20 Miles of Doom

It's been waiting there all season.

"The Longest Run of the Training"

"Once you hit 20, your body is ready to do 26"

"If you make it through 20 without an injury, you're good"

Note that it is still pitch black out :)

I remember when I was first starting this training and I saw that "20 miler" date down the road, and, having never run more than 13 miles, it was extremely difficult to envision little ol' me completing it. But guess what....I did it. At 4am on a Saturday morning. By myself the week before the training group did it because a certain special Kevinito friend of mine chose to get married on the official 20 miler weekend. AND I (perhaps idiotically) still had enough energy in me that day to throw some beers back and attend Musky Fest! Yes, I ran slower than petrified molasses, and yes I passed out around 10pm that night which I don't think I've done since grade school, but I got it done.

Chicago Endurance Sports does a really great job of hyping up the 20 miler. You have to register as if it was a real race, you have to pick up a bib, and they have full water and gatorade stations along the course. I was so pumped at the beginning of training to get to that point. Then I realized Kevin's wedding was that weekend, and there was no way I was going to sacrifice my dancing legs at the wedding and wake up early for 20 miles out in Vermont! Then I also got injured and I transformed into an emo middle schooler who hated the world and didn't know if I'd actually be able to do the race anyway. Everything worked out though, and with some planning, 4 weeks off of running, physical therapy, swimming for cardio, and a little determination, I found myself the morning of September 8th, lacing up my shoes and strapping on my hydration belt before dawn.

I'm very fortunate that it was one of those weird days of summer that are uncomfortably cool. I set out from my house at 5am, heading out in the darkness south to Blue Island Ave, then turning west toward Western. I went north on Western to 18th St, and headed all the way east until I hit the lakefront path. My parents might be slightly enraged to hear that I passed many a suspect character during this route. Some were early morning workers, and some very clearly were not. Sorry Juan and Irma! Hopefully they will forgive me when I tell them I clutched onto my pepper spray that whole first 5 miles! :D

As soon as I crossed from 18th street to the lakefront path, I felt much more at ease. It's a stark difference. Going from the 18th street, a desolate ghost-town sort of quietness, to crossing the bridge and entering the bustling lakefront path territory, already filled with runners. It is amazing the number of people who are awake and active at crack of dawn. Once on the lakefront path and surrounded by people, I was able to put my pepper spray away, and relax into my run. I crossed over through Soldier Field, 5 miles down and 15 to go.

I decided to head north on a whim, instead of south which I typically prefer to do. I was hoping for a brilliant sunrise to greet me on the horizon over the lake...but it was a pretty overcast day so all I really got was grey clouds! There was a lot of construction and veering paths once I approached the Chicago river, and after a bunch of detours I found myself running down Navy Pier. I highly dislike the walk down Navy Pier, it takes forever. But at that point I was committed and did not want to look like a fool by pulling a 180!!

On my way back toward Soldier Field I was trying desperately to do some math to figure out if I should do any extra mileage before crossing back to 18th street. Math is really hard after 12 miles so I just kept going past Soldier Field and hoped I'd figure it out eventually.

I did figure it out, and made my way back through Soldier Field, through South Loop and China Town, onto 18th, and back towards home! The last two miles were the most difficult but also the most rewarding. My IT band soreness felt bone-deep, but my previously injured heel was surprisingly holding up. I did notice that during this time, my cardio felt great! If I could have borrowed someone else's legs, I'm sure I had another half marathon in me. But alas, that is not how things work :)

So, I was on Western, coming around the final mile. I was moments away from turning onto Blue Island when I realized, holy shit, I am going to finish this. I am going to finish 20 miles. By myself. Through my training efforts and discipline. I am getting this shit done. It is not fast and it is not easy but I am going to complete 20 effing miles. I got very excited and decided to pick it up and finish hard. This whole time I had been holding back and running at 10 min miles....truly, the slowest I've run in my life. I picked it up and ended up doing the last mile in 8:18.

And just as I was passing up my apartment, my watch beeped to indicate 20 miles, and this surreal sense of elation fell upon me. I immediately started tearing up as I slowed into my cool down. Three weeks ago, I wasn't even certain I'd be able to get healed up in time to run the marathon. But here I am today, waking up at 4am, running 20 miles, all on my own, with still enough in the tank to sprint out the last mile. Unfortunately some random dudes were walking by and I had to pull myself together and stifle my sniffs, but as soon as I entered the comfort of my apartment, you'd better believe that I was full on, ugly crying. It was a mixture of relief that I was finally done, pride that I'd completed it, and disorientation of how little I'd slept and how much longer of a day still lied before me.

It was only after this run that I truly believed this little body of mine had it in her to complete a marathon. It's a great feeling. So great that I took the rest of the day to celebrate, with a couple of mimosas (or 6....?) in support of Lauren Horn's run for Musky Queen :)

7 DAYS TIL MARATHON DAY!