Chicago 2013. Save the date: Sunday, Oct. 13, two weeks after the Catalina Island Half, where I have a longstanding plan to run with my daughter, K, seen at below right while on the sidelines of the Pittsburgh Marathon 2010, to honor my first marathon in 23 years. (K’s now in the City of Angels, natch.)
Chicago’s registration is in two weeks, then I’ve got less than eight months before race day. My goal this time: I’d like to improve on my Personal Record of 3:33:08. Good enough, though, is 3:40, which would re-qualify me for the Boston Marathon 2015.
From the beginning there was Chicago. My grandfather’s favorite club, the Blackhawks (Stan Mateeker, he called him), so the Golden Jet, Bobby Hull, was my first hockey god. My wife, M, was born in Chicago, and we were married there, at the Standard Club.
For years, M’s parents lived along the Lake Michigan waterfront, at One Thousand Lakeshore Drive. I know the short jog to the shore very well. For the next few months I’ll be running and training with the idea that I’ll be back home (I grew up on Georgian Bay, Lake Huron) along the Great Lakes shores, where I’ve never run a marathon.
Next: Mix It Up
