We finished the race, 26.2 miles, albeit a tad slower than we hoped. But given the heat, and Jan’s consistent problems with running in high temperatures, I was more than happy. Around mile 20, a bank clock read 87 degrees. Race officials, who’d started the race “code green” for optimal running conditions, had switched to code yellow and then, for the last six or so miles, code red. But I will never say anything other than “glorious” about eighty degrees and sunny in Chicago in October: I’ll take this over last-year’s fifty-degree-cooler day any time.

This is something you have to experience to believe: running the Chicago Marathon with a partner can truly be fun, and it was. The neighborhoods explode with character, whether it’s the Wonder Women cheerleaders in drag in Boys Town, the booming salsa music in Pilsen, or the Chinese dragon kicking it in Chinatown, the entertainment along the way makes the tougher elements, like the pain and fatigue, bearable. Continue reading →

New Balance's 9 inch Road Short

So I decided to stick with the training program and not run today. All of this barely running, and my legs are feeling creakier than ever. Jan said she’s feeling the same and brilliantly observed that we’ve been off our daily dose of the i vitamins (ibuprofen, that is). I hope that’s all it is. I didn’t feel much in the swing of it today, since I didn’t run, so I surfed Twitter a bit to see how folks were buzzing about the race. The buzz is, simply, hot. My earlier elation about the weather is, well, a bit more tapered, now that the high is forecast at 85, not far off the ill-fated high of 2007. Not a problem for me, but Jan and hot running are not so friendly.

I found, on the Twitter, this couple from Australia who are running their fiftieth marathon together here on Sunday; they’ve turned it into a gig of sorts (coupleontherun.com). That’s some quality time together. I’ll be lucky if Jan wants to ever run one again after Sunday.

I think I’m gonna have to bail on the black shirt; maybe even go sleeveless. I’ll figure that out tomorrow. But I know I’m wearing my gray Saucony shorts. Suitable running shorts are by far the most challenging running gear to find. I don’t do the short shorts (think Bill Clinton on a jog), but I prefer the medium short length. I’ve tried the slightly longer, baggier style, and while I like the look, I get chafing problems on long runs over ten miles. New Balance just sent me these super long, super baggy shorts that look like they belong on the basketball court (I’m guessing they’re popular with suburban dudes who sport goatees). I’ve worn them a few times on shorter runs and they’re pretty comfortable so far but I dunno, I’ll likely switch them over to hoops. Nike also gave me some shorts last fall, with a Spandex-style lining. They seemed cool but the lining is too tight and  I can’t really wear them much.Give me a shirt in my size and I’ll wear it. Give me shorts in my size, and it’s hopeless. Continue reading →

Ran three miles today in some of the coldest air since the summer. Taper’s got me worrying about gaining weight this week. I’m pretty sure I’m heavier than I was when I ran last October. I think that’s why I’m getting slower. That and I’m getting older. I’m not happy about this. I can run a marathon, but I’m heavier, slower and older than I was. Is this progress?

Primal considerations hold sway now. What will I wear (the weather, the weather), what will I eat, how can I make sure I’m sleeping OK? The more you think about things, the harder sleeping will be.

What I will wear is starting to shape up. Though I needed it today, I won’t need my vest. If you’re just starting out running, you need shorts, shoes, socks and shirts. And a vest, a thin shell that protects you against the wind and the cold. I have jackets, long-sleeve shirts and assorted other warmer gear, but nothing gets more wear than the vest. Mine is a bright yellow Brooks number that I got as a Christmas gift when I started running. My son is embarrassed for me when I wear it. Way too bright for his taste. Continue reading →

NIke+ SportBand

Last “long” run before the marathon this morning: eight miles. Two weeks ago, that distance was a routine weekday run, so it was not really a physical challenge. Except: the weather. Cooler, yes, low 50s, but light rain and gusting 25 mile per hour winds. This would not be pleasant marathon weather, since running into the wind today was like a standstill. But the marathon weather forecast is promising: high 60s, 30 percent chance of rain.

I ran with three tracking devices today. (Four, including Jan’s.)
Nike+Sportband: 8.46 miles
Nike+iPod Touch: 8.32 miles
Nike+GPS iPhone 4: 8.25 miles
Nike+iPod Nano (Jan): 8.01 Continue reading →

This morning's view from my window: not a cloud

Three miles today, and it is a glorious morning for running, especially if you’re like me and do not get up at dawn and run when the air is in the forties. At this point, everything is sort of set for the race. I’m in shape—I’ve done all my long runs and I can’t lose much weight in a week, alas—so the one big factor that will influence the quality of my marathon experience this year is the weather.

Today’s the first day that ten-day forecasts incorporate the big day. My dream would be a day somewhat like today, where I could run in shorts and a t-shirt, and enjoy the city on a sunny day. Right now, the forecast is a high of 67 degrees, low of 51 degrees (perfect for me!) and some rain. Not very excited about the rain, though I’ve done my share of running in it, but if it’s light, and not freezing, it can actually help in some ways. My personal record in the half-marathon was set a couple years back in a pouring September rain. But the rain dampens the experience for spectators, and since Jan and I have a few folks coming to watch (including our daughter and her boyfriend from Seattle!), I want them to enjoy the day as well. Continue reading →

Shh. I caught a secret snap of Jan running in last summer's Elvis is Alive 5K

Ten days till the Chicago Marathon, my second. (You can read my longish chronicle of my midlife journey from a sedentary state to distance runner, which I published last year, here. It was a finalist for the locally prestigious Lisagor Award, losing out to a Playboy article that broke new ground in the Barry Bonds steroids story. Imagine that: a jury thought the writer who broke the scandal about one of the greatest athletes of a generation had a better story than my navel gazing. Oh well. I just wanted to be able to put “award-winning sportswriter” on my resume!) This year, the focus on my running has been not on finishing the race, nor on improving my time. This year, it’s been about running with my wife, Jan, who will be running her first marathon this year. We plan to run together. Nike was kind enough to give us entry into the race via their sponsorship, so we avoided that moment of truth (and commitment) when you break out the checkbook to register back at the beginning of the year. (The race sells out earlier every year; this year registration closed on March 23.)

While I yap about my running to the point of fatiguing everyone who knows me, Jan’s the opposite. She doesn’t want anyone to know she’s doing the marathon. Up until she did her first twenty-miler, she was still saying she might not go through with it, even though she’d been training for months. So don’t tell her I wrote this. I don’t want to get in trouble. Continue reading →