State #17: Illinois
17th: Chicago Rock and Roll: Half marathon, 10k, 5k series, Chicago, Illinois.
Bib # 10390
Overall Placed 2441 out of 11054
Age group 41-44 placed 78/659
Gender: placed 899/6488
Highlights:
1. Race of Lucky 7’s. 7 month, 17th day of the 7th month and 17th state.
2. I did see a sign for parking that had $17 a day on it.
3. Fasted time yet. PR: 1:57:07- again lucky 7s
4. Weather surprise: It was supposed to be in the high 80s with chance of thunderstorms. Yet it was in the mid 60s, cool breeze, and flat, until the last 2 miles. Still it was good running weather.
5. I was in corral 10 (the higher the number the faster your pace time) talking with two women that I know. Then when one of them saw two good looking men walk by and she said “Come on girls we got to follow the men." I think I must have had a look on my face and then the other woman said “You paid for this, it doesn’t matter where you go... come on." LOL ok. So I ended in in corral 7 with the ladies.
6. Great representation from Black Girls Run Chicago of course, and Detroit. I always get excited when I see my BGR sisters. One had asked me if I was from Detroit. I said no, Boston. And I get “Boston?!” Yes, Boston. There is always a look of shock and wonder every time I tell people that I’m from Boston.
7. Before the race I had a guy say to me “You Puerto Rican, you cute then." I guess I’m Puerto Rican.
8. This was another Urban Race. My second urban. We ran underneath the Subway tracks because the “loop” is above ground. And we ran all over downtown. Running tour of 3rd largest city in the United States. http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/1714000.
9. As we are running through downtown, we passed St. Peter’s church. So beautiful. I said a quick prayer and that was my Sunday church service.
10. I ran with a pink flower from fellowflowers for my Mom. Pink = Gratitude.
" To endure against the odds. To unite and connect. To admire. To love. to honor a hero, to be a hero. Because this is so much bigger than me."
12. Over 11,000 people ran this race. Ironically, I had room to run the whole race. It didn’t feel like I was on top of people. Around mile 9 when we had to run on Martin Luther King Ave, then we were narrowly forced to run together down that street… hmm.
13. While running a saw a guy take a selfie while running. I haven’t perfected that craft yet. Then his buddy decided to take his shirt off. So I just hung back for a while for the view. Then they were too slow and were messing up my pace, so I had to pass them.
14. Even though it was 60 degrees many of the men folk were just hot. So hot they had to run without their shirts off. Then I saw one lovely man holding the flag without his shirt on. I tried to catch up to him but he was too fast for me. Then I thought, if I did catch up with him... then what? Ya'll know I hate it when people talk to me while running. Nonetheless that was so good motivation.
15. Runners got lots of support for the Blues Brothers, Elvis….Elvis likes to run races, and Mike Ditka.
16. Again, I think we were expecting it to be super hot because I saw too many women wearing booty short running shorts. I was not trying see ass hanging out.
17. Always love an early start time. Race started up at 6:30am and I was up by 3am to start the pre-race ritual of shower, eating, stretching, and organizing.
18. Near the end we ran underneath the McCormick Center and I was a bit freaked and annoyed. It was a dark and long tunnel. The lighting was horrible and I couldn’t see the ground or what was around me.
19. Still need to get a go –pro. The last two miles of incline my view was great. Lake Michigan on my right. Chicago skyline straight ahead and 11,000 plus runners all around me.
20. It always great to see a friendly face. I loved running and seeing my friend Yolanda on the corner waving at me and cheering me on. I didn’t mean to cut off other runners as I went to give her a high five…oops
21. Glad I finished before the massive down pours. After the race Yolanda and I walked to her car when the rain started to come down super hard. She asked if I wanted to run because it was another 3 city blocks to her car. I said No. Let’s just walk fast.
22. Unfortunately, I didn’t stay to partake in the after party run fun because I had to catch a plane to Boston. I took off my shirt, did my best to dry off in the car before going to the airport. I had on a wet sports bra, a dry jacket, wet shorts, and flip flops (shoes were soaked). The TSA agent asked me if I could take my jacket off. I said no because all I had underneath was a wet sport's bra but if she wanted I could take off my jacket. She looked at me for a second. My response. "I just ran the Chicago half, so I was running before I can here" with a smile.
After that she was my BFF. As she was padding me down she told me how her older sister ran the Rome marathon and how it was her first time going to Rome, and how much she admires her sister because she can't run...etc...etc...etc....
And I just wanted to finish going through the TSA so I could change in the bathroom and catch a flight. Lord help me. LOL.
