October 7, 2007 Chicago Marathon
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since my first post. I had intended to regularly update this blog with tidbits about my marathon training and other happenings. The first thing that sidelined those plans was the tendinitis that developed in my left knee after a long run in new shoes on July 1st. I had to take the entire month of July off and it didn’t look like completing a marathon was in my future. It was the second week of August before I could run five miles without pain. By then, I needed to accelerate my weekly long runs at a very fast pace and I could only hope that my knee and the rest of me would take the rapid increase in mileage that would be necessary. By the time I realized that I might still have a shot at completing the marathon, I was spending so much time running that I couldn’t easily find the time to write a post!

I completed my longest run of 22 miles three weeks before the marathon and then began to taper. I was so excited for the actual marathon because I was physically feeling great, knew I could finish and was incredulous that my knee wasn’t giving me any problems. In visualizing the marathon I saw myself running in long sleeves and hoped for a cool, crisp day with no rain. As the day approached the weather forecast began to look somewhat daunting. As it turned out, record high temperatures arrived just in time for the 30th Anniversary Chicago Marathon and with high humidity and no breeze, the 92 degree heat made for an unforgettable and unexpected experience!

My husband, children and our friend Chris accompanied me to Chicago. On Saturday we had lunch with the other members of Team Livestrong. There were twelve of us running and two of us were first time marathoners. One woman had run over 30 marathons! After a pasta dinner I went to bed early.

The sunrise on raceday was beautiful and the air silky. It was so warm before the sun came up that I didn’t need a jacket over my sleeveless shirt. The magnitude of the race was somewhat overwhelming. Despite 10,000 runners staying home because of the weather, 36,000 runners were lined up at the start. I was very nervous. Despite having put in the necessary long runs, I knew the heat would make for a difficult day. Believe it or not, I skipped the sunscreen on my legs and parts of my arms just so I would be able to stay cooler without the waterproof barrier of sunscreen!

The race started with jubilant cheers from the runners and all seemed well. After three miles I was thirsty and drenched in sweat! I got a small cup of water at the first aid station but the Gatorade had run out. That was the first sign of things to come. At the next aid station there was nothing left. I cooled myself in a fountain outside an apartment building by splashing myself and getting my cap wet. By the third aid station I was extremely thirsty, blazing hot and the pandemonium of the aid stations had begun with runners frantically trying to seek out the tables that hadn’t run out of liquids. I was so thirsty at that point that when I finally did get something to drink I needed a lot and got a bad stomachache and side stitch. Thank goodness for Lincoln Park. The residential area we ran in had shade and homeowners who could get out their water hoses to help cool us off. Another hot stretch came with less shade. My friend Chris saved the day by buying me cold bottled water that I could sip on and that got me through! The middle of the race was miserable, too hot and runners were starting to drop out and need medical attention. The medical tents were full. The sound of sirens was constant and eerie. The aid stations had supplies but runners had to wait for cups to be filled and Gatorade to be made from concentrate while we stood waiting. I grabbed ice whenever I could and filled my hat and my jog bra! I began to get excited about mile 18 or so when it seemed that I was going to reach the finish without a problem. At mile 20 I was shocked to hear the local police and fire officials declaring that the race had been canceled due to the heat and that we were ordered to walk! There was mass confusion, misinformation, rumors about having to get bussed back to the finish and general mayhem. There wasn’t much choice but to keep heading toward the finish. I walked and jogged, monitored myself carefully to avoid overheating and just kept putting one foot in front of another. It took me over five hours due to the enforced walking but I finished! You’ll notice that the back of my shirt said “For Tracy”. Tracy is my brother and I ran this long, hard race for him.

So what now? Well, after a short break I’m back to running again. No long distances, just those beautiful 3-5 milers that make a person feel great and provide some fresh air and mental clarity. I’m also refocusing my efforts for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Many thanks to those of you who donated to the LAF on my behalf! By the way, the 12 of us who ran the Chicago Marathon for the LAF raised way over $50,000! In general my focus in working with the LAF is not on fund raising as much as raising awareness among the general public about cancer related issues. I will be continuing that effort as the LIVESTRONG Army leader for Iowa City/Coralville. More to come on that.

Thank you for your support!

LIVESTRONG!

Kim

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