Seeking Revenge in Chicago 10/11/09

Post 5 mile training run at my "training grounds" in the Independence Grove FP, Libertyville. Hardly anyone there these days.

04:54:38

04:53
04:52
04:51
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That 04:54:38 up there was my finish time in the 2008 Chicago Marathon. The projected times below that are what I hope to finish in at the end- anything BUT 04:54! I have much respect for the 26.2 mile distance after that day. It was an excruciating journey, but it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.

As of Oct. 11, I would have logged over 450 miles of running this year. The 16 weeks of training this time around has been a little rough, but I feel that I am faster, more confident in my abilities, and my endurance much improved over last year. I've been blessed with having no serious injuries this time around, with part of that having to do with being just a little smarter in my training.

Through the first nine weeks of my plan, I was running a combination of paved and gravel trails to stave off any injuries and build up some strength. The past month and a half, I've been running strictly pavement to get my legs used to all of the pounding they'll be doing through the streets of Chicago come Oct. 11.

Also in the mix was running without music towards the end of my training. Last year, most, if not all of my runs were done with headphones on, but I don't like wearing them during the races simply because I like to take in the sounds all around me. The problem with this is that the music isn't there to push me forward. The mind can play evil tricks on you when you're struggling! So, not listening to music forced me to just listen to my breathing, concentrate on the pace, and play those mind games to win. It has worked and I'm better focused.

My goal in the marathon this year is to stay at an even 9:00 per-mile-minute pace throughout the race. I've been training with a new nutrition plan, replacing my usual PowerBar Gels with the slightly more potent Gu Roctane Gels, which have kept my energy up in the latter miles. I won't be mixing water with my Gatorade anymore, since my stomach can now tolerate a pure dose.

This weekend or early next week, I'll post some final of details of my race for those of you interested in coming out to cheer on the runners. For now, a great spectator guide is available on the Chicago Marathon website here. You can also follow me during the race via TXT or Email by registering for free here - search for "Jesse Mendoza" and I'm bib #13671.

We're getting close!