Jess Goes Running: 2017 Chicago Half Marathon

I just realized that I never wrote up a race recap for this year's Chicago Half Marathon back at the end of September!  I guess tapering for a marathon will do that for you, haha--to say I was a little preoccupied with other things is an understatement.

Well, if I could sum up the half in one word, it would be this: HOT!

This was my 3rd time running the event (2014 and 2015), and Tom's 2nd.  Last year, I signed up for it but was unable to run as I was dealing with all the issues with my foot.  Needless to say, I was really excited for the opportunity to get back at it!  I was planning on using it as a training run for marathon training; that week I was scheduled for 12 miles for the long run, so 13.1 didn't really seem like much of a stretch.  At that point, I had already done my longest outings of training and compared to the distances I'd gone in the previous few weeks, a half marathon seemed like nothing.

I wasn't planning on going for a PR, which was good because it wouldn't have happened anyway.  The days leading up to the race, we watched the weather forecast with dread--it was going to be a scorcher, with high temps and high humidity.  To say I was unhappy about the weather is an understatement, but there was nothing I could do about it except stay hydrated and slow down.  We ended up catching a ride down to Jackson Park with my mother-in-law, who was coming with as a spectator.  Right around sunrise it was comfortable but as the morning progressed, it only got warmer and warmer.

I knew the sun was going to be brutal so I made sure to apply ample sunscreen.  I also wore a hat, which I both appreciated and could have done without.  I loved having my own personal shade but it was really hot and I had to take it off more frequently than I would have liked.  The conditions were pretty rough, but I was still proud of how I was doing despite it.  I actually felt like I did a pretty good job of keeping it together during the first half of the race.  Then I got to mile 7, and it fell apart a little bit.  I was still optimistic but I was tired, and hot.  I was excited to make it to the turnaround point of the out and back, and I pushed my legs to keep going as I headed back down south towards Jackson Park again.

Truthfully, miles 8-13.1 were mostly about survival.  I figured as long as I maintained forward motion, I was in a good place.  During the second half of the race, I came across more runners than I was comfortable with being tended to by Race Guards or by paramedics.  The weather really was just brutal.  At this point the aid stations and medic tents were handing out bags/gloves of ice and I was more than happy to oblige them in their offerings (and, yes, may have shoved a glove full of ice down my sports bra, haha).  It was tough but I never quit, I kept going--doing a lot more walking than I normally would have wanted--and kept moving towards the finish line.

In past years participating in this race, rounding the corner and seeing the Statue of the Republic, the Golden Lady in all her glory, would have filled me with relief, happiness, pride, excitement, would have even moved me to tears.  This year, I was just happy to be done.  I still had a little bit of gas left in the tank and I gave it my all during those last few tenths of the race, crossing the finish line as strong as I could.  When all was said and done, I finished with an official time of 2:58:58.  Definitely not my fastest time, but given the extenuating circumstances I was just happy that I finished under three hours.

I got through the finisher chute, receiving sustenance and hydration and my medal (a beauty!) before trying to find Tom and his mom.  I was feeling a lot of emotions, most of them angry and annoyed, which actually kind of amused me combined with the runner's high I still had.  I was fired up!  Finally, I located them and made my way to the Evanston Running Club area, where I sat down and drank some Gatorade and reflected on the race.  I didn't, and don't, regret doing it, but I certainly wish the weather had been nicer.  Looking back on it now, I was in a position where my psyche and confidence regarding the marathon were still pretty shaky.  (I honestly don't even know if I really thought I would actually be doing it until I was standing in the starting chute on that sunny October day, but that is a post for another time).

Despite the conditions, the volunteers and race marshals were incredible!  I definitely would not have gotten through it without them.  I know it was probably a tough day for them too but they kept everything moving smoothly and everyone as hydrated as they could.  This has been my experience every year I've done this race and it's one of the the things that keeps me signing up every year.

At this point, I am planning on doing it again next year (as part of my marathon training, assuming I get in to Chicago again for 2018).  I am also thinking I might try to do a half marathon in the spring; Tom is running the Wisconsin Marathon in May, and there is also a half marathon the same day that I'm considering signing up for.  There is also the Chicago Spring Half Marathon (which is the other half of the Chicagoland Half Marathon Series).  Decisions!  In any case, I think signing up for a race will help me get back into the groove of motivations, and will also give me something to look forward to.  I love the half marathon distance, so I'll need something to tide me over until September 2018!