Team McGraw is fortunate to have a great friend in Coach Jenny Hadfield. Coach Jenny is an author, coach, motivational speaker and endurance athlete. She is also a member of Team McGraw! Jenny lives in Chicago and agreed to share some insight into the city and the marathon. Read more about Coach Jenny at her blog:

An Insider's View of the Chicago Marathon - Coach Jenny Hadfield

Tell us about the city in general on Marathon weekend?

Chicago comes alive on marathon weekend. Marathoners from all over the world explore the city, take in the sites and enjoy the food. I ran my first marathon in 1993 and there were just over 5,000 runners. It may seem like a large city, but it's really a lot of diverse and interesting small communities. All of which you'll get to see Sunday as you make your way through the streets of Chicago!

Do you have suggestions for navigating the Race Expo?

Yes, get there early and if you can, go Friday to avoid the crowds. It is one the largest Marathon Expo's in the world. Take time to walk around, but be efficient and on a schedule as it is easy to get caught up in the energy, get distracted and end up spending hours on your feet. Make a plan to get through and then get off your feet!* *

Also, there is a free shuttle bus to and from the Expo from the following locations. Free Shuttle Buses will operate between 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Friday, October 10 and 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 11.* **Downtown: Hilton Chicago; 720 S. Michigan Ave. (8th St. entrance) **Chinatown: CTA Red Line Stop; Cermak Rd. & Clark St **Magnificent Mile: NIKETOWN; Michigan Ave. & Erie St *North Pier: Sheraton Chicago:;301 E. North Water St. (North Water St. & Park St. across from the main Sheraton hotel entrance<br /<br />

Any favorite running routes downtown for that last easy run?

Recommended downtown restaurants?

Most marathoners enjoy a nice bowl of pasta the night before the race. Excellent pasta places include: Rosebud (classic Chicago Italian), The Italian Village (my favorite) and Magiano's Little Italy.* *

Tips for race morning logistics?

Call for a wake up, set your watch and a backup alarm. Three is two, two is one and one is none. It's better to be a little over prepared than not. Put on your entire race day outfit, bib number, chip the night before (everything you're wearing) and then take it off and put it on a chair. The last thing you need is to forget something, or worse, worry about forgetting something. Go with what you know and don't try anything new. Give yourself at least 2 hours to digest your pre-race meal. If you wake up late, go with liquids instead of solids. It will get into your system faster. Suggestions for navigating the Park on race morning? Food, restrooms, bag check?

It's a great idea to do a test run and walk to the start line and Tent Area Saturday. Grant Park is big and the race expands across the entire park. You'll be able to see more clearly in the light hours and determine the best route to the Team McGraw Tent. You can also ask at the Information Booth at the Expo. They will give you more specifics on how to get directly to your meeting place on race morning. Get to your meeting area with at least one hour to spare. You can use the time to meet up with the team, check your gear and go to the bathroom several times:) Again, give yourself plenty of time race morning and familiarize yourself with the start/finish line layout ahead of time Saturday.* *

Tips for getting in the proper corral at such a large race?

Again, get there early and review the information in your packets. It is very well organized, but it takes extra time with all the spectators and runners coming to Grant Park at the same time. It pays to have a map and know where you're going on race morning.* *

Give us a general course overview?

It's a flat, fun course that winds north, west and south through 29 diverse neighborhoods and starts and finishes in Grant Park. You'll head north from the start and then over the river (which they turn green for St. Patty's Day) and through the Loop (business district). Then back north through Lincoln Park, The Zoo, Lakeview and Old Towne. You'll head back into the city proper (tall buildings) and then west through Little Italy and the Charity Mile. Perhaps the most anticipated place on the course (besides the finish) is Chinatown. You'll hit that at 21 miles and the dancing dragons is the perfect pick-me-up! Then further south through another Nike Cheer Zone and the International Mile where you'll make a key turn and head north to the finish. Be prepared for mile 26 as you'll enter Grant Park and meet one of Chicago's only hills. Well, on most days it doesn't qualify as a hill, but after running 26 miles on flat terrain a curb is a hill! It's short and will be over once you know. The finish is amazing with fans cheering 10 deep. Take it all in and celebrate your success! You deserve it.* *

What are the key landmarks to look for along the way?

The River - Mile 3* **The Zoo - Mile 6 **West Loop - Mile 1 **Little Italy - Mile 1 **Chinatown - Mile 21. **The final turn North - Mile 23. *The "Hill" - Mile 26

Thanks Coach Jenny!

Trust the Taper

Ok Team McGraw... time to taper. If you are running the Chicago Marathon it is time to start tapering. Our New York City Team still has a few weeks of hard training to go. Depending on your experience and health the recommended length of a proper taper for a marathon is 14 - 20 days. Individual athletes respond differently to training and rest so listen to your body.

We have been training hard for many months. We are getting close to race day. You must resist the urge to hit the panic button and try to cram in some extra mileage or speedwork. You want to maintain your fitness and rid your body of the accumulated fatigue that has been living deep inside your muscles. You cannot make any meaningful improvements in these last two weeks but you can do plenty of damage. Trust the taper.

Tapering does not mean stop training. It does not mean we are done with our plan. Tapering is a vital part of the overall training cycle. Basically you should keep running at the same intensity but start cutting your mileage. Cut back by 20 - 25% this week and an additional 20% next week. This allows you to maintain your peak fitness while allowing your muscles to rest and recover. It is crucial to listen to your body. It usually speaks very clearly.

Symptoms of tapering: Feelings of losing fitness, sluggishness, panic that the race is approaching. These are all normal. Your body has been pushed to its limits for months and now it does not want to stop. That is your mind telling you that you are going to be out of shape in a week. Trust me... and the taper. By the middle of race week most of your nagging aches and pains will be minimized, your legs will be screaming to go for a long run and your workouts will feel extremely easy. You will be ready to race.

Ya Gotta Believe.

Coach Kevin - Team McGraw