Chicago Marathon: Top 10 States, Finish Times: New York is Fastest

At the Chicago Marathon in 2009, the number of finishers in the top 10 states exceeded 23,000, or about 70% of all finishers. Comparing the top 10 states, New York had the fastest field in the Chicago Marathon, with a 4:15 average finish time. Michigan came in second, barely ahead of Ohio, with 4:22 vs. 4:23 average times, respectively. Time will tell, literally, if New York can successfully defend its title in the 2010 Chicago Marathon.


For more, see our Complete Chicago Marathon Coverage.

Chicago Marathon Race Pace: Running to Qualify for Boston


Many of you might be running the Chicago Marathon this year with a simple goal: Qualify for Boston. Many more of you want to know what race pace you might realistically expect to achieve. This article is for both audiences, though it is from the perspective of Boston qualification.


There are different ways to qualify for Boston on the same course. I’ve run a Boston qualifying time in my last nine Chicago marathons, but I have yet to run a perfect marathon in Chicago. I have had good qualifying runs and painful qualifying runs. I have not been able to run negative split marathons. I simply have done the best my conditioning and experience allowed at the time.

And that’s what this article will show you — the details behind several of my Chicago marathons, for insight into my approach to qualifying for Boston at the Chicago Marathon.

The first time I ran Chicago in an attempt to qualify for Boston was in 1995. I was an inexperienced marathoner with two marathons under my belt: a 4:47 debut in Chicago 1994, and a 3:48 at Lake County in April 2005.



Qualifying the Wrong Way

I trained diligently to get comfortable running 7:29 miles, the magic pace that would lead to a Boston qualifying time of 3:15. I approached the starting line in 1995 ready to qualify. And I charged out fast right from the start. Bad idea.

I ran the first half fast; way too fast. I ran the first 13.1 miles in 1:29:53, and then it all began to fall apart. By mile 15 I had slipped to 7:30 miles, creeping steadily slower until I was barely hanging on to 8 minute pace at mile 21. By mile 24, my watch was telling me a 3:15 qualifying time was within reach, but slipping away fast.

I slowed to 8:30/mile pace as the pain intensified and my desire to give up increased. I wished I was not so close to qualifying; it would make slowing down much easier. But I had to keep going, and soon the finish line was in sight. After an excruciating 1:44 second half, I did cross the line with a 3:14:28 finishing time. I had qualified.

Qualifying the Right Way

I returned the next year to run almost exactly the same overall time, but the pacing was far different. More balanced, steadier, in control. Take a look at the mile-by-mile splits. Yes, the pace eased later in the race – as it does each time I run Chicago – but I felt reasonably great when I finished.

Not Just Barely Qualifying: Running Faster

By the time my qualifying standard increased to 3:20, I was running much faster.

My next breakthrough in Chicago was a 10-minute improvement to 3:05 in 1999. I had been competing in triathlons for a few years, and was a better all around athlete. In 1999 I came my closest to running a perfect marathon in Chicago: 1:30 in the first half; 1:35 in the second half. The next three years, I ran about the same time, with subtle differences, mainly slightly faster first halves and slower finishes.

What makes the difference in running Chicago well or poorly, fast or faster? It’s how you handle the course.

Easy Does It

Yes, Chicago is a comfortable, flat course. Yes, it can be fast. But the downside is that it can be terribly seductive in the first 13 miles.

You are with thousands of runners, surrounded by thousands more spectators. There is cheering from within the pack of runners and from both sides of the street.

The first miles feel too easy. You are fast; you’ve trained for this. It’s your day. The pace pulls you along, It’s like running 75 mph in a 55 mph zone; it’s ok, but you might get caught.

You need to control your own race as soon as you can. Allow things to sort themselves out in the first mile or two, then settle down to the pace you planned to run. You don’t need to let your watch control your race. Run at the pace that feels comfortable. But if you see that you’re 30 seconds faster per mile than you expected, that’s probably not a reason to be excited. It’s a reason for caution. Take it easy.

As you head north through the Lincoln Park Zoo toward Fullerton, sometimes the hardest thing is to see people passing you. Let them go. Run your race, and you’ll see them later.

When the course makes the turn to head back toward the loop, most runners around you will have settled into a rhythm. You should, too. Continue to run at your planned pace. It’s a good thing to see mile after mile within a few seconds of each other.

When it All Changes

One of my favorite parts of the race is running through the Loop as the 13.1 mile point approaches. Crowds are thick, I’ll see my family soon, and I’m feeling pretty good. Beware: as soon as you cross the 90/94 bridge on Adams headed west, it all changes.

It gets quiet. The pack thins out. You still have half a marathon to go. You might not feel as zippy. This is the time when you need to make a point of holding onto your concentration, holding onto your pace. Slow down in the teen miles – 14 to 19 – and your chances of qualifying can slip toward the danger zone. You tend to not get faster after that.

You will be running through the West Loop, out, back, out, back, and suddenly the miles seem longer. Just take it a mile at a time. Don’t let yourself lose focus. Give it that extra effort. Tell yourself at this point it can hurt more to run slow than to run fast. Keep going.

The stretch between the dancing dragon in Chinatown and White Sox park is sort of no-man’s land. Still not close enough to the finish, but far enough from the start to have been running hard for more than two hours. Put your head down and focus only on getting to White Sox Park. When you get there, you will have broken through the mythical wall, and will be on your way home.

After Sox park, you turn left over the Kennedy, then left again to face the Sears Tower. In a way, you can see the finish line, just a few miles ahead. You’re getting there.

The Difference

If it’s close, the difference between qualifying for Boston or not will become clear in the last 4 miles. If you have run smart, you will be exhausted, but in control enough to hold onto your pace. You will have the strength to reach the mile 24 marker, and if your watch tells you to speed up, you’ll be able to do so. That’s what you ultimately want. Strength to go fast in the final two miles. That may make the difference.

Take Michigan Avenue north to Roosevelt, and you’re almost there. Rounding the turn to the finish line, the 26 mile clock will be there. It can take from 1.5 minutes to 2 minutes to run those final 385 yards. Don’t slow down now

Run fast. Run with purpose. Run with a smile as you cross the line. Run your way to a qualifying time.

Good luck.

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Notes for Marathon Rookies: What to Expect in Your First Marathon



[Excerpts are from the book: Chicago Marathon. Also see our Marathon Advice, our complete  Chicago Marathon Coverage, and the RunTri.com site map.]

Running a marathon was always one of those ‘Someday I want to . . . ‘ things, but it seemed far beyond reach. Then at age 33, and with no running background whatsoever, I stumbled upon a Chicago Marathon application in a business lunchroom. It said: finish in 5 1/2 hours, get a finisher’s medal.

Ignoring any sense of logic, I thought: how hard can 5 1/2 hours be? Never mind that I had never really tried to run. Before I could talk myself out of the impulse, I filled out the application, wrote a check, dropped the envelope in the mail. Then I told my wife. She thought I was insane.

Ten weeks later, with several 9-mile runs and a by-the-book -- though pretty terrible and discouraging -- long run of 20 miles under my belt, I was standing at the starting line of the Chicago Marathon, grinning but not really knowing what I was in for. I decided I’d just keep moving forward. To this day, that’s the most important lesson I’ve learned: keep moving forward.

I’ve run Chicago twelve times, and I can tell you, from the first one on October 30, 1994 to the last, there’s almost no marathon as exciting and fun as Chicago. 

I wrote this piece years ago for a group of runners preparing for their first Chicago Marathon. It's been passed on from runner to runner, and I'm happy to share it here: this is what 
 you might expect in your first marathon.



The first and last thing to keep in mind is -- whether it's Chicago or another marathon -- it's a journey. And the point of the journey is not just about arriving at the end, it's about everything that happens along the way. Embrace it, draw from it, endure it and own it: the spirit of the marathon.


Before the Race

Enjoy the pre-race expo, it’s the appetizer to the event. There’s an incredible buzz of excitement, thousands of runners picking up their race numbers, all of them anticipating a great day. Walk every aisle. Sample stuff; talk to exhibitors, soak it in.

Worried about what time to arrive in the vicinity of the starting area on race morning? Keep it simple: whatever time you think is an adequate arrival time, you'll be happier to be there 30 minutes earlier.

About 45 minutes before race time, start walking toward the line. If it’s cold, put on a large black Hefty garbage bag (poke holes for arms and head) and it’ll keep you warm. You will not look silly; many others will do the same. Just before the start, you can discard the bag.

With more than 35,000 runners, you will be surrounded by people from start to finish. These are your new friends for the day. You will all be bonded by a common goal and purpose — getting to the finish line. Get to know them. In the start area, look to your left, right, front, back, shake each person’s hand, tell them it’s a great day, wish them luck.

Smile. Congratulate yourself a little. You're at the start of something great. Something that you once thought was impossible. Really impossible. But you're there, ready to make the impossible possible. Good for you.

Start

The start of the race is an experience like no other. 35,000 people will move forward almost as one; picture everyone in Wrigley Field all running down Addison; that’s what this is. Smile as you shuffle across the start line. Don’t get impatient if you can’t start running right away, enjoy those walking steps as the field slowly begins to find room to run.

As you run under overpasses in the next two miles, smile and wave at the hundreds of people looking down. Draw on their smiles and excitement. Spectators will line the road, very thick at times, for most of the first 13 miles. Smile and wave when you can.

There will be water stations every mile. I’d stop at every other one. You don’t need to drink heavily, a half cup will be fine. Later in the race, if you need more, take it. To each person who hands you a cup, say: thank you for being here!

From LaSalle St (mile 2) through Lincoln Park Zoo (mile 5), to Addison/Broadway and Clark (mile 8-9), and back north to Wacker (mile 12) take in the sights of Chicago all around you. What a fabulous tour!

Reaching Wacker Drive, you will not recognize it, for all the spectators on either side. Knowing they are there is what helps literally pull me to the loop for miles 9 to 12. They say: you look great, you’re doing great, you’re almost halfway there!! You couldn’t agree more. Smile, enjoy, be proud of yourself.

Part Two

Then it does get different. Heading West past mile 13 on Adams, things thin out a lot. The spectators aren’t there, you’re heading away from Chicago, you still have half way to go. If the crowd and the excitement carried you the first 13 miles, your legs will do more of the work on the teen miles. Don’t worry about where you are in the race, don’t ask: are we there yet? Because you’re not, and won’t be for some time.

Not that that’s such a bad thing. I tell people that there’s no vacation as pure as a marathon or an Ironman triathlon. Rare is the opportunity to be completely isolated, alone with your thoughts, yet in company of others in pursuit of the same goal. This is where a favorite saying of mine kicks in — the point of the journey is not to arrive; anything can happen.

And at this point in the race, things will happen. Thoughts will come to you that you’ll retain for years. What may seem like an ordinary left turn from Adams onto Damen at mile 15 might be your most lasting memory of this event years from now. It may be the time at which you discovered something great about yourself, the time at which you found renewed strength, the time you thought all was lost, anything. But you will keep moving forward.

Continue to draw energy from the people around you. By now, you’ll actually recognize people who’ve been with/near you for miles. Talk to them, have fun with them. How you feel, they feel. You have company.

You may be getting sore. In more places than one. I like to say that if you run long enough, you’ll get to the point where everything hurts louder than everything else. Then you keep moving forward.

Hang in There

If you need to walk, walk. There will be people who walk every step of the day. You’re all headed the same direction. No problem.

You also may be thinking, where are we going? Thankfully, you’re heading for some fun. I like to look forward to things, things to keep me going, and one of those is Chinatown at mile 21.

Crowds fill up again, there’s the giant dragon, a TV camera or two, and when you make that right turn through Chinatown, prepare to smile for the camera! There’s always a race photographer waiting for you there.

The next thing to look forward to on your trip south is passing by White Sox Park. You will run a mile or two then see it in a distance. I remember seeing Oprah in 1994 at the side of the road, cheering people on. To this day, I still look for Oprah there. You can too. If she’s not there, look forward to the rock band playing in the shade of the ballpark by the water station. Walk through this station, drink 2 cups of Gatorade, momentarily enjoy the music, then move on. Less than 4 miles to go.

To be honest, the next 3 miles aren’t the easiest. Not that they’re any harder than the previous ones, but it’s where they are in the race. I must confess, I was walking non-stop by this point in my first one. Even now, when I’m running pretty fast at this point, it’s not easy. But this situation is alleviated by one thought: it will be over SOON. Keep moving forward, you’re getting closer.

Final Approach

And as you get closer, a great landmark will get bigger. The Sears Tower becomes your beacon; each step closer towards it is a step closer to your own personal victory. You are almost there. You are almost a marathon finisher. Keep going!

Savor the final turns, from Michigan Ave right onto Roosevelt Rd then left onto Columbus Drive. On Columbus Drive, all of a sudden the road opens wide. After all those miles where you were so close to other runners, all of a sudden you’re out in the open, seemingly alone. And you see the finish line a few hundred yards ahead.

It can be the most wonderful sight. You’ll never forget it. At that moment, you can choose how you want it to end. You can run straight ahead; you can veer over to the side and high-five spectators; you can look for families and friends who might be there. Just don’t forget to make it to the line, sometime.

When you do cross the line, SMILE. You’ve done it! And photographers will take your picture to prove you finished; better to look good!

The Point of the Journey

You can learn more about yourself in 26.2 miles than you have in years. There will be moments when you don’t feel well, there will be moments you feel elated. There will be moments when you realize that you’ve gotten through something you never thought you could get through, and those are the best moments of all.

You can live a lifetime out there, but it will be over in the blink of an eye. The point of the journey is not to arrive; anything can happen. And it will. You will finish, you be able to celebrate an achievement like no other. 
Enjoy.

Spectator notes: if friends/family do want to come see you, it helps to have a rough idea when you might see them. A system that worked for my family was to meet me on Adams as the race headed west (about mile 13), then they’d go to the Palmer House for hot chocolate and to read the paper, heading to the finish line a little before my projected time.

They loved this plan, and I loved seeing them. My rule: if I saw them, I’d always stop for a kiss and a hug. My wife and kids have never forgotten those moments, neither have I.

Expectations notes: Know that someone will finish the race in more than 7 hours. Someone else will finish it in closer to 2 hours. In between, 34,998 others will finish, and you’ll be one of them. Do not worry how fast you finish. Do the best you can, in the moment, and that’s the best you can do. And that, in and of itself, is victory.



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