Hello!<br><br>
Ok, so here we are, March 30 in Chicago. I'm nervous about an 8k because we've all been chatting so much on the boards here that I just couldn't wait.<br><br>
I was nervous about this race, though this is my forth time running it in 5 years (woohoo!). I have a love/hate relationship with this race. I hate how crowded it is and that walkers always end up in front of me. I hate how people don't look when they pass you. I love how I feel when I get past those people. I love the support and the crowds that cheer you on. I love the feeling of finishing that damn hill at the end (same hill that ends the marathon). So I sign up...and when I don't I feel as though something is missing...so I must always sign up.<br><br>
This year though was different. I had a corral start somehow and took that to mean I was entering a new level of running. I had to take this seriously. Plus, my training runs have been getting easier & faster, so I must be doing something right.<br><br>
Started off this morning walking to the el with my friend LG who was shuffling this year, and my friend Joe, our gear check & cheering section. We met up with Phill & Tonya (from here) at the el stop, and jumped on to the race.<br><br>
Walked over to Buckingham Fountain to look for Run Asics and Nirvana, but ended up not finding them. Did find Nancy (which was good since I had her pack!)<br><br>
9:00am, headed over to the porto's then said bye to Joe, LG & Nancy and headed to my corral start.<br><br>
9:15am - the national anthem was sung<br>
9:29am - the wheelchair race started<br>
9:30am - the race beings<br>
9:35am - I finally take off past the start line<br><br>
The first mile still seemed to have some slower people, but it helped get me motivated. I was passing people and not just the people in my corral, but people in the corral ahead of me! *woohooo* I yell under the first bridge and others follow...it just sounds wicked cool <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>
Almost to Grand ave, people cheering away, make the turn, and there's the mile marker<br>
8:29<br><br>
Ok good start, not feeling like I pushed too much, keeping a good pace, wow, corral starts rock!<br><br>
Onto the next mile, I keep passing people and not too many people are passing me. This is pretty cool. About to turn onto State St and there is this awesome guy on the corner calling people cheaters who cut the corner. That made me laugh...keep focused.<br><br>
Kept going, and we're at a water stop, um, no thanks, it's 38 degrees out and I'm running an 8k, that will just slow me down. Looked for some friends, didn't see them, kept going.<br><br>
Mile 2 - 8:30<br><br>
Ok, maybe this whole me running 8:30 miles is for real. I didn't really push at all yet, and here I am happy as a clam at 8:30. Sweet, guess 45 minutes will be no problem since I'm on pace to hit 44 if I switch to 9 minutes now.<br><br>
Turn onto Jackson, really, already? And head west. Now I realize that we're going to be in the wind the second half of the race. The first bit we just went through wasn't bad which means when we head east it's going to hurt. Don't think about it, just run.<br><br>
Now people are running across the street in front of me, and I just don't care, I'm focused now. Gloves come off, way too warm. Passing more and more people...turning and there's the mile 3 marker.<br><br>
Mile 3 - 8:42<br><br>
Ok I slowed down a little there, but there were a bunch of turns plus some grated bridges, but that's ok, I'm still way ahead of my 45 minute goal, so just keep going and don't push too much. Remember, I'm still a little bit sick.<br><br>
And we're headed east.....errrrr....wind. Crap, right in my face, but wait, that actually feels good. I already had to take my gloves off, this is kind of cooling me off. Ok, wind you are my friend right now.<br><br>
Oh look, another water stop, let me get right into the middle. "BOR!!!" I yell, since my friend was supposed to be at this water stop, though I never did see him. His name is Rob but we nicknamed him Bor years ago, though I can't remember why.<br><br>
Anyway, people keep saying only a mile to go. Did I miss the mile 4 marker? What's going on? Damn I missed it...oh wait, it's 2 blocks ahead. *phew* keep going.<br><br>
Mile 4 - 8:36<br><br>
OK that's better, we're back into the 8:30 range, much better than that 8:42 mile, and this one was into the wind. I wonder if I can make up those 18 seconds here, hmmm, maybe, but there is that damn hill. Well, just give it your all and see what you've got in the tank at the end.<br><br>
Right on Michigan. Ok, remember, breathing is key to running...wait, people are slowing down, get out of my way! I've still got plenty in the tank! Go, go, go, go, go....left turn onto the freaking hill *(^@%(_&**(#^&*@()$*()#<br><br>
Ok, just keep going, it's ok that those two freakishly skinny men are passing you, they don't have corral start numbers...but try and catch them...that's it, keep going...uh oh <img alt="tongue6.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/tongue6.gif"> gonna hurl...top of the hill and I feel it coming up...no it can't I need to sprint to the finish!!!<br><br>
OK slow down a bit, you have a little bit further to go. People are starting their sprints and passing me...no, I can't let this happen. The guy who just passed me, I kick it into gear and fly past him...just keep going, don't think, just do...go, go, go, go, go!!!!!<br><br>
Thumbs up to the camera and...<br>
Done!<br><br>
Dare I look at my garmin?<br>
Mile 5 - 8:20<br><br>
Total time - 42:40<br><br>
What? Seriously? I FREAKING RULE!<br><br>
So that's my RR for this years Shuffle...fun time...my friends finished up behind me and I did 2 minutes and 20 seconds better than I thought I could...oh and busted my PR by 6 minutes and 11 seconds...busted my Shuffle PR by 6 minutes and 16 seconds.<br><br>
I'd say that was a good day <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">
Ok, so here we are, March 30 in Chicago. I'm nervous about an 8k because we've all been chatting so much on the boards here that I just couldn't wait.<br><br>
I was nervous about this race, though this is my forth time running it in 5 years (woohoo!). I have a love/hate relationship with this race. I hate how crowded it is and that walkers always end up in front of me. I hate how people don't look when they pass you. I love how I feel when I get past those people. I love the support and the crowds that cheer you on. I love the feeling of finishing that damn hill at the end (same hill that ends the marathon). So I sign up...and when I don't I feel as though something is missing...so I must always sign up.<br><br>
This year though was different. I had a corral start somehow and took that to mean I was entering a new level of running. I had to take this seriously. Plus, my training runs have been getting easier & faster, so I must be doing something right.<br><br>
Started off this morning walking to the el with my friend LG who was shuffling this year, and my friend Joe, our gear check & cheering section. We met up with Phill & Tonya (from here) at the el stop, and jumped on to the race.<br><br>
Walked over to Buckingham Fountain to look for Run Asics and Nirvana, but ended up not finding them. Did find Nancy (which was good since I had her pack!)<br><br>
9:00am, headed over to the porto's then said bye to Joe, LG & Nancy and headed to my corral start.<br><br>
9:15am - the national anthem was sung<br>
9:29am - the wheelchair race started<br>
9:30am - the race beings<br>
9:35am - I finally take off past the start line<br><br>
The first mile still seemed to have some slower people, but it helped get me motivated. I was passing people and not just the people in my corral, but people in the corral ahead of me! *woohooo* I yell under the first bridge and others follow...it just sounds wicked cool <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"><br><br>
Almost to Grand ave, people cheering away, make the turn, and there's the mile marker<br>
8:29<br><br>
Ok good start, not feeling like I pushed too much, keeping a good pace, wow, corral starts rock!<br><br>
Onto the next mile, I keep passing people and not too many people are passing me. This is pretty cool. About to turn onto State St and there is this awesome guy on the corner calling people cheaters who cut the corner. That made me laugh...keep focused.<br><br>
Kept going, and we're at a water stop, um, no thanks, it's 38 degrees out and I'm running an 8k, that will just slow me down. Looked for some friends, didn't see them, kept going.<br><br>
Mile 2 - 8:30<br><br>
Ok, maybe this whole me running 8:30 miles is for real. I didn't really push at all yet, and here I am happy as a clam at 8:30. Sweet, guess 45 minutes will be no problem since I'm on pace to hit 44 if I switch to 9 minutes now.<br><br>
Turn onto Jackson, really, already? And head west. Now I realize that we're going to be in the wind the second half of the race. The first bit we just went through wasn't bad which means when we head east it's going to hurt. Don't think about it, just run.<br><br>
Now people are running across the street in front of me, and I just don't care, I'm focused now. Gloves come off, way too warm. Passing more and more people...turning and there's the mile 3 marker.<br><br>
Mile 3 - 8:42<br><br>
Ok I slowed down a little there, but there were a bunch of turns plus some grated bridges, but that's ok, I'm still way ahead of my 45 minute goal, so just keep going and don't push too much. Remember, I'm still a little bit sick.<br><br>
And we're headed east.....errrrr....wind. Crap, right in my face, but wait, that actually feels good. I already had to take my gloves off, this is kind of cooling me off. Ok, wind you are my friend right now.<br><br>
Oh look, another water stop, let me get right into the middle. "BOR!!!" I yell, since my friend was supposed to be at this water stop, though I never did see him. His name is Rob but we nicknamed him Bor years ago, though I can't remember why.<br><br>
Anyway, people keep saying only a mile to go. Did I miss the mile 4 marker? What's going on? Damn I missed it...oh wait, it's 2 blocks ahead. *phew* keep going.<br><br>
Mile 4 - 8:36<br><br>
OK that's better, we're back into the 8:30 range, much better than that 8:42 mile, and this one was into the wind. I wonder if I can make up those 18 seconds here, hmmm, maybe, but there is that damn hill. Well, just give it your all and see what you've got in the tank at the end.<br><br>
Right on Michigan. Ok, remember, breathing is key to running...wait, people are slowing down, get out of my way! I've still got plenty in the tank! Go, go, go, go, go....left turn onto the freaking hill *(^@%(_&**(#^&*@()$*()#<br><br>
Ok, just keep going, it's ok that those two freakishly skinny men are passing you, they don't have corral start numbers...but try and catch them...that's it, keep going...uh oh <img alt="tongue6.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/tongue6.gif"> gonna hurl...top of the hill and I feel it coming up...no it can't I need to sprint to the finish!!!<br><br>
OK slow down a bit, you have a little bit further to go. People are starting their sprints and passing me...no, I can't let this happen. The guy who just passed me, I kick it into gear and fly past him...just keep going, don't think, just do...go, go, go, go, go!!!!!<br><br>
Thumbs up to the camera and...<br>
Done!<br><br>
Dare I look at my garmin?<br>
Mile 5 - 8:20<br><br>
Total time - 42:40<br><br>
What? Seriously? I FREAKING RULE!<br><br>
So that's my RR for this years Shuffle...fun time...my friends finished up behind me and I did 2 minutes and 20 seconds better than I thought I could...oh and busted my PR by 6 minutes and 11 seconds...busted my Shuffle PR by 6 minutes and 16 seconds.<br><br>
I'd say that was a good day <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">
