Steps to the 2024 Chicago Marathon: Interview with Coach David Chavez

We are just days away from the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, and the Team YMCA has been hard at work training for the big day!  

Meet David Chavez, the Team YMCA Marathon Coach, who has guided our runners, one step at a time, as they prepare their bodies and minds for the 26.2-mile marathon. David has created a training schedule for each runner; coordinated group long runs across the Chicagoland area; and discussed topics around hydration, nutrition, and apparel — all while amping up the team for an unforgettable experience! 

Q: How did you join Team YMCA?  
A: After my return from serving in the Peace Corps, I became friends with a Y staff member who was also an avid runner. We hung out, went rock climbing, and even volunteered together a few years ago at the Chicago Marathon start line!  

I began coaching athletes for marathons and triathlons right around 2021, as I have always wanted to give back to the endurance race community. Shortly after, the YMCA became a charity partner in the Chicago Marathon, and Derek put me in touch with a YMCA colleague.  

I coached the Team YMCA for their first year participating in the 2021 Chicago Marathon and have been coaching the team since!  

Q: What’s a quote that you live by?  
A: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I’m about to do today?” — Steve Jobs  

Q: What does a typical training session look like for Team YMCA marathon runners?  
A: This varies throughout the season; however, I can share what a typical long run training meetup looks like. 

We typically meet early in the morning at our designated meeting spot to do some light stretching, and I review the course and mileage. Then I start the clock, and the runners are off to conquer their training distance. Typically, I am on my bike along the course cheering them on, carrying some extra hydration/nutrition for the runners, and guiding them along the course. 

The runners will finish at different times, and we will cool down, hangout, and stretch at the finish area before wrapping up the training day! 

Q: In addition to physical training, how else do you prepare the runners?  
A: The race is as much mental as physical! I’ve been running marathons, triathlons, and endurance events for the last 15 years with a lot of learnings from my races. Throughout the training season, I will give advice and tips that I have learned throughout the years to prevent the athletes from making the same mistakes I have.  

Q: How do you inspire the runners to keep going in the face of adversity?  
A: Through some words of wisdom:  

1. Trust your training.  
2. Break the race up — instead of focusing on a 26.2-mile run, focus on completing it in 3-mile increments.  
3. Focus on the things you can control. Something usually comes up on race day, whether you forget to bring your favorite running sunglasses or if the weather is warmer [or] colder than you had anticipated... but it's how you adapt to these challenges on race day which makes it an unforgettable experience!  

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d like to share with the runners before the Chicago Marathon?  
A: Running a marathon is no small feat. Be proud of yourself for even having the courage to sign up, running for a cause, training all summer, and making it the start line. Each participant in the Chicago Marathon gets to experience a feeling like no other that day... so embrace every second of that race!  


Thank you to David and to all of our runners for their incredible work. Share in the victory and challenges by supporting Team Y at our 2024 Chicago Marathon Donation Page, where you can also learn more about each of our dedicated team members and why they chose to run for the Y! 

Plus, be sure to join us at the Team YMCA Marathon Cheer Zone on race day, Sunday, October 13, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. We’re meeting up at the Crown Family YMCA Jackson Parking Lot to make posters and inspire our runners. Learn more via our Chicago Marathon event webpage.