2024 Chicago Marathon Training Week #1

“A marathon is hundreds of miles.  The finish is the last 26.2”.

(Running Quotes)

The quote above speaks volumes.  Marathon training is a critical part of the overall process, but most people only see or talk about the actual 26.2-mile race.

Completing a marathon is a major life/personal/physical milestone and I’m happy to say I am a two-time marathoner. 

I targeted the Palm Beaches Marathon (2022 and 2023) because it was close, and the course was completely flat.  This marathon is in South Florida so that means the weather is unpredictable to include humidity even in December.  I’m happy to have started and completed this race twice but decided I would not attempt this race again because of the South Florida heat and humidity.  FYI—I will run the half marathon this year. 😊

I leveraged a Hal Higdon marathon training plan to get me ready for my marathon attempts.  This plan provides an 18-week format to prepare for the full marathon process.  I decided to use this same training plan for my 2024 Chicago Marathon preparation.

I made some weekly modifications for my previous marathon training programs but decided to follow the Hal Higdon plan completely this year.  I want to see improvement in my marathon finish time this year and committing to my training will be a vital part of hitting my race time goals.  I’m not competing to win the 2024 Chicago Marathon, but I need to beat my previous times, enjoy the race and feel good when I cross the finish line.

My marathon training began in earnest last week (6/10/2024 – 6/16/2024).  I was excited to start my training program, so I added an extra run day to get me up and motivated to start this process.  Proverbs 6:6 states:  Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise.  My 2024 Chicago Marathon training program allows me to work like an ant—one mile, one training session, one week at a time.  Each session is designed to get me closer to my physical and mental peak for race day.  The marathon is a celebration of the months of training and sacrifice needed to complete a marathon.  I’ve made a point to let folks know that I will follow my plan as outlined—no shortcuts will be applied this year.  I will have to miss a few happy hours and Friday night hangouts since my long runs will occur on Saturday mornings.  A missed run is a missed opportunity to get better so I will minimize this process to emergencies only.

Happy to report I hit all my training days and milestones for Week #1.  I added an extra session on Monday to energize my training and provide a buffer in case I needed it later in the week.  Rain was forecasted all week, and I completed several miles in a slight rain during two training sessions.  I would have skipped these training sessions in the past but would not allow myself to miss a training opportunity.

I’m prioritizing weight training sessions this year as well.  Want to ensure I provide myself with the best training foundation possible to improve my performance leading up to the 2024 Chicago Marathon.

I completed 32.11 training miles last week:

6/10/2024	3.1	34:25	11:06m	Run
6/11/2024	3.39	37:53	11:11m	Run
6/12/2024	5.34	57:17	10:44m	Run
6/13/2024	2.42	25:49	10:41m	Run
6/14/2024	5.82			Planet Fitness bike / rope
6/15/2024	3.75			Planet Fitness bike
6/15/2024	8.29	1:36:00	11:35m	Long run

I added 4 days of weight training to include full body workouts on 6/14/2024 and 6/15/2024 to help prepare my body for the 18-week training grind.

The Week #2 training plan is like Week #1 (3, 5, 3, 9) with a slight increase for the long run.  I’m excited to see how my body and mind respond to following the overall training plan for this marathon attempt.  I’m committed to ensuring I do everything necessary to finish faster in Chicago than I did in Palm Beach.  The cooler weather, flat course, cheering crowds and better preparation should help generate a positive outcome.

Thanks for joining me on the training process—Irie!

Note:  Most of my long run miles will be done in the George LeStrange Preserve. This allows for consistent miles and a hydration station. 

https://www.stlucieco.gov/departments-and-services/environmental-resources/county-preserves/george-lestrange-preserve