Happy Sunday 🙂 I can’t believe that this is my last Chicago Marathon training recap. This will be a short and sweet training recap since this was my last taper week and I ran the marathon today.
Monday 10/2
2 miles + PT exercises. It felt really weird to just do a 2 mile run but I always respect the process!
Tuesday 10/3
Rest Day. My coach added in an extra rest day this week so I took full advantage.
Wednesday 10/4
30 minutes of recovery yoga + PT exercises. I haven’t done yoga in a while so this felt do good!
Thursday 10/5
2 mile run + PT exercises. I was going to do 3 miles but I was on my feet all morning for a volunteer project so I figured 2 miles was good enough! I also had my last ART appointment before the marathon for a final tune up!
Friday 10/6
REST DAY! This was also my travel day to Chicago. I hit up the Expo in the early afternoon and then went down to the Navy Pier for dinner.
Saturday 10/7
This was an awesome day! My mom ran the International Chicago 5K so I went with her to the start line and ran into Renee. I was so happy to finally meet her in person! I then made my way to the finish line of the race to cheer on all the runners. After the race I went to the WeRunSocial meet up at The Bean and got to connect with a ton of runners.
I spent the rest of the day relaxing and doing a lot of foam rolling and stretching to get ready for the big day. I didn’t do a shakeout run because I logged about 11,000 steps before noon – whoops!
Sunday 10/8
Chicago Marathon (Race recap coming next week)
Total Weekly Miles – 30.2*
Total Training Cycle Miles – 507.07*
Grade – A+
*My GPS went haywire in Chicago (even with the autolap) so I’m not exactly sure of the distance today.
I kept the workouts light and easy this week and will focused on doing all the “right” things – getting extra sleep, eating right, drinking plenty of water and overall, just keeping my legs fresh. I was definitely trying to do everything possible in order to have a good race day. I didn’t want to look back on the week and have any regrets.
If you follow me on social media then you know that today’s race was a complete disaster for me, pretty much from start to finish. I feel disappointed, angry, frustrated and embarrassed. I trained hard for 5 months and in the end I could have had my finish time with absolutely no training. I’m pretty much heart broken about it and I know it’s going to take me a while to get over it and move forward. Today I cancelled my NYC Marathon entry (I can run it next year if I wish) because I need a mental/physical break for all training for the rest of the year. I’ll be taking this week off from blogging, social media and running to figure out my next steps. Thanks so much to all of you that sent me messages or commented on my posts today – I really appreciate it and it kept me going today when all I wanted to do was quit!
I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for their Weekly Wrap.
I’m also linking up with the Jess’s (Jess Runs Atlanta and Jess @ The Right Fits) for their Training Recap Link Up!
This Week’s Posts
Chicago Marathon Training Recap – Week 19
Tunes Tuesday 10.3 Chicago Marathon Playlist
October 2017 Goals
My Chicago Marathon Goals
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear about your race. You worked so hard and I loved following your training. I was so hopeful for you for today.
It was a pretty crappy day but I’m feeling a little better about everything now that I’ve had a week off.
Ah, so sorry to hear!! Sounds like you did everything right to prepare but you had a bad day. You can never predict race day. Way to finish! Congrats!
Thanks Sherry. I definitely tried to do all the “right” things but marathons don’t care about that, lol
I am so so sorry that your race didnt go well. Its so frustrating to put in months of hard training and then have a everything go wrong on race day. I agree with what you said on Instagram, that its harder to walk a marathon than to run one. You are so awesome for staying out there and completing the race even though it was so hard. Take some time to relax and recover mentally and physically. Hope you are feeling better!
Thanks so much Lisa. Walking a majority of the race really took a toll on my body that day, but I’m feeling fully recovered right now so I am happy for that! This week off was just what I needed.
I’d say maybe the first thing to do is a checkup/in with a doctor. Make sure there isn’t something going on.
All those feelings are absolutely justified — except feeling embarassed! No matter how well we train and taper, bad races happen. Sometimes they happen for a reason, and sometimes it’s just not your day.
I probably personally would have waited a day to defer that entry into NY — sometimes we regret stuff we do in the heat of the moment. But you do you & you know yourself best.
I hope that you are able to find peace with this race. But you absolutely have nothing to be embarrassed about — and you’ll come through it a stronger runner, too.
Thanks so much Judy. I was lucky enough to get an appointment last week to see my primary doctor and she ordered a few tests so we could see what’s going on. She has an idea of what happened, but just wants to do a test to confirm.
I’m happy that I deferred NYCM. I feel like that’s a marathon that you shouldn’t run if you’re heart isn’t in it because it is so amazing.
Oh Kim, I’m so sorry the race didn’t turn out as planned. I was thinking of you, and I had a few other friends struggle too. But finishing is a huge accomplishment no matter the time on the clock! Congratulations!
Please don’t be too hard on yourself, we all know how race day has its unpleasant surprises sometimes. I hope you rest and recover well!
Thanks Janelle. You’re right, race day is such a crapshoot and I just had a really bad day last Sunday. But thankfully I’m feeling better about it all now.
So glad I got to see you yesterday. Congrats on a great race and pushing through that humidity!
I’m sorry to hear about the race 🙁 It really sounds like you did everything right last week and had a strong training cycle. I know the weather yesterday wasn’t ideal and was tough for a lot of people. I hope the week off from social media helps with clarity!
Thanks Chaitali. I tried to do all the “right” things but raceday just threw me a lot of curveballs!
Oh Kim, there really are no words that will take away all of your emotions right now. I’m sorry. I just can’t imagine the frustration of putting in all of that training only to have a day like that. I agree with Judy though …you have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. You trained hard and you did your best with what your body was willing to do on that particular day….and you finished! Kudos for sticking it out and congratulations for not giving up!
Thanks so much Teresa. I wasn’t so much frustrated with my finish time, but I was just so annoyed about all the time I put into training to have that result 🙁 But I am feeling better now that I’ve had a week off from everything.
I am so sorry the race didn’t go as planned. It is rough when you work so hard, but know you did an awesome job and finished a marathon…that in itself is an amazing accomplishment.
Thanks so much Toni. I am finally able to accept that I did finish a marathon, even if it wasn’t in the time I wanted, and that’s pretty awesome.
Ack! I’m so sorry to hear you had such a hard time. I won’t try to make you feel better with platitudes, but you did train hard and deserve to be proud of that.
Thanks so much Coco. I am really happy that I had a solid training cycle even if that didn’t translate to race day.
I’m so sorry. I did see your posts 🙁
Thanks Lesley. I’m feeling better now that I’ve had a week off to reflect on anything.
Wish I could hug you in person….I know the pain and anguish (?) that comes from a tough race that should have been easier. Sometimes, reality totally bites our buttocks. Hang in there, and do take some time to get all the feelings out….and know that running will be there waiting for when YOUR time is right.
Awwe, thanks so much Kim. The race definitely broke my heart but I’m feeling a lot better now. I will be tackling another marathon in the future because I NEED that PR, lol!
Sending you lots of hug and love. We’ll be here when you get back from sabbatical. Hang in there, girl. <3 <3 <3
Thanks so much for taking the time to give me some clarity and kind words last Sunday – it really, really helped <3
Kim, Be disappointed. Be angry. Be frustrated. But do not, do not, do not be embarrassed!!! You trained hard and did your due diligence to get ready for this race. There is no shame in that. It just wasn’t your day. Everyone I know came in way over their anticipated time yesterday, me included. Be proud of what you did do–pushing through under adverse conditions and FINISHING this race. It didn’t beat you, and that is something to be extremely proud of. Hugs.
Thanks so much for your kind words and pep talk – I definitely needed that! While I wish the race was better, I am still really happy with my training cycle.
I am so sorry you didn’t have the race you wanted and trained for. My one and only marathon I had a rough day and I know how disappointing it feels.
I know it is hard on the heart to work so hard and see things go off the rails. I was following a bunch of bloggers and most of them did not meet their goals in the heat, you had tough conditions.
Feel proud you stuck it out and finished.
The exact same thing happened to me during my first marathon, so I can understand how you feel. Even though you might not think this right now, finishing a marathon no matter how you get across the finish line is an accomplishment! I think taking a physical and mental break right now is the best thing.
Thanks so much Jennifer. I have finally realized that finishing a marathon is still pretty awesome, no matter what the time. I couldn’t see that last Sunday.
Kim, I know you are feeling frustrated by putting in all the hard work and not getting the result you wanted. I think we’ve all shed a few tears over that. [Heck I completed a whole training cycle and then had to DNS Chicago in 2015.] But, you stuck it out and crossed the finish line. You are one tough cookie, Kooky! There should be no embarrassment over that. Thanks for linking!
Thanks so much. I didn’t know that you had to DNS Chicago in 2015 🙁 I know that had to be hard for you.
I am feeling a little better now and happy that I deferred NYCM to next year. I think doing shorter distances this year will help me regain my love of running.
I am beyond bummed for you. You trained like a freaking champ so I totally get your emotion about it. Can’t believe I missed you at 13 but then again lots of people got past me. Spectators in front of me kept sticking well out into the street and this year there were no cops/course marshalls to brush them all back. It ticked me off. I think you’re wise to defer NYCM.. Time to step back, rest up and regroup. Training is physically and probably even more mentally exhausting.
Thanks Marcia. I am still proud of my training and just wish it translated to a great race, but I know that sometimes that just doesn’t happen. I took the week off from all workouts and blogging and I’m feeling better now. I am glad that I deferred NYCM to next year – nothing but shorter distance races for me for the rest of the year.
Oh, Kim, honey… been there. Please go back and read my “most difficult race post”. My first Chicago marathon was an absolute disaster. It took me a couple years to get up the courage to do it again. The worst part was that I did all that training, just like you, and had the biggest disappointment of my running life. I totally feel you. If you need to vent, cry, scream, commiserate, please PM me and I’ll send you my phone number.
But remember this, you crossed the finish line. And that’s the most important thing. No matter how you got there.
Love you.
Thanks so much for all the love Wendy <3. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.
The Chicago Marathon is by far the biggest disappointment of my running life so far. It was totally heartbreaking. Now that I've had a week to reflect, I am feeling better and don't want to give up running completely, even though that was my first thought after grabbing my medal on Sunday.
I am so sorry your race did not go well… sending hugs your way. You rocked this training cycle – I was amazed at all your workouts and cross-training.
Thanks so much Vicki! I am proud of my training cycle so that’s one plus I am taking away from everything.
Ugh. It’s always tough when our hard work doesn’t produce on race day. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it. I hope you take a much deserved rest and come back stronger than ever!
Thanks so much Andrea. A week off was great and I’m ready to come back to blogging and workouts!
You have had a pretty intense few month so perhaps a mental and physical break is what you need right now. I said it on IG and I say it again, the commitment and training that you put in the last few months is the accomplishment. It changed you! I hope after time you will see that. You totally rock! Don’t be so hard on yourself
Thanks Deborah – The break was just what I needed. Now I do see what you mean about appreciating the training and commitment. I feel like that commitment is one of the main reason I was actually able to finish the race.
The tough races are really hard. I hope that a week off will help you process everything. Fighting to the finish on the tough races takes just as much grit as fighting for the PR’s. I’m proud of you for all the hard work that you put in to this training cycle and for gutting it out on the course. Take some time for yourself. hugs!
Thanks so much Sara! The week off was good for my spirit – I was feeling really burnt out and taking some time off was exactly what I needed.
Oh Kim I’m so sorry you had such a tough race. I so agree with everyone – you trained hard and have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. I was really inspired by how you handled your training and for gutting it out to finish. I can understand wanting to take some time off. Take care of yourself!
Thanks Michelle. I guess I was just embarrassed because I was SO confident that I was going to PR, and then I failed miserably. Maybe I was too overly confident? Either way, this just means I have to complete another marathon to get that PR lol
I’m so sorry to hear about your race. I know how frustrating it can be when you put in so many months of training and you don’t get the race results that reflects all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into it. Ugh. So sorry 🙁
But you’ll keep running and will have another awesome race- but I commend you for postponing your NYC entry to give yourself a mental break. Very smart of you. Hope to see meet up in NYC!??!
Keep your head up, you’ve a very dedicated and determined athlete! Very inspirational. We all have bad races. They don’t define us. Besides, being a runner isn’t just one race, it’s a lifestyle.
Thanks so much Jessie. You are so right – I was disappointed in putting in SO much time into training, only to have race day go so horribly. Your kind words are SO appreciated – thanks again!!
I’m looking forward to meeting you NYCM weekend and cheering you on during the race!
Oh man!! I’m sorry to hear about your bad race. I’ve been there a few times and it’s very heartbreaking.
I hope you get the clarity you need with a few days away from all of this but remember – your finish time doesn’t define you as a runner!
So heartbreaking 🙁 This week off has been good and allowed me to think about next steps and what I want to do.
So sorry to hear that the race didn’t go as planned but you finished and didn’t give up. You were strong and crossed that finish line. I’m so proud of you. Sounds like you made the right decision to defer NYCM. Enjoy your time off. You deserve it. Even though it didn’t go as planned you are still a marathoner. Congrats lady!
Thanks Sharon. I’m definitely content with my decision to defer NYCM to next year. I think that taking a break is just what I needed at this point and time and I feel much better today than I did a week ago.
I’m so sorry to hear the marathon did not go well. I totally get it as I have been there!! It sounds like taking a break will be a good thing!! Sending hugs your way!!
Thanks so much for the virtual hug – totally appreciated! I’m actually feeling much better about everything now. A week off was just what I needed.
Sunday was a difficult day for a lot of us. I’m so sorry that the race didn’t go as you had hoped. I certainly hope that you still had a great time out there. The crowd support in Chicago was simply incredible.
Even though I was extremely frustrate with myself, I still 100% loved the crowds and the energy. The spectators were just beyond amazing, seriously!
I would like to congratulate you on finishing the race no matter the result! Keep inspiring and being the best!
Thanks so much for the kind words!
First: Congrats on the race anyway, and most of all congratualtions for putting in all the hardwork leading up to it. My mum always says that exams or races are just like a snapshot – sometimes you take a photo and it turns out great, sometimes nothing goes right. But what that snapshot doesn’t show you is all of the months of hard work leading up to the moment of the snapshot, and that’s what you should be proud of the most.
Secondly: I can total respect you wanting to just chill out and avoid training and social media for a while. I hope you’re recovering, and I look forward to reading more of your posts when you feel like coming back to it 🙂
Thanks so much Isabel. I totally love the snapshot analogy – your mum is a very smart lady! This week off has been good for recovery – both physical and mental.
Rarely does a race turn out exactly the way you want it too, Kim you finished and that is what counts. So many never even started. My first and only marathon took me almost 7 hours!! And I too had to walk all of the last 6 miles due to my IT band! Guess what though, my medal looks exactly like the one that the races who came in under 3.5 hours!
Take this time and explore what is next for you cause I know something is something big! Hugs to you Kim this is one race not the end only a stepping stone to the next one!
Thanks so much for the kind words Tricia. This marathon took me almost 7 hours as well, which was soul crushing because I know I can do a 5 hour marathon. This week off has been great and I’m feeling much better now!
Congrats on running the Chicago Marathon – I can’t wait to read your recap! How cool is it that you got to meet Renee!
Thanks Debbie. I’m working on the recap now and will post on Tuesday 🙂
Keep inspiring us. I heartily congrats you for completing your marathon. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Thank you!