Running • Page 3

Ran my first half of the year last week and PRed. Have another one in May, so hopefully I'll keep up the training and not be so lazy.

I really want to throw my name into the lottery for Chicago this year, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Anyone run it before?

 

I ran the full Chicago a few years ago, but haven't done the half. I am more than happy to share my experience and thoughts about it. FYI, while it is technically a lottery, most people get in.

Congrats on the PR! Tangible progress!

 

Thanks! I'm considering the full. It'd be my first one. I hear it's a good one for that where it's pretty flat. Plus, I love Chicago and really want to go back.

 

I'll say that it can be good, depending on your situation and your expectations going in. When I ran, I want to say there was about 45k running in the tight quarters of Chicago. If you are not in a very good corral situation or not in one at all, you damn well better account for that in your first several miles on your mileage wristband (or whatever you use for your mile targets). It will just take a while to break up to a point where you can start cranking miles at your desired pace. If you don't know that going in, you will be miserable if you are running for a particular time.

That said, you can run the whole thing on pure adrenaline if you want. The city gets behind the race hardcore and it's pretty fucking cool. There is only a short stretch where you run over a highway transition/expressway kind of deal where it's hard for fans to cheer on runners. That's maybe half a mile to mile of the race at about mile 23ish. Their expo is also really well done and easy to get around. If you are comfortable and used to Chicago, it is actually a really convenient run to get around. If you are new to the city, definitely do some planning on your logistics beforehand and budget some extra time where you see fit.

 

Awesome! Thanks for the info. I'm still trying to convince or or two of my friends to sign up as well. Really, that's the only hangup I have at this point. It'd just be more fun going through the whole experience with people I know. So hopefully that works out.

 

Absolutely! Doing the half you should have spectators the whole time, but that's just me assuming. The corral stuff, lots of people running, and the logistics getting around would all still apply I think. The last thing I would say is that it can actually be really warm when they run that in early October. It's been high 80s several times. It got to mid 80s and sun when I ran. Like any experienced runner, just stick to shade on either end of the road.

 

Of all the marathons I have ran Chicago is easily my favorite. Amazing crowd support, the course is ideal for a first time marathon and more often than not the weather is absolutely perfect.

 

I definitely recommend first time Chicago runners to run a half and get into a corral. My recommendation to people in the midwest running their first marathon, go to Columbus. It's a great race and has enough roll, but not too much that I think times come out looking good. It depends on the goals though. If time is less of a concern and you want an experience, than Chicago is the better choice.

 

Well it's just finding a track to run workouts on, that isn't being used by a school, is pretty tough to find, especially as now is track season. Maybe come later in May when school is out I might head over to my university, which is like 15 minutes away, to use their track. But yeah with those running clubs, pretty much every week I'm doing our 5-mile run. And every week they have a workout option you can do with the group if you want, so usually when those involve hill workouts I do those. My Monday run club, which starts up in May, has it's route involve some gnarly hills, which really helped my fitness last year, so excited to start that up again. Usually later in the summer is when my speed starts to really come alive, so doing these fast treadmill workouts I'm hoping to make it earlier in the year that my body speeds up

 

I'm running Columbus this year and I have heard nothing but great things about it.

 

That is awesome you have multiple running groups. I have been thinking about joining one in May as well. I love your point about seeking out the hill workouts. Not only is that going to help you fitness level, but it's going to force you to run more efficiently. It's also really good to run hills for knee and back pains. So many benefits to running hills haha. Obviously, there is a limit of overdoing something, but for most people I tell them to run more miles and run more hills. Do just those things and you will improve pretty quickly.

 

One piece of advice for back/knee/hip pain: POSTURE, POSTURE, POSTURE! I ran all the way from the beginning of high school up through grad school and after peaking in the middle, I felt like I was in a downward spiral (in practically every arena of my life) including injuries, back pain, neck pain, whatever.

LITTLE DID I KNOW, it all related to my posture! I followed some of these simple exercises for a few months and now I'm literally running and feeling better than I did even when I was a kid. It may sound crazy, but there's a simple test:

Stand up right now. Place your back towards a wall with your bottom, lower back and shoulder blades completely flat against the wall. Whilst standing, does the back of your head naturally come in contact with the wall? (make sure that you’re not cheating by looking up or over arching your back). If not...you've got forward head posture and that can fuck all your shit up, lol.

 

Just got a pair of these guys. Gonna bust them out for some trail running as soon as the snow melts.

 

Are those Ravennas? Been using those since the first model! THe last few revisions have been sooooo good -- I used to have to scour eBay to find old, unused pairs because I didn't like the 3 + 4 haha.

 

No, they're adrenaline asr 12's.

 

Yessss. I lit up when I saw a running thread.

Usually run on trails and want to hold myself to at least 4 runs a week of 6 miles per run, no matter the weather conditions. Not much, but better than nothing.

I've never really thought much about the shoes I wear. I do have some $200 dollar pair of some ridiculous hiking / trail shoes that I use all the time. Really enjoy them but need new ones soon. Definitely will look into some of the recommendations on here.

 

I think serious trail runners should stick to shoes designed for trails. When you have the elevation changes, leaf and or snow coverage, crossing rivers and ponds, you need more shoe to protect against roots that are sticking up.

 

I might try those out sometime. Always heard good things.

 

Looking for a new shoe. I've never had a problem running in Sauconys, and I tend to stick with the same model until I can't get it anymore. My current model (I think Kinvara 6?) isn't being stocked anymore in Philly. Any suggestions on a similar shoe?

 

Don't wanna toot my own horn but I'll TOOT TOOT anyways. Just did a quick search and the Ravennas are a pretty great neutral, high-mileage shoe like the Kinvaras. I've been using them forever and they're like an old friend and remind me of running with my dog. Pretty cool shoes

 

Brooks? I'm scared...

 

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"

but really, I feel you! I definitely had my brand issues (loved Nike/hated Aisics for the longest time) so I know bad impressions tend to stick. Maybe try hitting up a local running store and seeing if they can let you try a few pairs?

 

I run in the Nike Free 4.0 Flyknits. So comfortable.

 

If you can't find the 6 online or in retail stores, you can probably safely try the new version of that shoe. That shoe has become a household name that has a lot of respectability in running circles. It won't be going away. That said, the Kinvara was designed for a neutral strike runner that wants a good blend of cushion and lightness, aka a performance trainer. It's become a popular way to go for a lot of competitive runners over the years. Therefore, there are quite a few options from every brand. I ran in Kinvaras before transitioning over to the New Balance foam Zantes. If you are thinking about a brand switch, definitely go to a boutique running store so you can try running outside in the different brands before committing to a new purchase!