Chicago Marathon

“Good luck, Hubcap, on Sunday (October 10)!!!!!”

“Woo-hoo! Yeah, good luck!!!”

“So you are running. Hey, good luck, man...”

“Run like the wind hubcap!!!!!!”

“Go hubcap GO!”

“Thanks for the encouragement gang!

I plan to have fun with this one. I am actually going into this run without any noticeable injury. I contribute the strenuous, but completely fun backpacking trips that I engaged in leading up to this run as a primary contributor to feeling as strong as I do.

Runners, want to be stronger??? Backpack!!!”

“Do you know what's waiting for you at the end of the route?

Chicago's OctoberFest at the new park---just steps away.”

“Good luck Dude!”

“Oktoberfest??? man, skip the run, I'm going for the beer.”

“Oops, forgot to impart the words of wisdom I usually impart:

1 - Don't worry about running too hard; you'll faint before you die.

and

2 - Don't forget to win!”

“Make sure your shoes are tied!”

“go pee before you start the race.”

“and the other one.”

“Remember to Vaseline your moving parts!
last edited: 10/08/04 10:10:28 AM”

“Leave it to waerowolf to remember the important stuff!”

“2 - Don't forget to win!

GhoulderMan
9:36:28 AM
10/08/04


That's right! Khannouchi is going DOWN!”

“good luck, hubby.”

“Oops - I posted a minute ago that our good friend Khalid had cancelled due to injury, according to a friend of mine. But I found an AP story saying he was primed and ready to go!

But you can go after him, hub!!

Thank god for the EDIT function!
last edited: 10/08/04 11:21:48 AM”

“Go for the glory! I hope you have a good run. I won't make it this year. I have been holding out hope that I would, but can't do it. I will explain more on the running thread. Anyway, make us proud.”

“And good luck to your wife, too!!!

Hmmmm, maybe I should go into town for the Octoberfest on Sunday...”

“Well I logged onto the marathon site to track my friend, who was hoping to run a sub-2:30. His finish time was listed as 3:09:59, which is weird enough, but his splits listed on the site are all wacky. Like a 54:00 first 10k. Also, he apparently ran the 5k between 35 and 40k in a world record time of about 11 minutes! So I think their results need to get sorted out a bit, but I'll keep checking. I'd check on hubcap's time, etc., except it keeps giving me an error when I enter "hubcap."”

“Does it do it by their real name? What's the site?”

“Okay. I just found the site and did a search for Hubcap. As of right now, it doesn't show any info for him, but his wife's info is up.



Congratulations, you two!!!! Well done!!!!”

“What are their Bib #'s?”

“Wish I knew TTers were here (in Chicago) I had a 'presentation' just blocks from the 22 mile point. I could have cheered 'em on.”

“Could you see the runners from your soap box?

LOL.”

“nope. Not today. 'cept on TV before I left, as I was planning my route.

One year I was driving the South end of Lake Shore Drive and the left 2 lanes were closed for the run. Not a pretty site--traffic-wise. I learned my lesson.

So I made it to my soap-box without a problem. On the way home I saw some folks who either finished, or bailed standing at a bus-stop just above the Blue Line (Dan Ryan line). But it was only a few of them--so no crowds.

Admire those folks who can do that run, or even part of it. My knees said "NO" a few years back to running.

BTW, nowslimmer, how you doing?

Mark”

“I’m back home from the race – weary, but feeling fine. As always, it was quite a spectacle. For those looking for my time online, you’re not going to find it. My wife and I were a bit hurried this morning and once we got to the CARA tent she helped me by checking my gear and put my chip on my shoe. Some last minute bodyglide and we were off for the start area. Halfway to the area, I look down at my shoe…uh oh. The chip had come off. That has never happen to me before. It’s already later than I would have preferred getting to the start, but I decide to retrace my steps on the off chance that I can spot it. No dice. At this point I have to assure my very upset (read: tears) wife that it wasn’t a big deal to me. It’s not like I would be qualifying for Boston anyway, and I could still run the race, get the medal, all that. I just hope that someone picked it up and turned it in so I don’t have to pay the fee for not returning it.

So we get to the start area and press through the crowd as far as possible to get towards some semblance of an appropriate pace area for us. We end up getting grid locked at about the 11 minute pace mark. Oh well, this was to be a very weave-y first half. It took us around 13:10 to get to the start line from when the elites took off.

I ran the race and at the finish I turned off my watch with the face reading 4:22:38. This is a PR (though barely), and I guess I should be happy considering how much slower traffic I was dodging in the first half and that I didn’t kill myself since I feel pretty well now. I did slow down in the last six miles, which I am not too thrilled about. I guess I’ll have to keep trying these things to finish one with negative splits. This was my wife’s second marathon and she blew away her time from last year. She finished with a clock time of 4:52:sumthin and a chip time that should be 4:39:sumthin.

Bowlderman, the website results are a little wacked out right after the race. Last year it showed me running the first 10K like the Flash. Best wait until they finalize the results or you hear from your friends.

All told, a whale of a good time.”

“Thanks for the report and your question. Hope you're doing OK.

I'm doing lousy. My weight is way up and I'm way overdue for about three months of backpacking. It's been one thing after another causing delays, including all the hurricanes. I just finished the worst task___cleaning out and washing a large, stinking refrigerator, including all the shelves and drawers. Don't lose power for a refrigerator. I'm getting old and don't get much done each day.

One more task for tomorrow and I'll be headed north on Tuesday. By Friday night(or Monday night) I expect to be at Grinnell, Iowa. Going to celebrate Fall Break with my college daughter. We will do some car camping and hiking and, maybe, some backpacking and visiting in Minnesota. The last I heard was that she plans to give up an acting career after graduation in June and study law! I told her it was the same field. It appears that I will return to Florida within a month for some paper work with FEMA and the SBA. But during most of the next three months I should be accumulating bag nights and losing weight.

Question: Is it safe for me to drive a fully packed, small car on highway 41 between Indiana and the Outer Drive(Lake Shore Drive)? I used to live in several places near that road(South Shore Drive) between 75th and 79th. In fact I attended Bryn Mawr Grammer and South Shore High. And I used to sell Good Humor Ice Cream Bars at 77th and the drive, by the entrance to the parking lot for Rainbow Beach. Also, I lived on Cornell just north of the Field Museum. I'm probably better off not seeing the changes, but. Your suggestions will be appreciated.

You're welcome to view my album, nowslimmer, in Matt's new "Pictures" section.
last edited: 10/10/04 5:31:01 PM”

“COngrats Hubcap and your wife to! Finishing a marathon is an accomplishment.”

“Nice going Hubcap and wife. Anyone that run that far is A1 in my book.”

“Congrats, Hub and Wife!!!!!!!!!”

“Just got a (group) email an acquaintance sent out - he finished in a little over 2:57!!”

“Good for you guys! You are the first person I know firsthand who is a marathoner. I'm so honored.

BTW, I posted a picture of that funny sign we found in Wisconsin on the TT Pictures page.”

“Congrats to both of ya!!
I'm with NS on this......that is a LONG way to run :)”

“Way to go, Hubcap and Frau. After this, you might want to try a race with fewer people in it. Sounds like you could easily break four if you didn't have the slow-pokes running interference for you.”

“hubcap, great job on your marathon and your PR! I hope your legs are recovering well.”

“I checked the results for my 2:30-hopeful friend last night, and it appears that he did, in fact, crash and burn, not long after the halfway point. He hit the half in 1:17, which means he was probably already dying. 25-30k was about 23:00; 30-35k was about 25:00; and 35-40k was about 33:00. Ouch.”