My training for the Chicago Marathon
With Chicago taking place just three weeks after the Berlin Marathon, "training" for Chicago was actually rest and recovery. I flew into Chicago three days ahead of the Oct. 8, 2018 race.
The course
Chicago has a pancake flat and fast course (save for a tiny little bridgehead before you turn onto the final straightaway = it's more like a speedbump). The marathon starts and ends at Grant Park, right downtown and near the shores of Lake Michigan. If you stay downtown, you can walk to the start line (and back to your hotel later in). Organization and volunteer support are world class. This superfast course and the unreal atmosphere combined tempt you into running too fast. You feel strong, invincible, flying through an ocean of sound and adrenaline. It wasn't any different for me. In terms of geography, the course leads in a northern direction, before looping southward, East around the halfway marker and further South. Around Mile 23, the course loops in northern direction again, towards Grant Park.
My race
One of the many unique things about Chicago is the early start time. Depending on the wave you are in, you'll be on the course 7ish. In 2018, Chicago had heavy rain in store for the runners before the race. It subsided a bit for the start, then returned later, alongside wind. But it was a mild rain at least. Some "Sweet home, Chicago" and off we went. I have to say, in Chicago, it is soooo very easy to get sucked into this ocean of sound and adrenaline on the first 13 miles. Amplified by the skyscrapers (which may also torpedo your GPS accuracy), many runners (myself included) go out too fast. I ran with a huge 3:40 pace train - and was cruising. But eventually a combination of running a marathon A race three weeks prior and overpacing caught up to me - and the wheels started coming off. In the end, I barely eeked out a sub-4 hour time. It didn't matter. Some Goose Island and two good friends from university greeted me at the finish line. My third Major Marathon star was in the books. Most importantly, Chicago was an amazing experience. Like no other race, it blends amazing crowd and voluneer support, perfect logistics, with an attractive course.
Race rating: 6 out of 6 Majors stars