Just Your Average Chicago Marathon Runner

A few weeks ago I was assigned to track down a handful of local runners who'd be toeing the line at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon for Time Out Chicago and share their stories. Let's just say they were more than inspirational. Aside from being unable to find a costumed runner (if one of you is out there, please give a shout in the comments!), it turned into a very eclectic group. From first-timers to seasoned vets. From the joggler to the charity runners. From the Olympic hopefuls to the four Team World Vision runners who're turning race weekend into a 100-miler challenge (believe it or not, the 26.2-mile marathon is the final leg of their journey). You can read about theses runners at The Rundown, but keep reading for a few more motivational stories from those who'll be racing on October 9.

Gen Levy

Determinator
The marathon is a goal that Gen Levy couldn’t renege. “Naturally, the first thing a non-runner would think of would be to sign up for the Chicago Marathon, right?” the 32-year-old says. The first time marathoner can’t wait to cross the finish line as part of the American Cancer Society’s DetermiNation team and is running the final 1.2 miles in memory of her step-mother. But she just hopes race day goes more smoothly than October 2’s dress rehearsal. “I realized as I was about to cross the start line at the Bucktown 5K that I had put my running capris on inside-out while getting ready in the dark,” she says. Oops.

But hey, we’re only human. Certainly another runner can own up to a goof like that. Right?

Bound for Boston

Chanthana Tsai

You don’t need to ask Chanthana Tsai if she’s ready to run. “I run because I like to push my body to its limits,” she says. “I really enjoy setting goals and watching the progress.” This Gold Coaster is more than prepared for her fourth run on the Chicago course—“I love this race!” she says. “It's so well-supported and I enjoy training for it in the summer.”—and she’s gunning for another Boston-qualifying time to boot. In fact, her goal time is Post-It noted to her fridge, on marathon stationary no less.

I have to confess, I wanted to share Will English's story before he toes the line for his first Chicago Marathon, but between my final carbo-load, organizing my race things (and spending too much time tinkering with my old Garmin), following the Ironman World Championship updates, and needing to get to bed, it's unfortunately going to have to wait for post-race. But in the meantime, you can follow his trail to the start line in part one, part two and part three.

Now it's off to bed. Signing off until after the 34th Bank of America Chicago Marathon is in the books.

Disco Fever

Platform shoes, jumpsuits, bell bottoms, big wigs, disco balls. What's your best John Travolta impersonation? If it involves any of these--and even if it doesn't but you love the 1970s, disco or running--you'll want to make your way to Lincoln Park's Diversey Harbor on Saturday morning for the Disco Dash 5K.

But what makes this race extra special is its reason for existence, a.k.a. its beneficiary The Peapod Project, which provides special memory keepsake packages for families at Children's Memorial Hospital who are about to lose a young child. The Peapod Project was founded by Ted and Annette Stenstrom who lost their little girl Moreland Grace, affectionately known as Gigi, when she was only 16 days old due to complications from her inability to breathe on her own. In those 16 days, the Stenstroms tried to pack in as many memories as they could so Gigi wouldn't be forgotten. They took photos, introduced her to friends and family, made footprints and handprints, all those memories that get packed away in a baby book. Knowing that they weren't alone in a loss of this magnitude, they created this program that would essentially provide these memory-making moments to other families.

So if you want to run, support a cause that's a little different from the other charities you've likely been asked to fundraise for this summer (nothing against them), or just party in the park, you'll want to come out to Disco Dash. The race starts at 9 a.m., but the fun keeps going until 3 p.m. with music, refreshments, a raffle and more. Definitely not a bad way to spend a Saturday whether you're alone or looking for a reason to be outside with the family.

Want to learn more about this event? Check it all out at the Disco Dash website--and then get running.


Photo grabbed from Disco Dash.

How to navigate your workouts around Chicago's Air and Water Show

This is Friday's traffic--and it's blurry. It only gets worse.

I'd be putting it mildly if I said I disliked my fine city's Air and Water Show weekend. I hate it. But I don't hate it for what might be considered more normal reasons like it's crowded, it's hot and I'm not into planes (I do like the tricks and stadium fly-bys). I hate it because it alters my weekend exercise routine on the Lakefront--and it starts on Thursday when the tents start popping up. I learned my lesson last year when trying to finish my brick workout and had to abort my run north because I simply had nowhere to go that wasn't fenced off.

Forget biking: I'd either be pedaling at a snail's pace, walking my bike or riding circles around the Path's southern half. Instead I'll be packing up the car to drive out to Madison's hills. I know the course (I'd go to Barrington if I was better versed on the route), it's tough and I can reward myself with custard. Swimming: I doubt I'd find a place to lock my bike if I didn't go before the masses assembled. And if it's hot, I can only imagine people wading in our lap lake. While there are no guarantees that I'll rise early to beat those crowds (I've failed every other time I've tried to swim calm waters and pristine conditions), I at least made sure my mileage got done today. Then I know I can relax a little if I miss Saturday and Sunday and pick right back up again on Monday. Running: Even Fleet Feet had to change up the location of their hydration stations to accommodate the show and I'm not even going to get started on the crowds throwing me for a loop. As for a solution, I'm telling myself it's a good time to rest my legs. I'm not even close to 100 percent strong on my running legs just yet so I know skipping is better than slogging through. Marathon runners, I'm sorry if you have to run even earlier in the morning to avoid any potential mayhem. I'd say hope for rain, but I bet air show watchers come out anyway--the only thing rain stops is the show as I learned three years ago while viewing snippets from my living room.

But this routine-altering weekend doesn't have to be the end of the world as there are plenty of ways to avoid its craziness. Go early, go late--the show runs 10 am to 3 pm. Run elsewhere. Find a race out of town. And I could go on...

If the Lakefront is your running route, how did you switch up your workout to deal with the aerial entertainment (besides pray for rain)?