Yesterday, a memory from 2015 popped into my Facebook feed: my reflection on that year’s Chicago Marathon. There were some parallels…
Then I reported that I had completed 5 marathons. 2 faster and 2 slower. Now I’ve run 9 marathons, 4 faster and 4 slower. My last Chicago was my first since turning 50. This was my 5th. Using age-graded calculations (like this one from Runner’s World), this could be considered my fastest (3:33:40 vs. 3:34:26 for my actual marathon PR set in New Jersey at age 48). This proves that qualifying for Boston actually gets harder as we age, not easier, as so many younger runners seem to believe. But that’s an analysis I’ll save for another day.
In the 2015 post, I also reported on the results of my fundraising effort. This year I mobilized 36 people to raised $2,004 for Gilda’s Club Chicago. A huge thank you to everyone who gave and/or shared the link!!!
Four years ago, from back in New Jersey I declared “I love Chicago! Can guarantee it won’t take me so long to get back there (although maybe not to run another marathon).” You all know how that turned out!
I also said, “I’m very happy to have shared this experience with friends, from those that shared the training miles, were running other major races this past weekend to those at dinner Saturday night, on the course with me, those I saw along the course cheering and yelling my name, and all of you in FB land that wished me well! Thank you!” The same holds true today x10. Read my other blogs from the past two weeks for more on that (What a difference a year makes and Three reasons this year’s Chicago Marathon is extra special). I don’t think I have ever been more supported on a marathon course, had more people tracking me, had such a celebratory marathon weekend overall, or had such a fun training cycle!
The major difference this year and my last Chicago Marathon is that I didn’t fall short of my goal. I didn’t really have a time goal per se once I was realistic about my readiness to BQ. I was thinking that maybe I could manage a 4:09 finish. I probably started out a little too fast, but kept my heart rate in check all of the way (except a huge spike close to my max as I passed through the 3Run2 Cheer Zone at mile 20). I did manage to reach my goals of running strong throughout and never hitting ‘the wall.” I finished in 4:15:44.
Today I feel really good. I’m tempted to start planning for the next one, but for now I’m going to focus on gratitude. I am grateful for all of the people that supported me this past weekend and in the past weeks and months. I am especially grateful that I am simply able do this. I am grateful to be part of a sport where a women can beat the World Record and 54 year old empty-nesting mom like me can run the same course and cross the same finish line a mere 2 hours and 40 seconds later.
I also feel pretty fortunate that I can share everything about this wonderful sport with someone I love so much. Thank you, Kurt, for being a big part of all of this!
