Friday, October 13, 2017

Jess Goes Running: A Marathon Weekend, A Recovery Staycation

Hi!  It's still crazy to me that only a few days ago I ran and completed the 2017 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.  Just a moment that is full of magic, a memory that I will be drawing on as inspiration for many months to come.  I wrote about the race itself, the morning leading up to and the moments directly afterwards, but of course, there are details of the overall experience that I've left out up until this point... it's time to change that!  While the race is obviously the pinnacle of things, a lot happened both before the marathon and afterwards!  It truly was a marathon weekend of sorts.

Last Friday, I met Tom at work.  We took the brown line to the green line in order to get to McCormick Place for the Abbott Health and Fitness Expo.  The weather really was not pleasant; it was rather drizzly and cold.  We got to McCormick Place and then made the long walk to the Lakeside Center.  Seeing the signage and the obvious vastness of the expo before we even stepped inside was pretty intense, and I have to say, that was when it was really starting to hit me what I was about to undertake.  We checked in, went to get our bib numbers, then walked through the expo to get our shirts.

Wow, it was unlike any race expo that I'd ever been to, and I have been to many!  There were so many different sponsors and vendors.  We got our gear bags and t-shirts in the back of the huge expo hall, then continued our way through the line of booths.  Of course, we had to stop for a photo before leaving:



If we weren't ready for the marathon before the expo, it definitely put us in the mood!  The weather had turned much more rainy and miserable, so instead of taking the CTA home we decided to get a Lyft instead.  It was rush hour on a rainy Friday evening, so the drive back was slow, but our driver and fellow Line passenger were both very chill and it was an enjoyable ride.  On the way home, we ordered dinner from Calo Ristorante in Andersonville... can you guess what was on the menu?


Spaghetti and meatballs, salad, garlic bread.  Delicious!  We ended up getting takeout beef and broccoli for dinner on Saturday night, as our pre-race dinner.  It was the perfect mixture of fiber and protein and was very filling. While we're on the subject, Saturday was a day for preparation and rest.  I actually ended up having to work from 5 am-3 pm but in a way, it was good because it kept me moving and loose and also kept me on an easy schedule.  That night, I just made sure that my gear check bag and my marathon day clothing was all in order and ready to go.  My hip had been bothering me since after my run on Friday afternoon (my last run of training a 2.4 mile outing up to campus and back) and I was concerned that it would hamper my running abilities on Sunday morning.  Luckily, it didn't bother me at all during the marathon and hasn't bothered me since.

After the race on Sunday afternoon, we were exhausted!  We took the red line back up to Edgewater, crawled back to the apartment, and took the best showers of our lives.  For the rest of the evening, we pretty much just sat on the couch in a happy (and sore!) haze, ordered a pizza and cheesy garlic bread from JB Alberto's, and went to bed early--early and in pain.  Oh man, I was so sore on Sunday night and into Monday in a way like none other!  I guess that's to be expected after putting your body through 26.2 miles.

We didn't set an alarm and just slept until we woke up on Monday morning.  Since we'd gone to bed so early, we woke up relatively early, too.  Breakfast at Ann Sather followed once we finally got moving and then we continued onward to get our medals engraved at the Nike store down on Michigan.  It took about two and a half hours, but we left with an even more meaningful memento of our historic races.  The staff at Nike did a great job of controlling the crowd and keeping the line moving.  We also picked up some sweet marathon "Finisher" gear, too!  Next year, we may go to Fleet Feet for their engraving party but we found out about it after the fact.  We also made sure to pick up our commemorative copies of the Chicago Tribune and definitely looked up our names and finishing times among over 43,000 other runners.  What an amazing feeling, to be part of such a momentous occasion.


The rest of the week, we have spent relaxing and recovering and laying low.  On Tuesday, the weather was overcast and dreary.  We ended up out at IKEA, walking around and picking up a few things for the apartment.  We also went to a record store and added a few albums to our collection.  Yesterday was our "Treat Yo Self" day, complete with a spa pedicure and a massage--it was my first massage but definitely won't be my last!  The spa pedicure was a gift from a sweet coworker of mine and it was the perfect way to pamper ourselves after 18 weeks of training!  


Today is my last day of vacation, as I go back to work tomorrow; Tom still has a few more days off.  I feel refreshed, relaxed, and ready to tackle whatever comes my way.  I am very grateful for the uninterrupted time that Tom and I have gotten to spend together this week.  It's been very much needed and I certainly do not take it for granted; I'll be drawing from this wonderful week when the hours at work get long over the next couple of months.  Completing the marathon lifted such a weight off of my shoulders and also filled me with a huge sense of accomplishment and confidence that I know will benefit me in areas of my life other than just running.  I believe I am only just starting to understand all the ways that becoming a marathoner has changed and will continue change my life.  I'm really excited to see what I can do now that I've met such a huge, long standing goal!

I haven't been running since the marathon, but I'm thinking that's likely going to change today.  It's just so nice out!  The first sunshine we've had since Monday morning.  Especially after my massage yesterday, I feel more or less back to normal.  I intend on making yoga a regular part of my week, whether that's on Thursday nights with Tom or the Friday morning class I've attended previously.  I hope to run outside for as long as I can, and at that point I'll move into the gym.  I want to continue to work on strengthening, especially my core.  As far as my plans for future races, I'll likely end up doing a turkey trot of some sort in November.  I'm already signed up for the Shamrock Shuffle 8K in 2018, and I'm hoping I'll get the opportunity to complete the Chicagoland Half Marathon Series, competing in both the Chicago Spring Half Marathon and the Half Marathon in the fall.  

Also, if all goes according to plan, I'll be training again next summer to give the Chicago Marathon another go.  I really want to do it again, since I have a time to beat and all.  Knowing that I can do it, that I can complete 26.2 miles, makes the prospect of training for another one much easier and much less daunting.  Of course, I'm sure that other opportunities for races will come up here and there, but one thing I know for sure is that I've fallen in love with running again.  Can't wait to get out there and get those miles!  

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