In her shoes

Three weeks ago, Deena Kastor was running more than 20 miles a day at an altitude of 9,000 feet. Feel out of breath thinking about it? It's just a normal day on the job for the 32-year-old marathoner, who's been a competitive runner for two thirds of her life. Kastor took the bronze in Athens with a mind-blowing 2:27, becoming the only American woman to medal in the Olympic marathon in 20 years. Now, in her first crack at the Chicago Marathon since 2002, she's aiming even higher. Kastor's training for a time under 2:20—and if she's successful, she'll become one of the six fastest female marathoners in the world.

Most runners in the October 9 race fall far below the level of a world-class athlete—many will be happy just to drag their asses across the finish line. Kastor doesn't sugarcoat her words of wisdom for these novices: "There's absolutely nothing anybody can say, no advice you can get, no extra three-hour run you can do that is going to make you feel confident," she says. "[A marathon is] a scary thing to venture into, but the thrill of crossing the finish line is well worth it." For those of us mere mortals planning to slug through in her dusty wake, Kastor offers a few pointers on how to have a great race.

Skip the shopping
"The best things to race in are the materials and clothing that you're actually training in," Kastor says. Twenty-six miles of chafing can do nasty things to your body—every marathon has runners with streaks of blood dripping from their nipples. "I've seen it, but luckily never experienced it," Kastor says with a laugh. Protect yourself by breaking in clothing during training runs. Lubricating antichafing gels such as BODYGLIDER may also help. As for shoes, you want to toe the line between blister-inducing brand-new and injury-causing worn-out. "There's always that gray area between breaking in a shoe and saving enough miles to actually run the marathon so you're not getting injured," Kastor says.

Dress for the weather
While it's important to wear clothes that you've been practicing in, don't make any definite decisions until race day. "I've been in Chicago when it's 115 degrees and I've been in Chicago when it's below freezing," Kastor says. "The mornings can be a little chilly, so always have one long-sleeve shirt you're okay with discarding along the street if temperatures start to climb. People are usually good at collecting the clothing at the side of the road and giving it to charity."

Fear the flats
The Chicago Marathon is one of the most well-organized races in the country, if not the world—but it certainly isn't the easiest. In addition to the potential for cold and windy weather, the course is primarily flat, which means "it's 26.2 miles of using the exact same muscles over and over again," Kastor says. She counteracts the flatness by planning minisurges throughout the race to try to recruit different muscle groups. "You're basically playing little tricks on your legs so the monotony of the flat mile after mile doesn't get to your muscles."

Drink in moderation
Athletes are regularly reminded of the perils of dehydration, but drinking too much water can be just as detrimental. Hyponatremia, sometimes known as water intoxication, occurs when your blood-sodium levels slip alarmingly low and cause a potentially dangerous electrolyte imbalance. "The elite athletes get to bring their own fluid," says Kastor, whose carbohydrate-enhanced drink of choice is Cytomax. Her husband, Andrew, a marathon coach, recommends finding out what the official race beverage is (Gatorade Endurance is Chicago's sponsor) and drinking it during training runs to avoid shocking your system. During the race, aim to drink about six to eight ounces of fluid every 20 minutes and be sure to contact your doctor before the race if you have any questions.

Keep your diet familiar
Think you want to try a spicy new Thai dish the night before the race? Unless you want to be running from Porta Potty to Porta Potty, think again. "With everything there's always a balance," Kastor says. "You tell people to carbo-load, and you see someone with five plates of pasta in front of them, and they don't know why they're having stomach problems the next day." The night before the race, eat something that you'll enjoy but can also digest well. "I love having good salmon if I can find it. And one of my favorites—and Chicago is a good place for it—is pizza. But if you don't eat pizza all year long, please don't eat pizza the night before a marathon!"

Kick back and relax
Most training regimens recommend that you do your last long run about three weeks before the race, tapering down your workouts so your body is prepared for the ordeal ahead. A little extra sleep also goes a long way. Kastor often sleeps nine to ten hours a day while training and squeezes in a one- to two-hour nap in the afternoon. "It's my job," she says. "I love being able to take a nap and say that I'm working." Make sure you stretch to stay limber, and try to keep your feet up so you conserve energy and rest your legs. Kastor suggests eating dinner on the couch or propping your feet up on your desk CEO-style when you're at work.

Take pride
If you're worried about missing your goal time, just remember that even Olympians have their down days. Kastor had to drop out of the New York City Marathon last year, just three months after tasting victory in Athens. "At the halfway point I thought, Oh my gosh, there's no way I can do this, I'm just going to have to celebrate finishing this time. But at 16 miles I had to drop out completely. And this is my profession," she says. Twenty-six miles can be an unforgiving distance. "Reaching the finish line should be an amazing accomplishment in itself," she says. "It's more than a race. People run marathons to prove how alive they are."

THE LOCAL SPIN

Get a leg up on the big race with these tips from Chicago marathon experts:

Keep a checklist
The last thing you want to do on race day is scramble to find your keys. Mark Colpoys, the director of marketing for Fleet Feet Sports, recommends taking care of all the details the night before. Lay out essentials like sunscreen, warm-up clothes, gloves, race number and safety pins for easy morning access. And don't forget money to get home. "A lot of people go down to the race, finish the race, and realize they forgot their CTA card," Colpoys says. "After training for 20 weeks, your mind should be on the race, not remembering the little things." Check out www.fleetfeetchicago.com for a downloadable marathon checklist.

Think small
"The scariest part for a first-time runner is the unknown," says Jenny Hadfield, co-owner of Chicago Endurance Sports and author of Marathoning for Mortals (Rodale Books, $14.95). "They get freaked out by the distance." Hadfield suggests distracting yourself with minigoals like three-mile stretches or spans between the ten Starbucks stations on the course.

Plan your recovery
Recovery after the marathon can be as important as training. Start with an inflammation-reducing ice bath. "It sounds awful, but it's the best thing you can do," says Hadfield, who also advises taking a week off from exercising to give your body time to heal. Colpoys suggests scheduling some well-deserved pampering far in advance. "It's almost impossible to schedule [a massage] the day after a marathon," he says. "And when you wake up sore the morning after, you'll wish you had."

Gear up with a group
Can't imagine running one mile, much less 26? The Chicago Area Runners Association (312-666-9836, www.cararuns.org) can help connect you with coach-led groups and charity-based organizations like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training program. "It's hard and it's painful if you decide to run a race and go train by yourself," Colpoys says. "But I don't care if you're sitting on the couch right now. If your goal is to run a marathon, it can be done."—Antonia Simigis