mad mitch ran a marathon!

22 days since the Chicago Marathon

Wow. I really did that!

Two weeks ago, on a Tuesday, I woke up, threw on my new sweatshirt and laced up my running shoes. Then I ran two miles around my neighborhood.

I chose an easy, familiar route and kept a comfortable pace. It was unremarkable.

Except, now, I’m a marathoner.

It has popped into my head countless times over the last three weeks while driving, while reporting, while walking my dog and while doing the dishes: Wow. I really did that!

I can still hardly believe it.

The marathon: A recap

My marathon weekend story starts with the sweetest and best surprise: Allie.

My best friend since grade school, Allie, surprised me by flying down from Minneapolis to spend the weekend with us in Chicago. We were getting ready at my parents’ place in the suburbs to head into the city, when my mom called me downstairs, my dad opened the front door and there she was! It just felt right for her to be there.

My mom, Oliver, Allie and I took the train into the city together and went to the expo at McCormick Place, where I got my race bib and some other goodies. We grabbed lunch with some of my other lifelong friends, rested up back at the hotel and then went out again for my favorite part of the race ritual: a pasta dinner.

Most of my worries leading up to race day had settled by the time we got back to the hotel. When I laid out my marathon outfit, I was all jitters — but, the good kind. Those carried me through to race day morning, onto the shuttle and to the start line. I started my marathon playlist (huge thank-you to everyone who contributed!) on the shuttle and couldn’t help but smile as each new song played and I remembered who had suggested it.

I met up with some of the other Big Brothers Big Sisters runners right before the race for a photo and pep talk. I also saw another friend of mine, Mia, just before we went to our corrals. And from there, I am still in awe to say, I didn’t go more than about 4 miles without seeing someone I knew.

My family and friends were amazing. They were all spread out at perfect intervals throughout the course, several of them seeing me at three or more points during the race! My spirits lifted each time I saw their faces. I’ve truly never felt more loved or more supported. It was the best feeling in the world to have the people I love there to cheer me on.

And I’m talking about so many of my family and friends — and people from all different parts of my life. Allie and her mom, of course, made Taylor Swift-inspired signs to cheer me on. One of my best friends, Lauren, who I met on the playground in third grade, jumped up and down screaming my name around mile 10. I saw some of my college besties, Mario and Jordan, and my friend Caroline’s sweet little sister, Annabelle. Rian, my partner in crime since high school and contributor of my favorite marathon playlist recommendation, Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run,” also won loudest cheerer.

My cousins from southern Illinois made the trek up to Chicago to shout my name from the sidelines: Kelly, James, Amelia, Andrew, Kaitlyn, Damon and baby Ripken. My other cousin, Ethan, lives in Chicago and helped plan out the day. My heart swelled when I saw them all, the first friendly faces on the route, at mile 3. My Auntie Gina, Uncle Frank and cousins Dominick and Virginia were there, too. Dominick got some amazing photos from the race and Uncle Frank, who was recently named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame, high-fived me at mile 20 and told the rest of my family then, from seeing how strong I looked that far into the race, that I was going to be just fine.

Those last 6 miles, though, were brutal. Marathoners always say this: after mile 20, you start to question why you signed up. My leg muscles started twitching and I slowed down a bit, but I never walked. When my parents saw me at around mile 25, I was at my lowest point. Without hesitating, my sister Mollie and Allie jumped into the race themselves and ran alongside me for about a quarter of a mile. They gave me all of the words of encouragement I needed in that moment.

I cried while running the whole last mile — because I couldn’t believe I was doing it, because I was overwhelmed by the love my friends and family had shown me all day long, because I was grateful for getting that far, because I was immensely proud of myself and because, let’s be honest, my body hurt.

And then, I turned a corner and the finish line was in sight. All of my training, since January, led up to that moment. As someone who has never been much of an athlete, to get that far felt impossible. And yet, I crossed it.

After the race, Oliver and I went back to the hotel so I could get cleaned up and then we met the rest of my family at a restaurant Ethan picked out. There were so many of us that we were sat in the back of the restaurant at two extra-long tables. When I walked in, everyone cheered. It was the best day.

And, of course, the first question everyone asked: Will I run another marathon?

More on that later.

Runner’s log

I have run a handful of times since the marathon, after taking a little more than a week off.

My workouts have been between 2 and 4 miles, and it’s been nice to not stick to a particular training plan. I’m running for fun, when I feel like it. I’d gotten some training fatigue in those late summer months, so this unstructured time is making me actually like running again.

I’ve tried out a new run club, too. I’m getting more and more into the social aspect of this sport, which I never thought would be my cup of tea. I used to run to clear my mind and get some alone time. That’s still true sometimes, but I also like getting to know new people or catching up with friends while running. My favorite run buddy, though, will always be my mom. I’m excited to hit the trail with her Thanksgiving weekend.

What’s next?

Well, I’ve been bitten by the bug. I’m already thinking about my next marathon.

I haven’t signed up for another one yet. I do have the Flying Pig half marathon already on the books for May — that’s my next big race. I’m going to enter the lottery for the New York City Marathon, but chances of getting a spot are pretty slim. If my name isn’t drawn, I’ll look at some other fall marathons or maybe I’ll wait until spring 2026 for my next full.

The point is, Chicago won’t be my last. I have learned so much about myself and what I can do throughout this process and I never want to lose this momentum. Running has opened up my mind and my world. I’m grateful, and I’m hungry for more.

A lot of my family and friends have asked, on top of if I’ll run another marathon, if this newsletter will continue. Basically: What’s next?

To be honest, I always imagined this blog would end when the Chicago Marathon was over. But, I also never imagined that I’d want to run more marathons.

So, after taking some time to reflect, I’m excited to say that I’m going to keep running and I’m going to keep writing about running. It makes me happy. And, to my delight, it’s made some of you smile, too. So as long as both of those things are true, I’ll keep it going.

And in the new year, I’ll share highlights from a new challenge I’m taking on: yoga teacher training. My cohort starts class in January. I’ve been wanting to sign up for more than a year, and I’m thrilled that my schedule has opened up enough to dedicate ample time to my yoga practice.

I’ll take a short break through the end of this year to enjoy the holidays, and start up the newsletter again in January.

In the meantime, friends, I hope you soak up every bit of joy this season has to offer. Be kind to yourself, and to others. And thank you, all, for the love you’ve given me on this journey. Cheers to what’s to come!

xoxo,

mad mitch