If you’re an aSweatLife reader, you may have seen my post to kick off the Chicago Marathon week. If you missed it, it started out with this… This weekend, I’ll line up with 30,000+ people for the Chicago Marathon. Although it’s far from my first marathon (it’s my 53rd), I have that newbie anticipation. I haven’t run more than twenty miles since 2019. My training has been a bit unconventional, but truth be told, it usually is. The pandemic was a break in the usual, so now everything that’s old feels new again. I’m not mad about it. It’s refreshing. With all of this in mind, my Friday Five is my best tips for Chicago runners and spectators.
5 Tips for Chicago Marathoners
1. Respect Mother Nature – It’s going to be warm and humid (and maybe sunny) on Sunday whether we like it or not. Start a bit slower and consider changing your goals. My goal is to finish feeling good and to smile the whole way. I’d like to run sub 4 hours and should be able to, but if the heat gets to me, I’m slowing it down.
2. Enjoy the crowd – Chicago has great fans. We love our sports, marathons included. Take in the positive energy, give high fives, read the signs. Say thank you to fans and volunteers. They’re all rooting for you! (One caveat. The race is also crowded. Don’t waste energy weaving the first two miles. Getting “stuck” can actually help to slow you down and better pace yourself. Just relax and save the energy for later in the race.)
3. Know where your supporters are going to be – EXACTLY – It’s crowded out there. Know which mile/cross street/side of the street your fans are going to be on. Consider transit stops for side of the street – as it can be tough to cross the course. If you need help, ask me in the comments or on Instagram DM! (Or ask at the expo)
4. Remember to smile – Science shows that smiling makes us feel better. My anecdotal evidence tells me that when I smile, I get more crowd support. Either way, it’s a win-win. This has been a tough 18 months plus for everyone. Smile! You made it to race day and your body can run a marathon!
5. Take it all in and remember it’s supposed to be fun! Check out all of the neighborhoods and groups. Read the signs. A wise friend once asked me after a race, “did someone pay you to be here today?” As it occurred to me that I pay my hard earned money for marathons, it’s supposed to be fun!
5 Tips for Chicago Marathon Spectators
1. Plan your spots and tell your runners where you’ll be. Don’t forget this is a huge race, so it’s important to tell them (and to know) where and what side of the street you’ll be on. It’s hard to cross the race so look at the map to see which side you’ll be on. Pick landmarks or cross streets and look at the course to tell your runner which mile marker you’ll be near. Here’s a link to the course map. I typically hit mile 13 and 20 or 25 depending on how fast my fastest runners are. It’s easy to do 6 and 9 then to head to the 20s via el train, too.
2. Know your runner’s number. You can track your runner if you know his/her number. It can take 20 – 30 minutes for runners to cross the start line in some cases. If you track, you can better estimate when he or she will get to you. Do keep in mind that with so many runners, the alerts may be delayed, so keep an eye out around the expected pace. (Don’t forget to ask the expected pace!)
3. Know what your runner(s) are wearing. There are a lot of runners coming at you, so you have to know what to look for. Tell them what you’re wearing, too, so they can look for you. Even better, take a tip from my friend Carolyn’s book and carry a big helium balloon. I always see her from far away. She tells me what character she gets via text on race morning. Usually it’s Tweety Bird!
4. Cheer for everyone. Bring a cowbell if you want to save your hands. Call out names/teams, tell people they look great and that can do it. [A caveat from my friend Jason, “never tell a walking runner he/she “looks good.” Shout other encouragement like “you can do it!” instead!]
5. Unless you are near the finish, NEVER say “your almost there.” In my mind that means .5 miles or less is “almost there.” Even better, only yell this if you can actually see the finish line. When someone yells this at Mile 10, or even 20, I want to punch them and hurl myself off of a bridge. Got that one? Good. It’s really important. I’ve seen a sign at mile 20 that said, “You are NOT almost there.” That made me chuckle and it was very true.
Did I miss anything? Please leave your top tips in the comments!
Good luck to all of the runners this weekend! Start slow and finish strong. Enjoy every step!
I’m linking up with Darlene, Michelle, Renee, Jenn and Zenaida, for Fit Five Friday. Join us!
Have a good weekend!
PS. Please don’t forget my great giveaways.