F^3 Lake Front Half Marathon 2015

January 24, 2015

2nd Half Marathon - F^3 Lakefront Half

Chicago, IL

Time: 2:36:02 Pace: 11:55

Place: 1599/1866 overall; 786/981 women

age grade 44.03%; Div place 108, div total 134 

10k split 1:13:13

I originally signed up to be  a CARA (Chicago Area Runners Association) group leader for Winter Half Marathon Training to keep up my fitness during the winter months. Last winder during the treacherous Polar Vortex I binged watched the entire series of Breaking Bad, ate out of boredom and gained a few unwanted pounds. I vowed that wasn't going to happen this time around! I originally did not intend to run the target race.

Similar to Summer half training, the run/walk group whittled down to only pace leaders. Everyone was missing long runs here and there making it easier in my mind for me to also miss runs defeating the purpose (for me!) of trying to keep up my fitness. The price was only $40 an the bragging rights were tempting. So, I signed up.

I was so excited to see the forecast for race day in the 30s! Last year, in the Polar Vortex, the race started at Montrose with no indoor access. I wasn't there but I heard about it from a million people. This year with near-perfect running weather we had the entire United Club in Soldier Field in which to warm up pre race and party post race. It was also a late start of 10 am. It all seemed so perfect!

I was able to get up at a decent time to prepare. I checked the transit tracker to see the 151 was coming in 2 minutes! Oh no! I ran out the door and busted ass to the bus stop. I crossed against the light as the bus was pulling up. I'm luck to be alive. Normally I wouldn't have been in a panic but the 151 on Sunday mornings only comes once every 24 minutes. 

I got to Soldier Field with 25 minutes to spare. I found my trainings buds, checked my bag, peed and we headed outside to the start line. I made a small mistake. I left my sport beans in my checked bag and I was a tad hungry. I had two gels with me but I needed to conserve. I set my Garmin for  a 6/1 run walk and we were off!

As we walked up to the start line and waited for out cue to go I felt a little jab in my left heel. Riiiight about where my plantar fasciitus used to flat up. At the first 1 minute walk interval the jab turned into a sharp stab. Oh no. What's goig on? How was I gong to run 13.1 miles like this? It went away when i started running. Then the second walk interval came and I was about to die! I quickly found a rock to sit on. I took off my shoe and found a tiny wire bristle poking out of my flesh.

Last year I refinished an old trunk. I have no garage, no yard or balcony so I had to do this project in my second bedroom. I know it wasn't a good idea but I felt like I had no choice. This trunk has to be about 100 years old. And with that age comes tons of rust, tarnish  and and varnish that had to be removed and sanded down. They make these wonderful circular wire brush attachments for corded power drills. I powered the bristles right off! 6 months later they are still flying around secretly in the air around my condo. I find these little fuckers everywhere. I have no idea how one found its way into a sock which I took out of the dryer on Thursday night. Later that day after I got home from the race, I found one embedded in my couch. 

So I continued on and then another thing started to annoy me. Things annoy me easily but I am happy to report it's becoming less and less as I become an old lady.  I think my biggest pet peave is people who act totally inappropriate in the context of the situation. I'll give teens a break because I am sure I was that annoying at that age too and when you're a teen it's hard to believe the world isn't all about you. 

So anyway, I feel there is certain running etiquette that one should follow. Be aware of the amount of space you're taking up. If you're going to walk, stay to the far right or far left. Do not ever ever walk or run more than two abreast, especially on narrow paths. Keep your music to yourself. Do not be obnoxious or loud continuously - it's a race, not a rave. There was this dude who was pissing me to off to no end and I was seriously wondering how I was going to survive over 2 hours of this shit. He was running all over the place, running backwards, talking to people who didn't want to be bothered, stopping and shouting at people. He would run casually for a few blocks, stop, walk, pull some shenanigans and then run again. Just when I would pass him walking he'd run past me and repeat his obnoxious pattern. 

At one point he was way ahead of me when he stopped, turned around and shouted something that sounded like "Shoe! Shoe! Shoe!" and pointed at me. I couldn't believe he would have any reason to talk to me so I ignored him. Finally I thought he might be telling me my shoe was untied so I looked down at my shoe and the little fucker turned back around and moved on. Seriously! Are you 5 or something.  Finally he got ahead of me and I didn't see him again. THANK GOD!

So let me pause from my bit chin' to comment on the good things about this race. First, the weather was amazing for January! I think it was creeping up on 40 when the race started. I wore a thermal turtleneck and a running jacket with an insulated core section. At certain points I felt like I was wearing too much but at other times when the wind was blowing off the lake I was glad I woe what I did. No matter what I wore I was going to sweat so one is never perfectly comfy while running. And if you are, I don't want to hear about it!

Second, I have never run this section of the Lake Front path so it was a nice change of pace after 12 weeks of going south from Waveland every single Saturday! The bummer part of this section of the path was the hills. Chicago hills which means barely any elevation and someone from a place with actually hills may not even notice. I hate hills and I know it's something I'mm figuratively and literally going to have to get over because there are races I want to do that have hills. 

This race was an out and back race which means you run so far (usually half way) and head back to the finish line. The turn around was a smidgen over mile 7. Around mile 5 or so the fast people started passing me on the way back. This was a nice distraction as I started seeing people I knew. We waved and cheered and ran on and even exchanged a few high fives. 

Around mile 9 I was losing steam in a big way. My right hamstring was getting tight. My calves were  tight. I was growing tired of these hills. I wanted to jump in a cab and head home. I couldn't help but wonder why this race was failing me after having done the rock and roll with more ease. The only thing I could pin it on was that I skipped the third mid-week run each week. I didn't follow the protocol and that could have affected me. Spring training has started and I going to follow the plan this time and see if I get better results. I'm really not going to beat my self up that much because sometimes you just don't have good runs! I was on a 6/1 run/walk plan but I ditched that plan and tried to run a slow 12 minute mile and walked the hills to the finish line. I just wanted to get it done!

There was a woman staring off to the side somewhere around mile 12.5. I was so delirious that I thought she had a camera in her hand. It took all my energy get prepared for a photo that when I got up close and realized she wasn't holding a camera I wanted to collapse. These last 4 miles were a huge mental and physical battle. 

I kicked ass getting to that finish line. I saw the finish sign and huffed and puffed my way at under a 10 minute mile and crossed that finish line! I took three strange, breaths and grabbed my medal. I thought for a split second that I was going to have another hyperventilation problem but it dissipated quickly. 

I hung around gobbling up the frozen but free Kind Bars and waited for Emily, Millie and Carolyn. Millie looked right at me but didn't see me so she headed right inside. Whooooops! The rest of us took photos and then talked to Chicago running legend Chuck where I was invited to be a Chuck's Chick. I was pretty excited as I only found out about this group right before the race.

Carolyn and her beau left while Emily and I headed in as we start to seriously cool down and the sun disappeared. We headed inside and grabbed our warm but free beer. We found Millie, grabbed a spot on the run inside the United Club and stretched. It was super awesome to be able to post race stretch inside on a rug. Not wanting to move we cleaned up with baby wipes and changed shirts right there. Sports bra exposure doesn't count as public nudity right?

We headed over to the Bongo Room on Wabash for brunch. They were closed! Dang late start race! Luckily Eleven City Diner was a few doors down. Ahhhh......Bloody Mary, Matzoh Ball soup, locks and latkes. Comfort food at its finest!