Wrapping Up 2023: Chicago Marathon, EBM, Hidden Valley Hammer 10K

Chicago Marathon

When I was planning my races for the year, I thought that after my June and July 100s, I'd switch over to speed training, and try to set a PR at the Chicago Marathon in October. It was an excuse to visit my good friend in Chicago, it's a flat and fast course, and after Boston would be the only one of the World Majors that I've run. 

I needed some time in late July and early August to recover from Crazy Mountain 100, so that took a couple weeks. Then I traveled to DC and back to Yucca Valley, and tried to do some mile repeats there, but I also just wanted to go run trails in Joshua Tree National Park as part of my project to run every maintained trail in the park. Then finally in September when Amy and I had a weekend with no travel where I could train, I didn't want to spend my birthday weekend running a flat or paved trail, so of course we went camping in the Sierra and I did a long mountain run instead. It wasn't optimal training to try and run a sub-3 hour marathon, but I had the realization that I absolutely did not care. I may still be able to run one more PR marathon before I'm too old, but if that happens it's only going to be between December to March, because why the hell would I go do long runs on pavement or flat roads when the mountains are open? I was still getting miles in, so of course I could finish a marathon and run it well, it just wouldn't be my fastest, and I was fine with that.

So I went into Chicago not knowing what I'd be capable of. I felt slow on my few runs in DC with fast friends, but I routinely run faster in races than in training, and anything slower than 3:30 (8 min/mile) seems ... silly? pathetic? A day or two before I flew to Chicago I ran 3 miles at right about PR pace (6:50 min/mile) to test out my new pair of Nike race supershoes, so I thought I might as well run a few miles that fast during the race.

The day before the race was rainy and windy. Driving to the expo was slow; the expo itself was super crowded, if well-organized. (Make sure to download the PDF with your QR code beforehand, you might not get cell service inside the largest convention center in North America.) Transportation to the race the morning of was easy, since trains regularly run that early. I got my three (yes, three) poops in before the race start and my B corral was easy to find. The 3:00 and 3:05 pace groups were in the corral with me, so I thought I might as well start with them and see how long I could hang. I've really liked it when I start something like a minute behind them, then quickly catch up, and then try and stick with the group--thanks to chip timing differentials, it feels like it gives me a tiny cushion.

The first mile was crowded so a little slow (7:09), but two through four were each 6:36 to 6:46. Then I settled in to the low 6:50's every mile through mile 13. I was looking forward to seeing a friend around mile 8, but I didn't see him so I got a little bummed. Turns out he was there and got a good photo, but we're all running fast and that's early on so it's still pretty crowded and loud. 

Despite missing him at mile 8, I kept going right on pace, until somewhere after mile 13 I felt a painful twinge on the inside of my right thigh, likely my hip adductor. I'd never really felt pain there before, but when I injured my hamstring a PT said that your leg likes to recruit from other areas, including the adductor, which had had enough. I was briefly ahead of the 3:05 pace group, but as soon as my adductor went off, I fell behind them.

I kept going, but every mile from 15 through 25 was slower than the last. Mile 25 took me 8:42. Finally I sped back up a bit for 26, and crossed the finish line in 3:15:35. 

That's probably my 6th fastest marathon out of I think 13. So for being old and not specifically training for it, I'm pretty happy about it. That second half hurt though. I kept thinking that I better not stop at all, because if I stopped there was no way I'd be able to start up anywhere near that fast again.

I hobbled through the finish area, immediately quite cold, getting colder drinking the free finish beer. The gear pickup was heinous--the lines were a mess. I offered multiple times to help hand out bags, but head volunteers said it wasn't allowed. In retrospect, it was one of the more enjoyable moments, because I struck up conversations with multiple people near me, unlike in the race where I did not speak to a single soul until mile 25 and then only for a single sentence.

It was fun to be a part of the race where Kelvin Kiptum set the world record. However, I wouldn't really call the course pretty--it doesn't go down the Magnificent Mile, you don't run through Grant Park since it starts and ends at the edges of it, and there were literally only two blocks with historic brownstones. Or maybe I was just running fast (until I wasn't) and didn't notice and didn't stop and look up to see if I was running under any skyscrapers. Based on a quick comparison of Google Maps to the course map I think the closest runners are to iconic skyscrapers is around Mile 2.  

Anyway, I'm glad I ran the race, and I had a fun time with my friend in Chicago. Hopefully there's a race I can run fast in March or next year December.

Euchre Bar Massacre

Somewhat as a joke, since the races are polar opposites in style, I planned to do Euchre Bar Massacre the week after Chicago. It was the 10th year of the race, and I think my 5th time running it. Unfortunately, I got sick on the way home from Chicago. So I didn't camp prior to the start and instead took Margo and George out to the course for a late start and whatever I could manage. I ran into a few of the runners at the rear of the pack, including a friend of a friend who I've been wanting to meet. He's done a 20
0+ mile race in Europe that I'm planning on for 2025, so it was nice to get some beta from him. Anyway, it was a nice day goofing off with the dogs in one of my favorite canyons, if not really a race for me.

A short skirt and a loooooong jacket

Hidden Valley Hammer 

Shortly after moving to Reno I heard about a race people loved to hate, the Hidden Valley Hammer 10K. Straight up, then straight down? Count me in! I think I've trained more in this park (Hidden Valley Regional Park) than in any other near Reno. It's on the East side so it the peaks aren't as high, but it is also runnable more of the year than the Sierra on the west. Did I mention it's steep?

The Wildland Firefighter Foundation organizes the 10K as a fundraiser. It's possible the fundraising for a very relevant organization aids with getting permits (did I mention it's steep?) The race was a ton of fun; the only bummer was that I didn't see many friends from my normal trail running world (Silver State Striders) there. Is it possible the proportion of masochists is higher among fit firefighters than trail runners? Regardless, I had fun and came in 16th place, which is likely the best I will ever finish in a 10K.