5K- There was lots of pushing and close running in the early going as the crowd worked its way up Columbus Drive and into the Loop. I told myself to listen to the advice of many and run slow, and I stuck close to the 5Hr pacers. It was difficult to squash the adrenaline early on as I got my first taste of the noisy crowds in the first mile, but I managed to keep the pace slow and easily warmed up in the stretch between State St. and the turn north onto LaSalle. Coolest ipod moment of the race: Wilco's "I'm the Man Who Loves You" popping randomly into my ears just as the Marina Towers (featured on the album cover of the Chicago band's'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot)'came into view on State. First 5K time: 35:37.
10K- After running through the Near North, past the Lincoln Park Zoo, and along Lake Shore Drive, where there were live bands, lots of spectacular scenery, and a fan handing out Margaritas to runners, we hit Wrigleyville. The turn onto Addison brought the first wave of unbelievable crowd support, and my first laugh-out-loud moment. It was here, at the northern-most part of the course, where the runners encountered the Boystown ROTC crew in all their pom-pom glory. The signs were great, the noise was deafening, and the whole scene was one big party. It was here, also, that I had my first sighting of Katie and Shannon, among the thick crowds on Broadway in Lakeview. We'd planned to meet approximately every 8 miles, on the runner's right-hand side of the road. The mass of runners was dense and still moving pretty quickly when we connected, so there was only time for Katie to hand me a double espresso gel, plant me a quick kiss and wish me good luck. Running through your old neighborhood on a beautiful October day with thousands of people cheering for you is a great way to spend an afternoon, believe me. 2nd 5K: 34:55.
15K- "You Aren't almost There" There were many great signs along the route, but this was a favorite. Lots of people would shout encouragement as you would pass, but few had this bit of humorous realism. The trip through River North and Old Town was marked by great crowd support, shady streets through cool neighborhoods, and one last trip through the big buildings of the Loop. One amusing sign in this stretch read "Run Like a Bear is Chasing You." Stephen Colbert would have approved. Third 5k clocked in at a steady 34:09.
20K- Making the turn onto Jackson for the start of the longest west-bound stretch of the race I was met by a large group of Dutch supporters dressed head-to-toe in bright orange. They burst into song as I ran past, clanging cowbells and singing "Hup! Hup! Oranje!" I don't think they even cared if I was Dutch or not...they just wanted an excuse to go nuts and cheer. I never really considered my clothing choice to be an important pre-race decision, but in retrospect I was glad I went with the orange adidas top. It carried me well through the half and was one of the coolest moments of fan support I experienced. It was also my fastest 5K: 34:06.
HALF- The sight of Old St. Pat's signaled the arrival of the second half of the race. A line of nuns stood along the street blessing runners as they moved into the hotter open asphalt of miles 14 and beyond. I should have seen that as a sign that tougher times lay in wait. Time at the half point: 2:28:27.
25K- Here I had my 2nd meeting with Katie and Shannon near mile 16. Kate handed me a bottle of water and asked how I was doing. "It's freaking hot" was all I could say. Being the good support system she is, she said "Don't worry, there's a cool breeze coming soon." It was a total lie, but it made me feel better. I poured some water on my head and took off again. Shortly after making my way back onto S. Halsted St. I noticed that the event alert system changed from "Code Yellow" to "Code Red." Following last year's mid-race cancellation because of the heat, a plan was put into place to advise runners about the conditions. Code Red signaled "potentially dangerous conditions" where runners were urged to "slow down/consider stopping." I slowed down a bit, but didn't stop. I also took advantage of a short line at the porta-potties on Taylor St. to use the facilities for the only time during the race. My 5th 5K came in at 37:09.
30K- At the 18th mile I had my first moment of doubt and pain. To this point I had been doing okay, moving along with only small breaks to fuel up at water and gatorade stations before picking up the pace again. Now, on a sparsely populated stretch of Ashland near University Village, I hit the wall. It was here that I saw my first runner pass out mid-run, and I stopped to walk for almost 1/2 mile when I felt light-headed as I turned the corner into Pilsen. The support in Pilsen was awesome, and I managed to get moving again just as I saw an older Mexican man running with his cart handing out pineapple ices to runners along 18th St. It was along this stretch that I saw a bank clock with a temperature reading of 90F. After this, I stopped looking at bank clocks. Most appropriate ipod song of the day? Yo La Tengo's "Some Kind of Fatigue" as I walked a dizzy line through Pilsen. 6th 5K time: 40:40, my second slowest of the race.
35K- The turn into Chinatown provided a spectacular boost, as runners were met by a flurry of color and excitement that matched any on the course. Unfortunately, the boost was short-lived, and I faded quickly as we headed south toward Comiskey. Running near Mile 22 I got tangled up with another participant as we navigated a water station. We crossed paths, he clipped my foot, and my shoe flew through the air and landed about six feet from where I was standing. As I bent down to put it back on, my left hamstring seized up and I suffered my only real painful moment of the race. I took a minute to stretch and walk it off, but I had lost a lot of time. Shady spots were few and far between at this point, and I walked a few blocks hoping to conserve enough energy to finish strong. Special thanks go out to the fans on this part of the course who handed out the best goodies to runners, including Twizzlers, pretzels, and oranges. I grabbed a pack of Skittles from a little kid and held onto them until later when I handed them off to Katie. It was also at this point that Nike had a huge video screen and a PA system blaring music and inspiration. As I made the turn onto 35th St. I heard Spoon singing "The Underdog," and I immediately thought of Cal. It helped me pick up the pace a bit, though I finished this leg with my slowest 5K of the race: 41:20.
40K- The home stretch was highlighted by the final Katie sighting at a point halfway between miles 24 and 25. I was moving slowly, and walked a few blocks with Kate when we found each other, but I felt pretty good. At this point I knew I would finish, and I wasn't suffering from any real physical ailments, so I was able to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy the final miles. I made sure to run through the part of the Prairie District near Soccer House, and sang along out loud to my ipod as it played The Jam's "In the City" as Grant Park came into view. The final challenge, a small hill on Roosevelt that seemed massive at the time, was lined with cheering fans and helped me pick up the pace to finish my last 5K in 39:30.
FINISH- I ditched my ipod for the last few hundred meters, and had enough left to sprint to the finish line. I crossed the line and kept walking, through the space-blankets and the medals to the beer stand, where finishers were offered Goose Island 312 draughts. It was probably the best tasting beer of my life. Finish Time: 5:17:53.
1 comment:
Good report. Those would have been my highlights if I'd been on your back.
Take it easy on the comeback trail. Avoid sniffly kids and keep eating. You're a green under repair for another week or so. Take it slow.
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