2009 Chicago Marathon Race Recap

Pre-Race: After a quiet pasta dinner with the Redhead Fa-tha, I hit the hay with every intention of getting a good nights sleep... knowing full well it would never happen. I laid awake hour after hour and by the time my alarm went off at 4 am, I was almost thankful for the reprieve. I geared up, ate some breakfast and killed time reading a mag. At 5:45 am the ants in my pants were out of control so I bundled up in my ghetto rigged throwaway gear* and headed out towards the start line...

Dinner with the Fa-tha

Ready to Rock!!!
(The pink headband is to support breast cancer awareness month!)

Ghetto Rigged Throwaway/Operation Keep Redhead Warm Gear
(*Take Goodwill Track pants; cut slit up both sides; Duct tape in key areas; Voila!!!)

Start Corral - Leaving the hotel, I stepped out onto an all but deserted street and began my lone pilgrimage to Grant Park, my heart all aflutter. Turning onto Michigan Ave I beheld the most amazing view of the city all aglow in the early morning, the street lined with runner's; looks of determination, anticipation and a healthy dose of fear across their faces.

I quickly found the open start corral and fell into the mid 9 minute mile section. I had signed up for the 4:15 Nike Pace Team and I eagerly awaited their arrival while I shivered and tried in vain to stay warm. It was a balmy 33 degrees and my body was not reacting well to the temps. My booty was straight up doing the booty shake all on its own!!! BRRRR!!! I attemped to keep my mind off the cold by chatting up the other runners and tried to maintain my frustration when, at 5 minutes to gun time the Nike Pace team was still nowhere in sight. This is my only complaint of the entire race and in hindsight, hardly worth mentioning, but at the time, it was huge. Everyone had warned me about starting off too fast, so in my head I had promised myself nomatterwhat that I would start behind the 4:15 pacers to ensure I wouldn't make the rookie mistake of starting out too fast. As the pack surrounding me surged forward I weaved in and out to fall back to the 4:15 pacers and settled in...

One thing worth mentioning before I go further is how absolutely HILARIOUS it was to see the explosion of clothing being tossed into the air as the gun went off... I myself dropped trou and tossed my pants just before I crossed the start line but the memory of that sight will live with me forever... I would've loved to have seen that from the spectators view...

Start - Mile 5 - As I crossed the start line I couldn't help but get caught up in the moment; I screamed, I jumped up and down and waved my hands up in the air like I just didn't care... I had just crossed the line and there was no turning back! 26.2 lay before me and I was a redhead on a mission. I was awestruck by the sights and the sounds of the city before me and the spectators all around. It was sensory overload and I relished in every moment of it. We entered a tunnel and the sound of runner's screaming and feet pounding the pavement was deafening, you could power the world over for days with the energy boucing off those walls... By chance alone I managed to see Michelle and B.o.B around the 2 mile mark and it fired me up 10x more than I already was; I was really doing this, I was running the Chicago Marathon!!! One would think that reality would have already set in regarding that fact, but it hadn't yet. It wasn't til I saw their smiling faces, screaming my name that I realized this wasn't a dream!

As I approached the 3 mile/5k mark U2's "Beautiful Day" was blaring on the course and it gave me chills... For one U2 always makes me think of Rixy, who wanted to be there to see me run, and I had unofficially made it my marathon theme song... So hearing that, looking around at the actual beautiful day it was turning out to be and feeling absolutely amazing, the smile plastered across my face only increased in size...

Miles 6 - 10 - As we ran through the Lincoln Park Zoo runner's fell off to the left and right to pee in the trees and bushes, not one for exposing myself in public, I opted for the porta potties; got in, got out (with minimal peeing on myself) and it only took me about a minute or so to catch back up with the 4:15 pace group. (I am beyond joyed to say that not only was that my only pit stop of the entire run, but it was also the only time I ever stopped period.) The next few miles flew by, not going to lie, I honestly don't recall much. I was just caught up in the moment; taking in the sights, looking for "Team Redhead" at every corner, trying to stay focused on my pace and remembering to Gu/E-Cap/Hydrate at regular intervals. The girls said they saw me fly by at the 10 but unfortunately I didn't see them...

Miles 11 - 15 - Somewhere around this time I realized that I was all up on the 4:15 pacers @ss and had been that way for the last 10+ miles. I wanted more, so I made the decision to get ahead of them, if only a little and made my move. I stayed only a row or two ahead of them at first but after a few minutes I looked back and there was at least 200+ meters between us. This was either going to be a big mistake or the winning move, only time would tell. I ditched the last of my throwaway gear and never looked back... shortly thereafter I crossed the Half mark and said a little prayer to the running gods... "Please let me stay strong!!!"

Miles 16 - 20 - In my head these miles were crucial, somewhere around here "The Wall" would be lurking and it could spring on me at any moment... except I felt AMAZING. How could it come when I felt this amazing? So I just kept running, I kept smiling and I told myself that if I could just make it to the 20 without walking I'd be proud of myself. I mean, I'd never even made it this far without a walk break back home, the Florida heat had killed me so many times during my long runs, but today was not one of those days. To be honest, I barely felt the previous miles, I was just cruising along taking it all in...

Miles 21 - 25 - As I passed the 20 the Nike + Power Song Station was playing U2 - "Beautiful Day" and again, I got the chills. Mile 21 slipped by virtually unnoticed and out of nowhere here comes B.o.B at the 22 jumping in next to me! I screamed and hugged her and she asked me how I was feeling... If I recall correctly I looked at her, with my stupid grin still plastered on my face and said; "I don't want to jinx myself but I feel great! I am having the most amazing time, this is the greatest day of my life!!!" The next few miles seemed to pass by in a blink of an eye; We laughed, we cheered, we attempted to fire up the runner's around us on no man's land stretch aka Mile 23, we proclaimed how awesome I was, we cracked ourselves up at the fact that she was running bandit in the Chicago Marathon, we basically conducted ourselves as ya'll would expect...

Love. This. Girl.

At the 40k mark we came up on some photographers and in honor of Coach EK & Coach Tom we passed underneath them holding hands and screaming our fool heads off! Those miles are my favorite miles of the run, spent with my beloved Boo... As we came up on the 25 I looked at her and said, "You better get going if you want to see me finish because I've got this!!!" So off she sprinted and I geared up to kill it...

Mile 26 - 26.2 - Here it was, the home stretch. Had I really been running for almost 4 hours? Had I really ran 26 miles already? Somebody pinch me because this must be a dream right? No?!?! As I rounded the corner and charged up the hill there was the 26 mile marker and after that... The Finish. I sprinted it in with all that I had and as I crossed under that finish line... Actually just file that moment under "Indescribable" because once again, there are no words to describe that moment. You just had to be there.

Do you see that smile?
Best. Day. Ever.

Finish - I noticed that the clock was at 4:20-ish and in my head I realized I had killed my 4:15 intended goal and had probably finished somewhere closer to 4:10 or under... The realization only made the moment that much sweeter. I had run the Chicago Marathon and finished!!!

As I walked thru the Finishers area I was wrapped in a mylar blanket (Thank god for the volunteer's, I was just walking in a daze with a big ol' grin on my face shivering to death) given water, a banana and a power bar, directed to the medal's where as the girl placed it over my head and congradulated me I teared up a bit, then directed to the chip removal area and finally on to the Finisher's photo op. It was all such a blur and I know at some point I just threw away everything I had been given to eat and drink because I just wanted to find my family...

I called Michelle and figured out where they were and then I called Spike to congradulate him on his BQ. (When B.o.B jumped in at 22 that was my first question) I finally made it out of the Finisher's area and quickly reunited with Michelle and the Fa-tha... hugs and joyous cheers were aplenty! B.o.B was MIA and we started to grow concerned but ever the resourceful gal, she used her mad MacGyver skills to use someone's cell and call Michelle. Spike came baring girl scout cookies and we all just jumped around, all fired up, basking in the after race glow.

Post-Race Thoughts - Truth be told I almost feel guilty writing this recap, because it sounds to good to be true but I swear it really was the most amazing, picture perfect, storybook ending, marathon of my dreams. I ran strong, I ran smart, I exceeded all my expectations and goals, I ran my heart out and I loved every.single.minute.of.it. Fairy tales do come true!

Marathon Finisher!

There's so much I am missing and so much more I could write but these are the moments that stand out the most. The entire experience; from start to finish, was nothing short of amazing. The course, the spectators, the volunteers, all of it... If you add one destination marathon to your "To Do" list, I highly recommend Chicago. Best believe Chicago will forever hold a piece of my heart...