Chicago Half Marathon Recap
Results, lessons learned, and looking ahead
Last Sunday it went down.
The Lifetime Chicago Half Marathon. September 29, 2024.
After 10 weeks of the most rigorous training I’ve done since my collegiate basketball days, the time to put it to the test finally arrived.
The Race
Many preach, me included, that proper preparation leads to less nervousness when it comes time to perform.
Let’s just say it didn’t quite pan out like that as I entered the running corral 15 minutes before the gun went off and runners were set free on the south end of Lake Shore Drive.
Although I knew I had put in the work to run a good race, I looked down at my watch and noticed my heart rate was nearing 120bpm as I was standing there listening to the national anthem.
Rather than nervousness though, I realized it was excitement.
I was eager to see the dozens of hours of training, early mornings, dedicated recovery, and sacrifices come to fruition.
That’s the incredibly special thing about the sport of running.
Unlike many team sports in which fluky things can happen such as the underdog can’t miss a shot or the referees aren’t in your favor, running is unique.
The race is won before the gun even goes off.
It’s won in the weeks of preparation prior which is entirely in your control.
That’s why I’ve grown to love it.
I ended up completing the race at an average pace of 6:49 minutes per mile which resulted in a final time of 1:29:12.
This beat my previous personal best by over 7 minutes.
Also putting me in the top 1.5% of runners who competed.
If you had told me five years ago that this would be my stat line, I would’ve called you crazy.
And now that I’ve had over a week to reflect, there are some realizations that have come to me.
The Lessons
Many think competing in endurance events are “just races”.
But there are so many similarities between running and our everyday existence.
When you think about it, life is just one big ultramarathon that we venture on.
Here’s what this 10-week training plan and race solidified for me.
Forwards Thinking, Backwards Planning
Once again, the race is won before you arrive on competition day.
When I made the decision to sign up for the Chicago Half Marathon, my goal wasn’t just to complete the race. I wanted to achieve a personal best and push myself to see what I was capable of.
Therefore, I set out searching for an intense, time-consuming running plan that would enable me to achieve this goal.
Considering the goal race time I wanted to achieve, I reverse engineered a training protocol that would set me up for success – forwards thinking and backwards planning.
Without this set plan, I would’ve been much more likely to hit snooze, cut my workouts short, and not put in the necessary effort to get results I’d be proud of.
Which isn’t much different than how we approach other areas of our lives.
Whether it be fitness, business, personal development, or beyond – if we don’t set goals for ourselves and put a plan in place to achieve them, we are left erratically going through each day and allow ourselves to get blown off course by subtle troubles because we lack a sense of purpose and identity.
Set a goal, craft a plan to achieve it.
Sharpen The Sword
There were countless times during the training plan where I thought “THIS SUCKS”.
I’d be lying if I said there weren’t.
Whether it was a tough 5:15am speed workout at the track doing 800-meter repeats or taking on a 25mph head wind during the end of a 10+ mile long run, it wasn’t always easy.
But there was something I continued to remind myself of during these moments.
I acknowledged that when the going got tough during the half marathon, I didn’t want to be wishing (as I had in the past) that I had leaned in and pushed through these hard times during training rather than quit and taken it easy on myself.
Instead, I told myself how much I was going to appreciate the mental and physical struggles as they would undoubtedly arrive on race day and I’d have the experience of getting through them.
It invoked confidence in me that I could push through – even when my mind said otherwise.
Again, synonymous with life.
We must metaphorically sharpen the sword – do hard things, and set ourselves up to handle these difficult situations that will arrive in the future.
Because they will.
And we want to be equipped with the tools we need when they do.
If your sword is dull, the worst feeling is knowing that you had the opportunity to sharpen it in the past and could handle this situation better but instead are left at a disadvantage.
Do hard things – current you and more so future you will appreciate it.
Better Together
Around mile 2, I locked stride with another 20-something year old dude who was clipping at a solid pace.
Without saying a word, we ran the next 3 or so miles in stride before turning to each other and saying, “Let’s do this”.
One well-known thing about endurance training and competitions is that they’re more enjoyable and successful when done with others.
Long runs seem as if they go at twice the speed when you are jogging with a friend and pace times skyrocket when another person is helping you keep pace with your goal on race day.
I couldn’t have run the time I did without the fellow runner next to me.
You can go further (and faster) with others than on your own.
Not to say I don’t love running most my runs solo but even signing up for a race with others and using Strava to check in on each other gives a sense of unity.
This carries over to our lives.
If we try to grit through, be a lone wolf, and lead solo missions, burnout and resentment is on the doorstep and will soon be knocking.
It’s essential to find others who share similar values you do, are more knowledgeable in certain areas, and will push you to be the best version of yourself.
Whether that be on the running trail or elsewhere, doing it together will always blow doing it alone out of the park.
Iron sharpens iron!
What’s Next?
Many have asked what’s on the horizon now that the half marathon training segment has come to completion.
My answer right now is TBD.
More to come soon…
Quote of the week:
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge” - MLK
DISCLAIMER
This is NOT Medical advice. Consult your medical professional before starting any supplement, diet regimen, or workout program