Monday, October 2, 2017

Goals for the Chicago Marathon

The time has come. Can you believe it?! I swear it feels like I was just registering for the Chicago Marathon yesterday (when in actuality I submitted my time for guaranteed entry back in mid-November of last year). And now IT'S HERE!

As most of you probably know, I have been putting a lot of time and effort into this training cycle - hoping to see some BIG THINGS when it comes to the race. But I want to start out by saying that no matter what the time on the clock is when (God willing) I cross the finish line, I'm beyond proud of what I was able to accomplish during this round. I pushed my paces and ran times I would have never expected possible. Whether or not I hit my goals, I will finish with my head held high because I know that the race itself is just the victory lap - the hard work was done during those hundreds of training miles. With that said, I still have some goals that I am hoping to chase down when the starting whistle blows.


A Goal: Sub 3:30


I've really been training my booty off this go-around. Not only have I put in the work while running, I've been trying to focus on making sure my nutrition, sleep, hydration, etc has been on point. I'm really hoping the work I put in will help me to nab a new PR (personal record), which would be faster than my current 3:30:50. I have had one of the strongest training cycles in my (albeit short) running career and I'm praying that translates into an amazing race day time.

Source

B Goal: Sub 3:35


Although I recently secured a spot in the 2018 Boston Marathon (HECK TO THE YES! I still pinch myself daily to make sure it isn't a dream), I know a lot can happen between now and April. Just in case disaster strikes and I need to pull out of Boston, I'd love to have a BQ so I could throw my name in for 2019. For my gender and age, I need to run a 3:35 or better {depending on what the actual cut-off time will be for that race}, so if I can't snag a PR I'd love to run my second BQ marathon. (PS If you didn't read my thoughts on the Boston Marathon and if I'd run multiple years, read it HERE.)

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C Goal: Sub 4:00


Chicago will be my 14th marathon (I still can't even grasp it... I always said I'd NEVER run one... and now I'll be toeing the line of my 14th since 2014). I know this distance is a beast, one you can never take lightly. For some reason, the 4-hour barrier is always one that stands out to me. Finishing a marathon with a time that has a 3 in the front of it is tough (at least for me), so I know if I can tackle a sub 4:00 that all the blood, sweat and tears I put in was well worth it.

Source

D Goal: Finish with a SMILE


I normally have this as one of my goals for every race... and Chicago is no different. Yes of course I would love to run away with a great time that reflects all of the hard work, dedication, time and sweat I poured into this goal, but at the same time, running is a hobby of mine. It is something I do for fun, to help relieve stress, that allows me to connect with God, nature and my community. It is an honor and a privilege to have the ability to lace up my running shoes and hit the pavement. I never want to take a single step for granted, I never want to miss the journey along the way to a finish line.

I won't be wearing a costume, but I hope I FLY across the finish line with a BIG SMILE!

Game Plan - First Half: Be smart, Second Half: Be brave [okay, the coach may have a few more specific plans and suggestions on how race day should go, but I feel like those two statements pretty much summarize what I need to do.]

So, I guess it's time to DO THIS THANG! I'm flying out Friday afternoon and the race is Sunday morning. I'll have a race recap up next week, but in the meantime, feel free to follow me on social media (@CarleeMcDot) for updates.

WE CAN DO IT!

PS I'm not superstitious, but if I was, I'd hope that the fact I ran my previous BQ was at the 40th Anniversary of the St. George Marathon and that this will be the 40th Anniversary of the Chicago Marathon would be a sign of good fortune.

What is one thing I need to do, see or eat while in Chicago?

4 comments:

Erica @ Erica Finds said...

I know you'll have a great run and am excited to host you and to cheer you on!! :)

AnnieM said...

Awesome!!! I found your blog via your Big Sur 2016 race recap - and I will be running Chicago this year as well! Hope the rest of your taper goes well and hope to see you there.

redaussie3 said...

See you in chicago! This will be my second time running it and I sure do love this race!

San said...

Good luck! I hope you have an awesome race!