[Watcher]

Hi Biscuit,

Yes I accepted it. I just had to wait for the Chicago Marathon organizers to verify that I won the Abbott's organization lottery which only had 250 slots available.

I'm not sure how many people with 3 majors under their belt still needed Chicago ,however, it's a pleasant surprise since there were no guarantees when I was ever going to win Chicago's general marathon lottery. I only applied and lost once previously.

The Tokyo lottery opens in August and I have also lost that one once so far and the Boston charities open in September and I have never applied previously. I figure these last two marathon entries are going to be difficult.

Both Tokyo and Boston are Spring Marathons and it's going to be a long wait each year if I get neither. People have been waiting 10+ years to win Berlin and London and I have been fortunate to find my way into 4 majors rather quickly.

I have to say ,though, I thought today how it seems to be coming at me fast. Chicago will be on October 8th while the Marine Corps is scheduled for October 29th.

Chicago is to be treated as the last "20 mile" of a training session leading the way into the Marine Corps. Those are the leading theories on how to approach 2 close marathons anyway.

I had 6 weeks between Berlin and NYC. I applied that same theory , however, the oppressive heat was an issue at NYC and I was also getting hammered legally at the time. I recognized the heat issue too late into that NYC Marathon.

Running Chicago now also clears the way for me in the Fall of 2024 to concentrate on my rematch with NYC since I am almost finished qualifying for that one. I like the idea of pairing that one with Montreal in September 2024.

Chicago is 12 hours from me and I believe I'm going to drive and break it up over 2 days. These October Marathons are not going to be vacations. I have 5 days for Chicago and 4 for Marine Corps since that drive is much shorter at 5 hours for me.

I was sitting on a bus waiting to go back to my hotel after the Philadelphia Marathon 2019. This woman sitting next to me said she had just run Berlin and she was chasing the Abbott's. That is where my chase of the Abbott's was born, lol.

[Biscuit]

I’m going to try and do Tokyo too!

[Watcher]

Hopefully Lady Luck will be on our side come August Biscuit. I finished week 5, On The Road to Chicago, with 42 miles on Friday. I had to change the title from, On The Road to the Marine Corps Marathon.

I wanted to free my weekend from running and kickboxing, which I don't talk about much, but I'm still there 4 days a week. Saturday I went hiking because it's been awhile.

For hiking in NJ one must be on the road early for parking. So if the sun is shining through your morning blinds then you're already running late, lol. I was on the trail by 7am and enjoyed the early morning cool mountain crispness.

This was the 3rd time I've done this course and it was challenging as the ascent was a workout. The summit views are worth the hike as they overlook the Delaware River.

As I walked I could see two deer running through the woods as I stood still on the path. They exited the woods and basically stood right in front of me and allowed me to take a photo.

Today I went kayaking on the Mullica River and the water levels were low since there has been no rain here so I may have been a bit frustrated with being caught on so many exposed fallen trees in the water.

I did see a humongous snapping turtle which was sunbathing however it took the plunge as I approached. That turtle was just massive and did not want to be photoed.

Someone did point out a Northern Water Snake posing on a log and that one had no issue with photography. My shoulders were tired after 5 hours of paddling.

Mountain Laurel was exploding at both locations. The guide today said we were just past peak season by about two weeks.

Back to the grind tomorrow to kick off week 6 for Chicago.

[Watcher]

Week #6 for Chicago will close out tomorrow with 42 miles and roughly 960 miles overall for 2023. I have a 10k race in the morning prior to work. I will have 21 weeks of training, at 40+ miles per week, for the Chicago Marathon I noticed.

This week was kind of a slog for running. A lot of just get it done. I'm also closing in on my next benchmark of 1,000 classes at kickboxing.

On Wednesday night I ran a 5k with about 600 runners. I've run this course now 4 times with the first being in 2018. It's a relatively flat course with one hill and I set a new personal best with a 7:45 pace.

So I keep breaking all my times here in 2023. Tomorrow is a NY race which usually has 5,500 runners. However, this is one of their marquee runs so maybe closer to 10,000. This will be my first time running this qualifier for the 2024 NYC Marathon entry.

[Watcher]

Yesterday there were 11,500 runners for a 10k. The course was crowded and narrow and was run in a park setting with temps in the 60's on an overcast day. The overcast helped however I was still drenched since the humidity was most likely high.

I still don't understand how I am coming across walkers whom are placed in a higher corral then me. I really shouldn't be coming across any walkers since our corral assignments are based on previous runs. So some running on grass was required to get around those folk.

I just went with the flow of the crowd and felt comfortable throughout the race while breaking my previous 10k best time by two minutes. I knew the other night that I would not be able to maintain that 7:45 pace. I opened that first mile at 7:30 and I really felt that exertion throughout. I felt incredibly heated.

Yesterday I was comfortable finishing at 8:30. I hit a couple of low 8's and could have easily maintained that pace if it needed to be extended to a half marathon which would have equated to a 1:44:00 half. There was really no way for me to push into the 7's since the field was so crowded.

So that leaves me with needing 2 more races and 1 volunteer spot with NYRR to qualify for the 2024 NYC Marathon. I have a 4 mile race next Sunday with NYRR so it should be in the 10,000 runner range again.

I also have Zach Williams rescheduled concert that night. I don't want to make a long day of it however I also don't want to commute twice to NYC on the same day because weekend traffic is really horrendous if it's not 6am, lol.

[UrsaMajor]

I wonder if the walkers lied about their previous times to get put in a higher corral....

How's your running going anyway?

[Watcher]

Hi UrsaMajor,

One year ago I landed in Berlin and today is also the Berlin Marathon Expo 2023. The year went fast. I am on the Chicago Marathon countdown at 17 days left to go with the Marine Corps Marathon to follow at 38 days.

Well the Summer was hot and humid and we finally have cooler running temps with some days shockingly in the 50's. I think I've dropped close to 20lbs over the Summer which I wasn't looking to do.

I am currently sitting around 1,575 miles run thus far in 2023 which is a new record for me and I also set a monthly record in August at 225 miles.

I just finished my last 20 mile run on Saturday which was all kinds of boring however I followed it up with a 10 mile race on Sunday and finished with my best 10 mile time amongst 13,000 runners so I think I'm ready for Chicago on October 8th.

That Sunday race also guaranteed my entry into the 2024 New York City Marathon. I just have to complete my volunteer spot at the 2023 NYC Marathon.

I applied to the 2024 Tokyo Marathon in August and will know sometime in October if I have been accepted. Meanwhile, the Tokyo Marathon also has a virtual half marathon competition for entry into the 2025 Tokyo Marathon.

These are a series of 8 virtual half marathons of which I have completed the first two. I figured I'm already doing the mileage anyway. So after each race there are 50 winners selected via lottery and they each win an entry for the 2025 Tokyo Marathon.

I did not win the first time and I will find out the results for race #2 next week. Worldwide there are only 2,200 participants so I like the odds of 50 runners winning entry.

Once I complete Chicago Marathon the Abbott Organization will enter me in their separate lottery for both Tokyo and Boston so this will become a third avenue for me.

I also applied for two charities thus far for Boston 2024 and I'm awaiting their decision. I may apply for a third however it's recommended to stick with two because then it looks like you are shopping for an entry which I'm obviously doing anyway, lol, so I don't get the recommendation.

Anyway I placed two good bids and hopefully one will be accepted. I have to be aggressive with Boston because this will be the most difficult one for me to get into, if I can even get into it. Their fundraising is insane.

I cannot make any Spring Marathon plans until I hear back from Tokyo and Boston which are run in March and April. Maybe I will apply for Berlin again. Their lottery should be opening soon for 2024.

I saw Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Godsmack and Disturbed. I've seen Dierks and Eric Church 3 times now and all four acts are really must see. I was completely blown away with Godsmack. I would see them and Disturbed again.

I'm only going to be in Chicago over the Columbus 4 day weekend. They say it could be anywhere from 40° to 80°. I have an 8 am start so it should be cooler temps for me. All of my other marathons started roughly at 11am. I've never been to Chicago so we will see if I can figure it out.

Enjoy your day
Thank you

[UrsaMajor]

Chicago in the last week of September can be anywhere between -20 and +90  I think... and windy.... I went to Navy Boot Camp in Great Lakes (about an hour north of Chicago) so got to experience the weather.....

Good Luck on the Lotteries...

[FaithWalker]

Good luck on the upcoming marathon Watcher!  You are very inspiring.  I'm still dealing with planter fasciitis, so trying to figure out what kind of exercises I can do has been tough.

[Watcher]

Hi FaithWalker, Ursa Major

The temps are going to range between 45°-55° with the sun out so those are ideal running conditions for Sunday. There will be 47,000 runners and someone will be the one millionth Chicago Marathon all time finisher.

The Chicago Marathon Expo opened today and I probably should have went sooner but I don't depart until tomorrow. I just have my usual apprehension about the train system but I'm sure it will be fine. I'm going directly to the expo to get my bib from O'Hare Airport. Getting the race bib is always anxiety issue #2.

My hotel is four miles away from the expo and I may just walk back and sightsee along Lake Michigan and thru Grant Park as the temps will be in the 60's. I'm confident about finding the hotel so no concern on that one. I also can take the Red Line if I so need.

With the race bib secure I can then explore on Saturday, ala Sanssouci Palace, just without the Sanssouci Palace, lol. Next time 2 days in Potsdam Watcher.

Or like Hadrian"s Wall. No Hadrian"s Wall in Chicago I think. A vandal chopped down the Sycamore Gap tree. Very sad to see. I did get to see it when I went last Spring. Next time I will do Hadrian's Wall on my own.

My hotel is two miles away from the start line at Grant Park so I think I will walk to it Sunday morning as a warmup.

I have more time to explore after the race on Sunday and most of Monday before I return. I did finish 20 weeks at 40-50 miles run per week and the last two weeks I have been tapering with just 30 miles run in total.

I ran a half marathon in the heat on Sunday and did very well and now I am just ready to finish the marathon.