My original goal in running was to run a 5k. After I did that I went straight to half marathon 4 months later. I skipped any distance between 3.1 miles and 13.1 miles. However I was finally going to get my first 10k under my belt in July at the Chicago Esprit de She 5k and 10k ... and then summer happened.
In order for me to even do this race I took a half day at work, otherwise with traffic there was exactly a 3% chance I might make it to the Thursday night race. Yeah, Thursday night in Chicago. I digress.
My mom was racing the 5k and I was racing the 10k. I love the Esprit de She racing series because it's women only and it's so gosh dang empowering. You see all sorts of women. Those who run 7 minute miles. Those who walk 20 minute miles. Those running as a group of women together with wine on their mind. Those running for the first time and you see them cry crossing the finish line. Lemme tell ya, been there ... done that; and done it again.
But July in Chicago ... total crap shoot. Long story short there was no 10k that day. In fact the weather was 96 and then a heat index on top of that making it feel roughly 113. Uh, that's sorta hot. Ya know? Well you might not. Lemme tell ya. It was hot.
Let's start with I finished the race in 35:25. One of my slowest 5k's ever. Actually it was my slowest. Scratch that 'ever' part. Slowest. Period. I made it. I ran the whole stinkin' heat induced, sweaty, steamy race.
Now what I'm failing to mention is while this dreadful weather was slapping every running across their body ... coming in was a storm. My mom and I had parked at one of my best friend's houses about a mile from the race. Parking near the race was rumored to be a little wonky so we decided it would be a great warm up to walk along Lake Michigan, do the race, walk back, and best of all I'd get to see my pal!
Here's what really happened: The race started. We were all lined up before they called that it was going to be a 5k for everyone. We were already lined up, but I understand safety first. In any case I went out and on the loop back I saw my mom and somehow she saw me too and we exchanged waves. I finished and had myself parked at the finish line to see her. I knew roughly how long it would take her. She finished!
Mom and I went and got our obligatory finisher photos as the storm started to roll in. The sunshine that was beating down on us at the start of the race was quickly becoming grey clouds. We opted to go straight to gear check to grab our stuff in case we had to make a run for it. Good thing we did that.
The storm was blowing in and tents were being taken down quickly before they blew away. The bubbly bar where we'd get our free drinks afterwards closed down. We didn't get our drinks. The tapas were closed down. I had thankfully ran and got my veggie tapas while mom was in line. Mom's gear bag was nearly lost and that was quite the ordeal as it became pitch black in the skies.
We bolted. We had a mile. Now mind you I had just run 3.1 miles in dreadful conditions and my mom walked 3.1 miles in the same dreadful conditions. I had Google Maps opened as we were walking as swiftly as we could.
The wind off of Lake Michigan was enough to nearly knock us over. Sand blowing from the beaches made me put my sunglasses on in the dark while trying to walk through the wind. All of this while I kept saying .8 miles and then .7 miles. Each time I said something about the distance my mom and I both swore we weren't getting any closer.
Lightning was flashing in the sky and we weren't the only fools out there walking rapidly trying to beat the rain. And then it happened we were turning onto my friends street and it started to sprinkle. Just a few more steps. We got in my car and the skies opened. Full on downpouring storm like no one's business. But we were safe.
So what can I say? I still haven't run a 10k in a race. I narrowly beat a storm. I raced on a Thursday night in what felt like 113 degrees. Nothing of the race or situations were ideal, but then again ... are they ever? I finished. It wasn't pretty, and neither were the skies afterwards.
In order for me to even do this race I took a half day at work, otherwise with traffic there was exactly a 3% chance I might make it to the Thursday night race. Yeah, Thursday night in Chicago. I digress.
My mom was racing the 5k and I was racing the 10k. I love the Esprit de She racing series because it's women only and it's so gosh dang empowering. You see all sorts of women. Those who run 7 minute miles. Those who walk 20 minute miles. Those running as a group of women together with wine on their mind. Those running for the first time and you see them cry crossing the finish line. Lemme tell ya, been there ... done that; and done it again.
But July in Chicago ... total crap shoot. Long story short there was no 10k that day. In fact the weather was 96 and then a heat index on top of that making it feel roughly 113. Uh, that's sorta hot. Ya know? Well you might not. Lemme tell ya. It was hot.
Let's start with I finished the race in 35:25. One of my slowest 5k's ever. Actually it was my slowest. Scratch that 'ever' part. Slowest. Period. I made it. I ran the whole stinkin' heat induced, sweaty, steamy race.
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| That's me in the black |
Here's what really happened: The race started. We were all lined up before they called that it was going to be a 5k for everyone. We were already lined up, but I understand safety first. In any case I went out and on the loop back I saw my mom and somehow she saw me too and we exchanged waves. I finished and had myself parked at the finish line to see her. I knew roughly how long it would take her. She finished!
Mom and I went and got our obligatory finisher photos as the storm started to roll in. The sunshine that was beating down on us at the start of the race was quickly becoming grey clouds. We opted to go straight to gear check to grab our stuff in case we had to make a run for it. Good thing we did that.
The storm was blowing in and tents were being taken down quickly before they blew away. The bubbly bar where we'd get our free drinks afterwards closed down. We didn't get our drinks. The tapas were closed down. I had thankfully ran and got my veggie tapas while mom was in line. Mom's gear bag was nearly lost and that was quite the ordeal as it became pitch black in the skies.
We bolted. We had a mile. Now mind you I had just run 3.1 miles in dreadful conditions and my mom walked 3.1 miles in the same dreadful conditions. I had Google Maps opened as we were walking as swiftly as we could.
The wind off of Lake Michigan was enough to nearly knock us over. Sand blowing from the beaches made me put my sunglasses on in the dark while trying to walk through the wind. All of this while I kept saying .8 miles and then .7 miles. Each time I said something about the distance my mom and I both swore we weren't getting any closer.
Lightning was flashing in the sky and we weren't the only fools out there walking rapidly trying to beat the rain. And then it happened we were turning onto my friends street and it started to sprinkle. Just a few more steps. We got in my car and the skies opened. Full on downpouring storm like no one's business. But we were safe.
So what can I say? I still haven't run a 10k in a race. I narrowly beat a storm. I raced on a Thursday night in what felt like 113 degrees. Nothing of the race or situations were ideal, but then again ... are they ever? I finished. It wasn't pretty, and neither were the skies afterwards.
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