There’s something about marathon weekend that feels like so much more than race day, especially when it’s in Chicago!

Obviously, running 26.2 miles through Chicago is the main event, but after all the weeks of training, the long runs, the early mornings, the gels, the weather watching and the inevitable obsessing over whether I’m actually ready, I love that marathon weekend stretches the celebration out over several days.

This year, I’m especially excited about it because we now live back in Chicago. There’s no long flight from Washington, DC, or packing to do, and we’ll be in our own home, which is much less stressful (as much as I did love staying with my friends).

First up, I’m taking Friday and Monday off work. This might be one of the best marathon decisions I make each year. It means I don’t have to squeeze the expo and everything else into the end of a workday on Friday, and I have Saturday to properly relax before the race. Even better, I don’t have to wake up on Monday morning after running a marathon and immediately switch my brain back into work mode.

Instead, I get four whole days to see friends, soak up marathon weekend, race, recover and enjoy being back in Chicago for all of it.

Volunteering at the expo

On Friday, I’ll be volunteering at the marathon expo. I’ve volunteered in lots of different places at the Chicago Marathon over the years, including aid stations and packet pickup. This year, I’ll be at the Runner Services desk, answering questions, so come stop by if you’re passing through.

I love volunteering at races. There’s so much nervous energy and excitement around a marathon, particularly at the expo, and it’s fun being on the other side of it for a few hours and helping other runners get ready for their big day. I’ve run Chicago 7 times so I know it well. I love chatting with runners about it and answering all their questions to make their race experience a little easier.

Seeing Des and Kara

Friday night is another thing I’m excited for because I have tickets with friends to see a live recording of Nobody Asked Us with Des & Kara at the Chicago Athletic Association.

I’ve been to the last two Chicago recordings and loved both of them. Their podcast has fuelled so many of my long runs on the weekends. It’s one of those podcasts I look forward to every week, so getting to see Des Linden and Kara Goucher in real life during marathon weekend has become a bit of a tradition.

Des in particular has been in my head during this training cycle. On my 20-mile run, when the rain was pouring down and the wind was absolutely awful off Lake Michigan, I found myself thinking about her 2018 Boston Marathon win. If ever there was a reminder to keep putting one foot in front of the other when the weather turns horrible, that’s a pretty good one!

My Saturday rituals

Saturday is when everything gets very quiet and I love this part too!

There’s a tiny shakeout run, but otherwise the hard work is done. There’s nothing left to prove and nothing meaningful I can do to make myself fitter. I see it as my job to stay off my feet, eat, drink, relax and get organized.

I also enjoy all the little rituals that go with race prep, like doing my nails, laying out my race kit, pinning on my bib and organizing my gels. Oh, and then checking everything approximately 47,000 times and taking the traditional ‘Flat Vicky’ photo.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about seeing the entire race-day outfit laid out and ready to go. After months of training, suddenly there it is: everything I need for marathon morning, sitting on the floor. All that’s between me and the start line is one (usually terrible) night’s sleep and an El ride into the city.

Race day in Chicago!

And then: race day.

This year feels particularly special because I live here again and there’s nothing like Chicago on Marathon weekend.

For the past few years, Chicago Marathon weekend has involved a lot of travel and logistics. This time, I get to wake up in my own bed, get ready at home and take the El to the start line. If the weather cooperates, I’m not even planning to check a bag, which should make race morning easier. The longer I can lie in bed, the better!

But mostly, I’m just excited to run Chicago again. I love this race. I love the route. I love how the neighbourhoods change as you move through the city. I love the noise and the crowds and the signs and the complete strangers yelling your name like your finishing time is somehow personally important to them.

I love spotting friends along the course and side-fiving them, and this year I’ll also be looking out for my husband, who is volunteering at the aid station around mile 18. By that point I suspect that seeing him will be a very welcome boost.

For all the goals and pacing plans and conversations I’ve had with myself about what I might be capable of running this year, I don’t want to forget this part: Running a marathon is supposed to be fun. I want to run hard, but I also want to look around and enjoy being part of it.

Post-marathon margaritas

Every year after the race, my friends finish up volunteering at the aid station, and I get showered. We then meet for margaritas and fajitas. Usually our friends host us, but now that we actually live here, we’re hosting them at our place. I always have high expectations of how much energy I’ll have, and sometimes hope to get back into the city for drinks, but in reality I’ll eat 2 fajitas, drink half a margarita and then sit on the couch with a cup of tea, catching up. It’s impossible to walk away from Chicago marathon race weekend without debriefing with friends and sharing race-day stories and this has become part of our ritual!

Marathon Monday

And finally, there’s Marathon Monday. I love the day after a marathon.

I always wake up and assess how stiff and sore I feel, and then I shower and eat a huge breakfast! We usually then head out for a walk and I wander around the shops on Southport in Chicago for a bit to keep moving. I love seeing everyone out with their medals, having brunch with friends and reliving the race. This year I will be meeting friends for lunch as usual. They always come out on cheer on race day and I can’t stop to chat, so it’s great to see them the day after to hear about their experience. We then head to Lululemon to treat ourselves as they traditionally offer Chicago Marathon finishers a 25% discount when they show their medal on Marathon Monday. Assuming they’re doing it again this year, I have a couple of little things lined up for myself. 😉

For recovery purposes, obviously.

Planning your race week

If you’re planning your race week, add in some of the fun things (shakeouts, meet-ups, podcasts etc.) but don’t forget to factor in some rest and time off your feet. You’ve trained hard, and you have goals. Don’t let too much pre-race celebration get in the way of that.

We had a very busy summer this year, so while I’m trained for the distance, a lot of my speed workouts, particularly tempo runs, were missing. Despite that, I’m feeling strong and after a long time of wondering whether my fastest running was permanently behind me, I’ve started to feel something different during this training cycle: possibility. So I’m excited to find out what I can do, on what I think will be a warm day. At the same time, I also don’t want the clock to become so important that it swallows up everything else. Marathon weekend is about so many different things, but mostly a celebration of all the hard work. It’s a balance, and I plan on enjoying it.

What are your plans for race weekend? Any tips for things not to miss?