Proud To Run Chicago

June 27 the annual Proud to Run 5k and 10k starts the weekend of Pride weekend festivities. I signed up for the 10k which started at 8:05 in the morning. It was a brisk morning, but at least the sun was out and the rain from the day before stopped. We arrived at the start at 7:00 and was able to stretch and loosen up before the race.

The race started by the lakefront by Montrose and went north up to Foster then we turned around and went south. We went down to to the just before Belmont. Luckily there was a park bathroom there because they didn’t have any along the way. When we turned around and went back north towards the finish. When we got to the bird sanctuary by Montrose there was a little confusement to where we’re were supposed to go, the guy that was supposed to direct us didn’t, if I didn’t ask him I would of went the wrong way.

We finished back at Montrose, where I finished at 1hr 18min and 53min. Still not at my regular pace, but getting better. This was a nice race, and good course and a nice medal. Didn’t stay too long because had to go out to the suburbs to see my relatives that came up for the weekend.

Volition Half Marathon – Chicago

I got an e-mail awhile ago announcing this new half marathon series around the country and thought it would be interesting to try it out. It was new, a cool medal and was for a food cause.

We arrived at the start in plenty of time and the weather was holding up.  I was able to use the facilities and get stretched out before the start. My co-worker and his group also participated in this run so was able to see him in the morning. The start and course was the same as the Monster Dash, so I was very familiar course.

When we went to the start there were no corrals, you just join the estimated finish time. They played Taps, and then they had someone speak and then played the national anthem. I have to say that what they played was horrible and totally inappropriate. It was a recording of someone singing the national anthem in a hard rock version. When I saw the announcer head banging during the chorus I was totally offended. The song didn’t even end when they released us for our run.

As mentioned above it followed the same course as the Monster Dash. They changed the course a bit, originally we were supposed to run up to Randolph when we got to the lakefront, but instead then had us run south when we got there. I think the course was off because the mile markers were of from my gps, in other races it would be consistent but this one it was fluctuating from being over and under and when I finished it didn’t’ even get up to 13.1 miles.

I haven’t been training since my injury, which I could tell from running this course. I got tired and took a bunch of walking breaks. Rick taped my ankle and that helped. My ankle held up throughout the race. I think it could of been over cautious, it’s just I don’t want to aggravate it even more.

The weather turned out to be really nice and became really sunny. But going north on the lakefront it became really windy and got cold.  Once we passed soldier field and coming up on the museum campus I knew I was almost done.  The all of a sudden my right calf started tensing up.so I tried to walk it off.  Once I saw the underpass I knew the finish was just around the corner so I picked it up and ran the rest of the way. I finished in 3hrs 4min 17sec.  Still not at my racing best, but going the right direction.

I probably won’t do this race again next year, but this is another race in the books. My goal is to shave even more time at my next half which is in about a month, the Red White and Boom in Minnesota.