I’m a little sad. I trained so, so hard. I did everything right. I don’t have any excuses, I’m just not built to run marathons. It just got so hot and I didn’t have it in me.
But now I got to change my attitude – because six years ago today – Michael and I were married, and since we’re in Chicago we’re gonna celebrate our anniversary in style!
Happy Anniversary Runner Susan! You’ll always be RunnerSusan to me! 🙂 I am proud of you and all of your training – hey, you’re going to celebrate in style.
Thanks for sharing your journey so candidly with all of us!
Suz,
You did it! You are so STEALTHY!! Have a great anniversary evening!
Happy Anniversary! And hey, you finished and that time is nothing to sniff at. Good job!
Happy Anniversary Susan! (and hubby 🙂 You have so much to be proud of. You rocked this thing, and you need a few days, a new pair of shoes, and a bottle of wine to really appreciate this great thing you have done. Truly admirable.
What a beautiful anniversary photo! I heard the heat was horrible today – you did amazing under those conditions!
Happy Anniversary-Finish!!
I enjoyed tracking you through the marathon. How many is this for you now? You have done amazing things, RunnerSusan, make sure you remember that.
Enjoy your Chicago Anniversary!
I know it’s hard to hear this if you had a specific goal in mind, but you FINISHED and I think that’s freakin awesome 🙂 In time hopefully you will not be sad about this. Enjoy your night out you deserve it! 🙂
You look smashing in red and Michael looks especially good with his arms around you.
I’ve never run a 5:10 marathon in my life so I think you did great! I know it isn’t what you wanted but it’s nothing to sneeze at, either.
Happy Anniversary!
I tracked you and tried to look for you out there, but couldn’t find you. Maybe you saw me at either mile 11 or right before the final hill on Roosevelt with a sign that said, YES YOU CAN.
And CONGRATS! I am was getting hot just standing around cheering people on—it just wasn’t a sub-5 day. One of my friends was aiming for a 3:30 and ran a 3:50, so your 5:10 was definitely a sub-5 in better conditions. Go Runner Susan! And Happy Anniversary!
Those were not PR conditions, so you should hold your head up high. You did great! Congratulations on your anniversary, too!
you and michael look soooo good together! and you look like a million bucks! who cares about some stupid marathon when you got that goin’ for you…
ah, i know how disappointed you must be. It’s REALLY unfair that it was so hot. if the weather had held you would have totally met your goal. sucks. now you’ll just have to do another one.
Congratulations on both- that’s a mighty respectable time, so wear it proud!
You are still a marathoner in my eyes! Congrats on the race. And Happy Anniversary to you and Michael. Have a wonderful time in Chicago!
very proud of you susan!! We were thinking about you and praying for you all day, glad u r healthy and will live it up tonite, u earned it !!
maybe you weren’t built to run sub-4 marys, but you do seem to enjoy them when you relax a bit. why not enjoy long runs for just that: long runs. do you think the ueberelite enjoy the vino as much? would you really want to give up the living?
yes, you trained hard. and you were rewarded with giving your all for 42.195 km. you should be proud of yourself.
just remember, those who came in at 2:15-3:30, probably couldn’t run for 5 hours. that’s a feat, you know.
now go and have marathon sex. you’ve trained hard and are very built for that.
What Laura said – a sub 5 in better conditions for sure. It’s bad enough running a small unimportant race in conditions like that – nevermind such a big one that you’re been training for so hard and so well.
How’s about turning it right around, building on your training, and running Philly with me in 6 weeks?? 😉
Anyhoo, take heart from the fact I’m sure nobody met their goals in Chicago today, and be proud anyway.
And enjoy a wonderful anniversary. You two look HOT!
Happy Anniversary.
I’ve attempted Chicago in the heat, it’s tough, you finished! Congratulations.
That damn heat will get you every time. I guess the leg torture needs to be done Birkam style from now on. So sorry you missed your goal. Happy anniversary.
Congrats and you look completely HAWT!
I agree with all who say running in heat SUCKS! It did me in, in the both the last marathon and 1/2 marathon I ran. WTF is up with HEAT in OCTOBER… I blame global warming.
And BTW…you’re going to go out after running a marathon. Now THAT’S training!
I’m just checking to see if my G-rated gravatar is going to show up. It’s my present to you since I wouldn’t do it for anyone else.
Fsck it, you finished. And congratulations on your anniversary.
You finished. Great Job
You finished and did great. A friend of mine who has run Boston finished only 15 minutes before you – over an hour off her normal time. You did fabulous. Imagine what you can do when it’s not as hot. Have a happy anniversary and celebrate your marriage and your finish.
you are in the best shape of your life and i’m thinking you’re going to smoke the DRC half and i’m kinda jealous. ditto ihatetoast.
Congrats on finishing the race in the heat. And Happy Anniversary! Go celebrate – and after you can think of your next marathon. Yep, that’s right. I know there’s a sub-5:00 in you.
CONGRATULATIONS SUSAN!!!! well done. and congrats to you and michael as well!!! you guys look amazing!
I was watching your updates. Got a little worried when I didn’t get a “finished” one.
Good to know you ran it out. The heat today was bad. That much is certain.
Enjoy Chicago. Hit a casino. I have a feeling you’re going to get lucky.
CONGRATS, SUSAN!!! You rocked this race! Go out and enjoy yourselves tonight, too. 🙂
Oh Susan. I’m a little sad too. You trained hard to have a sure and significant PB stuffed up by a hot day. That sucks. One consolation is you’re now in great shape to do the running you’re built for.
Happy Anniversary, and congratulations.
Well, I don’t know what your goal was, but I think you did great. You persevered and crossed the finish line, so that’s what’s important. If you’re not built to run marathons, then I’m not built to run marathons and yet…I’m a marathoner. And so are you–good job! And Happy Anniversary!
Well done on completing the marathon beautiful, it’s a tall order on the mind and body and only a small percentage of the population have the grit to get round!!
You look stunning in your photo today!!
Happy Anniversary and well done!
Sus- hot weather sucks. You did awesome!!! Keep up the running and hit a cooler race this fall/winter and you will set a huge PR guaranteed.
You look fab in red! Happy Anniversary to you and Michael!!!!
Beautiful photo – you look absolutely gorgeous!!
And I see from someone else’s comments that you are running the DRC? Susan, I promise that your time is going to be soooo mcuh better in that marathon. The heat makes all of the difference in the world!
Happy anniversary!
Hey, congrats on the race and the anniversary! Sorry it didn’t turn out like you wanted, but you ran a freakin’ marathon, and in some tough conditions. Just savor the moments and don’t give up on yourself. Plus, we need the runner susan humor blog to keep us going!
Keep it up, and hope to meet you at a race sometime soon!
You look beautiful Happy Anniversary. Sorry the marathon didn’t go as planned.
Congrats on your race! Don’t worry about your time. You can walk down any street, and at least 98% of them wouldn’t run that far if you paid them. I know it’s frustrating, but it helps to keep things in perspective.
Congrats, too, on the anniversary. Six years! That’s the kind of long race it really pays to run.
it took me a while last year to come to grips with my chicago marathon. i was so bummed that something totally out of my control could effect my run. i mean 90 degrees in october. wtf!! all that is that though. you and me, we is marathoners. nice work. later.
you do philly and i’m TOTALLY coming to see you!
I think you are amazing and I LOVE your blog!!! Happy Anniversary…because of you I may attempt a Marathon in my lifetime. 🙂
you are awesome!!! Take it easy on yourself. Everyone’s race report that I read was at least 20 minutes off of a pr becuase of the heat. Chill out, have a glass or 3 of wine and congratulate yourself on a job very well done! Even the elite women went slower than thought. You rocked it! Thanks Runnersusan!
Jill
Congrats whit the married and many years!.
Groet Rinus.
http://rinusrunning.punt.nl/?home=1
Susan, just discovered your blog. Congrats on the marathon. I’d kill to run 5:15.
Oh Susan, You DID it. You finished. The Chicago marathon is a mad house and it is so hard to find your groove when there are so many people. Don’t be down. Celebrate the success of giving it your all and not giving up.
And of course CELEBRATE YOUR ANNIVERSARY. Happy, Happy Anniversary to you and your hubby. You look gorgeous by the way.
You look beautiful!
You two look great!
what is official is that you crossed the finish line of a marathon and that is a huge accomplishment.