Race Report: Chicago AIDS 5K Run

You know how you are supposed to get a 'good' night's sleep the night before a race? Yeah, well that didn't happen this time. I joined a few friends to help set up a TV Video Studio at my son's middle school last night (awesome fun!) and did not get home until after midnight. I think I got to bed around 12:30am. So needless to say, when the alarm went off at 5AM, I was very grumpy. My own fault.

Luckily, I actually woke up and got myself out the door at 5:50am for the hour-long drive into the city. i ended up parking in the same lot that I used for last week's race. But the race venue was quite a walk from there -- at least 1/2 mile -- so that became my warm-up for the race. I felt pretty good given the lack of sleep so I figured I would be okay (but perhaps not quite 'Personal Record' ready).

The first thing I noticed was that it was really cold out there, because of the steady wind blowing off Lake Michigan. Thankfully, I was wearing my LifeTime Fitness Run Club long-sleeve shirt and running jacket, which along with my compression knicker and Injinji socks, kept me nice and warm. It was going to be interesting to see how the weather was going to affect my running. Oh, and did I mention that I have a cold!? Stuffy nose and running do not get along.

I hit the porta-potty, checked out the vendors (nothing interesting), and hung out listening to some pretty good performers while waiting for the show to get on the road. I got someone to take a photo of me (I remembered this time) sporting my cool LifeTime gear (represent!).

Finally, after a 10-minute delay, the race began (no national anthem... hmmmm). There were about 5000 runners and walkers in the race, with the runners all together at one Start and the walkers at a different Start location. The 5K and 10K runners shared the same course for the first mile and then we split. The course was very similar to parts of the 10K race last week so I felt pretty comfortable.

I started off at a 10:30 pace and kept that for the first 1.25 miles. Then I started increasing my pace as I passed Mile 2. In fact, Mile 2 made me mad because there was a water station and I went to get some. But they didn't have any cups ready. I had to STOP and WAIT for what seemed like forever until I could get a cup of water! What a time waster that was! And leave to me to decode that I didn't need to bring water with me for a 5K since they would have stations! Ugh!

So of course, after that debacle, I felt the need to make up for the lost time. So I kept gradually increasing my pace through Mile 3. By that time, I was running at a 9:30 pace I think. Then the last tenth of a mile, I threw in the afterburners (what little I have of them). I was holding a 7:50 pace through the finish line! Wow!

My time? I finished in 33:08 (10:40 pace). That's 42 seconds faster than my previous 5K race! WooHoo! I am very pleased with the run, especially given the lack of sleep and running with a cold.

After the race, I got some G2, a banana, and a croissant and just walked around for a bit. Then I went to the Finish to cheer on the rest of the runners/walkers. But by 10am, I needed to get going because I still had to weigh in today at Weight Watchers and they close at Noon. So I jogged the distance back to the parking garage (imagine that), and got back to my neck of the woods.

The Weight Watchers place is right across the street from my club. So I went there first, took a shower, changed clothes, and went to weigh in. Down another pound! Sweet! So basically, my day has been pretty awesome!

Race Report: "Run the Pier" 1-Miler completed

Last Sunday (Sept 18), I ran a 1-Mile race at the Chicago Navy Pier.  My running muse, Beth, suggested it as just a fun run to see how fast I could run a mile (since I wouldn't have to hold anything in reserve).  So I figured, "Why not?!"

I got up at 5AM so that I would have enough time to foam roll, dress, eat breakfast, and make the long drive into the city.  I got there at 6:50am so I warmed up by walking to the finish line and then taking a calm jog around the route (up and back down the pier) to the starting line.  It was good that I did that too because it loosened up that left hammy (yeah, it still twinges on me).  I checked my gear bag and waited.  I started talking with a group of women who were also waiting and in no time, we were fellow running buddies!  That's when it started raining!  The forecast said rain in the AFTERNOON!  Ah crap!  And of course, the older age groups were the first wave to go.

Crossing the Finish at 8 minutes 58 secondsSo we gathered at the starting line and at 7:45am the race began.  I started out pretty strong.  Then I almost embarrassed myself.  I was wearing my new compression knickers with my running shorts over top.  Well, I did not cinch up the drawstring enough.  So with the knickers being somewhat sleek, my shorts starting falling down!  Luckily, I caught them before they dropped too far (not that anything would have been showing cuz the knickers had me covered), but it really gave me a 'start'!  Hahaha!

I didn't want to stop to tie them tighter so I basically ran the entire mile with my right hand holding onto the waistline of my shorts so they wouldn't fall down!  Oh my gosh!  How ridiculous! Hahaha

So I reach the 1/2 mile point.  It is raining, I am holding up my shorts, but otherwise feeling pretty strong still!  I am just running hard and I can see the finish line.  So that is my only focus.  I cross the timing mat and see my time being just after 9 minutes!  Wow!  I am so excited because before this, my fastest mile was maybe 9:40 during a training run.  My Polar said 9:07 but I wanted to wait for my official chip time.

The great news was that my chip time was 8 minutes, 58 seconds!!!! Fastest Mile Ever for me!! I was so happy I could barely contain myself! I don't know if it was the compression knickers, the stretching and warm-up job, my excitement, or all of the above. But it was an awesome feeling!

So I waited for the other ladies to finish.  They all were really happy with their times as well.  They all kept saying that their whole goal was 'to catch Rick'!  After the last people finished, they had the awards.  Well, I finished fifth in my age group, so no medal for me (the other four guys were 7 minutes or faster so I wasn't too upset about it).  But each of the ladies won age group medals!!!  That was pretty cool, actually.  They all said it was because they were chasing me that they ran so well.  Hey, whatever works, right?