I have been kickin my training indoor style on the TM. Not a bad way to train in the cold weather, but TM training doesn't really prepare your body for the shock of running a road race. Nonetheless, I am Texan so running in snow, ice, or colder than 40 is not really of interest to me.
The week or two leading up to the race, Chicago was treated to glorious 50 degree weather. Mother Nature finally bestowed her love on the Windy City. I was so excited to run through downtown Chicago in such nice weather! Alas, I was punked. The big weekend was approaching and the weather report was moving around. Day before race day, it rained, then snowed. And was windy (25 to 30 mph gusts, in the 30s). This continued through the night. Race day, some accumulation, wind and rain (temp around mid-30s). Oh no! What to do! What a quandary this southern soul was in!
See, when you consider the weather, it not just for the racing time. You need to consider that you arrive about an hour before the race. And because I am slow, I would also be near the end of the pack, so it will take time for me to even cross the start line after the race begins (FYI, the field cap for the race was 32,500, though due to the weather, about 14,000 actually finished).
Needless to say, I ran it. Shoes soaked through before crossing the start line, clothes damp, wind, chilly. The streets were not salted or plowed, so there were puddles of melted snow from all the runners trampling through the streets. This was not my best run. But it wasn't the worst either. While I was ridiculously slow, I arrived at that start line rather than staying warm in bed. I suppose I proved to myself that running is important to me, even though I am at a much lower level of intensity than other runners I know. But I'll get there.
Me on race day, looking tired and worried. (hey, its busy season)
RJB looking calm and collected
Photo from the race - holy slush!
(courtesy of Chicagotribune.com)
Oh, and RJB rocked out the race. He got a corral A start this year.
