RnR Chicago

This past weekend I had the amazing opportunity to run the Rock n Roll Chicago Half Marathon.  The Rock n Roll Marathon Series are a race organization that puts on 5ks, 10ks, Half and full Marathons all across the world.  Part of their allure, aside from tons of extra medals for completing various challenges, is that they have a live musical act at every mile.  So, if you think running 13.1 miles is tough, knowing you can have a mini dance party every mile helps break the monotony of running up just a bit.  

I am currently in the midst of two running goals.  The first is to run a half marathon in every state by the time I’m 35, which is about 6.5 years from now.  I’ve run in 5 so far, with another 3 scheduled for this year (and if my magical Fairy Godmother comes through, then another 2 or 3.  Let’s all keep our fingers crossed!!).  The second is to run my 29th half marathon (the Operation Jack Half Marathon) on my 29th birthday.  It’s currently scheduled as my 26th, so still need to add a few races to smash that goal.

I try to go into each race with an open mind.  You never know what the weather will be like, how your body will react, or even who you will meet.  As one of my best running buddies says, “Every medal has a story.”  The best you can do is trust your training and approach the starting line with a smile.  That being said, due to some unforeseen circumstances, I ended up crossing the finish line dead last.  As in, they had turned off the timing mat and were starting to tear down the setup.  Thankfully, everyone I passed on my way to the start had words on encouragement and assured me I wasn’t that late.  The timing dudes even stopped me and made sure to take a picture of my bib so they could give me an official start time.  I then proceeded to chase down the trail car for the first mile, and by the time I got to mile 2, I was exhausted.  

Running is a mental sport.  You can interpret that as 1) you must be mental to think that running 13.1 miles is any sort of fun (as many of my friends and family do), or 2) you really have to get out of your own head and push yourself through the tough times.  I took a quick walking break, took and posted a selfie (because that cures everything), cranked up the music, and kept going.  I did NOT fly all the way to Illinois just to have a crappy race.  

Another factor that made this race particularly difficult was the heat.  Towards the end of the race I noticed more and more people at the medical tents and being driven away on carts.  Training for all weather conditions is super important and you need to be smart about it.  It’s nice to PR (personal record) at every race, but not at the expense of your health.  Here are some useful tips for running in the heat.  

1. Slow down!!  You should slow your pace by 30 seconds for every 5 degree increase above 60 degrees.  For example:  Let’s say you run a 10 minute mile and it is 70 degrees race morning.  You should aim for an 11 minute mile and adjust as the day gets hotter/cooler.  
2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!  I usually alternate between water and electrolytes at the water stations during a race.  However on hotter days where you are sweating more, and thus losing more salt, you need to replenish that.  So it’s especially important to include sports drinks as well.  (There are great alternatives to sports drinks if that’s not your jam, such as energy bars or pretzels.)
3. Listen to your body.  If you are feeling dizzy, light-headed, or have a headache, STOP!  While random heat waves do happen, most race directors have a general idea of what the race day weather will be like and will plan for it.  Most hot races have ice, wet towels (RnR Chicago had ice-soaked sponges at mile 11 and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see a sponge in my life!!), or cooling busses.  You know your body, learn to listen to it!  

The last 2 miles was a straight shot to the finish line.  I had a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline, including Soldier Stadium (which as a devout Dallas Cowboys fan, I was deeply conflicted about, lol!) and Lake Michigan.  I struck up conversations with a few runners, which is probably the best way to forget you’re running for a few minutes.  The last quarter mile is always fun.  You’ve got people cheering on both sides of you and something about crossing the finish line can almost make you forget how much your feet hurt.  My time was awful, but sometimes it’s just satisfying to know you gave it your all and truly earned that medal and free banana (and beer, of course).