{"id":83889,"date":"2020-01-22T12:16:31","date_gmt":"2020-01-22T18:16:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/?p=83889&preview=true&preview_id=83889"},"modified":"2020-01-22T19:14:32","modified_gmt":"2020-01-23T01:14:32","slug":"essay-26-2-resilience-73-8-stupidity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/essay-26-2-resilience-73-8-stupidity\/","title":{"rendered":"26.2% resilience, 73.8% stupidity: an essay"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Caroline Kurdej<\/strong>
\nMedill Reports<\/em><\/p>\n

I arrived at the start line trembling \u2014 from the cold and the nerves \u2014 ready to vomit.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, marathoners! Are you ready for the 42nd Bank of America Chicago Marathon?\u201d The announcer\u2019s voice boomed from the speakers off LaSalle Street.<\/p>\n

The crowd roared. Runners started stripping, tearing off their clothes and exposing themselves to the temperatures in the mid-40s. No!<\/em> I panicked. I haven\u2019t run in weeks. My doctor prescribed physical therapy and a \u201cslow\u201d return to weight-bearing, impact exercises. I was supposed to defer my race until 2020. I disobeyed. And I\u2019m going to wreck myself<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cCorral E! You\u2019re up next!\u201d Oh, no.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

My feet crossed the start line, and I was immediately hit by the enormity of the event. Spectators lined the streets and screamed from the tops of bridges for the 45,786 other pairs of feet pounding through Chicago\u2019s 29 neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

I saw signs that made me laugh: \u201cPICK A CUTE BUTT AND FOLLOW IT.\u201d I saw signs that sparked rage: \u201cRUN LIKE SOMEONE CALLED YOU A JOGGER.\u201d<\/p>\n

By mile 6, hunger had set in. I turned to a stranger to keep my mind off the grumbles. Racing without breakfast turned out to be a mistake. \u201cWhat\u2019s your marathon story?\u201d I asked. Josh shared that it was his first marathon as well \u2014 his wife\u2019s doing, all for the cause of World Vision International, a humanitarian aid organization.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you know when we\u2019ll be able to find food on the course?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you want some Gatorade Chews?\u201d he responded. An angel had answered my prayers.<\/p>\n

My best friend from college, Dominika, hopped in near mile 8 in Lincoln Park, equipped with a fanny pack and a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cCze\u015b\u0107!\u201d She shouted in Polish above the cheers. Hi!
\n\u201cDo you have any stories for me?\u201d I asked.
\n\u201cI almost got arrested by the police for trying to jump in and run with you,\u201d she said. True friendship.<\/p>\n

Initially, I showed up to the McCormick Center the day before the marathon to report on the expo for a graduate school assignment. After seeing fellow runners, I decided I would pick up my marathon packet, just in case<\/em>.<\/p>\n

A few months prior, I finished up my career as a Division I cross country and track athlete at DePaul University. As a senior in college, post-apocalyptic thoughts entered my mind halfway through my final track season. What will my life be without running?<\/em><\/p>\n

I had to make a plan. August was my Chicago Triathlon debut, and October would be my first marathon. I vowed to compete, no matter what. No stranger to pain, I ran on a broken toe for two months in college. What\u2019s the worst that could happen?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cAre you going to finish the race?\u201d Dominika asked.<\/p>\n

She was well aware of my predicament and tried her best to dissuade me from competing. But once I called her from the course, she decided to support me in my stupidity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure just yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

I promised myself I would run for a little, maybe just 10 miles, for the experience. An irrational desire took over. My family didn\u2019t know I would run in the marathon until I called from the race.<\/p>\n

At mile 12, my feet pounded the pavement a few blocks from Concrete Cowboy, where two nights before, arguably the most crucial night of sleep before a race, I danced until 2 a.m.<\/p>\n

At mile 13, I swore vigorously, not believing that I was only halfway there. The novelty of cheers was well-worn away, the physical fatigue set in, and I was living on Bon Jovi\u2019s prayer.<\/p>\n

At mile 15, tears streamed down my face. At mile 16, I limped into an aid station.<\/p>\n

When the medical staff asked me what was wrong, I blubbered, \u201cI think I just needed to cry a little.\u201d The physician slabbed a pound of Biofreeze on my knee and promised, \u201cI don\u2019t like beer, but when you cross the finish line, I\u2019ll have one with you!\u201d<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t like beer either.<\/p>\n

Forrest Gump passed me at 16, fake hippie beard down to his red shorts. \u201cRun Forrest, Run!\u201d I encouraged. He didn\u2019t look back.<\/p>\n

My papa completed two Chicago Marathons and also embarked on his first one without training. He pushed his mind and body to the finish line in an ode to my grandfather, who died from Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to prove to myself that my mind is stronger than my body. It was struggle.\u201d<\/p>\n

He prepped for the second marathon by running five miles along the same road in Schaumburg every day until mid-October rolled around. He took two days off before the marathon, to taper and rest, and then whipped 26.2 miles out of his ass. It must run in the family.<\/p>\n

Papa warned me I would hit a wall at mile 17. I called him from the marathon course to confirm his dire prediction.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow\u2019s the race going?\u201d he asked.
\n\u201cPapa! My legs want to fall out of my ass,\u201d I whispered.
\n\u201cGo all the way to finish line,\u201d he encouraged in his Polish accent. \u201cYou are strong woman!\u201d<\/p>\n

At mile 18, pain ricocheted through my knees and pounded through my joints. A spectator held out a bundle of bananas. I reached for one hungrily, eager for a remedy to subside the pain. Potassium would help, I was sure.<\/p>\n

I unpeeled the banana and chomped down a single bite when the fruit slipped from my fingers. I fumbled my sole source of potassium, watching regretfully as it tumbled behind me, lost.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour banana almost killed me!\u201d a fellow runner said, laughing, as he came up next to me. Next, we saw an enthusiastic spectator dressed as a T. Rex. \u201cYOU ARE DINO-MITE\u201d his sign read. Taio Cruz began playing in my head.<\/p>\n

\u201c400 METERS,\u201d read a sign. One lap around a track remaining. How many circles had I run in my lifetime? I could no longer lift my knees \u2014 I dragged my legs, dead weights, in a depleted Cupid Shuffle. To the right, to the left, toward the finish.<\/p>\n

\"Caroline\"
The faster you run, the sooner you\u2019re done! I managed to cross the Chicago Marathon finish line with a smile after three bouts of tears.(Caroline Kurdej\/MEDILL)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My official chip time was 4:07:00.<\/p>\n

I barely hobbled across the finish line. Yet, just as soon as I crossed it, I yearned for more.<\/p>\n

\u201cPapa, want to run the Chicago marathon together next year?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s race,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s your goal time?\u201d I was helping him fill out the registration form.<\/p>\n

\u201c2 hours,\u201d he said, laughing. His previous best was 04:54:17.
\n\u201cI believe in you, papa.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few weeks ago, we received the exciting news \u2014 we won the lottery! Chicago 2020, here we come.<\/p>\n

Photo at top: The Elite runners take off to launch the 42nd Annual Chicago Marathon. (Bank of America Chicago Marathon)<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Caroline Kurdej Medill Reports I arrived at the start line trembling \u2014 from the cold and the nerves \u2014 ready to vomit. \u201cHello, marathoners! Are you ready for the 42nd Bank of America Chicago Marathon?\u201d The announcer\u2019s voice boomed from the speakers off LaSalle Street. The crowd roared. Runners started stripping, tearing off their […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":608,"featured_media":83979,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,4892],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-83889","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","category-winter-2020"],"yoast_head":"\n26.2% resilience, 73.8% stupidity: an essay - Medill Reports Chicago<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news.medill.northwestern.edu\/chicago\/essay-26-2-resilience-73-8-stupidity\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"26.2% resilience, 73.8% stupidity: an essay - Medill Reports Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Caroline Kurdej Medill Reports I arrived at the start line trembling \u2014 from the cold and the nerves \u2014 ready to vomit. \u201cHello, marathoners! 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