Chicago Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon
At that moment, I was grateful I wasn't running the Chicago Marathon the same year.
My second race was my first half marathon, one year later. Same organization, same race, longer route.
My First Half Marathon
Same organization, same race as the year before — just a much longer route this time.
Did I Want to Continue?
I'd already entered the lottery for the 2020 Chicago Marathon without much thought. Finishing this half, I wondered if I was really up for another 13.1mi right after — and was grateful I wasn't running the marathon that same year.
Preparation
Similar to the 10K the year before, I didn't prepare much, though I ran a few extra miles on the treadmill because the "marathon" part of this race intimidated me, even as just a half.
Like the 10K last year, this also took place on a cloudy Sunday in Chicago during the summer. I was worried about parking, so I booked a room at the Hyatt on Wacker Drive so I could just walk to the starting line early in the morning, rather than wake up even earlier, drive into the city, and hope to find parking in time. Too many uncertainties.
This time I also didn't want to leave my wallet and phone in my pocket, fearing they'd fall out. So I bought a pouch and phone holder to store my items and attached them to my shoulders, while carrying a Gatorade bottle. Clearly, I was carrying too much weight — and only realized it once the starting horn rang.
Race Day
The first part of this race followed mostly the same route as the 10K: started on Columbus Drive near Grant Park, ran up to River North, then south, crossing the river back to the Loop.
But after that, you see more of the city than just the center. A little detour into the trendy West Loop before racing all the way down through the South Loop and Chinatown, close to the IIT campus, before running back up north on Lake Shore Trail past Soldier Field and finally concluding at Grant Park near the Buckingham Fountain.
Even though I felt I should properly train for a half marathon, I never followed a real program — just relied on my trusty gym treadmill. Despite the lack of training, the race itself wasn't too bad, partly due to the nice weather. But like the 10K, I practically walked the latter half, and still finished within the time limit to get my medal.
After finishing this half, I was dreading the idea of a full marathon. I was already exhausted from 13 miles — running another 13 right after, with a less forgiving time limit, seemed out of the question.
I decided not to think about it and just stay grounded in the moment. After all, I had just conquered my first half marathon!
