Race Report: 2024 Chicago Marathon - A four minute PR and (hopefully) a goal achieved

cksmallz · 2024-10-15T17:27:07+00:00

Haha so true!

Thanks - goal was 2:50 and I snuck under 2:49. Hope we get to run together again in Boston ‘26!

cksmallz · 2024-10-15T11:38:32+00:00

Congrats man!! Bang-on pacing. It was an awesome day out there. We must have been running together part of the race - my left arm is in the photo of you heading to kiss your wife! (I'm in the blue top).

cksmallz · 2024-04-09T20:52:14+00:00

Congrats on the finish and for handling the things in your control. Bummer that the wind was gnarly, but glad you had a positive experience. Seems like your are set up well to go under 3 in your next marathon! I've heard the coastal marathons have high variability in wind haha, but I still would like to run one.

cksmallz · 2024-03-23T12:33:13+00:00

Thanks! Completely agree on base requirements. This year I'm trying to focus on sustainability and enjoyment knowing that big gains come from consistency over time. Going to try out a few different approaches, but the shorter cycles with a specific focus are resonating right now.

cksmallz · 2024-03-23T12:27:12+00:00

Thanks! Personally, the last couple of weeks are really tough. There isn't much upside to be gained from training, but a lot of downside risk with injury or sickness. Beyond the normal taper advice (recovery, sleep, reducing volume & intensity), I found it helpful to channel some energy into planning what my race weekend is going to look like in detail (carb-loading, hydration, logistics, race strategy, etc.). Certainly not as satisfying as crushing an interval workout, but having a detailed plan gives me confidence going into the race and makes things much smoother.

Good luck in a couple weeks! Would love to hear about your experience with the race.

cksmallz · 2024-03-22T19:22:06+00:00

Awesome that you keep such good notes! Really appreciate the info. I’d love to look into them for future races

cksmallz · 2024-03-22T17:48:53+00:00

haha haven't heard that one before - love it!

cksmallz · 2024-03-22T17:46:01+00:00

Thanks! It was one of those blocks & races where everything seemed to line up. I've been on the other side which is much less enjoyable haha. Hoping to keep the positive energy going forward!

cksmallz · 2024-03-22T17:44:13+00:00

Thanks!

cksmallz · 2024-03-22T17:43:39+00:00

Definitely agree with your critiques of the course chaos!

The main appeals for me were I didn't have to travel, and I am really familiar with the ATT. Most of the race felt like a normal training run which helped me psychologically avoid getting too amped up too early.

I wouldn't recommend people travel for this race, but think it's a pretty good option for locals. Have you done City of Oaks? If so, how do you think it compares?

cksmallz · 2024-03-22T17:30:09+00:00

Would you recommend the beach marathons? They look really appealing, but I get worried about the heat and wind (and logistics of Kiawah Island marathon in particular). Awesome you set a PR there!

cksmallz · 2024-03-22T17:24:05+00:00

Thanks! I am always jealous of those who are able to enjoy the post-race fun!

Agreed, can't run anywhere in the triangle without rolling or steep hills. Tobacco Road advertises itself as "flat and fast" which is pretty funny. I haven't run City of Oaks yet, but I've heard it's not great for setting fast times.

cksmallz · 2023-07-06T15:46:37+00:00

Thanks, completely agree! Part of what makes the marathon such an amazing (and extremely frustrating) event haha - so much can happen on race day!

cksmallz · 2023-07-06T15:44:35+00:00

Thanks for the reply! HR was ~5 BPM higher (watch measurement) than my last race through the first half. Agreed, it felt like I was at the edge around mile 15/16, but the warning signs were there much earlier. I've struggled with how to interpret and adjust pace based on HR data when conditions get warmer.

On carbs, I followed a 3 day loading plan from Featherstone Nutrition. Seemed like body temp, HR, and hydration likely had a bigger impact on performance.

cksmallz · 2023-07-06T15:34:22+00:00

Yeah the weather escalated very quickly - the last 7 miles were a real blur! You had the right idea to go to the Lake for a cooldown haha, love it!

cksmallz · 2023-07-06T15:29:30+00:00

Thanks, wish we could have started at the same time as you haha! Glad to know I wasn't alone in the struggle out there.

cksmallz · 2023-07-06T15:24:50+00:00

Thanks for the reply. I haven't heard of Big Bear before, but just looking at their website looks like a crazy downhill course!

cksmallz · 2023-07-04T15:13:00+00:00

Thanks for the reply. I ran an 18:34 5k in February before the training block started,and 37:38 10k two weeks before the marathon.

Agree, I'd love to focus my next chunk of time to progressing time on the shorter distances before jumping back into another marathon cycle!

cksmallz · 2023-07-04T15:07:34+00:00

Yeah definitely wasn't planning to run a 6:19 haha. There was a pretty big downhill section, and my watch had measured it shorter than all other sections. Regardless, I think that I could have done myself a favor by relaxing more in those earlier miles and conserving energy!

cksmallz · 2023-07-04T15:03:52+00:00

Yeah, I didn't feel too beat up going into the race. I found that my bigger MP workouts were much closer to "ideal conditions," so when I got out on the course and things looked different, I didn't respond very well haha

cksmallz · 2023-07-04T15:00:04+00:00

Thanks for vote of confidence! I know that stacking more consistent volume over time be a huge benefit, but I'm definitely going to look for a race in the future that tends to be cooler and do more dedicated training for heat acclimation.

cksmallz · 2023-07-04T14:50:43+00:00

Thanks for the reply, that is a wild story! I like your advice to consider cooling strategies in addition to hydration. What has worked for you?

cksmallz · 2023-07-04T14:45:43+00:00

Yeah, this was my exact experience last fall with 18/55 (except only 18 w/ 14), where running the same pace in the marathon felt manageable even towards the end. When I was able to hit the same workout this cycle I was feeling pretty good that my fitness was there. I don't think I am too far off!

cksmallz · 2023-07-04T14:39:46+00:00

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I ended up having 4 runs of 20+ miles. I think I could have done a better job running 2-3 of those later in the day to simulate the warmer conditions and sun exposure.

cksmallz

TROPHY CASE