Chicago Marathon - Oct 9th 2022

Unknownability

One week to go until the plan starts!

A mix of apprehension and excitement of getting back into a structured plan.

My previous 2 marathons have been also done using 18 weeks plans and both times I've finished and said I'd use a shorter plan the next time. Having thought about it again this time I felt I need those extra few weeks of structure as motivation has waivered in the last month after a solid two months base building.

@scotindublin I'll also be aiming for sub 3.

I'll reevaluate as the plan progresses.

I have three target races in the build up to Chicago, Clara 5k, Mullingar 10m and Tullamore 1/2. All pretty much a month apart towards the end of June, July & August respectively.

I do have a lot of social events lined up but plan is to work the plan in as best as I can even if that includes running at unusual times.

My biggest concern, is I'm in the process of training for a 13km sea swim.

That takes me up to the end of Week 6 of the official training plan. I really want to follow the plan though, as for my previous 2 marathons, I didnt train properly at all, and suffered the consequences.

Fortunately, the first 6 weeks look pretty straight forward. I'll try to knit both training plans together, and see how I get on

Unknownability

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119139475#Comment_119139475

Have you decided which plan you will follow?

There are numerous 12 week plans out there that could be suitable.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119139562#Comment_119139562

I'm aiming to follow the official Nike Training plan from the Chicago marathon website.

My memory of crossing the line for my last marathon, where I couldn't talk or speak for ages afterwards is motivating me to take my training very seriously this time :)

Unknownability

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119143086#Comment_119143086

That reminds me of my first marathon in Dublin, it was horrible not being able to enjoy the atmosphere and crowd at the finish line.

Hopefully not repeated for any of us in Chicago.

Just looked at the Nike plan the first few weeks look fairly harmless.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119143125#Comment_119143125

Yeah, they seem fine. It's all about just getting the legs moving. I'm doing a 5km race each week at the moment, just to work the leg muscles. The official training will replace those

The trouble I'm now facing, is how to fit in 5 runs, 4 swims and 1 HIIT class a week, and maybe spend some time with the family :)

I might cut out 1 recovery run a week initially. Try to have 2 days a week off, if possible.

If I'm not in the best shape of my life after all this training, I'm going to pack it all in :D

Unknownability

Best of luck to anyone starting an 18 week plan today.

The first steps of a long journey.

Did my 10 minute Recovery run this morning. I'm officially up and running.

Got to do my speed run this evening, because I'm already behind schedule :D

Mrs Mc

Jumping on the Chicago bandwagon a novice from DCM mentored novices thread in 2015 and 3 marathons later looking forward to my first international marathon.. got through on the lotto and it’s been defferred since pre Covid. Returning from injury so plan A is to get to the start line so will see how it goes. PB is 4.23 in Dublin in 2019.

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177396#Comment_119177396

You'll have to revive that log, @Mrs Mc. 😉

fatherted1969

Also in for Chicago, got flights last night relatively cheap, 450pp. Staying in hotel Felix. Accommodation seems to be a lot more expensive this year. Had booked the hyatt 2 years ago for 850 for 5 nights, that's now 2300 so I had to look elsewhere. Hope I have it right but it looks about a mile from the start/finish. Flying with AA on the Fri morning, getting in around 12 local time. Flying out tue night. Have galway bay the week before and dcm 2 weeks after so I'll have to work out which I'm running and which are training. Looking forward to it. It'll be my 4th star all going well.

Unknownability

Great to see more people in.

Best of luck everyone, all the plans must be started or starting shortly.

@fatherted1969 if chicago is a training run, can we appoint you as entertainment officer?

scotindublin

Best of luck to everyone with the training. Have been building up a really good base with pretty consistent 50 mile weeks since the start of the year.

Plan is to tweak my club sessions after my holiday in early July and ramp up long runs.

How does everyone feel with racing during training? Just now I only have the Bettystown 5 mile in July which will be a post holiday blow out and then the Tullamore 1/2 at the end of August, that feels like it fall perfectly for Chicago.

C

I've a 8km in August, but I'll just use that to replace one training run. Wouldn't worry about an occasional race myself to be honest, but it probably all comes down to what you're hoping to achieve in Chicago.

Me for example, I'm trying to break 3:30. My pb is 3:52 from 6 years ago. Not done a marathon since, but didn't really train properly for it.

Im following a training plan this year, so expect 3:30 to be possible. What I really, really want, is to break 3:30 and enjoy the entire race. If both of them are fesible, then I don't think a race or two during training will impact me

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119208525#Comment_119208525

I'm on week 2. Really enjoying the recovery runs so far. Had a speed run today. Was tough, as my route had hills, and got caught in a 2 minute 80% pace section, going up a hill.

Unknownability

Well done, has runnung and swimming interfered with each other at all?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119212643#Comment_119212643

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119212667#Comment_119212667

Not yet fortunately

Think its just about to start though. Definitely losing motivation for swimming. The running is such a novelty at the moment.

The swim is only 4 weeks away, so just need to remain focused for 2 more weeks, and then I'll be tapering anyway, so fingers crossed I've the hard work already done

scotindublin

Totally get you with the race strategy during training, the Bettystown 5 mile for me is really just a bit of blast after my holiday and will just replace my normal Tuesday training session.

Tullamore will be a ( all things going well) vindication that the plan for Chicago is on track. Anything starting with a 2 is what I am chasing.

If I enter races outside of those over the training period they will ran at a pace that is appropriate to that's weeks training.....all focus will be Chicago.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119213152#Comment_119213152

Looks like I spoke too soon. Was doing my long swim tonight, and got cramps in both calves towards the end. First time that's happened me. Was speaking a swimming coach who happened to be in there, and mentioned it, and he asked me if I was doing much running. He blamed that immediately.

Will try cutting down from 5 runs to 3 runs next week, and see if that helps

How's training going for everyone?

Just started back into it, now that the swim is over.

Was supposed to do a 15km at marathon pace yesterday, but only managed a 12km, approx 10seconds slower per km than I wanted.

Probably a fair representation of where I am at the moment. Hopefully catch up to where I want to be over the next 4 weeks. My plan has me doing a 20km this weekend. I'll target 15 or 16km

Just under 11 weeks to go

adrian522

I'm realistically just trying to make the start line with a hope to be able to get through the distance in whatever time it takes, I've no time targets in mind whatsoever.

Hopefully build up the mileage to be able to get through a few long runs before October.

Also I must drop down to wave 2, currently in the 3:30-3:40 corral which I shouldn't be at this point.

Murph_D

Tipping away nicely here. Getting in 8 hours a week for some time now. LR up to 2:20 or so. Nice to get the corral assignments this week - assigned to D. Have applied to switch to C just to keep a couple of running friends company. All good.

Mrs Mc

Was tipping away nicely and up to 10 miles which I was chuffed with,considering I was running 4 mins in Dec following Achilles injury last year. Knee trouble has me out of action for the past three weeks. Allowed swim so back in the pool after many years absence trying to keep the fitness up. Any pb plans are now out the window so it’s a plan to make the start line at this stage !

Catching up on the training plan.

Officially, should have been doing 20km today, at marathon pace. Did 16km at the right pace. Not bad for my second week of training.

Hopefully 2 more weeks, and I'm back on schedule

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119407630#Comment_119407630

Sorry to hear that, @Mrs M - you were going along nicely until the setback. Good luck with the swimming in the meantime.

First tough training run coming up this weekend. Have a half marathon to do on Sunday at marathon pace. Did 16km fine last weekend at the right pace, so hopefully everything goes well. Will try a gel after 10km, and start to get used to them again.

Spotted that im in corral E in wave 1. Delighted with that. Hate the waiting around at the start, so the earlier I get going the better.

scotindublin

Training has been decent enough the last few weeks after getting the holidays out of the way.

Tuesday club sessions are being tailored towards marathon time (we have a large contingent doing Dublin) so we had 10 x 1ks with a 200 rec last Tuesday and are on 6 x 1 mile off 400m this week.

Long run yesterday got up to 18, which I had to do solo as I was back in Scotland for the weekend.

Corral B for me, a couple of the lads in the club who submitted quicker qualifying times are in C though.

9 weeks today we will be on the start line.

Hopefully the run went well this morning @[Deleted User]

C

fatherted1969

Have Dingle and Galway before Chicago so have 1 x 20 miles run banked so far, step back week this coming weekend so thankfully with weather forecasted I won't need big mileage. One more 20 and that will hopefully be it. Manage the 4 weeks to Galway then and hopefully I'm set

Managed a half marathon this evening. Was not motivated at all.

Had bought a new camel bag thingy. You know the yokes that allow you to carry 2 litres of water on your back, and drink from a little straw.

Well couldn't work it at all. So did the 21km with little or no water, and 2 litres of extra weight on my back.

Anyway, missed my target time by about 90 seconds. Happy enough with that. It was the first week, where I followed the official training plan exactly. Hope to be able to make up those 90 seconds over the next few weeks.

Calves are very tight tonight though. Almost afraid to go to sleep, as I can feel cramps ready to catch me off guard

Next long run is a 2hour run. Should be fine. Only concern now, is my wife going into labour. She's due in the next 10 days. If the baby could arrive on a day off, that would be wonderful

adrian522

What flight are people on? I was on United Airlines but they have changed from a direct flight to an indirect flight adding 3 hours travel time each way so I've rebooked on Aer Lingus, costing me a bit extra and now without a checked bag or seat selection.

Feckers didn't even tell me they made that change, only saw it when I went to look at the flight times yesterday.