They stopped the Chicago Marathon due to weather. I was not allowed to finish and was forced to walk back to Grant Park after reaching mile 16. I felt really good and, despite the heat, I know that I could have finished.
Although I understand why they felt the need to stop (mainly because they were out of water and a lot of people were ill; one even died!), it is extremely disappointing. I can’t help but feel that I wasted my entire summer.
I think the race director is going to have a lot of explaining to do.
Over the weekend I took my husband’s bicycle map of Chicago and marked the marathon path with a highlighter. It was my first time carefully studying the route and I was amazed at how much my personal Chicago history is connected with the route.
During the marathon, I will pass by or near (not necessarily in this order):
My first Chicago apartment
The bus stop where I waited everyday to go to law school and work for two years
The zoo where I used to walk (before I was a runner)
Wrigley Field where I went to see the Tigers play three months before moving here
The apartment of the first friend I made in Chicago
The legal clinic where I had my first real law job as a student
The bar where I spent too many happy hours and drank too much
The shelter where I adopted my first cat
My law school
The site of my law school graduation
The building where I work now
The spot where I first met my husband
Cellular Field, where my husband and I had our first date (to see the Tigers play)
The best Italian ice place in all of Chicago (I think is closed for the season, though)
Parts of course of about seven other events that I have done previously
Hopefully I will be able to spend some time thinking about each location as I pass it and remembering the happy memories (except for when I pass the law school). That should keep my mind occupied a bit.
Fundraising update: The winners of the charity raffle have been notified. Thanks to all who participated! I have less than $100 to raise!
On Monday, my mom and I ran the Park Forest Scenic 10 mile race. Of all of the races that I have done (about 15), this was probably my favorite. After experiencing so many races that were understaffed and not well thought-out, it was quite refreshing to have an event that was so well put together.
The best part of the event was the way that the community of Park Forest really supported the event and all the participants. From the many great volunteers, many of them children, to the hundreds of people sitting out on in their lawns and on the sidewalks cheering us all on, it was truly a community event. The most amazing thing was that they did not wane in their support throughout the day and I know this because I was fairly near the end of the group of 1700 runners.
Of course the best part of the day was running the event with my mom, although she did not seem to be enjoying herself too much because the heat was pretty miserable. Luckily she was able to run through sprinklers set out by friendly residents and through water sprayed from people’s garden hoses. She told me today that she did have fun, she “just didn’t know it at the time.”
Here are some more things that I enjoyed about the day, in bullet form:
- The 50-something year old cheerleaders, complete with pom-poms.
- The 8-year old girl playing the violin, who reminded me of a younger me.
- The cute kids volunteering to hand out water. They were so into their jobs, that some of them went farther up the course so that they could be the one to hand me water. At one stop three of them all helped my mom by dumping the cups of water into her watter bottle.
- The two girls who said “My name is (name), What’s yours?” When I told them, they said, “Go (name) Go!”
- The lady with the cowbell.
- The string quartet at the entrance/exit of the forest preserve.
- The rows of cups of water still available even though it was almost two hours into the event.
- The number of people who said “and she’s still smiling” as I smiled and waved in thanks for their support.
- The medal. (I wish all races had medals)
- The water sprayer/shower thing that I was able to stand under after the race.
- My husband, the wonderful photographer. He was allowed to pull up a chair and sit at the finish line to get my mom and I as we crossed.
I think that my training runs would go a lot more smoothly if I had a crowd lining the route to cheer me on. It makes me optimistic for the marathon, because I hear there will be a “few” people there. Here are some photos of the day:
Today my husband, sister, mom, and I participated in the 8k Shamrock Shuffle here in Chicago. It goes all throughout downtown is my favorite race (this is my third year). It was unseasonably warm this year (last year the starting temp was 44) and was approximately 70 degrees by the race end. I found myself wishing that the “possible showers” would arrive to cool me off. It was my husband’s first race as a runner (he did the 5k walk last year) and I really enjoyed doing the race with him.