Race to Taste 5K, 6.28.2009

I know I've been slacking on some blog posts for awhile, so let's get caught up with my running adventures of the last few weeks.

After all of the nasty, cold, rainy weather we've had all summer so far, today was a welcome change. What a gorgeous day! Honestly, it was one of the most perfect race days all season. Low 70s, sunny, not humid, but kinda windy coming off the lake. Oh well. What else is new in Chicago?

Mile 1: Started the race in exactly the perfect place. The nice thing about this one is that they keep the 5K on the small side, plus the fact that we run the majority of the race on wide city streets and lakefront paths built to accomodate heavy traffic. There is no comparison in terms of ease of movement.

We start the race on Balbo towards Michigan Ave. On a downhill. Not too bad. We turn onto Roosevelt and there's a slight uphill. I remark to Jay (who is actually running the race with me) that this is the end of the marathon. Yes, with an incline. He looks at me like I'm nuts. Which I guess I am.

I'm running a pretty good pace. Soldier Field is to my left and the finish line is behind me. Is there anything better than that?! We get to the mile marker at 9:25. Pretty quick. I might want to take it easy for mile 2.

Mile 2: This course is remarkably similar to the Soldier Field 10 Mile. So I've run this part before, but it's not boring. I know that when I did this race years ago, the course took us through more of downtown. Come to think of it, I don't think the museum campus paths were even finished then. God I'm dating myself!

We pass an aid station right next to one of the Soldier Field parking lots, where we turn and head north. I still feel great and I'm making excellent time, so I don't feel the need to stop for water. After all, it's only a 5K. I'm running on the gravel part on the side of the path, and it's awesome. I feel like my legs are getting a little break from the pounding.

More than halfway done! We're on the east side of Soldier Field, and here comes Mile 2, 18:37.

Mile 3: It's so pretty out here, running next to the lake. The water is clear blue and there isn't a cloud in the sky. We pass Soldier Field, and wind around the museum paths. I love what the city did with this, making it a "campus," making it beautiful and accessible to all. I feel lucky to live in a city so nice.

Funny Story: So we're turning the corner in front of the Field Museum, heading back towards Grant Park. There is a recreational runner, not part of the race, on the left side of the path. He's running towards us, but running on the retention wall next to the museum's lawn. All of a sudden, he tried to jump the stair path and get to the wall on the other side but misses, falls off the wall and face plants on the ground. It was hilarious. I shouldn't laugh. But he was trying to hot dog it and he got burned. Serves him right. :)

We're now nearing the end of the race, and running on paths in Grant Park that go underneath the road. I remember walking these paths the year I had to take the loser bus back to the start line of the Chicago Marathon. Not a good memory. I quicken my pace.

Onto Lake Shore Drive we go! I can see the stoplight at Balbo and know that the finish line is not far. Jay has been ahead of me since Mile 1, but I'm closing the gap. I just want to cross the finish line with him. I already beat him at the Race to Wrigley 5K earlier in the year.

Mile 3.1: Around the corner and down the road to the finish line we go! I extend my stride and decide not to sprint. I just don't feel like it today. I end up finishing just a hair behind Jay, in 27:14. My 2009 5K mark is getting smaller...