong, but when we lost the shade from the buildings and were out on the open road it just wasn't getting any better. Laura's dehydration affected her in her legs…the cramps started to hit hard. We started to run-walk quite often. The tears started to form in her eyes just like they had in Amy's. I just wanted to kick Mother natures ass and cool it off. Laura fought on trying her best to run-walk. Around Mile 18 when we saw her boyfriend she stopped for a minute, and at that point, the human eye could see how bad it was. Her legs were shaking uncontrollably. She had to keep them moving to get to the finish. There was no option of stopping and stretching.
Both Amy and Laura are two of my star runners. They had run up front with me, keeping conversation flowing, helped me pace and made me feel like I wasn't an annoying leader for my continued shouts of "TWO BY TWO!" They mastered the 20 miler wonderfully at a dead on 9:30 pace. They are good! You know something is wrong when they are in dire need to walk around the half as they had never dropped out (dropped out as in need to walk) on a single training run!
The other thing about this run, is you'd see the athletically fit looking people out on the sides laying the grass. Every single aid station was FILLED with people from the half on. Over the cheers you could hear the ambulances working in overtime. At one point, I remember hearing a thud, the next thing you know a person is running across the street with a wheel chair, and I turn around- and there's a guy on the ground, I'm just hoping that thud wasn't his head but I am pretty sure it was. The expression "dropping like flies" fits the events that were taking place all around us.
By mile 20 I was trying to make it fun and wanted to skip through the water being sprayed out of a fire hydrant by the firemen. Just as I'm about to do this I hear a police officer yelling. Of course I worry she's saying something that would attract attention to the girl without a bib so I stopped. What was she yelling? "THE RACE IS OFFICIALLY CLOSED DO NOT RUN, WALK" I still get chills down my spine thinking of this moment, what it means to race history, what it means for conditions to become such a threat that they actually close the race. After some phone calls to others, I learn from Rachel we were given an option to get on a bus and bus it back to the finish or just walk it back.
Laura and I continued to walk/run until China Town where her friends met up with us and she had a healthy entourage giving her the strength to not let it get to her too much. At one point I left her to walk at a more brisk pace with Rachel and Kathy. Of which every now and then we'd start running, until yet another police officer would yell at us for doing so. Since the race was officially closed, Rachel and I decided this meant we were allowed to cross the finish line rather than jump out before Roosevelt. So, the long walk was well worth it when Me, Rachel and Kathy crossed the finish line feeling stronger than one should feel finishing a marathon (Kathy being the only one to complete the 26.2 distance….still felt strong). That finish got me excited for my next two marathons (and my hope is I walk less than that in the NYC…as I'm assuming weather conditions to be more favorable…and I'm assuming my ability to recover in a week is wonderful!).
So, we crossed that finish line- but the thing is, at that moment, I felt like someone who had family that worked in the World Trade Center (Sorry if that offends anyone bc this wasn't as serious- but you get my point?) I just wanted to get to the CARA tent and start finding all my runners. While I was relieved to see most of them and anxious to hear their stories, they were feeling all different. They were feeling defeat they walked so much and didn't get their goal times. I can understand this, but not actually running the full marathon, I saw it on the other end- just happy that they didn't end up in an aid station or at the hospital. Reuniting with Amy was probably the most dramatic of them all as Dan stopped me to see if my runners made it past the point they didn't allow people to go further. As soon as we were done talking, I saw my pink shirt friend and ran to hug her. Seeing her, and seeing the color back in her face, made me so happy she slowed down when she did. I guarantee she would have otherwise been at one of those aid stations.
So what's the aftermath? 1 dead, over 350 admitted to the hospital and 10,934 did not make it to the finish line. Busses took people to the finish and allowed them to cross the finish and get their medal. As I didn't see ALL of my runners I looked up most of the dedicated 20-30. They all finished and only a few took the bus. They are my 'children' I'm so proud of them! They listened to me to hydrate hydrate hydrate before the race (even if it meant racing water at dinner Friday night with Mike and Pat because they insisted on drinking beer). Then there's my positive spirited Shelia,…I really hope she soon enough appreciates her finish. She just wanted to run ONE marathon in her life, and while the experience wasn't what she hoped, I really hope feeling from wanting it to be the best day of her life but resulted in being the worst day of her life is a temporary feeling. As a shirt I saw said "What matters is the journey, not the destination" And we definitely had a fun Journey (training).
Now for me? I still have 3 weeks before I challenge myself in 2 marathons in 2 weeks. Sara and I planning on making a good run tomorrow of 15ish miles (We will see after 18 run/walk miles today). Taper time will start on Tuesday.
Good luck for your future marathons! More power!
ReplyDeleteNice blog, keep it up!
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