Two days after the Chicago Marathon a strawberry fruit bar and a browning banana were the only edible post-race items left.  I ripped open the wrapper and in two bites the mushy, crumbly bar was gone.  I sipped some freshly brewed green tea and picked up the banana.  The snap of the peel signaled the end of my marathon experience.  It hadn’t gone as well as I hoped but it was fun anyway.

Marathon Start

I looked at the clock and slowly rolled out of bed.  The sight of the achiral, palindromic 5:15 time made me smile.  Marathon #25 was only a few hours away.

I put on the pieces of running gear I had laid on the floor:  Blue shirt, grey Adidas shorts, running socks, Polar watch, Nike shoes and a blue Nike cap.   “If only I could get a sponsorship out of one of these companies”, I thought.

I took out the sample tube of Body glide and applied it to the 9 spots you must treat to prevent chafing.  Of all the pains you’ll feel after the marathon, chafing is most annoying.

Outside a slight breeze kept the temperature down.  But you could tell when the sun came up, things would get much hotter.

I listened to music on my walk to the train station.  ELO – Mr. Blue Sky.  I just love the line “Hey you with the pretty face, welcome to the human race” and sang it out loud.   When a bus pulled alongside, I hopped in.  No sense wasting precious energy walking.

On the El platform I stood in the dark waiting for the train.  To calm my nerves, I pulled out my Gballz and juggled.  Juggling focuses your attention and it’s difficult to think of much else while you’re doing it.  This is why it’s good for calming your nerves.  When I stopped, I heard a smattering of applause.  “Are you going to do that in the marathon?” asked a woman who was steeped in her running gear.  “Yup.  It’s my thing”, I replied.

A 25 minute train ride later, I was downtown and quickly made my way to gear check.  No matter how early you are, until you’re in the starting corral you always have an uneasy feeling you’ll miss the start.

At the gear check, I stripped to my joggling outfit.   I packed my headphones, deciding to run sound free.   I hadn’t done a marathon without headphones since 2003, but this time I wanted to hear the crowd.

I gulped down some plain black tea brewed the night before.  Caffeine should improve my performance.  I just hoped it didn’t cause me to have to piss.

I met up with members from my running tribe including John Kelly, Brandon, Brian, Shannon, and Michelle.  We stood outside the corrals and waited for about 15 minutes.  We made small talk and laughed a little but you could tell, everyone was nervous.

As I walked to the start, it occurred to me, I forgot to eat.  Drinking extra Gatorade during the race would be required.  The temperature was warm but not terrible.  There was a slight breeze off the lake and the low sun painted everything orange.

Since 3:15 was my dream goal, I tried to start with that pace group.  Unfortunately, there was no 3:15 pace group.  So, I started with the 3:10 group.  This set up a classic Perry race.  Start fast and burn out.  Just once I’d like to do a negative split in the marathon.

Marathon Early Moments

The first few miles of a marathon are a breeze.  You’re flush with a feeling of euphoria.  Chilled waves run from your ears to your toes leaving goose bumps in their wake.  Your stomach gets queasy and you feel like you’ve just seen the object of your infatuation.

And the crowds are energized too.  At the start the spectators are most boisterous.  They’ve been waiting, building up their excitement.  A little energy is expended for the pros but they run by so fast, it’s like a volcano letting off a little steam.  But when the mass of seeded and open runners come out, the crowd explodes like Nevado del Huila.  They cheer louder and louder.  Screaming, yelling, arms waving.  It’s amazing.

I always joggle on the right side and look at the faces of the crowd.  To most people, I pass unnoticed.  There are a lot of runners and watching them go by is like looking at a Monet.  But many do see the joggling.  We lock eyes and people usually have one of the following reactions.

1.They smile – Often a big grin.
2.Their eyes open wide and look shocked and surprised
3.They point and yell – “Hey that guys juggling!”
4.The look confused – “Was that guy just juggling?”

Early on in the race, I lap this attention up like a cat licking an ice cream cone.  I ham it up for the crowd throwing the Gballz high in the air and slapping people’s hands or winking and smiling.  I take wide turns where the crowds are bigger practically joggling sideways to elicit louder cheers.  (And I wonder where my energy goes).  Before you know it, 6 miles have passed and you’re a mere 20-mile training run away from the finish.  Yeah right.

As I made my way south, I continued to do joggling tricks.  At mile 8 there was a big balloon banner going across the street.  I threw a bean bag high over the banner, looked into the crowd, pointed, winked and then caught the bag off my chest.  The crowd went wild.  A half mile later there was a group of spectators holding cans of Bud Light beer saying “free beer for runners.”  When they saw me, they said “No beer for you juggler”.  I threw a ball up high, faked like I was trying to take a beer and quipped “Aw come on!”

But despite my good spirits, this was going to be a tough run.  Cramps at mile 7 felt like someone stabbing me in the kneecaps.   At mile 11, there were almost no 3:10 pace groupers around.  I was now surrounded by 3:20s.   Boston was slipping away.

Marathon’s Second Half

The half-way point of the Chicago Marathon is downtown in the shadow of the tallest building in the United States, the Sears Tower.  It’s conveniently located by a few train stations so the crowds are some of the biggest you’ll find in the whole marathon.  Inspiring.

I crossed the half around 1:39.   “Repeat what you just did and you’ll get your qualifier,” I thought.  Then I added, “Yeah right.”

The Chicago marathon is a good one for me because there are lots of familiar faces in the crowd.  Along the way I saw and heard lots of friends.  This is an advantage of not wearing headphones.   My favorite sighting was Shannon and her mom and dad.  I saw them in the distance and focused hard to look good despite feeling awful.  That’s the thing about doing a marathon.  If you know someone will be watching you at a certain point, you’ll get a natural energy boost trying to look good.

The second half was full of pain.  Cramps hit my knees, calves and thighs.  My shoulders were sore and I felt the formation of a blister on my toe.

Around mile 17, I saw my buddy John Kelly about 100 yards ahead.  He’s been training hard and I was prepared (and even hoping) to finish behind him for the second time in a marathon.  However, I wanted to finish second to his 3:15 time with my own 3:20 time.  Clearly, both of us were struggling.  I kept him in my sights for about half a mile then lost him in the crowd.  I searched for him the rest of the race but didn’t see him.

In mile 18, I learned what it must feel like for other runners to be next to a joggler.  Typically, when I go by the crowds yell something like “Look it’s a juggler”.  “We love you joggler”  “You’re amazing juggler man”.  etc.  But as I made a turn into the 18th mile I heard the crowd yelling “Hey Batman & Robin”  “Way to go Batman!”  “You’re awesome Batman & Robin”.  After a couple minutes, two guys dressed in Batman & Robin outfits ran passed.   I never saw them again.  There’s no shame in losing to costumed runners, as long as you run every race as best you can.

By mile 20, all the 3:20 people were gone and with them my hopes of a Boston Qualifier and a PR.  Finishing this damn race was my my focus now.    Since joggling doesn’t allow much chance to look at your watch, I couldn’t tell what my pace was.  At each mile marker I looked at my time but I didn’t know how far off my time was from the official race clocks.  It turns out, about 6 minutes.

The temperature increased significantly and I began to overheat.  My routine through the water stations was as follows.  Drink 2 Gatorades, drink 1 water, drink half of another water and pour the rest over my head.  The cold water down my back woke me up.  It was like the instant awareness you feel when jumping in a cold shower.

There is a point in the marathon path where you could easily cut out a couple miles.  Just after the half-way point, you could cut down a side street and meet up with the pack saving yourself 20 minutes easily.  The way I felt at the time, I briefly considered it.  Of course, it’s silly to even think about.  What’s the point of doing a marathon if you’re not going to run the whole thing?  It’s not like cutting 20 minutes off your time is going to win you any money.  You’ll still lose to the elites by over an hour.  I did wonder however, if anybody really does cheat.  The feeling is certainly understandable.

To make it through the final 10K, I tried my visualization techniques.  6 miles is the same as joggling down North avenue to the beach and back.  I watched myself run the sidewalk passed Walgreens.  Then passed the laundromat, then to the gas station.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t keep it up for very long.  It’s much easier to do on a treadmill than when you’re outside.

In the last mile, I passed all the walkers.  There are a lot of them starting about mile 21.  By mile 24, there were more walkers than runners.  It gets better in mile 25 because people want to finish strong, but there are still many walkers.

In the final hill you want to finish strong.  The crowds roar and you completely focus on the finish line.  You can forget about the shooting pains in your muscles and just go for it.  As I sprint joggled to the end I heard my name on the speaker.   That was cool.  In the end my time was 3:39:36.  Three seconds off a palindromic time.  Darn.  Still a respectable marathon time.  I was happy.

After the marathon

The end of the race was so warm that there was no need for the silver.  I took it anyway so I’d have something to hold my post-race food with.  After a marathon you don’t usually feel like eating much.  I put an ice pack on my head and walked through the finish area.  I grabbed a beer and slowly drank it down.  It was really too bitter for my tastes.  I prefer a watered down version of my regular American beer.

A few people around me asked if I juggled the whole way and I told them I did.  I also asked them how they did.  I love to hear marathon stories from other runners.  Most people complained about the heat.

I walked over to gear check and got my stuff.  Immediately, I changed my clothes.  This is a trick I learned over my marathon career.  Always bring a change of clothes!  You can still wear your medal around your neck so people know you ran but a change of clothes will prevent chaffing and getting the shivers.  Also, take some aspirin (or headache medicine).  You’ll soon develop a headache so you’ll want to be prepared.

I found John Kelly and we talked about our times.  He had a tougher go in the second half then me and finished a few minutes after.  Guess we won’t be doing Boston next April.

After the marathon Shannon, her parents and I went out for pizza at Piece.  I had another bitter beer, ate a couple pieces of cheese and sausage pizza, and watched the Bears blow another close one.  When I got home, I laid down stretched out on the couch and took a nap.

Now that final remnants of the marathon are gone, I’m left to wonder…What next?

This is continued from London marathon part 1 and part 2

Despite the rain, I felt great. I wasn’t sure about my pace at the start and didn’t know what kind of time I might achieve. At mile 2 the race clock showed 14 minutes and some change. At 3 miles, it was at 22:10 which meant I was doing somewhere around 7 – 7:10 miles. Not bad. At the 5 mile mark, I was at 36 min and some change. Only 2 minutes slower than my Shamrock Shuffle time two weeks before. Was I really running this well?

At mile 10, I passed through the balloon laced line at 1:13. By the half-way point when I saw a 1:38 on the clock, I wondered,

Could a Boston Qualifier be in the cards today?

Wishful thinking. In my 12-year marathon career, I’ve never, ever had a negative split. Perhaps it’s improper training or maybe I just don’t have heart. But I never seem to be able to suck up the pain and get faster in the second half of the race. It’s more a survival story for the second 13 miles of the marathon. I wish I knew how to change that.

By mile 20, I slowed significantly and was just hanging on. “Why didn’t I train harder?”

The crowds continued to cheer loudly but my swagger was gone. No more cheeky grins. No more winking. No more high throwing high fives with the little kids. No more sign tricks. No more nothing. All I could do was focus on finishing. A 9-minute mile pace would get me a sub-3:40 marathon. Not great but with a bit more effort maybe I could hit the 3:30 mark.

The Finish

A “Hey Perry” midway through mile 23 interrupted my homunculus battle and pulled my disembodied self back into my head. It was John Kelly.

He looked only slightly better than me and appeared to be slowing to run with me. He must have been telepathic because in my mind, I told him he should not let me slow him down but should finish strong. Moments after I thought it, he pulled away. He had a chance to PR and I didn’t want to jeopardize it. (He finished close with a 3:31).

True, this would be the first time he bested me in a marathon. It would also be the second race in a row that I lost to him. And while he is younger and weighs less, I still have a spot in my head that believes I should finish ahead of him. I’m the seasoned running veteran. The marathon is my race. Now, it’s his too.

At mile 24, my time was 3:17. If I could just peal off a couple of 7 minute miles, I’d be able to crack the 3:30 mark. Unfortunately, my body’s ability to do 7 min miles disappeared about 13 miles ago. 8 minute miles? Maybe, but probably more like 8:30s.

In mile 25, I realized that I hadn’t had a drop. Just over one mile away from perfection. This was no time to get cocky however. There had been at least 4 other marathons in which my first drop came in the 25th mile.

The final stretch was great. The crowd was rowdy and the cheers roared. I saw the clock and pushed hard to pass the finish line before the 3:35 switched to 3:36. I didn’t have much kick left but enough to pass a few people. When I turned off my watch it read 3:35:46. My official time was 10 seconds faster.

I did it.

Finished the London Marathon (my 24th) with no drops and no stops. A perfect joggle. And I think I even beat Fred Flintstone.

Epilogue

Overall, I was satisfied with my effort. I would’ve liked to have gone faster but considering all the factors like traveling, the tough winter training, the soreness of my legs, and the fact that I made it through without a drop, I’m happy. I was also happy with John Kelly’s race. I know he trained harder for this one than any before. The work has paid off.

Just a bit of advice about traveling for a marathon. If you’re going to do a marathon while on a vacation, be sure to run it first. You don’t want to spend your entire vacation time anticipating the race.

See London Marathon Part 1 for the beginning of the story

At marathon mile 23 your body begins to tingle and concentration is difficult. Forget about smiling for pictures.

“Why don’t you just stop?”
“No. No stopping”
“Come on. It’ll stop hurting.”
“No. It’ll hurt worse.”
“Really, just take a short walk through the next water stop. You’ll feel much better.”
“There will be no stopping!”
“Why bother? You aren’t going to PR, you aren’t going to break a record. You aren’t going to accomplish anything. Hell, you’re not even going to beat John Kelly!”
“Shut up! No stopping.”
“It hurts!”
“The crowd doesn’t want to see a walking joggler. Walking makes the pain last longer. Just get over the pain and keep moving.”

On and on these two battle. In my younger years, the walking side won. But I learned to defeat that side. I haven’t walked in a marathon in 7 years. There’s no secret to defeating the evil homunculus. You just decide you will.

The early race miles

As always the first few miles were a blur. I have no sense of pacing and did nothing but smile and watch the crowd react as they see a joggler pass. The first few miles of a marathon are always my favorite. You’re full of energy as is everyone around you. The crowd noise sounds like Chicago’s El as you pass by.

You hear things like “WOW, that guy is juggling!” “That’s incredible!” “I can’t believe it!” “Did you see that guy juggling!?”

People’s faces light up when they see someone joggling. And though the effect is probably the same as how they react to a guy wearing a Superman outfit, it’s still fun. It also makes the running easier.

In the crowd are little kids holding their hands out for runners to slap. In this race I tried a new trick. Whenever I saw a kid holding their hand out, I’d throw a beanbag about 3 times higher. As it made it’s trek back to Earth, I took the beanbag in my right hand and hit the kid’s hand with it. Then before the first beanbag came crashing down, I threw the bag from my left hand and caught the first one. My very own joggling high five! Seasoned jogglers have to try that trick.

The course

The London marathon course is moderately flat but there are significant sections of rolling hills. The start features some excellent downhill stretches that make you feel like you’re flying. From mile 3 through 12, it’s a flat jaunt through neighborhood streets. Just before the halfway point you go over Tower Bridge. On your left is Tower Castle, the fort/museum that holds the crown jewels. After the bridge, you run parallel with the course’s miles 23 and 24. If you’re really good, you won’t see other runners there. If you’re an average joggler, you’ll see some of the elite women motoring by. The pros are always inspiring.

Miles 14-19 are on a place (according to Roads of Stone) called Canary Wharf. It’s scenic and reminds me of being in an old seaside village on the east coast. They even have cobblestone roads. Fortunately, the running time on those was minimal.

Miles 20 – 22 bring you through their “downtown”. This is where you’ll find all the skyscrapers in London. As skyscrapers go, these weren’t terribly impressive. Of course, I’m from Chicago where we have some of the most massive buildings in the world. Nice enough area though.

Miles 23 and 24 give you a chance to see other runners passing the half-way point. London has many stunt runners and this is a great place to see them. Hundreds of costumes, but also people running on stilts, connected through a cow or horse costume, dribbling basketballs, etc. Londoners love their stunt runners. That’s why this joggler felt a warm reception.

The final miles take you past Big Ben, The Millennium Bridge, The London Eye, and all the other structures for which London is famous. As you approach Buckingham Palace, you’ll see an 800m sign. Then a 600m sign. You make a quick right turn at the 400m sign. Then you see the 200m and finally the finish.

Mid miles

After the initial energy rush of the first few miles, I settled into a good rhythm. Step, throw, step, catch, step, throw, step, catch. The Gballz landed perfectly each time. It still often amazes me how my hands know just where to be. No thinking required.

At mile 10 the rain started. First, it was a cool drizzle. A half mile later it was a steady stream. The Gballz became slippery in my hands.

Flashback to 1998, the North Shore Half marathon, the wettest race I ever joggled. The raindrops felt like bullets of hail. My view was obscured by water on my glasses making the joggling bags look like fuzzy blobs. My cotton shirt was an anchor and each step felt like squishing in a pool of mud. That race was lonely. Except for other runners, there was no one else on the course. No people with flags cheering loudly. No little kids holding their hands up so some runner might slap it. Just a desolate, lonely road which made you wonder aloud why you were running. And it made you think you might be crazy for juggling.

It was this moment that I knew I was joggling for more than just the attention of the crowd.

Beyond the wetness of the rain, the London marathon was not like this at all. The crowds remained and were huge. There were people stacked 3 and 4 rows along the entire way. And rain didn’t seem to bother them. They cheered loudly. Some held umbrellas but others were completely unprotected, oblivious to the water beading up on their clothes. It was not a begrudging acceptance of the rain, but almost an appreciation for it. The rain seemed as much a part of their lives as the air they breathed. Nothing stopped these marathoner supporters. I’ve never seen a better marathon crowd.

The rain continued for another 8 miles. Inconvenient, but if the crowd was staying then we had to stay out there and keep going our hardest. Lord knows these people would appreciate seeing a little juggling

Continued in London Marathon Part 3 tomorrow

At long last, the race write-up for the London Marathon. It seems I had a lot to say about this race. I’ll have to break it up into 3 different parts.

Joggling the London Marathon

As Fred Flintstone passed, the tinitus buzzed in my ear. It was like he hit me with a club but I knew better. This was mile 22 of the marathon. The feelings were familiar. The ringing in my head, the reverberating pain with each leg landing, and the sensation of self displacement. You’re not in your brain anymore. You’re somewhere above your head, looking down, watching and wondering why the hell you are doing this.

If you’re lucky your homunculus won’t try to convince you to stop. He won’t tell you how much better you’ll feel if you just start walking. He won’t remind you how slow you’re running or how you’re never going to qualify for Boston. If you’re lucky he just remains perplexed. In this race, I wasn’t lucky.

Pre-Start.

6:30 am.

A phone rings.

“This is your wake-up call” chimes a British accent.

It wasn’t really needed as I’d been up for at least half an hour fretting over the impending race. I wondered whether I would PR or BQ qualify or even finish. Will I forget something? Did I train enough? What if I forget my Gballz? What if I forget how to juggle? Each of my 24 marathons have started similarly. The familiarity of feeling is heartwarming.

I put on my marathon uniform consisting of Spandex shorts, ankle high nylon socks, Nikes, a timing chip, a tattered and slightly smelly red joggling shirt, an iPod with a single ear-fitting headphone, a Timex Ironman 30-lap watch and race bib #54536 which is affixed with 4 small steel safety pins.

The morning meal, a Dr. Pepper and a Snickers bar. I briefly ponder how big brand names are taking over the world. Not sure if that’s good or bad.

John Kelly and I grab the rest of our gear and head out to catch the marathon shuttle bus. In my bag, I’ve packed the joggling marathon essentials:

Gballz shirt – for after the marathon
Minnesota Marathon long sleeve shirt – in case it’s too cold for the short sleeve shirt
Woosh woosh pants – in case it’s cold
Change of socks – again for the finish
iPod
3 Gballz
Running jacket – for the start and finish
Running gloves – maybe I’ll run in these

The temperature was a cool 44F. I was glad I wore extra clothes.

The bus ride was nice compared to the one you have to take for the New York marathon. You don’t have to wait in a big long line and the scenery is more interesting. In London there are dozens of little shops smooshed together. Mostly ones I’d never seen but every so often a KFC or a McDonalds reminds you that corporations are the new imperialists taking over every city they find. At least there weren’t any Walmarts.

As we made our way to the start, I wasn’t certain how well I’d do in this marathon. I could set a new record or struggle to break 4 hours. My training felt terrible. I don’t really know why. Perhaps tiredness from the 444 day joggling streak that included 2 marathons and a 50 miler. Or maybe I’m getting old. (over 14,250 days lived). All I know is that if I want to qualify for Boston, I’m going to have to do things a bit different. Previous training programs haven’t worked.

Marathon Start

The start area was incredible. They staged runners in three areas around a huge open grass field. Why there is this field remains a mystery but it comes in handy for marathon day. On a giant big screen TV they showed runners from all 3 start areas plus a history of the London marathon (this being the 100th running). There were sections for coffee & tea, water, the UK version of Gatorade, and lots and lots of places to go to the bathroom. Gear check was a line of big white trucks organized by bib number. Six hot air balloons stood by the start line. They looked like giant gumdrops.

We got there about 90 minutes before start time. This was nice as it gave us lots of time to get settled. Check gear, go to bathroom, get hydrated. It also gave me time to juggle. The other runners bathing in the warm sun we’re amused. “Are you going to do that in the marathon?” asked one gray-bearded runner with bad teeth. (Sometimes stereotypes are true.) “That’s my plan.” “That’s great mate. Good luck to ya.” People like to say ‘mate’ around here. Maybe I will.

After stripping down to the core running outfits & checking gear, JK and I went to our respective corrals. I was in #2. He was in #3. There was a chilly wind that sprayed us about once a minute. We runners all huddled next to each other like those giant Antarctic penguins. I couldn’t wait to start.

After 15 minutes, the gun went off and my 24th marathon began.

Continued in Part 2 and Part 3

After reading Randy’s glowing report about the Chickamauga Battlefield marathon, it made me think about my favorite marathon and why.

Having done 23, my favorite marathon is the Chicago Marathon. In this joggler’s opinion, it is the best marathon you can do particularly if you are a first-timer. Here are my top 7 reasons Chicago is my favorite marathon.

1. Best cheering section

Having a big crowd to cheer you on makes finishing the marathon ten times easier. You spend so much time looking in the crowd for familiar faces, you forget how much pain you’re in. And for juggling runners, when are you ever going to get to perform in front of an audience of over 100,000?

2. Easiest starting area

The New York marathon is a fine race and crossing over the bridge is inspiring. However, it takes an over 2 hour ride on a smelly bus just to get to the starting line. For Chicago, you hop on the el, walk a block or so to Buckingham Fountain and you’re there. No rush,no fuss.

3. Fast and easy course

Not that any marathon is “easy” but the Chicago marathon course is not as hard as some. New York has hills and bridges. Boston has a hill nicknamed “Heartbreak Hill”. The only hill in Chicago is a slight incline on the way into the final stretch. You would be hard-pressed to find a flatter, faster marathon than Chicago.

4. Great race expo

For a first timer, you’ll want to experience a big race expo. In Chicago, you won’t be disappointed. They’ll have representatives from hundreds of companies, races, and charities. The expo lasts a couple of days and you just might need it to see everything.

5. Easy to get in

Boston makes you qualify. New York makes you win the lottery. To get into the Chicago marathon, you merely have to sign your name and send in your money. They want you to run this race.

6. Best organization

In the Chicago marathon, it’s clear exactly where you are supposed to line up. If you are fortunate enough to get a seeded position, you simply line up in the appropriate corral. Even the non-seeded runners can find signs indicating their approximate pace. Sure the crowds are huge at the start and it may even take you 20 minutes to start, but that only adds to the excitement. At the end of the marathon, it’s simple to find your medal, get the aluminum warming sheet, and load up on food and drinks. They even have beer!

7. They are friendly to jogglers

Perhaps the best reason I love the Chicago marathon. In the 10 years that I’ve done the race, I’ve never once had an issue with someone getting annoyed that I was joggling. Granted, I follow all the tips to be a considerate joggler, but race officials have been perfectly willing to leave me alone and let me joggle.

So, that’s why the Chicago marathon is my favorite race. If you want small and intimate, forget it. If you want fast and roomy, you won’t find it here. But if you want to EXPERIENCE the marathon, then there is no better place to do it than the Chicago Marathon.

What do you think? Is Chicago the best marathon or do you have one that you think is better? Leave a comment and let us know.

Last post on this race, I promise.

I just got the results. The winner of this race did it in a blazing 5:31!! That’s around a 6:40 pace which is what I can do in a 5K. Ridiculous. It turns out I finished 16th out of 74 finishers with an “official” time of 8:23:52. Apparently, it took me 10 seconds to get to the start. No matter, I’ll take that. Now, I’ve got to file the paperwork with Guinness.

Thanks again to everyone for the great comments and support. It wouldn’t mean anything without you.

If you want to read an entertaining recap of the race check out Dave’s report. He ran and chatted with me for the first few miles. He had the unfortunate luck of getting his keys locked in his car right before the race and had to run without his watch, mp3 player or any of his supplies. Quite a story.

You can also see how Running Jayhawk’s race went and Ryan’s. He kicked the marathons a**.

For photos of the race, check out the smug mug page put together by Vincent Nall.

Now, I take a little break from running / joggling. Of course, I’m going to keep the joggling streak alive, but instead of 50 miles a week, I’ll go down to 15 – 20.

I need a rest.

Continued from part 2

Joggling Lap 3

Within the first 2 miles of the third lap, I thought I’d passed the girl in green. Her biking friends were stopped at a bathroom and I just assumed she was in there. But Kikta pointed her out up ahead. Damn, she’s good.

And speaking of good, as I entered mile 38, the first place runner passed me on his way back. He was over 2 hours faster than me. I was just happy he never lapped me.

I joggled along taking deep breaths to reduce muscle pain and juggling my attention between the Ante Up! podcast in my ear, the conversation with my bike spotters, and the comments of other runners and onlookers as I passed.

“You should use chain saws next time!”

“Are you chewing gum!?”

“There is something seriously wrong with you!”

Yes, but then again there is something seriously wrong with everyone, right?

At a refueling station I saw Running Jayhawk. She asked whether I was still on pace for the record. I was. I asked about her blisters. She said they were bad. I hope she finished. It was impressive that she was still making progress despite her obvious pain. This kind of exchange wouldn’t happen in a regular marathon. Those “short gallops” are all about speed.

When I met my cheering station for the third time there were a whole new crop of people. It was just great. When you see people cheering you on, it energizes you like you wouldn’t believe. I gulped some Gatorade, drank water, ate a few licorice pieces, took a couple more painkillers and joggled on. Less than 2 hours and this race would be done. I was looking forward to that.

On my third trip around the island I saw the girl in green again. She was almost 2 miles ahead of me now. Damn, she’s good. Catching her was unlikely. But there were a couple of guys in my sites. I focused on catching them. First up was a short guy in black. He was walking so I knew it was just a matter of time. Once you start walking a race it’s near impossible to restart. At least it is for me. I soon joggled past him and set my sites on the next guy. He was running faster than me but also taking walking breaks. We exchanged places between miles 40 and 46 until his walking breaks eventually gave me too much of a lead. I never saw him again.

When we passed Soldier Field for the last time John Kelly says, “Hey Perry, you know what mile you’re on?…44!”

It made me smile. It also messed with my brain because I saw another runner approaching and said, “Speaking of 44, look at this guy’s number.” It was 62. Yeah, I was a bit out of it.

The final approach to my cheering section led to my third drop. A gust of wind and a momentary lapse of attention spoiled my longest unblemished juggling streak of over 4 hours. This one was caught in pictures. I picked it up and felt pain pulsing up and down my arms. Ouch! I drank another Gatorade, took a mushy cough drop from my pocket and was off to finish. They were all going to meet me at the finish.

The last 4 miles were a blur. I did everything to distract myself from the pain. Singing along to ELO songs, joking with people we passed, calculating the number of miles left based on the street addresses on the path. Running over 7 and a half hours makes your brain buzz.

With less than 2 miles to go, I came around a curve and had my fourth and final drop. Wind can kill a perfect pattern. Two old people sitting on a bench looked over and smiled. I joked, “Guess I have to start over now!”

I recovered the bag and made my final push. I skipped the last refueling station and pushed through. You gotta finish these races in style. As we came into the final stretch my iPod gave out. Apparently, they last exactly 8 hours and 10 minutes on a full charge. My friend John Kelly started singing a song based on the classic “Go Cubs Go” tune. It went…

Go Perry Go…Go Perry Go…Hey Chicago what do you say, Perry’s gonna set a record today.

It was great. I zoomed around the last curve and saw my whole cheering section scattered along the route, my parents, my siblings, my friends, my wife…it was exhilarating. When I crossed the finish line, I was elated. 8:23:42 was the time on my watch. I had completed a 50 mile ultra marathon and now had the world record for the fastest one joggling at that distance. At least for that moment, no one in the existence of human kind had ever done it faster. One in 6.6 billion.

Now, at least for a little while, I’m not only rare…I’m unique.

To start at the beginning, see part 1 of this review

Continued from part 1

Joggling Lap 2

Just after lap 2 started, we picked up another bike spotter, John Kelly. He stayed with us the entire way after that. He also witnessed drop number 2 which happened 2:50 into the race. I don’t know why it happened. My right hand was in the right spot, but the bean bag hit my finger and tumbled to the ground. I stopped, grunted loudly and picked up the bag. Pain resonated throughout my body. As I walked back behind the drop line I took a deep breath and exhaled. This helps you get rid of pain.

Of the three laps, this felt the hardest. The wind constantly lashed hard and numerous joggling adjustments were required. Each stride brought more pain, but I kept up the pace. My bike spotters continued with encouragement which helped immensely. But what helped the most on that lap was when I came over the hill and saw my friends and family amassed at 31^st street. A tingling sensation started from the back of my head and ran through my entire body. It energized me and almost made me cry. I was so touched and happy that they came out and braved the cold, cloudy weather just to cheer me on.

I stopped briefly to say hi and refuel. In this race more than any before, refueling had an immediate, noticeable effect. Also, you don’t feel the same same sense of urgency as you do in a marathon. I never like to stop in marathons but in the ultra, I stopped at every refueling station. Never for more than a minute but always for some time.

In lap 2, I first saw the girl in green. One of her friends riding along side her slowed to talk to us. He said she was doing her first 50 miler after already conquering the marathon. I was just impressed how strong she looked. Her pace was only a bit quicker than mine so I tried to keep up.

On the second pass of my cheering section, the crowd was even bigger. I was elated. My brother jogged along and told me how great I was doing. He started taking photos so I straightened up to put on a good show. My parents and sister and friends were all there. The pain got worse so I downed a couple of painkillers (ibuprofen), and popped a cough drop to fight a persistent sore throat.

“How ya’ doin’?” I heard.

“I’m good. In pain, but feeling good,” was all I could muster.

By the time we reached the end of lap 2, I had been joggling longer than ever 5 hours, 27 min. To kick off the final lap, I ran under the finish line, threw a bean bag over the banner and joggled on. The crowd went nuts! I had three hours to finish 16 miles, catch the girl in green and break the world record.

See part 3 (the finale) here…

You’ve all no-doubt read the stories about the unfortunate turn of events at this year’s Chicago Marathon. While it was one of the greatest finishes in marathon history, it will more likely be remembered as the one that got canceled.

This cancellation led to a slew of criticism about the race.  Some people are still waiting for an apology. I doubt they’ll get one.

Of course, there were people who had positive things to say like this guy.  I also didn’t notice a problem joggling the marathon this year. There was water, Gatorade and even ice at the water stops. I did see a lot more people passed out on the side of the road however.

Apparently, the people up front were the lucky ones.  The slower folks weren’t as fortunate.  You can see some of the water station mayhem. Even fellow joggler Barry Goldmeier said the stations ran out of Gatorade for him.  He told me a great story of how he went into a store to buy Gatorade and didn’t quite have enough money.  The clerk was nice enough to let him buy it with what he had.  The people in Chicago are great.

As a response to their marathon outrage, here is a group that came up with a clever t-shirt. Their mantra…marathoners never quit. Clearly, they aren’t familiar with the quitting study from yesterday’s post.

The proceeds are going to the family of Chad Schieber, the man who died last weekend.

Continued from part 1

Joggling the First Half

John Kelly stayed with me during the first mile dropping back somewhere near State Street. I weaved through the stampeding crowd joggling, smiling and winking at spectators along the way. When you run a marathon in your hometown you spend a lot of time looking for familiar faces in the crowd. This is an additional challenge you’ll experience as a juggling marathoner.

Just after mile 2, I saw my wife and her parents. They have this tall, green florescent sign that says “Go Joggler” on one side and “Go Perry” on the other. It’s great for crowded races. If you want a custom made sign, let me know. I know the guy who makes ‘em.

At mile 4, I heard the first “Are you chewing gum too!?” This prompted visions of Michal and his recent gum-chewing, world record joggling marathon. No, I wasn’t.

At mile 6, a CBS reporter asked for an interview. Since I wasn’t trying for a World Record, PR or the $125,000 winning prize, I stopped. The interview was short. I kept juggling.

“We’re here with Perry Romanowski who is juggling while running the marathon. How do you do it?”

“Well, you just throw and catch and throw and catch.”

“Doesn’t that slow you down?”

“Not nearly as much as this heat and the interviews with TV reporters.”

I could see the annoyed sneer through his fake chuckle.

“Well, good luck Perry. That was Perry Romanowski. A man who is juggling the entire marathon.”

After that I was back in the pack. The Northside portion of the Chicago Marathon is one of the best. The crowds are vast and animated. You feel like you’re in the Tour de France. I saw Pink, her sister, and the Brewmaster’s girlfriend,. I heard a half dozen people yell my name but couldn’t make out their faces.

Barry must’ve inspired me because my juggling was sharp. I was doing trick after trick, throwing bean bags high over sings, waving to spectators, and grabbing the bag before it hit the ground. At that point, I had no drops.

My time for the first half…1:48.

Joggling the Chicago Marathon second half

While the heat slowed me down it didn’t feel too bad in the first half. Extra Gatorade and water at all the stops helped. I drank 3 times as much as normal which could explain why they reportedly ran out. Another problem was that they handed out warm fluids. People would take a drink and throw a nearly full cup on the ground because it was hot. Who wants to drink hot Gatorade? Bleah!

The second half heat was terrible. Shade was minimal and my clothes were heavy with a Gatorade/sweat elixir. The droplets of sweat flying off the Gballz made them look like exploding fireworks.

At mile 15, I had my first drop. It was in a water station. Someone cut in front of me and bumped a bag out of its pattern. The perfect marathon hopes were shattered. The final drop came soon after around mile 17. I was trotting along and another runner unexpectedly stopped. A bag flew over his shoulder and I just couldn’t recover without hitting him. Damn.

For the rest of the marathon I focused on finishing. My time wasn’t going to be great but by mile 20, I’d be happy to finish under 4 hours. Honestly, I was happy not to be one of the dozens of runners passed out on the roadside. It reminded me of Madison 2006 or maybe the TV show MASH.

As I passed mile 25, the marathon clock read 3:51:34. To finish under 4 hours I’d have to run a sub-8 minute mile. My legs were cramping, there was still a hill to climb, but I knew there’d be a huge crowd to entertain. At the end of a marathon you just have to suck it up, smile and give it all you got.

My all was good enough. Final time… 3:59:00.

After the Marathon

The finish area was pretty typical. They were passing out medals & silvery cover-ups, collecting chips, and directing you to keep moving. I stopped by the Bud Light table and had a beer and a half. Didn’t feel much like drinking though. I collected bananas, apples and water and headed out to the trophy tent. Since I ran for the GBA Charity I was able to go in. That was great, separate bathrooms, free massage tables and a nice spread of food. If you ever do a marathon that is the way to do it.

When I picked up my stuff at gear check there was a girl complaining about how she wasn’t allowed to finish the marathon. It was the first I learned that the marathon was canceled. I felt lucky I got to finish. You can certainly understand how a person would be disappointed they weren’t allowed to finish. On the other hand organizers didn’t want anyone else to die.

Overall, this marathon was a good experience. Despite the heat and slow finish, the crowds were incredible, the sun was bright and I got to spend 4 hours doing something I love, joggling.