I just finished my first MARATHON!!!
I ran the Chicago Bank Marathon yesterday and I'm SORE! What an experience!!! I would have never thought I could even attempt something like this. I couldn't walk a mile 2 years ago, now I can do 26.2. Here is the race report I sent my friends
After that is a link to my marathon picture photo albulm
Hiya Everyone!
This is the OFFICIAL 2005 Chicago Race report for Sherry! Woohoohoo!
To start off, the important thing is that I FINISHED!!!!! That was my main goal. My super-secret goal was to do it in 5 hours.
It was chilly at the start, but not too bad. After the guy from Dukes of Hazzard sang the Star Spangled Banner everyone took off their outer layers and threw them aside! I didn't hear the gun go off, but I noticed that we started creeping towards the front. As soon as we hit the starting mat we took off. I started out with the 5 hour pace group and was feeling great! It was interesting if you ran over the bridges on the non-carpeted side...there was the green Chicago River below my feet. It always takes me a few miles to warm up. For some reason around mile 4 I was tired, so I turned on the IPOD and began to rock out as I ran. The music helps me focus. At that point the crowd was on my nerves...
I don't remember too much about the first few miles. My husband, Meredith and Amy met me at mile 8 with replacement bottles of Ultima® I was still with the pace group and wanted to STAY with the pace group, so Don got in a little bit of trouble for not having my bottles out and ready. It was also great to have the crossdressers wearing go-go boots on the table dancing and shouting my name(it was on my shirt). After mile 8 I was feeling great and caught back up to the pace group. Mile 9 I somehow got ahead of them...I was going a bit fast but didn't notice it until I looked at my watch. Pace group caught back up to me and I stuck with them from 11-14. They slowly got ahead of me. At mile 15 I met Don, Amy and Meredith again. This time they had the bottles ready. I stopped for a few second to stretch out. Only a few feet ahead was the 25 K mark. As soon as I hit it, my lower calves/Achilles began to cramp BADLY! Ummm youch! I pulled over, stretched, walked it off and kept on running. I really don't remember too much about the race. I remember running through the Mexican neighborhood and things were very festive there. Whomever was playing the snare drum needed some SERIOUS lessons on steady beat and rhythm...what do you expect-I'm a music teacher I hit mile 21 after a while-Chinatown. Lots of crowds, Chinese music, etc... I met Jen and Tim at mile 21.5ish and they had ice cold Ultima® bottles waiting for me. Mile 22 I began cramping a lot again. Getting to mile 23 was rough. As soon as I passed the water stop I went to the med tent and they rubbed out a bad Charlie horse from my lower outside right calf. Jennifer from mile 23 worked wonders. There were 2 guys with hypothermia in there. Blue lips-not good. I was doing great through the end. I walked a bunch, ran a bunch. Mile 25 the IPOD died. I didn't really notice...I saw the one mile to go sign! I walked up the hill right before mile 26 and had a good run into the park to the finish. The mile 26 sign was definitely my favorite sign I saw all day besides the finish line.
My official chip time was 5:38:46. I'm really proud just to finish, but disappointed that I did not meet my super-secret goal of a 5 hour finish. Your first marathon is definitely a learning experience. I'm going to take some time off and figure out a new goal and a new game plan for training. I cramp way too early-I need to figure out why and what to do about it.
Oh-the "Run Away Bride," Jennifer Willbanks beat me by one hour and 8 minutes.
http://photobucket.com/albums/b272/xmen97/
I hope the link works-If not I'll figure it out
After that is a link to my marathon picture photo albulm
Hiya Everyone!
This is the OFFICIAL 2005 Chicago Race report for Sherry! Woohoohoo!
To start off, the important thing is that I FINISHED!!!!! That was my main goal. My super-secret goal was to do it in 5 hours.
It was chilly at the start, but not too bad. After the guy from Dukes of Hazzard sang the Star Spangled Banner everyone took off their outer layers and threw them aside! I didn't hear the gun go off, but I noticed that we started creeping towards the front. As soon as we hit the starting mat we took off. I started out with the 5 hour pace group and was feeling great! It was interesting if you ran over the bridges on the non-carpeted side...there was the green Chicago River below my feet. It always takes me a few miles to warm up. For some reason around mile 4 I was tired, so I turned on the IPOD and began to rock out as I ran. The music helps me focus. At that point the crowd was on my nerves...
I don't remember too much about the first few miles. My husband, Meredith and Amy met me at mile 8 with replacement bottles of Ultima® I was still with the pace group and wanted to STAY with the pace group, so Don got in a little bit of trouble for not having my bottles out and ready. It was also great to have the crossdressers wearing go-go boots on the table dancing and shouting my name(it was on my shirt). After mile 8 I was feeling great and caught back up to the pace group. Mile 9 I somehow got ahead of them...I was going a bit fast but didn't notice it until I looked at my watch. Pace group caught back up to me and I stuck with them from 11-14. They slowly got ahead of me. At mile 15 I met Don, Amy and Meredith again. This time they had the bottles ready. I stopped for a few second to stretch out. Only a few feet ahead was the 25 K mark. As soon as I hit it, my lower calves/Achilles began to cramp BADLY! Ummm youch! I pulled over, stretched, walked it off and kept on running. I really don't remember too much about the race. I remember running through the Mexican neighborhood and things were very festive there. Whomever was playing the snare drum needed some SERIOUS lessons on steady beat and rhythm...what do you expect-I'm a music teacher I hit mile 21 after a while-Chinatown. Lots of crowds, Chinese music, etc... I met Jen and Tim at mile 21.5ish and they had ice cold Ultima® bottles waiting for me. Mile 22 I began cramping a lot again. Getting to mile 23 was rough. As soon as I passed the water stop I went to the med tent and they rubbed out a bad Charlie horse from my lower outside right calf. Jennifer from mile 23 worked wonders. There were 2 guys with hypothermia in there. Blue lips-not good. I was doing great through the end. I walked a bunch, ran a bunch. Mile 25 the IPOD died. I didn't really notice...I saw the one mile to go sign! I walked up the hill right before mile 26 and had a good run into the park to the finish. The mile 26 sign was definitely my favorite sign I saw all day besides the finish line.
My official chip time was 5:38:46. I'm really proud just to finish, but disappointed that I did not meet my super-secret goal of a 5 hour finish. Your first marathon is definitely a learning experience. I'm going to take some time off and figure out a new goal and a new game plan for training. I cramp way too early-I need to figure out why and what to do about it.
Oh-the "Run Away Bride," Jennifer Willbanks beat me by one hour and 8 minutes.
http://photobucket.com/albums/b272/xmen97/
I hope the link works-If not I'll figure it out 
Hugs,
Becky 
Well you know, had I walked around in front of you in the hotel I would have seen your name on your shirt! Rats! I am still so proud of you, and your time was awesome. Chris' time was 6 hours, 20 minutes. He wasn't exactly thrilled about it, but he finished and didn't have to go to the med tent, so he was happy!
He really liked the Galloway training group, and he is going to continue to run with them until the Atlanta marathon. He is only doing the half-marathon, but he really likes the Galloway style. From what I can gather from him, they run for two or three minutes, and then they walk for a minute. Supposedly this helps with recovery. That is what we did when I participated in the Peachtree in July. I would say this style works, but I really hadn't trained like I wanted to. I'm thinking about joining the Galloway group next year....maybe I might be in Chicago for the big run myself next year!
Thanks everyone for the cheers!!! I don't know what to say except that I'm ready to plan for the next one lol.
Well rats Ginger! I would have loved to meet you and your hubby. My legs felt a lot better tonight and I went to water aerobics. For you gals that want to exercise, but have knee or joint probs, H20 workouts really ROCK! And if you are afraid of your skin, size, etc...don't fret! Lots of different shapes, sizes, ages and abilities in the pool.
Ginger-I think I will be ready to start running by the end of the week-easy runs of course. Since you and Chris are runners-we should get together for a trot. It will be LOTS of fun!!! Since I do a gallowalk thing too, I don't mind the walk breaks. I do it a little differently, but need to be more consistent in when and how I take them
Your hubby did GREAT!
Your hubby did GREAT! Most Active
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