First Chicago Marathon: Lessons, Community and the Finish Line With Jessica Lopez

Jessica Lopez is a member of the accounting department at Ankin Law, a Chicago law firm representing clients in personal injury and workers' compensation matters. Her work contributes to the financial operations that support the firm and its team serving injured people across Chicagoland. A Chicago native raised in Pilsen, Jessica completed her first Chicago Marathon in 2025 and was the first in her family to finish a marathon. She also raised funds for The Network's "Run DV Out of Town" campaign supporting survivors of domestic violence.

A first marathon tests preparation, pacing, and perseverance while showing how much support can matter along the way. What does it take to finish 26.2 miles and want to do it again?

Jessica Lopez, a Chicago native and first-time Chicago Marathon finisher, shares a firsthand look at what helped her complete the race and what she would change next time. Her experience highlights the importance of consistent training, running at a sustainable pace, and managing sleep and caffeine before race day. Jessica also explains how seeing family, friends, and familiar faces in Pilsen gave her an extra push late in the course. For first-time marathon runners, preparing consistently while staying flexible on race day can make the experience both more manageable and more rewarding.

In this episode of Getting Personal, Larry Hawley talks with Jessica Lopez, a member of the accounting department at Ankin Law, about completing her first Chicago Marathon. Jessica shares lessons from training, the importance of finding her own pace, and how family and community support carried her through 26.2 miles. She also discusses running through Pilsen, supporting a domestic violence organization, and the possibility of another marathon.