Is running Chicago a month before my goal marathon a terrible idea? (Read 174 times)

Only other Chicago warning, particularly if you are trying to dial in a pace, is to pretty much ignore your GPS because it totally loses its shit for the first 13 miles.  It miraculously improves in the second half but it doesn't matter much because there are plenty clocks on the course.  Turn off auto-lap and just take mile splits at clocks or every 5K.

 

I do think it is a good PR course despite the crowds...flat, usually cool, and solid pace groups.  If you're dialing in a pace, jump on the pace group that matches your target and hang on til Chinatown.  Agreed that the course sort of sucks after that.

 

If you have a garmin, you can push the lap button at each mile marker to be able to at least see your splits later. It is funny to see the map of the race and the crazy things the gps comes up with when you run downtown.

Last year my plan was to follow the 3:45 pace group for some 8 miles or more to stay relaxed and not go out too fast. I found them in the corral and stuck next to them waiting for the gun for 45 minutes. When the gun finally went off, I was engulfed by people and completely lost them before even reaching the start line. My entire plan was based on sticking with them so I could not worry and instead I spent the first two miles of the race stupidly trying to catch up with them. I did it and ended up running a good 10-15 seconds per mile faster than planned right off the bat. So dumb. All that to say, if you plan on following a pace group in a huge race, have a backup plan!

"Is it a terrible idea to do Chicago next October as a training/long run 4 weeks before my goal marathon in Indy?"

This has been answered well by others in a wonderfully entertaining way, but I will throw in my vote as well.  The direct answer to the question is YES, it is a terrible idea.

Good question! I did defer (because this year was a definite no). So I have a spot for next year at least (although I then realized that I can squeak in on a time qualifier because I'm getting old!). I'd really like to do the race, but I'm thinking I'm going to see how my training is going over the spring/summer before I decide about actually running it. If I'm not in PR/BQ shape for whatever reason, then I'll run it for fun and just enjoy the race. If I am going for a BQ, I'll likely stalk the weather and decide if I want to go for it that day or pull up. This race is due for a cool weather year, right?! If I'm just killing my training and feeling confident, then I may totally skip Chicago and save the effort for another race (likely Monumental).

I have a friend who's about my pace, and despite the crowd, he set a big PR there this year. So that gives me a little more hope. A person I work with had told me that he had to come to a dead stop a few times at miles 4 and 6 a few years' ago due to the crowds. That had me worried, but it sounds like he's the only one that's experienced a bottleneck to that extreme. I'm not sure how far back he started.

Thanks for all the comments!

Steph