This was the one where I literally broke all the rules. 4 days before the race, I was getting up to head to the airport to fly out. I got a text from one of the Vitargo guys in the US. Chicago was NOT in the cards at all, but I figured since they now knew I was on the start list and could run, that I'd better do so. The only issue was pretty obvious, I was less than 3 weeks off of Valmiera and had just run a trail half on Sunday. The prior week was high volume again (smthg just under 140km) and that half was supposed to be prep for the 50k on Nov 1. OOPZ! Monday and Tuesday were both 20km days knowing I was losing Wed to a pond crossing. So, first off, I had ZERO rest and NO taper going into this. There is the first rule broken. Next off, this was all pending my ability to find a friend with a couch in the city the night before since I cannot deal with driving in post race traffic OUT of the city. My brother's place where I stay while in the US is too far out for the train to be an option. They simply don't run early enough in the morning. I had already told my friend Dasha not to leave the key with her sister because I was NOT doing the marathon and Dasha had left town on Tuesday, so that option was out. Thank you Dara for coming through on a YES 3 days before the race! Dara and I ran Chicago in 2005, the year I PRed. 2006 was the last good weather year (yeah it was windy hail and slowed things a bit but better than the 80-90F we have had since with the exception being 2009, but I had ass/sciatic issues then).
I saw the forecast was for perfect weather in the 5-10C range sunny and light breeze.OK, I'll do it as a glorified training run for fun. I would have done a 30-35k long run 3 weeks before the 50k anyways that day so why not? I drove into the city on Friday to get my number and saw Tonis at the expo. He is Lithuanian from Russia and in NYC working for the time being. He runs with the Sri Chinmoy team. I also stopped by the Hoka booth because I wanted to make sure I had ordered the right size in the Cliftons as I had a guys 9 and 9.5 (9.5 for future 100ks) on hold at Naperville Running Co for Monday pickup. Yup, they were out of ladies 10.5s. I tried on the guys 9 and kicked it around and immediately knew this was MY SHOE. They were possibly the most comfortable shoe I had ever tried. I am not easily sold on something unless I try it myself first. Soooo, I picked up a pair of 9s. My coach also got a pair in his size and he is even a harder sell than I am! On Saturday, I did my shakeout run in them and they were awesome. So I was about to break the next rule-running a marathon in totally new shoes! It was a risk but my coach said they should save you from the pavement pounding so you can recover faster after to focus on the 50k.
I went to Dara's Saturday afternoon and ordered a large cheese pizza no sauce to load my legs on. I had ordered a taxi into the city at 4:15. Dara is only about 20 min away from where I needed to go and the plan was to just take the EL back which I did. Bedtime was just after kiddie bedtime at abot 8:30 and I fell asleep fast. I really didn't have jet lag this time either because I used this diet plan I got off of Ariana Hilborn's blog (she was 2nd in Riga)on how to avoid jet lag:
http://www.netlib.org/misc/jet-lag-diet
It works!
The time difference between Moscow and Chicago is 9 hours and I started he diet just before that trail half I did 7 days before the maraton and 4 days before flying.
Palmer House- that's where the Alpine Runners had our room set up for club members to use before and after the race. We even have our own private gear check and access to clean toilets. Thank you Beth Onines for doing this each yr for us. I have had access to the sub elite tent before the race some yrs and the Alpine Runners room is even better. It was chilly in the morning, so no freezing before the race. Off to the start and I decided not to take my arm warmers but to keep my headband. it was about 6-7C- perfect! I had the mandatory goosebumps before he start to indicage it was not too hot not too cold. I was not expecting a fast time given the circumstances and all those broken rules. I had taken a 3 yr hiatus from this race because quite frankly, I was sick of training my ass off to get skunked by high heat and my focus has been on the 50k 3 weeks later. So, I just decided to go out and have fun no pressure. Sometimes, that's when I actually do best. 10k, I thought I had gone out too fast...this is 3:10 ish pace kind of fast for a training run......20k ...30k...still on pace feeling fine not hot not cold but feel fine. At this point it was just holding on for the finish and staying consistent. I had it spot on save for 36 37km I felt kind of funky but picked back up continued on and finished just over 3:12 to requalify for the A start if I want it next yr. It's not my best, but for a training marathon it was about 10 min faster than I had planned! As I was running, all I could think of was that I wish I hadn't run that damn trail half, but who knew?! Coach said it likely cost me 7-10 min at the very least compounded with the underrecovery from Valmiera. If we were going to do Chicago, he told me it would be hobby jogging and no racing between Valmiera and Chicago as they are only 3 weeks apart but I wasn't planning another longer race til the 50k 6 weeks and plenty of time later.
BTW-thank you Sinee for being out there at mile 25 :)
The next day, I can honestly say nothing hurt. My legs just felt like I had done a hard long run. I was able to tackle the stairs snas issues. I stopped in at Maperville Running Co. to pick up my Hokas I had on hold and get my medal engraved.They were doing the engraving in the basement and the lady working said she couldn't believe I ran the day before because I just skipped right on down those stairs LMAO! I really think it was the Hokas that made that difference. My hammys are always a little sore for a day or so after Chicago because it's so flat, but not this time.
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