Chicago 2018???

It took me a long time to decide what to do – the email from my broken ankle 2017 Chicago Marathon deferral has been sitting in my inbox for about 3 weeks.  I went back and forth back and forth weighing my options.

Pros:
– Chicago was a bucket list race. 
– Along with the NYC Marathon and the Marine Corp Marathon it was in the top 3 on my marathon to do list, and it was the only one I had not yet checked off. 
– I’d been dreaming about it for years and I actually made it into the lottery.
– If I didn’t do it I’d probably regret it or feel I was missing out.

Cons:
– I swore I would never train in the summer/run another fall marathon again!
– I would have to pay the $195 registration a second time.  (You lose it when you defer.)
– Did I mention I swore I would never run another 100+ degree August run after Chicago 2017?

When it all came down to it the problem was things were pretty even for me.  My HATRED for summer training, I had planned on fall/winter marathon training only after Chicago 2017, was pretty even with my desire to not miss out on Chicago.

I am not going to lie.  Marathons have been ugly for me lately.  I got really sick at the start of 2015 and fought that battle until I finally started to get the right thyroid and hormone meds in May of 2017.  Because of that I was forced by the doctor to walk most of NYC in 2016 as I was not allowed to run or train. 

Chicago was supposed to be different and in July/August my new meds started kicking in and I finally started feeling more like myself (I am still not 100% yet, but better than I have been in the past 2 years).  Some of the 50 pounds I had gained was coming off.  My running was feeling a bit more natural and at the end of a 17 miler I realized that I would be able to run all of Chicago.  Then, BOOM, a fall down the stairs led to my broken ankle.  It was CRUSHING to say the least. 

I am now about 70 days post break and not yet cleared to run, or capable of it for that manner.  I have deferred two fall/winter half marathon already.  It is hard to think about a full marathon when you cannot even run.  However, my deferral date will come and go soon and the truth is I may not be running at all by then.

After much consideration, and a lot of beating myself up about it either way, I decided I am going to suffer through one more horrible summer of 100+ degree training days to finish what I started and run Chicago.  I’ll knock that bad boy off my bucket list and then post-Chicago I will focus on only fall/winter marathon training.
Here goes nothing – Cheers to Chicago 2018!  (and no more crazy illnesses or injuries!)