Things I see on a run through Chicago

In order to break up the tedium of a long run down Foster Ave., I sometimes run South to Carmen, go East on Carmen, and head back North to Kilbourn.  The Kilbourn segment of the run is interesting because of the houses: flat roof Lustrons(?) on the East side, and bungalows on the West Side.  The neighborhood is called North Mayfair.

Run the Madison Marathon in 4:40? Um, er, how about COMPLETE the Madison Marathon, and otherthoughts..

--When I applied for the Fall Madison Marathon, I was asked what my predicted time would be.  Since it was my first marathon, I took my average time in the two half marathons I ran and doubled it.
--However, I've been taking an "unexpected taper".  In other words, I'm getting over a bout of bronchitis, and haven't done any long running in almost two weeks.  I'm taking antibiotics, and taking it easy.  The most vigorous thing I've done was a four mile walk yesterday. It didn't leave me collapsed in a massive coughing fit, so that's progress.
--Therefore, tonight, I'm going to escalate to a thirty minute  treadmill run.  No blazing speed- 11:30 miles at most.
--I'd like an 11:30 per mile pace to be my starting pace.  It's going to be hard to exercise self control at the beginning, and not want to zip along at a ten minute pace.  (Well, that's zipping along for me.)  According to the elevation chart on the map, the first mile is mostly downhill.

Notes of a First Time Volunteer

1. I'll have to wake up early.  REALLY early.  Wake up at Oh My God Dark Thirty in order to make it down to the Start Corrals where I am volunteering.
2. But I do get a light breakfast and a jacket with the logo to wear.
3. As usual, there will be hydration stations offering water and Gatorade.  Other stations will offer gels: "...PowerGel® Energy Gels will be featured at Aid Station 13 (Mile 17.8) on the Bank of America Chicago Marathon course route. Available flavors will be in both caffeinated (Chocolate, Strawberry Banana) and non-caffeinated (Vanilla, Orange Dream and Pomegranate Blueberry Acai.." it says here.
4. On the other hand, take a look at the map
Notice that at Halsted St., South of 18th, there's a food station.  It's indicated with a banana.
Huh? Someone who needed a potassium fix is going to run along, grab a yellow one, start peeling and then eating, all the while running?
I can't wrap my mind around that.  I eat bananas after the run, not during it.  A gel during the race, chased with water?  Sure.  A banana?  I don't know.

Can you see THIS during the Chicago Marathon?...

...I think not.
While I'm volunteering at Chicago's Marathon next week, I'll be running Madison's fall Marathon in November.
I was curious as to how hilly the course was going to be, so I went up there for the day, to walk as much of the course as I could.
OK, they're not as steep as the ones I've walked/run in Austin, Texas, but ya sure, ya betcha it will be rolling terrain.
It's a scenic course to, in that it will take the runners through the Wisconsin Arboretum. The fall colors might be gone by November, but you might see these birds.

These are wild turkeys.  I also saw a pheasant crossing the road, but he/she moved too fast to shoot.