Day 554 – US – Illinois [Chicago Marathon]

10/10/21

42km

  From Chicago (Illinois) to Chicago (Illinois)

North America

A festive and crowded run, Chicago Marathon, one of America’s most beautiful race

Runners gathering downtown Chicago at dawn

What a very different day today was… Waking up early and taking the morning train from the airport to downtown Chicago. Carriages full of runners in their attire. Walking the streets of Chicago at dawn from the station to the start pens. So many runners around, such a big event, music everywhere, and oh so well organised.

I made my way to my assigned start-pen. I had estimated my time should be around 4h30 if I’d be able to sustain my “normal pace” throughout (the uncertainty was, could I do it knowing that I did not intend to take any of my usual breaks today). At 8am (my pen’s official start time) everyone started to move towards the start arch. It took us over 20mn to reach it, that tells something about how crowded it was!

Spectators throughout the 26.2 miles course

So many things were different from my normal running: I didn’t have to push the stroller, I didn’t take breaks, I also did not have my water bottles handy. But there were many water stations along the way.. Surprisingly I was able to maintain a steady pace throughout, managing a perfect even split! (2h17 for both the first and second half). I was surprised that I was able to be so constant.

Running through all the districts of downtown Chicago

Around me, things were a bit different too. Until km15 I was constantly passed by people – to the point where I wondered if maybe I had started in the wrong start-pen. But then by km15, things turned around, and I started to pass people. It stayed this way till around km30 where something else occurred. Namely the disintegration of runners! One after the other they started to peel off, walking, stopping to stretch, sitting down… the famous wall. I really don’t think there is such a thing as a wall (physically). But when you’re told over and over that there IS a wall and that you’re gonna hit this wall around km30-35, then… I guess you are conditioned to run into it!

I don’t often get a medal (never!) when I finsh a run!

Anyway – it was a great run and I am really honoured that I was invited to be a part of it.

Bit of trivia: Rosie Swale-Pope, one of the 6 runners to have run around the world (the 2nd person and the only woman) ran the Chicago marathon too during her crossing of North America in 2006!

Enjoy the video of today’s run: https://www.relive.cc/view/vRO7VKRP9Kv

Check my daily run GPS data on or

Here is the map of today’s run: