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After a week of keeping everyone on their toes trying to solve the big question — “Where is Liz running her next marathon?” — the wait is finally over!
If you missed the original post, go back and check out how it all started in this blog post!
I’ve had the best time creating this mystery series. Honestly, I’m kind of bummed it’s over. Between the guesses, the DMs, and the running theories about what each clue meant, it’s been such a fun, creative week. Every time I posted a new clue, I was convinced that one would give it away — but somehow, the mystery lived on. Even some completely unintentional coincidences added extra layers of confusion that made it even better.
I’m already thinking this might need a “Season 2,” so stay tuned!
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Key Topics Included in This Post
Run. Wander. Where?
I’ve been wanting to do something more playful as a marathon announcement for a while. After all, this is marathon number 13 for me and I thought lucky 13 deserves a little sparkle.
So instead of just dropping the news, I turned the reveal into a marathon clue challenge: six reels each with a clue and a bonus daily clue for my email subscribers. The idea was simple: keep things fun, creative, and community-driven.
But what I didn’t expect was how much I’d love the guessing game itself. The energy that came from everyone participating by commenting and sharing theories, all of which made perfect sense. The celebration reminded me exactly why I love the running community so much. There’s just something special about being part of a group of people who get as excited for your miles as they do for their own.
Warning! The clues below are laid out so you can review to try to solve the mystery. Do not click on the reveal messages if you don’t want the answers to the clues!
Run. Wander. Where? First Clue
Rewatch the first video here.
The country where this marathon takes place has had numerous First Ladies born there.
Click to reveal the answer to the first clue!
The answer is the United States, since most of the First Ladies were born in the United States, however three former First Ladies were born in Chicago (Betty Ford, Hilary Clinton and Michelle Obama).
Other Hidden Clues in the First Video
Click here to reveal the hidden clues in the first video!
- While the first clue was a very broad, I intentionally used the word broad as a nod to the Chicago nickname, “The City of Broad Shoulders.”
- The Chicago Marathon was my first marathon (in 2014) and so I put a lot of emphasis on the word first in this video.
- The elevator in the clue transition is a nod to the first skyscraper, which was built in Chicago in 1885.
- The elevator bell is an elevator fire alarm sound, which is a nod to the Chicago fire. If you rewatch the video, I also get very close to pushing the fire alarm before I press the button for the first floor.
- The mention of daily clues is a nod to the original name of the Chicago Marathon, known previously as the Mayor Daley Marathon. It was renamed the Chicago Marathon in 1978.
Musical Bonus Clue #1
What connection does the song “Then He Kissed Me” by the Crystals have to do with Liz’s marathon?
“Then He Kissed Me” is in the 1987 Chicago-based movie, Adventures in Babysitting. The song is the opening montage when Elizabeth Shue is getting ready for her date and she’s dancing and singing to the song. At one point she uses her curtains as a veil (I think all little girls in the 80s have done this at some point because of this scene). This is probably one of my favorite movies from my childhood.
Run. Wander. Where? Second Clue
Rewatch the second video here.
This city is located near a body of water.
Click to reveal which body of water is near the city Liz is running her next marathon!
Chicago is located next to Lake Michigan, which is one of the five Great Lakes.
Other Hidden Clues in the Second Video
Click here for extra hidden clues in the second video!
The video started with the phrase I’m back, which is how Michael Jordan announced he was coming out of retirement and he was returning to basketball with the Chicago Bulls.
Instead of referring this as “clue #2,” I repleated referred to the clue as the second clue, which is a nod to the Chicago nickname, the Second City.
Musical Clue #2
What is the connection to this Natalie Cole song to Liz’s next marathon?
This is another nod to one of my favorite Chicago movies, While You Were Sleeping. This Natalie Cole bop is included in the opening credits with b-roll of various Chicago buildings in the winter (it’s a Christmas movie).
Run. Wander. Where? Clue #3
Rewatch video # 3 here.
The number 3.
Get the answer to clue # 3 here!
The number three is a significant piece of Chicago culture. The biggest impact three has had on the Chicago landscape is three branches of the Chicago River merge together in one spot. It’s actually along the Chicago Marathon course, just before the halfway point. The municipal device (the city logo with a circle with a Y in the middle) is a huge part of the Chicago identity and it’s sort of the “Hidden Mickey” of Chicago (Hidden Mickeys are a Disney fandom where there are hidden Mickeys throughout the Disney theme parks). You can find the municipal device throughout the city hidden in the architecture. It’s included in the Chicago Theater logo, on the bridges and it’s part of the Chicago Cubs City Connect jersey.
Three is also a reference for the Bulls 3-peat when they won three championships in a row (twice), Chicago musical artist Chance the Rapper’s signature hat with the number 3, and there are three waves in the Chicago Marathon.
Other Hidden Clues in the Third Video
Find out the hidden clues in video 3 here!
As part of including the reference to the Schoolhouse Rock video, “Three is a Magic Number,” the cartoon includes a scoreboard for the Giants and the Bears.
Squad Goals mug is a nod to running in my hometown with my friends.
Starting with the third video and email, I would only refer to the clue by it’s number, hoping someone would notice this in a previous video for the call out of first and second for the clues noted above.
Musical Clue # 3
What is the connection for this song to Liz’s next marathon?
Fun fact about this song: This was the first song Pearl Jam licensed for commecial use. A small clip of it is used on the series finale episode of Friends (I learned this from Brian’s music history show, the History of Alternative, which you can listen to on Sunday mornings on the Chicago radio station, Q101). I actually included this song as a nod to Chicago Cubs super fan, Eddie Vedder.
Run. Wander. Where? Clue #4
Rewatch video #4 here.
There were 2 very famous structures built in this city 100 years before my first marathon.
What year was Liz’s first marathon and what are the 2 very famous structures?
My first marathon was the Chicago Marathon in 2014 and the two structures are Navy Pier and Wrigley Field.
Music Clue #5
What is the connection to “Last Dance” and Liz’s next marathon?
“Last Dance” is a nod to the ten-part Michael Jordan documentary, The Last Dance, which was released in April 2020.
Run. Wander. Where? Clue #5
Rewatch video #5 here.
So many movies and tv shows have used this city as the location and one particular show filmed here for over two decades.
What TV shoe was filmed in the city of Liz’s next marathon for over two decades?
Numerous movies were filmed here in Chicago included The Dark Knight, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, the Transformers and The Blues Brothers to name a few. “The Oprah Winfrey Show”, later named “Oprah,” was filmed in Chicago for 25 years (1986-2011).
Other Hidden Clues in the Fifth Video
What hidden clues were included in video #5?
“If you want to stay in the loop” is a nod to downtown Chicago, named the Loop.
Musical Clue # 5
What’s the connection for the “Be a Lion” song in the Wiz to Liz’s next marathon?
“Be a Lion” from the Wiz is here for two reasons. One, Pope Leo XIV is the first American Pope and was born in Chicago. It’s also a nod to the two lion sculptures outside the Art Institute in the Chicago Loop.
Related Post: Want inspiration for race day nails on your marathon race day? Check out this guide to help design the perfect race day manicure!
Run. Wander. Where? Clue #6
Rewatch video #6 on Instagram here.
This city has many delicacies and for one of them, there is a specific way to eat it that’s “king.”
Which delicacy is the eaten a specific way that’s “king?”
While Chicago has so many locally-specific food items including the Italian shaved beef sandwich, tavern-style pizza, deep dish pizza, they also have the Chicago hot dog, which has very specific ingredients that do not include ketchup. The clue also includes the word king, which is a nod to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and the Sausage King, Abe Froman.
Musical Clue #6
What is the connection between Dave Matthews Band and this marathon city?
This song is included as a reference to Dave Matthews Band and an incident involving their tour bus emptying the septic tank on the Kedzie Street bridge while a boat passed underneath on August 8, 2004.
Bonus Musical Clue #7
There was only a bonus clue for day 7 to make the total number of clues 13. It seemed fitting this was a Taylor Swift song.
Click to reveal the connection between this song and Liz’s next marathon!
This Taylor Swift song was one of her “secret songs” on the Eras tour. Every performance had two songs unique to the each setlist. She only performed each song once on the tour and she included “The Lakes” as her secret song at her June 2, 2023, concert at Soldier Field. It’s also a nod to the fact Chicago is the City by the Lake.
The Moment of Truth
Where is Liz Running Her Next Marathon? Click to Reveal!
Liz is running the Bank of America Chicago Marathon!
Chicago is my home course — the city that taught me what it means to show up, to grow, and to fall in love with running again and again. I’ve run this marathon before, but this year feels especially meaningful.
I’ll be running for Imerman Angels, an incredible nonprofit that connects cancer fighters and survivors with mentors who’ve been diagnosed with the same form of cancer to offer extra support. Supporting them feels deeply personal: it’s about more than miles; it’s about connection, compassion, and showing up for others the same way running has shown up for me. I’ve been on the Professionals Board since 2021 and 4th year running for this team!
You can donate to support a cancer fighter here. Funny story, I actually changed my profile name to Elizabeth M. so it wasn’t a giveaway as part of the series!
Why Were There Six Clues?
I specifically chose to include six clues because this is my 6th time running the Chicago Marathon.
In other numerology, Chicago flag has four six-pointed stars and Chicago is one of the six races you need to complete to earn the World Marathon Majors six star medal.
Why Were All the Bonus Clues Songs?
I also included all musical bonus clues to my email subscribers for an additional advantage. The daily clues were intentionally a little broad, mostly to keep the magic going as long as possible. It’s also a nod to the fact the Broadway show, Chicago, is a musical.
You can find the whole playlist on Spotify here.
Related Post: Looking to plan your Chicago Marathon race weekend? This guide has tips for everything you need to know when running the Chicago Marathon.
What’s Next?
Now that the secret’s out, the real work begins! I’ll be training, fundraising, and sharing this journey with all of you. I’ll be documenting the highs, the long runs, and everything inbetween. If you’ve ever dreamed about running Chicago (or any marathon), I hope this gives you a peek into what the process really looks like.
You can expect:
- Fundraising milestones and creative ideas to get involved
- Behind-the-scenes posts on balancing work, travel, and marathon prep
- A few surprises I already have brewing along the way
Join Me on the Journey
If you’ve guessed, commented, or even silently followed along — thank you. You made this so much more fun than I ever imagined. I can’t wait to take you with me through this training cycle and all the adventures that come with it.
Here’s how you can stay connected:
- Join my email list for bonus content, behind-the-scenes updates, and fundraising challenges. Join the list (it’s free) by signing up here.
- Follow on Instagram and TikTok for training updates, travel prep, and race-week excitement. For Instagram, check out my page and follow on TikTok here.
- Donate to Imerman Angels to help sponsor a match between a fighter and a mentor. Every dollar goes to support people fighting cancer. You can donate here!
So here’s to lucky marathon number 13, to hometown courses and to running for something bigger than ourselves.
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