Woo hoo! I ran a new-to-me race today – the Chicago Spring Half Marathon!
This is my fifth half this year, but, the first in Illinois! And! My first race of the year with Bobbi*!
Despite many of my friends having run this race in the past, for some reason**, it was completely off my radar. I didn’t even know it existed until a free code*** for it was posted on Facebook. Of course, that got me to look in to it! Ha! And once I saw my calendar was free, and Bobbi was in, too, I signed up!
I have to say, I am surprised I didn’t know about this race. After running it, I would think it would have a reputation – for being so well organized! All of the race festivities were held in the Park at Lakeshore East. There was great signage for everything! Will call was easy to find when we got there. I was able to easily exchange my shirt for a different size. Porta pottie lines were decent. The race start (out of the park) was easy to find. There was a freaking breakfast BUFFET after the race and a free flower station! Many other vendors too. I was super impressed! And not to mention (or to mention?) I really liked the shirt design and medal!
Oh, and side tangent, I am also super impressed, er, well, pleased that I accidentally stumbled across an awesome parking website – SpotHero. I was googling parking by the site and SpotHero was the first thing to show up. You enter the day and time you will be somewhere and a map pops up with parking locations and costs! We got a spot for $12 (was supposed to be $36)! I found the website completely by accident but am really happy I did. And P.S. these are my own opinions bah blah, SpotHero didn’t sponsor me.Â
On to the race! We were just using the race as a training run and a chance to catch up with each other, so we didn’t really have any time goals. In my mind, I was thinking a 10:00-10:30 overall pace.
The race itself was organized, too. There was a good corral system so it never felt too crowded, which is good – the course was an out and back on the Lakefront Trail, which isn’t super wide and is open to the public. There was ample water/Gatorade stops and even had a few Clif Shot Gel stations that I used! It was so nice to have fuel on course and not deal with getting it out of my handheld, and also, to get my water bottle filled up a few times.Â
We were in the sixth corral, which started about twenty minutes after the first one, and right away, I told Bobbi I was feeling pretty blah. I made a really dumb mistake. An hour or so before the race, I took my B vitamin. And it was making me feel like crapola. I was super annoyed at myself for doing this, because I have made this mistake in the past and had it ruin a race!
But despite feeling that way, I was still all smiles the first time we saw xaarlin and CB on course! It always puts a smile on my face to see someone I know during a race! And she was such a sweetie to come out and spectate and take so many photos!
After taking a Clif shot gel in the first 4-5 miles, I actually started to feel better! I think I just needed something in my stomach on top of that vitamin (and another chocolate clif shot gel that was giving me a weird aftertaste). And the stinking sun came out in FULL force, but I’ve been taking some electrolyte tabs that seem to be helping me handle the sun… so I was feeling decent (and it helps that the humidity wasn’t super high)!
Classic “running north” shot on the trail
The sun was getting to Bobbi though, and mix that with a wonky stomach and she wasn’t digging the last few miles. She took a bathroom break in the 11th mile and we slowed it down for the last 5K. No big deal! I was just there to chat and have fun. Oh! And test out my new shoes some more – so far, so good!
We saw Charlyn a few more times near the finish! What a spectating rock star!
And we finished in 2:23:44, about an 11:00 average pace. I was really happy to finish a sunny run feeling pretty good! And to get all that time to talk to Bobbi!
After the race we hung around for a bit with xaarlin and CB. It was nice to chat and enjoy the sun… once we were done running in it! Hee hee!
And I don’t have any more half marathons on the calendar for the year! Now, that feels weird! Even weirder… next race is a city one, again – the Soldier Field 10 Miler! I bet I will be just as impressed with the organization!
*There better be more!!!
**Ha! Probably because I look for local races. A few friends said to me “I am surprised you are running a city race!” Hee hee.Â
***I felt odd using a random free code, so to make myself feel better, I also donated to the race charity. I know… not quite the same.
Sounds like a great half! For some reason this race is never on my radar either. I was considering a late sign up for the soldier field 10. I wanted to use it as a training run but not sure I can trust myself not to “race”!
For what are you training? You totally should… I bet you’d get in one of the later corrals and that would force it to be a training run! 😉
Woo hoo! A smidge bummed I didn’t make the trek from Indianapolis to Chicago and do back to back races. Sounds like such a good time! And I LOVE the idea of a breakfast buffet after a race. Sure beats pizza and bananas.
I am a smidge bummed too 🙂 We missed you!
I think volunteering at the GOTR long course (lol) 5K is way more meaningful than a free half in Chicago! But! You aren’t off the hook! We have to all meet up this summer or SOMETHING!
Glad you ladies had fun! You had a beautiful morning!
Congrats! Looks like it was a great day!
Looks like you guys had a great time! Nicely done 🙂
awesome race!
ummm, a buffet? flower station? sounds like the best race of all time! i’m totally jealous!
Yeah, and there were probably other cool things going on that I didn’t even check out! I was impressed 😀
I’m sad I didn’t know you were running this! I was supposed to but had to DNS due to my foot fracture. I was there as a spectator, a loud one, with a cowbell and all!!! Looks like you had a great time. The weather was perfect!
I bet I saw you! Thanks for coming out and spectating! I hope your foot is feeling better day by day! 🙂
Glad you had a fun race! Maybe I’ll give it another shot next year, I’very heard nothing but good things.
And you know, if you ever feel like running a city race again, I run and live in the city and do city races. Just sayin 🙂
I hope you get the chance too! How was your trip to OH?
I will keep that in mind! 😀 😀 😀 (Although, I thought you were in the same “getting to downtown Chicago for a race is a PITA” camp? 😛 )
Well, I’d make the effort for you 😉 And actually, I guess that one isn’t too far off the El (and there’s plenty of city races that aren’t downtown!).
Great job!! That medal is pretty! I think I confused this was another race, because I swear they had square medals. That one is much prettier!
And sounds like fun! But wow buffet! 😮
Great job on another race! I am jealous of your racing buddies-so many of them! Did you see your coworker?
Yes! Thanks for asking! I should have mentioned that! She saw me on an out and back part. She ran a 2:06 for her first half and enjoyed it – fantastic! 😀
Wow – what a beautiful race! And great job on finishing strong, even with the heat and wonky stomach issues.
That looks like a really fun race. It’s so cool that you actually get to run beside the water. Maybe I’ll do it as my IL race at some stage. Nice medal too. Glad you enjoyed it and finish feeling good…that’s tricky on hot days!
It was fun, and a lot of the path is right but the lake so you can often see it… I recommend running there at some point in your life! 🙂
I was so pleasantly surprised by how well run this race was! And always happy to run one with you (DUH to more!!) Muah!
I’m totes jelly I couldn’t jump in and run with you gals more 🙂 I’m so happy you had a blast running out there- asides from the sun it seemed likea perfect day.
Congrats to you again. 🙂
So what’s the verdict on the shoes? Was that the first time you wore them like ever??
I wish you could have! CB looked ready to run, too! Hee hee. Heal, cankle, HEAL!!!!!
I also wore them for a 6 miler during the week. They feel good. Now I just have to see if they don’t wear out as fast and if they don’t make anything strange happen up the kinetic chain. If they wear out like the others, I will just stick with them… they cost $45 less 😉
Yay for well-run races!!! Looks like a fun day all around except for that pesky sun action (not that it stopped you guys at all!) Did you check out the flower station? That looks really cool!
Why can’t all of my races be overcast? Hee hee. Then the post race wouldn’t have been as nice. Toughen up, Kim!
I peeked at it! But didn’t take any home since we can’t plant outside. I suppose I could have gotten a little pot or something! 😀
You two are so sweet!! I love to see your smiles when you are running together, priceless!! Hugs!
I love organized races! Looks like a great day overall – congrats on another finished race!!
To be honest, I’ve never actually heard anything either way about this race so I had no idea it was so nice!! But the Park at Lakeshore East is beautiful (it’s where I start my Saturday morning runs) so I’m always down with races that start and end there.
I thought about you when I was running in Cleveland yesterday. I loved the weather and that we had enough shade for most of the race but every time we went out in the sun I thought “Kim would be so annoyed” 🙂
LOL! And what did Rachel think of the weather?
I heard zero complaints from her about the weather 🙂
I’m with Bobbi, that dang sun kind of got me too. I think my electrolytes were off cuz my fingers swelled like sausages and I felt like such a pansy cuz it wasn’t that hot.
So bummed I missed you girls!
I wanted to go squeeze CB. So cute and well behaved watching everybody. And Xaarlin takes the best race pics! Well Steven and Xaarlin do… 😀
When I did this race in 2012 the weather was horrific and the gear check line was a freaking block long. It has definitely gotten better and better. Score on the parking. I thought $20 was a deal. Ha!
That is what has been happening to me too though! Once it’s in the 50s and full sun I feel like total crap! I wonder if we just need to acclimate? I have been trying these electrolyte pills to try to balance it out.
That is good to hear they are making the race better and better 🙂
Sounds like a great race! I did the Allstate 13.1 a couple years ago and had a blast. I love running on the lake front. I also did the Soldier Field 10 miler last year, and had a lot of fun.
What a great day for a race! So sorry that vitamin made you feel crapola. Umm, next time don’t think it again before a race? 🙂
Love the medals! Glad to hear it was well-organized, I’ll have to try this one sometime.
You may not have a marathon on your calendar, but you have an Ultra right? That is bonus points there! I love how quickly it takes to decide to run a race….a few seconds, done. hahaha. Good job on working through the issues of the stomach and sun, seems to be a common problem lately 🙂
I am signed up for a marathon, but not sure if I can go. And hoping to do the ultra! 🙂 (which will be more fun)
We all need to get used to this sun! LOL!