1. To finish - DONE!
2. To take water at every aid station (I may have to bring my own sports drink- they are serving HEED, gross) - DONE! I was even brave and took some HEED at the beginning and end of the race!
3. To run some more negative splits - :(
4. To not stop at all, except for during the aid stations - :(
5. To run, NOT WALK, up the big Park Avenue Hill (I can do it... I might hurt a lot on Monday, but it will have been worth it) - DONE!
6. To run negative splits - I attend the Redundant School of Redundancy
7. To run a PR - DONE!
8. To break 2 hours! (Yep, it's still a goal) - :( But I'm chipping away at the time. Slow and steady wins the race, my friends.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Another PR... but was it REALLY a PR?
Another weekend passes, and with it, another race run. While I set a PR in this race of 2:08:52, I left feeling like I didn't give it everything and that it wasn't the best race I've run all year so far. I had a lot of gas left in the tank, and as I sprinted around the track, I felt like I could have done so much more. Like gone under 2:05. So I was kind of disappointed.
But on the other hand, I should be happy that I set a PR and wasn't tired at the end. That means that my conditioning is improving, and I am able to run these half marathons with little effort. Which SHOULD translate into a favorable result for the Big Race in October. Like actually making it past the halfway point and putting myself in a position to finish. So I guess it wasn't a totally wasted effort.
We couldn't have asked for a better day. The temps were warm, the breeze was light, and there was sunshine everywhere. I wore a light long-sleeved shirt, and regretted it around mile 7, when I had to take it off and wrap it around my waist.
Mile 1: Started out in a good position, despite the fact that there was no organization in the start corral whatsoever, AND the race didn't start on time. Oh well, what can you do. I've been training for the whole year at my own pace, why should that change now?
I'm glad that I wore my long-sleeved shirt, as there is a light breeze coming off the lake and my arms are a little chilly. We're running through a residential neighborhood. I don't remember there being that many cars on the street last year... a repeat of the Bucktown 5K, perhaps?
Now we're crossing Deerfield Road. I am always amazed at the amount of people stopped by the traffice who are so angry and yelling at the cops. The Village of Highland Park does a really great job in putting all the traffic closures on notice way, way, way in advance. I chuckle at these people as I pass. Wow, the mile marker already!
Mile 2: I'm running pretty good so far, a little bit faster than my target pace, but I should be ok.
I get to the aid station and there's HEED again. Hmm. Well, I'm going to try and get it down, otherwise I might lose too many electrolytes and pass out somewhere near the end. I take a sip, and it's still gross. Time for the old "medicine" method... I plug my nose and chug the HEED down. Much better. I got it down and didn't really have to taste it. Yuck.
Mile 3: Yay trail time! I think this might be one of the reasons why I love this race so much. We get to run on the bike trail that borders the Metra tracks and will eventually take us past Ravinia.
The one thing I do not like about the trail is that due to all of the rain we've had this spring (most rain in 89 years in the Chicagoland area), the trail is mud. I'm probably making the people running behind my a little bit mad, since I keep changing direction to avoid the mud holes. The last thing I want is to be covered in mud for the remaining 10+ miles of the race. I go to the right of a particularly scary-looking mud puddle, slip, and almost face-plant. Thank God for the "almost." I am definitely going to slow down a bit for the rest of the trails.
Mile 4: Still running on the trails. It's nice and cool in here. Another thing I like about this race is that they keep it small. Otherwise, running down this path would be a little too crowded.
We're approaching the festival grounds and another aid station. I think I'm going to skip the HEED this time around. I'll have to have water for awhile instead.
Ahhh Ravinia. Such a nice place. My mind wanders and I remember going to concerts here when I was a kid. And once when I was in college. I'm thinking with all the rain, the lawn seats are probably not the best idea. Hopefully the rain holds off when I go to Ravinia in August to see Carrie Underwood.
Mile 5, 6, 7: These miles honestly passed by in such a blur. Pretty houses to look at, a stone's throw from Lake Michigan. You can almost smell the lake from here. We're running down winding roads, and now the hills are coming. But they're rolling hills, and we are getting some downhills. And trust me, after Little Rock, I can handle any kind of hill thrown at me.
There aren't really a lot of people outside cheering the runners, compared to past years. Maybe the time change screwed them up? But it's ok, I have my ipod for company.
Someone's Garmin is beeping every 100 yards or so. Most annoying noise ever. I'm either going to slow down or speed up. Either way I have to lose this person before I lose my mind.
I am still running under my pace. In fact, I crossed the Mile 6 marker well under 60 minutes. Can I sustain this pace and achieve negative splits? Only time will tell.
Mile 8: Maybe I won't be able to run negative splits. I am getting tired. It's getting hotter outside, so I take off my long-sleeved shirt and wrap it around my waist. Not my favorite way to go, but desparate times and such. I am sweating around my elbows. So gross.
Now we're getting into the HUGE house territory. There are also Jewish temples here and there. I see a GORGEOUS Spanish-style home right on the lake. I kinda want to live there; it's absolutely stunning.
I also could really use a bathroom. I haven't seen any toilets aside from the start line. I look ahead and see a lady emerge from the bushes next to the forest. She must not have found one either.
Mile 9: Hardest part of the race. Here comes the wicked downhill. I am conscious of the fact that when I FLEW down the downhills in Little Rock, my quads were like rocks and I could barely walk the next day. I am taking small steps and working hard on maintaining my pace even though gravity is taking me for a ride.
We get to the bottom of the hill, and yes! A toilet! I have never been so happy to see one during a race! Not only will I feel better when I emerge, but it will give me a little break before challenging the *famous* Park Avenue Hill.
One of my race goals was to run this entire hill. And I'm doing it. Small, quick steps, and up I go. Damn this hill is long. Where is the top again?! I am determined to finish it. I can now see the top, and I'm swinging my arms to propel my up. I stick my tongue out, Michael Jordan style. All the champions do it.
And then... done! I'm a little winded, but I actually ran up the whole thing. I am awesome.
Mile 10: More winding roads, more huge houses. Still feeling good, still running a good pace. Just a little over a 5K to go. I can do this.
I approach another aid station. Hardly anyone is taking HEED. Glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks it sucks. The girl handing out water says, "Yeah I heard it's pretty bad." You have no idea...
I can see the lake again! And a park! And... clowns! Yikes! There is nothing more terrifying than a clown. I practically sprint to the other side of the street. No I do not want a balloon hat. I just want to get the hell away from here!
Mile 11: Ok, at this point, I'm pretty sure that my negative split idea went totally out the window. I am not feeling so good. My tummy aches. My legs fell like lead (damn hill). I'm hot. I really just want to be done. The important part is to keep my head together and not have a meltdown. I'm trying very, very hard to do this. I can do it.
I stop and walk for the first time all day, cursing myself, but knowing that I do need a little break and will reap the benefits with a strong finish.
We're up to Highland Park High School now, and I know that we're nearing the end.
Mile 12: Just after the high school there's a busy road. And at this road are 2 ways of traffic. And in front of the traffic are 2 cops. And running through it all are myself and 3 others. The cops clap for us as we approach. The motorists yell. The cop yells back. Curses them out, actually. We cheer.
We pass the Highland Park Hospital. I hope I don't end up THERE...
Almost through with the race. Honestly, I can't wait to be done. I'm starting to lose everything- form, sweat, motivation, my breakfast. I hope that I will be able to hang on and still get a PR.
Mile 13: Only 1+ miles to go! I am so excited! I take another quick walk break at the mile marker, and then again a little further on. I've fallen off my pace a little bit, but I think I can still salvage a 2:10 today. But we'll see. I'm not feeling so good.
We go through the hole in the fence (literally) and onto the athletic fields where we started. The grass beneath my feet is a welcome change from the hard roads and the hills. I am picking up speed at this point, knowing that it's almost through. I can see the finish line from here!
Mile 13.1: On the track now, it's just like a meet back in high school. I sprint to the finish as they call my name over the PR system. I believe the announcer comments on my "burst of speed." I cross the line in 2:08:52. Another PR. Apparently.
Friday, June 12, 2009
This Just In...
I just registered yesterday for the Race to Taste 5K at the end of June and the Terrapin 5K in July. I am planning on registering for the Oak Brook Half Marathon on Labor Day sometime over the weekend. (Gotta register by July 1st to get a t-shirt :) ) I am also contemplating the CARA 20 miler, the Fleet Feet Women's race, and the Bastille Day 5K. But we'll have to see about those.
Adjusted Race Circuit:
3.15.2009 - Little Rock Half Marathon - DONE!
4.25.2009 - Race to Wrigley 5K - DONE!
5.2.2009 - Wisconsin Half Marathon - DONE!
5.23.2009 - Soldier Field 10 Mile - DONE!
6.14.2009 - North Shore Half Marathon
6.28.2009 - Race to Taste 5K
7.23.2009 - Terrapin 5K
8.2.2009 - Rock n Roll Chicago Half Marathon
10.4.2009 - Bucktown 5K
10.11.2009 - Chicago Marathon
11.1.2009 - Hot Chocolate 15 K
Adjusted Race Circuit:
3.15.2009 - Little Rock Half Marathon - DONE!
4.25.2009 - Race to Wrigley 5K - DONE!
5.2.2009 - Wisconsin Half Marathon - DONE!
5.23.2009 - Soldier Field 10 Mile - DONE!
6.14.2009 - North Shore Half Marathon
6.28.2009 - Race to Taste 5K
7.23.2009 - Terrapin 5K
8.2.2009 - Rock n Roll Chicago Half Marathon
10.4.2009 - Bucktown 5K
10.11.2009 - Chicago Marathon
11.1.2009 - Hot Chocolate 15 K
North Shore Half Goals
The North Shore Half is almost here! Only single digit days left! I'm very excited, as this is my most favorite race. I love it. I love the scenery, the nice people, the finish on the high school track. I even love the big, nasty hill. (Which, come to think of it, cannot be as bad as the rolling hills of Little Rock. It just can't be.)
1. To finish
2. To take water at every aid station (I may have to bring my own sports drink- they are serving HEED, gross)
3. To run some more negative splits
4. To not stop at all, except for during the aid stations
5. To run, NOT WALK, up the big Park Avenue Hill (I can do it... I might hurt a lot on Monday, but it will have been worth it)
6. To run negative splits
7. To run a PR
8. To break 2 hours! (Yep, it's still a goal)
We'll see how I fare come Sunday... more later.
1. To finish
2. To take water at every aid station (I may have to bring my own sports drink- they are serving HEED, gross)
3. To run some more negative splits
4. To not stop at all, except for during the aid stations
5. To run, NOT WALK, up the big Park Avenue Hill (I can do it... I might hurt a lot on Monday, but it will have been worth it)
6. To run negative splits
7. To run a PR
8. To break 2 hours! (Yep, it's still a goal)
We'll see how I fare come Sunday... more later.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
National Running Day - June 3, 2009
The first annual National Running Day took place yesterday. We got lucky with the weather, a little on the cool side, but sunny and blue skies all around. There were light NE winds.
CARA held a run to celebrate the event at Grant Park. However, I did not attend since it started at 6pm and I usually don't get home from work until around 5pm.
Good old Little Rock actually held a free 5K to celebrate the event. I didn't realize what a HUGE running community there is down there. Kinda jealous, actually...
So I did National Running Day my way. Followed my schedule (11 days away from the North Shore Half), and ran 4 miles at the path near my house. I decided to do a tempo run, just to push it a bit and see how I felt. It felt awesome. I ran the first 2 miles hard, then for the 3rd worked on form and pacing. Then the 4th mile I went hard again. Finished my run (which is actually about 4.5 miles) in 37 minutes. Not too shabby.
While this mainly started as a grassroots kind of thing, many cities and marathon organizers took notice and encouraged everyone to get out and run. I couldn't be happier. I love running, and I hope that others learn to love it as much as I do.
Here's to National Running Day becoming an even bigger deal in the years to come!
CARA held a run to celebrate the event at Grant Park. However, I did not attend since it started at 6pm and I usually don't get home from work until around 5pm.
Good old Little Rock actually held a free 5K to celebrate the event. I didn't realize what a HUGE running community there is down there. Kinda jealous, actually...
So I did National Running Day my way. Followed my schedule (11 days away from the North Shore Half), and ran 4 miles at the path near my house. I decided to do a tempo run, just to push it a bit and see how I felt. It felt awesome. I ran the first 2 miles hard, then for the 3rd worked on form and pacing. Then the 4th mile I went hard again. Finished my run (which is actually about 4.5 miles) in 37 minutes. Not too shabby.
While this mainly started as a grassroots kind of thing, many cities and marathon organizers took notice and encouraged everyone to get out and run. I couldn't be happier. I love running, and I hope that others learn to love it as much as I do.
Here's to National Running Day becoming an even bigger deal in the years to come!
Goals and Such... Soldier Field Edition
1. I finished the 10 mile race in 1:37:16, halfway time 50:00.
2. I ran an even pace through the first 5 miles, and was able to keep it in the 10 min mile mark.
3. Not such an even pace, since I sprinted at the end and picked up the pace around mile 9. But that's the difference between a race and a training run.
4. Only stopped while drinking at aid stations.
5. Had something to drink everywhere!
2. I ran an even pace through the first 5 miles, and was able to keep it in the 10 min mile mark.
3. Not such an even pace, since I sprinted at the end and picked up the pace around mile 9. But that's the difference between a race and a training run.
4. Only stopped while drinking at aid stations.
5. Had something to drink everywhere!
Monday, June 1, 2009
The Most Patriotic Thing to Do Over Memorial Day Weekend...
...would definitely be running a 10 mile race that starts and ends at a football stadium dedicated to the men and women, past and present, who serve our country!
...would be running a race whose organizers sent t-shirts and medals overseas to military personnel running the "satellite" races in Iraq and Afghanistan!
And we got such a beautiful day for the race... very sunny, not a cloud in the sky, warming to 70 degrees, light breeze off the lake (let me tell you, near the end of the race I was VERY glad that I had worn a long-sleeved t-shirt!)
The start corrals were such a mess, though. I was crammed into a tiny little space at the 10:00 per mile sign. But there were people all over the grass west of the start line, waiting for the pack to move so that they could get in as well. It took me 12 minutes to get to the start line. Thank God for D-tag timing!
Mile 1: The start of the race was surprisingly easy, despite the fact that it took forever to cross the start line. I didn't have to run around slow people- well, a couple, but it wasn't a big deal.
We ran through the Soldier Field park roads, waved hello to my car in the parking lot, and then headed south towards McCormick place. As usual, I have total ADD for the first part of the race. So many things to see. I'm always interested in people's race shirts. I love seeing ones from events I've never done before... if the shirt looks nice, I'm definitely going to Google the race when I get home.
We're going through the McCormick Place loading dock right now. Never been to this part of the complex before. People start yelling and screaming, because, of course, it echoes. I do it too, just for the fun of it.
Mile 2: Our first aid station, just after exiting McCormick Place. I'm not that thirsty, but I know I will be later. Goal accomplished.
I see a lady off to the side who looks like she has suffered a horrendous injury- and so early in the race. Luckily this race is staffed with medical personnel on bikes, who got to her VERY quickly. Poor lady.
The amount of potholes on this road is insane. And reminds me a little too much of my last half marathon. Ugh. Hopefully the potholes don't continue.
And they don't. We're going up hill and over the bridge and onto the lakefront paths! Yay! I love the lake. (And we have a PERFECT day for this.)
Mile 3: This part of the lakefront path is right next to Lake Shore Drive. Like, they cut 2 lanes off LSD for us to run through. To be honest, I was expecting angry motorists, but everyone seems to be taking it pretty well. They're even beeping and cheering for us.
I look to my left, at the lake, and I can see the first place guy. Man oh man, he is FLYING! It's insane. At the rate he's going, he'll definitely break 60 min. That's inhuman to my slow 10:00 mile pace.
Another aid station, more Gatorade. I'm starting to get a little toasty in my long-sleeved shirt, but I keep it on regardless. You never know.
Mile 4: So far, so good. This race is pretty cool. There are tons of cars beeping and waving and cheering for us. There are actually DJs on the course playing peppy music.
We're getting closer and closer to the turnaround. I'm impressed with the way that the course is spaced out. Even though there are almost 10,000 people doing the 10 mile run, it really doesn't seem that way. I'm not weaving around people all that much.
Of course, just as I think that, I nearly run over the person in front of me, who just stops running altogether. Grr. Someone running behind me says, "I just hate people who walk during the race and aren't walking the whole race." I'm going to make it my mission to not walk during races again. I don't want to be THAT person.
Mile 5: It's hard to believe we're almost halfway there. I am running a good, consistent pace, and feel great. This is a no-brainer on my part.
I've switched over to running on the grass- partly to get away from the increasing number of wagglers and partly because it's softer and doesn't kill my knees as bad. In the days leading up to the race, my knees and shins were bothering me. Nothing major, just wear and tear. Come to think of it, I have put a lot of mileage on my legs so far in 2009.
It's time for the turnaround, and I'm under 50:00! Woo hoo!
Mile 6: This aid station is out of Gatorade. Bummer. Even so, I will drink water anyway, in keeping with one of my constant race goals. And let me tell you, right about now I am SOOOOO happy to be wearing a long-sleeved shirt- the breeze off the lake feels great, but it is a little bit cool.
We're at an interesting point in the course right now. It's actually where my high school cross country team had its conference meet each year. I know this part of the lakefront path like the back of my hand. It feels awesome to be back. I feel like I've come so far since then. If only my a-hole of a coach could see me now! Haha...
Mile 7: Not too much farther now. I am picking up speed and am actually under my pace. If I could run negative splits, that would be amazing. I haven't done that since high school, either. More on negative splits later.
I just realized now that there aren't really a lot of people cheering for us on the course. Honestly, it's not a bad thing. I'm treating this race like a training run anyhow, so I don't need support to get through it.
Another DJ! And he's playing songs from the Blues Brothers! AWESOME.
Mile 8: Woo hoo, less than a 5K to go! No problem!
I am starting to feel way more confident about training for the full marathon. I realize now how important these long runs are, and I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that they get completed. For the first time in a long time, I have a clear goal and a plan to accomplish it. Just like I learned in college (no seriously- I had a class where we talked about goals for a good solid month).
Mile 9: Still running on the lakefront, the breeze is refreshing but still cool. We're coming up on Northerly Island (aka Meigs Field) and the eastern part of McCormick place. I am shaving off more and more seconds (it's a little over a minute now) and the negative splits are a reality. Exciting! My form is good, my breathing is even, my gait is solid. To hell with it being a training run, I'm gonna push the pace a little bit. :)
Pass the CFD Memorial park and onto the last aid station! Quick cup of Gatorade for the road, and I'm 1 mile away from the 50 yard line!
Mile 10: The only blurry mile of the whole entire race. We come off the lakefront path, and onto the Soldier Field parking lot. I see my car, it's still there. We wind up the path back to where we started, and now there are crowds of people cheering for us! Yay!
We wind up the path, and I switch my ipod over to Britney. It won't be long now, it's go time!
We're entering the stadium now, and running inside the tunnels. This is so cool. It's like we're players or something!
We exit the tunnel, and there are people everywhere, just like we're coming out of the locker room like NFL players! Cheering, clapping, yelling, Chicago fans are the best.
At this point I am FLYING, and passing every person I can. I'm on the sideline grass, slipping a bit but keeping my footing. 50 yards later, I'm finished! 1:37:16! Yay negative splits!
Jay sees me on the Jumbotron, I get my medal and some food, and away we go. Another race in the books. I will definitely be back next year for this one.
...would be running a race whose organizers sent t-shirts and medals overseas to military personnel running the "satellite" races in Iraq and Afghanistan!
And we got such a beautiful day for the race... very sunny, not a cloud in the sky, warming to 70 degrees, light breeze off the lake (let me tell you, near the end of the race I was VERY glad that I had worn a long-sleeved t-shirt!)
The start corrals were such a mess, though. I was crammed into a tiny little space at the 10:00 per mile sign. But there were people all over the grass west of the start line, waiting for the pack to move so that they could get in as well. It took me 12 minutes to get to the start line. Thank God for D-tag timing!
Mile 1: The start of the race was surprisingly easy, despite the fact that it took forever to cross the start line. I didn't have to run around slow people- well, a couple, but it wasn't a big deal.
We ran through the Soldier Field park roads, waved hello to my car in the parking lot, and then headed south towards McCormick place. As usual, I have total ADD for the first part of the race. So many things to see. I'm always interested in people's race shirts. I love seeing ones from events I've never done before... if the shirt looks nice, I'm definitely going to Google the race when I get home.
We're going through the McCormick Place loading dock right now. Never been to this part of the complex before. People start yelling and screaming, because, of course, it echoes. I do it too, just for the fun of it.
Mile 2: Our first aid station, just after exiting McCormick Place. I'm not that thirsty, but I know I will be later. Goal accomplished.
I see a lady off to the side who looks like she has suffered a horrendous injury- and so early in the race. Luckily this race is staffed with medical personnel on bikes, who got to her VERY quickly. Poor lady.
The amount of potholes on this road is insane. And reminds me a little too much of my last half marathon. Ugh. Hopefully the potholes don't continue.
And they don't. We're going up hill and over the bridge and onto the lakefront paths! Yay! I love the lake. (And we have a PERFECT day for this.)
Mile 3: This part of the lakefront path is right next to Lake Shore Drive. Like, they cut 2 lanes off LSD for us to run through. To be honest, I was expecting angry motorists, but everyone seems to be taking it pretty well. They're even beeping and cheering for us.
I look to my left, at the lake, and I can see the first place guy. Man oh man, he is FLYING! It's insane. At the rate he's going, he'll definitely break 60 min. That's inhuman to my slow 10:00 mile pace.
Another aid station, more Gatorade. I'm starting to get a little toasty in my long-sleeved shirt, but I keep it on regardless. You never know.
Mile 4: So far, so good. This race is pretty cool. There are tons of cars beeping and waving and cheering for us. There are actually DJs on the course playing peppy music.
We're getting closer and closer to the turnaround. I'm impressed with the way that the course is spaced out. Even though there are almost 10,000 people doing the 10 mile run, it really doesn't seem that way. I'm not weaving around people all that much.
Of course, just as I think that, I nearly run over the person in front of me, who just stops running altogether. Grr. Someone running behind me says, "I just hate people who walk during the race and aren't walking the whole race." I'm going to make it my mission to not walk during races again. I don't want to be THAT person.
Mile 5: It's hard to believe we're almost halfway there. I am running a good, consistent pace, and feel great. This is a no-brainer on my part.
I've switched over to running on the grass- partly to get away from the increasing number of wagglers and partly because it's softer and doesn't kill my knees as bad. In the days leading up to the race, my knees and shins were bothering me. Nothing major, just wear and tear. Come to think of it, I have put a lot of mileage on my legs so far in 2009.
It's time for the turnaround, and I'm under 50:00! Woo hoo!
Mile 6: This aid station is out of Gatorade. Bummer. Even so, I will drink water anyway, in keeping with one of my constant race goals. And let me tell you, right about now I am SOOOOO happy to be wearing a long-sleeved shirt- the breeze off the lake feels great, but it is a little bit cool.
We're at an interesting point in the course right now. It's actually where my high school cross country team had its conference meet each year. I know this part of the lakefront path like the back of my hand. It feels awesome to be back. I feel like I've come so far since then. If only my a-hole of a coach could see me now! Haha...
Mile 7: Not too much farther now. I am picking up speed and am actually under my pace. If I could run negative splits, that would be amazing. I haven't done that since high school, either. More on negative splits later.
I just realized now that there aren't really a lot of people cheering for us on the course. Honestly, it's not a bad thing. I'm treating this race like a training run anyhow, so I don't need support to get through it.
Another DJ! And he's playing songs from the Blues Brothers! AWESOME.
Mile 8: Woo hoo, less than a 5K to go! No problem!
I am starting to feel way more confident about training for the full marathon. I realize now how important these long runs are, and I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that they get completed. For the first time in a long time, I have a clear goal and a plan to accomplish it. Just like I learned in college (no seriously- I had a class where we talked about goals for a good solid month).
Mile 9: Still running on the lakefront, the breeze is refreshing but still cool. We're coming up on Northerly Island (aka Meigs Field) and the eastern part of McCormick place. I am shaving off more and more seconds (it's a little over a minute now) and the negative splits are a reality. Exciting! My form is good, my breathing is even, my gait is solid. To hell with it being a training run, I'm gonna push the pace a little bit. :)
Pass the CFD Memorial park and onto the last aid station! Quick cup of Gatorade for the road, and I'm 1 mile away from the 50 yard line!
Mile 10: The only blurry mile of the whole entire race. We come off the lakefront path, and onto the Soldier Field parking lot. I see my car, it's still there. We wind up the path back to where we started, and now there are crowds of people cheering for us! Yay!
We wind up the path, and I switch my ipod over to Britney. It won't be long now, it's go time!
We're entering the stadium now, and running inside the tunnels. This is so cool. It's like we're players or something!
We exit the tunnel, and there are people everywhere, just like we're coming out of the locker room like NFL players! Cheering, clapping, yelling, Chicago fans are the best.
At this point I am FLYING, and passing every person I can. I'm on the sideline grass, slipping a bit but keeping my footing. 50 yards later, I'm finished! 1:37:16! Yay negative splits!
Jay sees me on the Jumbotron, I get my medal and some food, and away we go. Another race in the books. I will definitely be back next year for this one.
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