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Writer's pictureTammy Nerenberg

Chasing Dreams: From the Couch to the Chicago Marathon

June 1, 2024



While the London Marathon has been my ultimate dream for over a decade, my current focus is on a closer target: the Chicago Marathon. With 134 days left until race day and training kicking off on Monday, I find myself struggling with a negative mindset.


It’s tough knowing that my negativity serves no real purpose other than to nurse an ego. Shifting from that place is easier said than done. You might wonder, what’s there to be negative about?


I’ve been fortunate enough to complete two marathons in the past. However, those races were 10 and 13 years ago. I was younger, thinner, and fitter. After nearly a decade-long break from serious running, the journey from the couch to the Chicago Marathon within a year feels incredibly daunting.


In the past five months, I’ve gone from zero running to managing up to five miles. I won’t lie—it’s been really hard. As an obese woman in her mid-50s, these five miles have been an emotional and physical rollercoaster. There have been countless mornings where I’ve wanted to cry, drenched in sweat and feeling nearly defeated, often reduced to walking.

We’re relatively new to the Chicagoland area, which has its own set of challenges. Establishing roots in a new place is hard and lonely. My friends and everyone I care about, except my spouse, are hundreds of miles away. Making new friends at our age, especially as an introvert who mostly works from home, is no easy task. I signed up for a group training program for the Chicago Marathon, hoping to meet people with shared interests and give myself the best chance of crossing the finish line.


This week, our training plans were released. I’ve been assigned to the purple group. While I love the color purple, I’m not thrilled with my plan. It’s a 3/2 run/walk plan, meaning three minutes of running followed by two minutes of walking. In the past, I’ve never incorporated structured walking into my runs. I’d prepared myself for the possibility of being assigned to a run/walk group, but I was hoping for the 4/1 group, not the 3/2 group. Additionally, the assigned run days aren’t my usual running days.


Intellectually, I know it’s a fair assignment. I’ve been placed in the slowest group with the most and longest walk breaks, which makes sense given my goal to go from the couch to a marathon in 10 months. My brain understands that this plan probably offers me the highest probability of completing the marathon within the time limit. But my heart is struggling to accept it.


Despite this, I’m determined to push through. This journey is about more than just running; it’s about growth, resilience, and proving to myself that I can achieve my goals. Here’s to embracing the challenge, one step at a time, and finding strength in the journey.

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