2018 Chicago Marathon Race Report

Back in the Fall of 2017, I was looking for a Marathon to do in 2018 that would seal my return to running
after surgery on my right knee by Doctor Rob Jones at Impact Orthopaedic in Raleigh on November 18th,
2016 following a sometimes bitter fight with insurance. This on top of being told in May of that year I
would never run again. Thanks to many friends support and recommending I go see Doctor Rob Jones
for a second opinion, the tables were inevitably turned.
I wanted something big and hoped it would be a destination race rather than local so a short vacation
could be attached. The list was New York, Chicago and one of my favs, Marine Corp in Arlington,
Virginia.
Did not get picked in the New York lottery so tried and succeeded for Chicago. This was actually good
because Linda's Sister and older Brother live there so bonus family visit.
Booked travel, now excited.
Trained with many friends all summer off the schedule my coach, Gene Meade, gave me. We had a
number of face to face meetings over the period which was good.

Rob, Nancy and me at Run the Quay Stacy and I at Lake Logan
½ IronMan Distance
Triathlon

Training and racing over the Summer with different friends, mixed up paces, distances and
conversations too. It was all good training until two weeks before the race.
The day I was going to race in a relay team at IronMan 70.3 Augusta with my friends Simone and Rob, I
had a 16 mile training run on the schedule. Because everyone was busy I headed to the American
Tobacco Trail alone on the flattest part of the trail. Plan was to do a negative split run with second 8
miles faster.
Gene had planned for me to BQ in Chicago. Something I really hadn’t ever planned for only because of
the worry about pushing myself too far into an irreversible injury. But I trusted Gene, pushed on with
the plan not even believing it was within me to do.
That morning after the start of the negative split I looked at the paces and really started believing it was
now within my grasp. “He’s right, I feel great, this is really possible”. 7:45 min/mile paces on the back
end run.
Unfortunately a mile and half before I was finishing I felt my left Calf twitching and starting to tighten. I
started backing off the pace then the Calf tightened and then cramped aggressively into pain. I really
thought I’d torn my Calf. Tried to stretch out (found out later probably wasn’t good) and that wasn’t
working.
Alone and in the dark, limped slowly back to the car since I also didn’t bring my phone either.
As soon as I got home I called a local PT, based on Coach and friends advice, and got in before heading
to Augusta. Really thinking this was worse case timing possible for both Augusta and likely Chicago.
The PT worked at least well enough and tried to make the best of that weekend.
As I was just biking in Augusta and a serious convincing from Lisa who was in Augusta for her first solo ½
IronMan, I went and was glad. Our relay team came in 14th.

Rob, Simone and me as a relay team at

IronMan 70.3 Augusta

After I got back from Augusta, my PT from when I had knee surgery, Lee Welch of The Running PTs
reached out to me. My coach agreed it’s probably better I go to see Lee and a plan was formulated to
get me in the best possible shape given the limited time, for Chicago. Knowing the risks I pressed on to
run the race. My legs felt really good on the Friday before the race and Lee tapped me up for the big
day.
So Plan A was to stay with 4 hour pacers, plan B to finish. There was no Plan C.
My mindset has always been, start to finish or don’t start at all. My own arrogance but always need to
push my own bodies boundaries.
We traveled in Saturday morning, some stress ensued due to changes in travel time and then flight
delays. Still made it in time to go to the expo but it was a bit more excitement than needed. This was
supposed to be a relaxing rest day before the race.
I dropped Linda off at the hotel after lunch then had my work colleague and
friend Eric pick me up since he is a Chicago native and would know the best and
fastest way to the expo.
I think we spent way too much time and money there, they do tend to sap the
bank account if you’re not careful.
Back to the hotel, rest and prepare everything for race day morning including
breakfast.
Woke up Sunday morning at 4am. Check weather. Rain and 58 degrees. The plan
was to head to the entrance gate a 6am. Decided to delay that and wait until rain
was predicted to stop. That was a good call. Left at 6:30. It was breezy but now
dry. Streets were wet but OK.
I waited for Eric at the bag drop. We decided to head for the port-a-potties before heading to start
corral. Lines were long, if necessary we would bail on the line but didn’t have to. Time was tight now so
we had to run to get in so warm up. Shuffled up as close as possible to the 4 hour pacers.

Eric and I getting ready to head to our

start corral
Our corral was to start at 8am.
They managed to shuffle us out pretty quickly so Eric and I knowing we would run our own races
bumped fists, wished each other good luck and headed out.
I was excited for him because it was Eric’s first Marathon.
First 8 miles was feeling really good. Initially had issues keeping up with the 4 hour Pacers. I should of
realized when my watch kept showing pace around 8 min/mile but since the tall buildings tend to mess
with GPS and I felt good ignored this. Eventually passed them then caught up with 3:50 pacers which
start to be the new goal since legs still felt fresh. However, at mile 8 I felt the left Calf twinge for about a
minute then pass so ignored it as possible KT tape pulling hairs on my leg. But by mile 9 I felt the Calf
tighten more. So I walked for about a minute then tried to run at a slower comfortable pace. The
tightness eased for a while, each time I could feel it tighten, adjusted the stride and pace.
Unfortunately as time and miles grew, trying to put my energy into not letting the calf get worse took its
toll.
My energy was draining faster than I could refuel and at mile 18 my body almost gave up. Feeling
nauseous from too much Gatorade and water felt like I was about to pass out.
I called my coach, Gene Meade, as I was planning on checking out. A DNF was seriously on the cards. In a
bad place and in tears. He really did a good job of talking me off the cliff. I heard of others having this
experience but never had experienced it myself. It really was a good lesson for what I have planned in
the next few years. Gene suggested I try walking, move forward and if pain is too much then bail out.
I texted my friend Lisa Schriener who called me, talked me in to getting checked out at a medical aid
station. I knew she would help me maybe more than anyone if I was to pull out of this.
Eventually the Plan B kicked in, walk the rest, three hours still left. As long as walking wasn’t painful
keep going.
Took two Tylenol and ran into my good friend Holly Sasso Briggs. She really inspired me to push on. Then
came all the support texts. I probably spent too much time on them for a while but it was what I
needed. That and the really awesome spectator support. This City was amazing when it came to that.
Hardly a single quiet moment. Tons of music too. All of that just drew me along for the ride.
My wife texted me and said she was in line at the park.

I told my wife it might be two hours before I’m done so she wasn’t waiting around in the park.
Then came a really magical moment and probably the highlight of what was to make to a lovely end to
the race.
I heard music playing on a runner and realized it was Mr Blue Sky by ELO which really gave me happy
thoughts. I turned to this female runner and said that was “great music”. She said I could hang around if
I wanted, really friendly, so we talked all the way back in which helped pass the time and take my mind
off what happened earlier. Now I have a really nice new friend in Chicago.
We crossed the finish line together, got photos, she gave me a bit of Chicago history chat and found out
she’s an Ultra Runner. How awesome.

Heading into finish

then post finish.

Linda texted me to let me know where she was and we eventually met up with Eric who finished his
first, over the moon and ecstatic he did it.
We went a celebrated after getting the obligatory post race photos.

Eric and I getting our post race photo

Now I’m just glad to get the first Marathon in three years done.
Too many friends to thank for the support and PT, Lee Welch who fixed me up enough for this and my
wife for her patience in listening to all the stories over the summer and hours waiting while I trained.
Now it’s time to recover and move on from this.