Chicago Marathon – Wikimedia Creative Commons – Steven Dahlman – MarinaCityOnline.com
Yes, you read the title right: I won the Chicago Marathon lottery. When I think of lottery, I think of winning big, quitting your job, living it up so big that you eventually fall. It is like a perpetual life of being in Nomadic Samuel’s Top 100 travel blogs.
Chicago Marathon – Wikimedia Creative Commons User:TonyTheTiger.
What did I exactly win you might ask? I won the right to pay $175.00 to run 26.2 miles in October, with a possibility of frothing at the mouth, fainting and convulsing, soiling my running shorts, and/or just plain dropping dead in front of millions of Chicagoans and people worldwide.
You would have thought after 5 and a half hours of skiing I would be done with extreme fitness sports
After participating and beating my time by 23 minutes in the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski Marathon, I became emboldened to do more. I would not say running a marathon was ever on my bucket list, but I have always wanted to do one. I am in decent shape, so I figured now is a good time.
When I got home from Wisconsin, I eventually looked up the Lasalle Bank Chicago Marathon to see when the registration for this year began. I then read the interesting news that it began in February. There was such a demand for people wanting to race in the marathon that their server crashed with 15,000 slots still open.
Hard to believe there is such a demand to ski 33.5 miles and run 26.2 miles
I find it an interesting trend that prestigious races like the Birkebeiner and the Chicago Marathon are starting to sell out each year at a faster rate with demand going up. The Chicago Marathon would have sold out in a matter of a couple of hours if not for the crash. The Birkebeiner ski marathon sold out for the first time three years ago and has sold out each year earlier and earlier. A growing number of people are wanting to test themselves and do it with the most popular races found.
Many people had the frustrating experience of entering a hanging e-chad. They punched their ticket for the race, but it did not go through and register. The race officials had no way of knowing who the unlucky ones that got screwed were.
They decided the fairest way to divvy out the remaining slots was with a lottery system. They allowed anyone to enter once during a two day period last week and then randomly picked 15,000 people. 36,000 people entered for a chance at the 15,000 slots. I was one of the fortunate ones chosen to run for over 3 hours without stopping. I am so lucky.
I have been a runner forever, but I have never really focused on it here at my blog. This will be an opportunity to change that as it is an important aspect of my adventures. I have always run to stay fit not so much because I love to run, I do enjoy it, but it is not really a passion for me. As you may know, my love is hiking, skiing, and outdoor adventure. Running is a key in helping me do and enjoy my passion to its fullest.
Running has always allowed me to be fit for activities like portaging in Canada
I am able to do what I do because I keep myself in shape when I am not out on adventure by running. Staying in shape is essential to enjoying the outdoors in my opinion. If I was too out of shape to hike or ski and spent my time bent over backward wheezing, I would not enjoy the adventure as much. For example. I ran 100 miles in January to keep in shape for the cross-country ski marathon because snow and skiing was hard to come by.
This does not mean this blog is going to turn into a running blog. It will be business as usual with a few posts about training and then a few posts on the race itself in October. I look forward to having the marathon be a springboard for more adventurous hikes and ski trips in the future.
TT
The goal of Traveling Ted TV is to inspire people to outdoor adventure travel and then provide tips on where and how to go. If you liked this post then enter your email in the box to get email notifications for each new entry. Daily travel photos are excluded from your email in order to not flood you with posts. There is no spam and email information will not be shared. Other e-follow options include Facebook (click on the like box to the right) or twitter (click on the pretty bird on the rainbow above).
Congrats on winning the lottery! I have quite a few friends that run including one that runs ultra marathons. I actually hate running but it is a necessary thing to stay in shape. Good luck with the marathon!
Jeremy Branham recently posted..Winter Yosemite photo journey for the soul: Yosemite Falls and Half Dome
Sometimes I enjoy running, but more often I enjoy it more when I am done. It is key for staying in shape. Thanks!
Congratulations! I guess
Perhaps I can get there for moral support. Or some water. Or a barf bag!
Hello Mike,
This was an old post from several years ago. I have no plans to do the Marathon this year. I would like to do it one more time and actually run the whole race without walking. I have completed it twice. The first time I ran 16 continuous miles before run/walking and last time I ran 12 continuous miles before run/walking.
Congrats! I only recently began running regularly (after losing 20 lbs this year…) and can’t imagine running a marathon!
I know you’ll do great!
Erika recently posted..First hike of spring: Mount Wire via The Living Room, Salt Lake City
Thanks Erika,
Although 11 miles is the farthest I have ever run, I am confident I can do it, especially since I am in pretty good shape now with over 6 months to train.
Congratulations on “winning” . . . I guess
Yep,
Lucky me. I kneed to enter a real lottery to see if my luck continues.
You go, Ted..good luck…
Cheers…
Charles Higgins recently posted..Las Vegas ranks second on Top 2013 Summer Hot Spots list from travel agents
Thanks Charles!
Way to go Ted. I have thought about a marathon but my body doesn’t like running very much – or at least that’s my excuse. I’ve done two half marathons and I think I’ll leave it at that. However I am happy to virtually cheer you on!!
Leigh recently posted..A Trip to the Zipaquira Salt Mine – aka The Underground Salt Cathedral
Two half marathons equal a full, so congrats on completing. Thanks for the virtual cheer.
Well, gook luck! You are uber fit, so I am sure you will have a blast!
@mrsoaroundworld recently posted..Introducing The Luxury Travel Blog Network
Thanks Mrs. O,
I will even be more fit once I get in prime shape for this. Looking forward to it.
You are such an inspiration! Congrats on winning the lottery. We’ll be cheering you on!
Tawny of Captain and Clark recently posted..A London apartment fit for a king.
Thanks Tawny,
I appreciate the support.
I like the way you put: that you have won the right to pay to suffer (OK, I twist your words.) I totally relate to what drives you though: the desire to accomplish a feat. Good luck in the marathon!
Raul (@ilivetotravel in Twitter) recently posted..Kilimanjaro Hike: Day 2 – The Moorlands and Shira Camp
Thanks Raul, your words are not that twisted.
Good for you, Ted! I keep myself fit my salsa dancing, but seeing you do these things still makes me feel like a couch potato. Congrats on winning the lottery. 🙂
Pola (@jettingaround) recently posted..Driving like it’s 1998
Thanks Pola, I am a lucky guy 🙂
ugh i “won the lottery” to participate in the 10 mile broad street run in philadelphia in may, and i was secretly cursing the lottery gods. we’re in it together, ted! bon chance! xo, the wino
thelazytravelers recently posted..jetsetters: @mytravelaffairs
Et la même chose pour vous mon amie Wino.
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