Ready to Race!

Welcome to the 8th Race Recap Link-Up!! I love reading recaps from other bloggers. Its a great way to learn about different races, support other runners, and gain motivation. A recap is the final leg of the race. It’s your chance to relive your race and allow others some insight. The training miles, the race day jitters, the glory of crossing the finish line. the good - the bad - the ugly We want to hear it all….

Meet the hosts...

Jessica at The Silvah Lining: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'

Wendy at Taking the Long Way Home | Facebook | *NEW* Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Lara at Uptite Mamas | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

We'd love it if you'd follow us on all social media & let us know you've shared a post.

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This week's post isn't a race recap....

today I answer the question:

Maybe I should title this how not to train for races. There's a lot of advice out there on social media on training for a race. I've run 2 marathons, and am currently training for my 3rd. I've also run 13 halfs and a bunch of shorter races. After all this time, I think I've finally learned what works--for me. But I couldn't figure it all out on my own. I've been working with a coach for the last 2 years, and having that input has made a huge difference in my running. I've also learned a thing or 2 from her that I think everyone can learn from.

Train for the distance you are running. The longer the distance, the longer the training. There's a local radio station, who every year after the Chicago Marathon, interviews people who didn't train at all. It's really interesting to hear their comments. Some of them actually finish around 5 hours, which is pretty respectable for no training. But overwhelmingly, when asked if they'd do it that way again, no training, they all respond no. You could probably wing it with a 5k or even a 10k, but any distance further than that requires some time on the road. Unless you are a one and done racer. Then have at it.

Nothing new on race day. You've heard this one before, but my Facebook feed is always filled with runners lamenting wearing a new pair of shoes or trying a new fuel at a race. Heck, I'm guilty of this myself. A few years ago, I ran a half marathon in Florida wearing the cutest socks with the race logo on them. I had never worn them before--I was "saving them for the race!" Hello, black toenail. I don't lose toenails very often. I was really mad at myself about this. Anything you want to use on race day, you need to give it a test ride on your training runs. Last summer, about halfway into my marathon training, I switched fuels. I drank that fuel for every long run for the duration of my training. And I knew exactly how things would go, as far as fueling was concerned, on race day.

This is heat training in February. Whew!

Train for the conditions you will be running in. Last March, I was registered for a half marathon in Florida. In the Chicago area, we were in the midst of a polar vortex. How the heck was I going to train for the Florida heat and humidity when it was sub zero here? I knew I had to do something, since I crashed and burned at my previous Florida half, so I did what I called "heat training". Yep. I put on thermal tights, a sweatshirt, and a hat, and ran my runs on the treadmill. No fan to cool me off. Holy moley, I was hot. And unfortunately, I didn't get to use my heat training, as I had to cancel my trip, but my spring runs were phenomenal. And this article in Runners World, which I read recently, validated that I was not a lunatic for doing this. Apparently heat training is "a thing".

Does this look like marathon training to you? Slam balls? Kettlebell swings? Pushing the prowler? Yep.

You don't need to run huge miles to run a marathon. There, I've said it. Throw darts at me. But we are not elite runners, folks. We're those everyday people who like to run and maybe get a personal best out of it. Most of us are not made to run tons of miles, especially us older masters runners. But you're not off the hook. Instead of running massive miles, make sure one of your weekly runs is speedwork, one is a long slow distance run, and either 1-2 other runs of 3-6 miles at easy or tempo pace. In between there should be a cross training workout, like HIIT or something intervally. And one day of weights. Cross training is also ok. I did this last year with great success. The high mileage training for my first marathon? Not so much. That plan left me with plantar fasciitis and a stress fracture.

Set reasonable goals for your race. Be realistic. Take time to evaluate what you want out of your race. Do you just want to finish? Run with your friends? Do you want to PR? Qualify for Boston? As your training progresses, you can reevaluate your goals and make adjustments in your expectations.

Trust your training plan. It's so easy, after a bad run, to want to make changes in your training plan. I've been guilty of this myself. Don't do it. You picked your plan for a reason, and you should follow it. Things have a way of working out in the end.

Choose a mantra. A big part of training for a race is mental training. By picking a mantra, you're setting a positive tone for yourself. When you feel like you're getting down, repeat the mantra to yourself and remind yourself what you're capable of.

Do you have any tips for race training? What works for you? What would you tell a beginner?

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Speaking of races...
I'm pretty excited that I've been asked again by Gone For A Run to participate in a virtual run, the All 4 Run Virtual 4 mile Run to be run the weekend of July 4! I really enjoyed my last virtual run with them, the BadAss 5 miler, and this one looks to be a good one as well. There is some sweet swag again: a t-shirt, medal, and magnet.  What better way to celebrate the 4th than to run 4 miles? If you get it done early in the day, there will plenty of time to relax, eat, and take in the fireworks. Anyone want to run this one with me? Click on the link or go to goneforarun.com to learn more! And let me know if you're running it, so we can run virtually together!

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Featured post from last week...
Check out RacingTales Ironman Raleigh Recap. She got more than she bargained for!

About this link up...

It is active every Tuesday - Friday. Link up your most recent recaps, or throwback to an old favorite. *If your post is unrelated to the theme, it will be deleted. One recap will be featured on the next link up! Read at least 3 other posts and leave them some love. The more the merrier… share on your social media so others can link-up. #TuesdayTales Grab the code to the link-up image below on your post or somewhere on your blog.

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Thank you for linking up this week - be sure to come back next week. [caption id="attachment_777" align="aligncenter" width="278"] GOTR SoleMate[/caption

Water water everywhere!

We have had so much rain this late spring, I feel like I live in the Northwest. Some summers in the Midwest are like this. All you can do is make the most of the rare sunshine you get. Or learn to make your own sunshine.

Which is what I tried to do. I ran what I hoped would be a quick 4 Saturday morning before I went into work. Not so much. The humidity was 90%, and even though it was 65 degrees, it felt like I was running in a sponge. My friend Penny used the word moist to describe the conditions. While that pretty much sums it up, there's something uncomfortable about that word, isn't there? Anyways, I eaked out an average of 8:54 minutes/mile, and was happy that I at least was sub-9 for that short run. There were puddles everywhere.

When I left work around 1 pm, it was 85 degrees and sunny. Crazy, right? I decided that I wanted to take my kayak out for a spin paddle. Luckily for me, my oldest son was home and he agreed to help me put the kayak brackets on my Jeep. It wasn't as easy as it seemed and when we were done, we had sweated so much that we both had to change our clothes. My husband helped me load up the kayak, and laughed and laughed at the thought of me doing this by myself at the retention pond.

Well, I got the last laugh. Not only did the park district employees help me take the kayak off the car, they carried it down the hill to the lake for me. The studly park district employee with the big biceps (man, he was cute!) told me to come find him when I was done and he'd put the kayak back on my car. No problem, right? Meanwhile, I headed out onto the lake into the sunshine.

This is the retention pond where I do my speedwork, and a lot of my long slow runs. I also run here quite a bit in the winter because the path is plowed and sanded, and the bathroom is open and heated. I've never been out on the water though, and I really enjoyed seeing the park and the path from a different perspective. I didn't have much company on the water, except for a dragon boat full of kids. They must have been learning to row because they kept stopping and listening to the instructors. I couldn't hear what they were saying but it wasn't warm and fuzzy. When the kids were rowing, they were grunting.

There was also another guy in a different type of kayak who was rowing furiously to get back and forth across the lake. I think he made 2 trips for each one of mine. Overachiever.

Me, I paddled at a nice leisurely pace. Got yelled at by a fisherman tho, when I ventured into a part of the lake that was apparently off limits to boats. Who knew?

I spent about an hour paddling around the lake, making 2 trips around it. It wasn't exciting but it was relaxing and just what I needed. I headed back to shore and my new boyfriend loaded my kayak back up on my Jeep.

Sunday morning I woke up to rain. It had rained all night and everything was even more soggy. I had a virtual 13.1 miler on tap for Sunday. My plan was to get up early and go. Mother Nature had other plans, clearly. But I checked the weather radar, and it looked like most of the rain was going to pass to the south of me. By 730, I was out the door.

Of course, the 90% humidity meant that I soon became a sweaty mess. I did a lot of puddle jumping on this one. The creek along the path was up to the top of its banks, and the retention ponds were starting to overflow. There weren't a lot of people out running, but I had plenty of company with the ducks. It was that kind of morning.

By the end of my run, I was completely soaked and exhausted. The last 3 miles were a lot of run/walk combo. This was a tough one--one of the toughest halfs I've run since last summer. Humidity is not my friend. I'll post a complete recap of this run on Wednesday, because the Wednesday word is Fortitude, and in these conditions, I needed a lot of fortitude to complete this run.

When I got home, I wrung out the sweat from my running clothes. Wow. I asked my son to take a picture of me as I dripped sweat all over the kitchen floor.

I don't know if you can see but my skirt is completely saturated. With sweat.

Mother Nature is doing her best to ruin everyone's outdoor plans. But you can't stop a runner, can you?

What's the weather like by you? This has been a really disappointing start to summer. I'm hoping that it turns around for us!

I'm linking up with Tara at RunningNReading for her weekend update! Check it out! Lots of great posts.

Taking the Long Way Home Book Club Book Review: The terrible and wonderful reasons why I run long distances by Matthew Inman

I picked this book because it's summer and I thought, since we're all so busy, what better book to read than a graphic comic about running? It's a quick, easy read that took me all of one hour to get through. But I'll go back to it again and again, because it really hits home for me. Most of it, anyways! I've always loved the Oatmeal comics--Inman has a kind of snarky sense of humor, much like me, and the comics I'd seen previously from this book were funny and poignant.

In the introduction to the book, Inman gives a little background. He started running 10 years ago to lose weight. He says he was an overweight kid. Since he started running, he's run all the distances, including ultras. The inspiration for his comics come while he is running. Even though he's run far and admittedly fast (his half marathon PR is 1:30), he waxes poetic on the pain and challenge that running poses.

from the terrible and wonderful reasons why I run long distances by Matthew Inman

Midway through the book is "A lazy cartoonist's guide to becoming a runner". This is simply brilliant, and should be required reading for all beginning runners. Because as he says, "remember, running sucks in the beginning". How many people have said to me that they "can't run", that it's "too hard"? Inman calls running "a front loaded chore". It gets better. Maybe not easier. As runners, we all know that.

Like me, Inman has a strong dislike for the treadmill. He likens the treadmill to a cyborg.

"It is like being taunted by a cyborg. A cyborg never tires. A cyborg does not know fatigue. A cyborg only know ones and zeros. Cyborgs are dicks."

I've never thought about my treadmill as a dick, but it does throw random pieces of plastic at me, so there's that.

One of my favorite sections of the book is "The Dos and Do Nots of running your first Marathon". I'd seen this comic prior to reading the book, and it never fails to entertain me. His tips could actually apply to running any race distance. And yes, gels do taste like "boob milk from a cyborg". I'm not sure what that would taste like, but I imagine that gels would just about cover it. Ugh....

I know this voice well. Image from the terrible and wonderful reasons why I run long distances by Matthew Inman

I've written a lot about mental toughness while running long distances, and defeating the voice inside my head that tells me to quit. Inman actually has a name for that voice. He calls it the "Blerch". He visualizes a "fat little cherub who follows me when I run".  You can out run the Blerch, and you can silence him.  The Blerch has struck a chord with a lot of us. Inman has organized virtual and live runs "Beat the Blerch". He sells tshirts and gear on his website. The book also comes with 2 Blerch stickers, if you're into that.

The only section of the book that I take issue with is his description of running a race. He says:

"The closest comparison I can think of is if ten thousand pregnant ladies all met in the street and started firing infants out of their hoo-haws in a massive game of amniotic paintball. It would be a messy ordeal. There would be sweat. There would be tears. there would be police cars and barricades. But in the end, an army of countless baby-people would emerge, all feasting on orange slices and high-fiving one another for a job well done."

Ok, I have compared running a marathon to giving birth. A painful ordeal, but oh, so rewarding in the end. And you do get amnesia, a bit, for the whole process, and sign up to do it again. But really, firing infants out of women's hoo-haws?  I get your analogy, Mr Inman, but it's a little gross the way you describe it. Anyways, you are right, it is an "exuberant payoff" to months of tedium.

And one other thing, I don't listen to music to distract myself from the pain and tedium of running. I don't believe that listening to music "waters down the core of what it takes to be a distance runner". I don't agree with him on this point AT ALL. Trust me, I still feel the pain.

image from the terrible and wonderful reasons why I run long distances by Matthew Inman

In the end, we all run for the same reasons as Inman. We run to "seek that clarity". We run "very fast because we desperately want to stand very still".

"I run to seek a void."

We run to shut out the world.

"Demons are forgotten. Krakens are slain. Blerches are silenced."

That's why I run.

How about you?

What did you think? Did you enjoy the book? Do you have a blerch?

Don't forget to link up your review below!

And by the way, there won't be an author interview this month. I tried to reach out to Inman, and never heard back from him. Then I saw a message on his website that basically said, "don't email me". And I found this comic of his:

I'm sure he's a really nice guy, but probably gets tired of spam. Anyways...If you want to learn more about Matthew Inman, here's an interview published by Wired in 2013. Mark Remy of Runners World also interviewed Inman in 2013, and asked questions similar to what I had in mind, and so that will have to suffice. You can read that interview here. For now, I'm just going to continue to enjoy his comics, his love for his dogs, and his irreverent take on running.

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Be sure to link up your review below! You know the rules; make sure you link back to this post. The badge is below. And be sure to read everyone else's reviews. Sharing is caring! Remember if you don't have a blog, or don't care to link up, post your review in the comments. Thanks again for participating!

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I hope you'll join us next month for our next book Running Like A Girl by Alexandra Heminsley. The link up will go live July 14!

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Post run yoga

People are always asking what yoga poses are most helpful for runners. I was really sore this weekend after my runs, and I took my mat outside on the deck, as I often do this time of year, to stretch it all out. I have a pretty comprehensive post run yoga routine that I like to do, and I thought I'd share it here on the blog. This sequences of poses hits all the high points--the hips and hamstrings, of course, but also the calves, the IT band, and the low back. These are poses that everyone can do, and I'll talk about modifications for people who can't access the poses fully. I could have downloaded images from the internet, but wanted to show you how I do them. As I like to "keep it real", you get to really appreciate how tight my hips and hamstrings are when you see the pictures!

Some days are like this.

So no excuses! Yoga is for everyone, not just flexible people! Remember this, no matter how deep you get into the pose, you are getting benefits.

For all the poses, hold each one for 5 breaths.

Start with 10 sun salutations, or what I like to, modified caterpillars. Caterpillars are meant to be done moving across the floor, like a caterpillar,  but I slip too much, and so I like to do them this way on my mat.

Start in forward fold at the back of your mat.

Step forward into plank. Keep those hips up! Push back on your toes to get that calf stretch. Don't hunch your shoulders.

Push back into downward facing dog. Push your hips up and back.

Return to forward fold and repeat this sequence x 10 reps. After your last downward dog, step your right leg forward between your hands into low lunge. Push forward with your hips. You can keep your hands on the ground, place them on your knee, or push them into your low back.

Push back as you straighten your front leg. Try to keep your front foot on the ground. Fold forward over your straightened leg.

Push forward into low lunge again; then repeat the hamstring stretch. On this second one, curl your toes back towards your face. Fold forward again over your straightened leg. Push forward into low lunge again, then lift your back knee off the ground for a runner's lunge.

Optional: You can straighten the front leg for an additional hamstring stretch; fold over your straight leg. Push forward into your runner's lunge again.

Move your right hand to the instep of your right foot. Lower down to the mat onto your forearms into lizard lunge. You can place a block under your forearms if you can't get down to the mat. You can also drop the back knee down to the mat. Or you can just stay up on your hands.

Push back up and straighten your arms, lower your back knee, and slide your front leg underneath you for pigeon forward fold. Once you're in position, take a back bend and fold forward over your pigeon leg. Hold for as long as you want.

Push back up into a backbend, straighten up, and come to your knees. Repeat the sequence from low lunge to pigeon forward fold on the opposite side.

After you've completed both sides, come to your knees again. You can sit on your knees for modified hero's pose, you can sit on your toes for broken toe pose, or you can sit between your knees (on a block or on your mat) for the full pose. After your hips open up, you can also go into the backbend for a quad stretch.

Slide your legs around front for seated forward fold. Feel free to use a strap if you can't touch your toes. Remember to lean forward from your hips. It's not how far you go forward; it's about folding from the hips.

Slide your right leg back with your foot on your thigh for one legged forward fold. Try to grab the extended foot. You can also grab the foot, twist it towards your left and pull it towards you for a soleus stretch. Repeat on the opposite side.

Open your legs wide for wide legged forward bend. Again, bend forward from the hips. You can lean forward and place your hands on the mat or you can peace lock your big toes.

Slide your legs together; cross your left foot over your right knee. You can either keep your right leg straight or bend it and place your right foot next to your left hip. Make sure both hips are on the ground, otherwise keep a straight bottom leg. Slowly twist to the left and either wrap your right arm around your left leg or push into your left leg with your right elbow. You can also take a bind. Repeat on the opposite side.

Straighten both legs. Repeat the twist on the opposite side. 

Sometimes I throw in a cowface pose, just for fun...it's like the twist, only both legs are crossed. The goal is to get the knees on top of each other. Maybe in my next life...grab both feet and gently pull the feet outward as you lean forward over your folded legs. Straighten both legs again. Repeat on the opposite side. 

And now you're done.

You can lay back for savasana if you wish!

This entire sequence should take about 15 minutes; you can hold the poses longer if you want. You will feel refreshed and so much less sore after this routine. 

Do you do any stretching or yoga after a run? What are your favorite poses? Anything you'd add to my sequence?

Warm weather motivation

We really haven't had much hot weather here to speak of, so thinking about warm weather tips and motivation is not first and foremost on my mind. The weather forecast for the upcoming week is looking a little toasty, and so it's good timing for me to review what I do differently to get through a run in the summer than in the winter.

nike.com

Sweating makes you feel extra badass- Do you dread the thought of heading out into a morning that is 99.9% humidity? My Florida friends talk about this a lot. But we Midwesterners suffer from some pretty intense humidity in the summer months as well. I won't lie..the humidity really takes a toll on my running. After a run on a humid morning, I could just wring the sweat right out of my clothes. And that makes me feel like I worked so much harder than on a comparable run in the winter. So let's put a positive spin on it. What is it about sweat that feels so cleansing? Here are a few sweaty mantras you can adopt:

"Sweat is liquid awesome"

"I don't sweat, I sparkle"

"Sweat like a pig to look like a fox" 

"Sweat is fat crying"

Next time you say you don't want to go out for a run because it's too hot...too humid, pull out one of these mantras. Celebrate your sweat. Embrace it! You earned it!

Summer running gear is so much cuter- Because for me it's all about the gear. I just love my summer running clothes. I get to wear skirts and tanks, and I have such a fun variety! Planning my outfit the night before an early morning summer run makes me feel motivated to get up with the alarm and head out the door.

Getting ready to run is so much easier- Since you don't have to wear as much to run in the summer, morning prep time for a run is significantly less than in the cooler weather. Slip on your skirt or shorts, your tank and bra, and you're ready to hit the road. But if you're going for a longer run, take the time to use your Body Glide. Chafing is no fun.

You have less clothes to wash-In the winter, my laundry is doubled. There's tights, and base layer tops. There's a second top. Maybe a vest over that. Long wool socks. Gloves. A hat. Summer laundry is just so much easier.

I'm loving the light singlets that are out this summer! This one's from New Balance.

You get to see the sunrise-Would you want to miss this?

Last summer sunrise. Not sure why I looks so stunned. 

Drinking fountains and bathrooms are operable- Where I live, between October and May, all the drinking fountains are shut off in the local parks. That means either I carry water or I go without. Sure, I don't need to drink as much in the cooler weather, but on a longer run, it would be nice to be able to stop for a sip. The portapotties seem to disappear with the falling leaves too. I guess the park district folks don't think people go to the bathroom in the cooler weather. One park by me opens the public restrooms every day in the winter, and so I plan a lot of runs there.

A much welcome drink on a recent warm day. Oh, and check out the cute Skirt Sports skirt I won! 

Beer tastes so much better after a hot sweaty run-Maybe you don't partake, but for me, the best post run drink is a cold beer. I don't drink a lot of beer, but I do enjoy one after a run. I also feel like I've earned it! It's really a great way to refuel. My husband is a homebrewer and we've always got something tasty in the fridge. My go to is usually Spotted Cow (from New Glarus in Wisconsin) or a German Weiss beer. But my husband is brewing a Belgian Wit beer for my fall marathon. And naming it BQ. I hope it brings me good luck.

Only available in Wisconsin, I'm afraid.

Running in the heat and humidity is certainly a challenge. Remember to take it slower, pace yourself, and stay well hydrated. With the proper preparation and mindset, you can run in the heat and humidity. Running in the summer brings big rewards in the fall, when the weather is cooler.

And it you need any more motivation to run outside in the summer, here's my famous/infamous picture from last winter:

Which do you prefer? Summer running or winter running? No fair if you live somewhere tropical--we know what you like! Any tips for surviving the summer heat?

A running adventure

I had a half day conference on Saturday morning at Lurie Children's Hospital in downtown Chicago. I also knew that I needed to run on Saturday, and I did some mental gymnastics trying to figure out how I could get it done. I had to leave my house really early, and the thought of getting up at zero dark thirty to run was not appealing to me, at all. I made a decision. I was going to bring my running shoes and I was going to run downtown after the conference. I have never run downtown along the lake except when I'm racing. The more I thought about my plan, the more excited I became. And it was really interesting how things fell into place. The weather forecast? Sunny and cooler along the lake, with highs in the 60s. Fueling? Lunch (free) would be served at the conference. Parking? The hosts offered a $10 parking voucher. It seemed almost too good to be true. I decided that it was meant to be. This run would be my therapy, my positive ending to a very difficult week. 

Like the compulsive runner that I am, I planned this run like I plan for a race. I reviewed the route I'd take to get to the lakefront path. I laid out all my gear the night before. Set my alarm and went to bed early. Getting downtown at 630 am was a breeze. The conference was good. One of the speakers was a sports medicine doctor, and I've heard him speak before. He's quite entertaining. Today he talked about common sports injuries in adolescents. He did make the statement that "marathon runners are the worst patients to treat.". He gave a couple of examples, one of a runner who insisted on running the marathon with a stress fracture in her femur (she finished and then got treated) and a guy who collapsed after the finish line, needing CPR. Once revived, he asked where his medal was. Everyone in the room gasped. Except for me--the runner who ran a race on a broken foot last spring....I chuckled to myself and looked longingly at my bag of running gear on the floor next to my chair. 

Runners, we're different..

The John Hancock building and Water Tower Place

After the conference ended, I headed to the restroom to change into my running gear. I went back to my car to put my bag away, and headed to the street to try and get a signal on my Garmin. Anyone who has run in downtown Chicago knows that this is a huge challenge. The tall buildings really mess with the satellite reception. When I ran the Chicago marathon last year, my Garmin was useless for pacing. After a couple of minutes, I got a signal, and I was off. 

Looking south toward Navy Pier. You can see the ferris wheel. The building to the right is Lake Point Tower.

I headed towards Chicago avenue and looked for the underpass, and took the stairs to go under Lake Shore Drive. I came out on the lakefront path and had to stop briefly to take it all in. What a gorgeous day, and what a gorgeous view. I used to work at the University of Chicago, and drove Lake Shore Drive every day. The view never gets old. I've been a lot of places, and personally, I think there is no more beautiful skyline than the Chicago skyline. My brother-in-law, a native New Yorker, disagrees vehemently with me on this point. To each his own...

I ran south towards Navy Pier. I was shocked at how many people were on the path walking, bicycling, and yes, running. There were Segway Tours. My husband joked that I would get hit by someone riding a "Divvy" (a rental bike)--they're everywhere-- and yes, I had a close call almost right away. The path was under construction, and it was a little confusing but I just kept heading south. 

Running over the Chicago River. The building directly behind me is Donald Trump's contribution to the city of Chicago.

The detour took me up onto the Columbus Drive bridge over the Chicago River. There were a lot of tourist boats going back and forth. Once I crossed the bridge, it was back down to the lakefront. I stopped to take a picture across the street from Buckingham Fountain, and the people that I asked were visiting from Poland. They took my picture and asked me where they could find "the bean". I sent them in the general direction of the stainless steel sculpture and headed on my way towards the museum campus, where you can find the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium. I spotted a couple getting married on the grass near the Planetarium. The wind was pretty strong off the lake, and her groom put his jacket on her shoulders. 

Wedding pictures on the lawn of the Adler Planetarium

I kept running around the Planetarium and found myself on Northerly Island. This used to be an airport, called Meigs Field, but was suddenly shut down in the middle of the night by the former mayor of the city. Now it's a park, and there was a concert stage set up. I wondered who was playing there that night. 

Burnham Harbor with Soldier Field in the background

I stopped to take a picture of all the boats in Burnham Harbor. Behind the Harbor is Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears. Behind that, I spied the Chicago skyline and the Sears Willis Tower. At this point, I had run 4 miles, and so I headed back north. My run up until then had been easy and when I headed north, I realized why. The wind, blowing off the lake, was really strong. Running into that wind, my pace slowed down remarkably. I groaned to myself and kept pushing forward, retracing my steps. I found the Chicago Avenue underpass, and headed back to my car. 

My hometown!

I reflected on my run. What didn't I love? The crowds. The tourists. There were so many people along the lake, and a lot just not paying attention to what they were doing--like the bicyclist who almost ran into me. I had to do so much weaving--it was like running in a race! If I did this again (and I will), I'd plan on running much earlier in the day.

Buckingham Fountain

But all that was minor compared to the pleasure I felt running along Chicago's lakefront. I do believe I had a smile on my face almost the entire time I was running. What did I love? I always love racing in the city but today I loved the experience of running along the lake with no goal, no plan, just to run 8 miles and take it all in. I love this city. The skyline? Spectacular. And if you get tired of that, you can always look out at the lake. Even though the day was fairly cool, the boaters were out in full force, either out in the harbors, or just sitting in their docked boats, living it up. 

I also loved that I could do 8 miles in the afternoon. The old me, the "I can only run in the morning me" would have wilted and never been able to do this run. I love how my running has evolved, how I've become so much more flexible. I love how I could eat a turkey and cheese sandwich, and head out 2 hours later and run some killer paces (with the wind at my back, there were a couple of 8 min/miles in there!), no side stitches. This run felt good, physically and mentally. I felt like I could have kept on going past the 8 miles I had planned for today. Don't we all love runs like that?

I pulled out of the parking garage, and saw that if I hadn't had my $10 parking voucher, I would have paid $53 dollars to park there today. And that's something to love.

I'm so glad I took advantage of my day downtown to have a running adventure! It felt so good to get out of my comfort zone. We runners get so caught up in our training--our miles and our paces and it felt great to just get out there and run. And to stop to enjoy the view. What a great way to end the week! 

Have you ever taken yourself on a running adventure? Not a race, just a really fun run?

I'm linking this post with Tara at RunningNReading for her Weekend Update!