Happy Tuesday! It’s time for another edition of Tuesday Topics. This week’s Tuesday Topic: What are your favorite running books? You can write about this or any running related blog post. Remember to Link-up with Kim and Zenaida and the bottom of this post!
I’m going off topic today to bring you my International Chicago 5K Race Recap! I was in Chicago this weekend to run the marathon, but decided a while ago to run this race as a shakeout run 🙂
A few months ago I mentioned the race to Michelle since I knew she was running the marathon. After some coaxing from me, she registered 🙂 We were greeted with a healthy dose of Winter weather on the morning of the race. In an effort not to freeze, and to save our legs for the marathon, we opted to take a Lyft from the hotel to the race start. That was definitely a good decision because it was wicked cold out there while we waited in our corral.
It was a wee bit cold!
While waiting to start, it was great to see runners from SO many different countries. Every time the announcer would call out a country, you would hear so much cheering from the runners that were from that country. We were near a large group of runners from Taiwan and it was so fun to see how excited they were to race! That’s the best thing about these huge marathons – you see and meet people from all over the globe. About 20 minutes after the official start, our corral finally crossed the start line. I gotta say, although I couldn’t really feel my thighs until mile 2, I was happy to finally start running!
This is a nice flat course. With over 8,000 runners, certain parts of the course were a little crowded but overall it was very open. The entire race takes place in downtown Chicago so my GPS watch was off, but I knew that before I started so it didn’t alarm me when my watched beeped for mile 1 way before the mile marker, lol.
The race starts at Daley Plaza. After running down LaSalle Street, we turned down Lake Street and then down State Street before hitting mile 1. Most of mile 2 took place on Jackson Blvd before turning on Wacker Drive. The only aid station on the course was just before the end of mile 2. I don’t drink water during 5K races so I thought that one aid station was fine, but other runners may think differently (it’s all relative).
The best part of the race for me was the last mile. My body was finally warmed up and I locked into a nice comfortable pace. During this part of the race we did an out and back along Michigan Avenue. Around mile 2.5 I saw a spectator dressed in a T-Rex costume holding a sign that said “Tomorrow, you’ll be dino-sore”. I laughed so hard at this sign. I wish I had stopped to take a photo. It gave me a good boost as we turned to finish the race in Grant Park.
As with any race, there are pros and cons.
Pros
Race Bibs – The race bibs were mailed to U.S. residents. I appreciated the fact that I had one less stop to do at the Expo since I already had my bib for the race.
Race Medal – The 5K medal was really cool – I liked it!
Post-Race Food – I thought that the food options were adequate for a 5K. They had bottle water, small bottles of Gatorade, apples and a snack bar. Oddly enough, I never feel like a banana but I wanted one after this race and they didn’t have any, lol.
Cons
Post-Race Organization – The race definitely dropped the ball after crossing the finish. It was a complete cluster with people everywhere. You literally had to maneuver through so many people just to get a bottle of water and fruit. They were also handing out the race swag (winter hat) right before exiting the park. Well this wasn’t done well AT ALL. The volunteers were allowing runners to take more than one hat and also allowing people that didn’t run the race to take hats as well. Because of this, many runners (including my mom, Michelle and her husband) didn’t receive a hat because they ran out. Luckily another runner heard us discussing this and he gave Michelle his hat. I gave my mom my hat but she emailed the organization and they said that they are going to be mailing out hats to people that didn’t receive one. I’m glad that they are correcting the issue, but I hope they figure out a better process for next year.
Overall I think the race served as a great shakeout run before the marathon. I’ll have my Chicago Marathon Race Recap posted tomorrow.
Tell me: Do you normally run the day before your race? Have you ever done this race before?
Join the Link-Up!
Topic for next week – What are your favorite running movies? Feel free to write about this or any running related topic. We hope you’ll link up with us!
I’m also linking up with Marc from Train With Marc and Debbie from Coach Debbie Runs for Coaches’ Corner!
I live here it was super cold this weekend! I was suppose to run but didn’t have a sitter for my babies!
I couldn’t believe the drop in temperature there this weekend!
I can’t even fathom running before a marathon— I don’t even like it before a short race!
I hate when they run out of stuff at the end. And giving it to people who didn’t even run? I guess those volunteers weren’t runners!
A hat would be great. I’ve never gotten that at any race so far. Can’t wait to hear about the full!
Yeah I just think they definitely need a better process for that, like maybe giving the hats to runners the same time we get the medals. That way they can ensure only runners get the hats. I was really disappointed in the runners that took more than one hat 🙁
I’ve always wanted to do this race but so far haven’t. Sounds fun minus the finish line cluster and hat debacle. Giving them out at the end sounds like a bad idea…wonder why they couldn’t just do it when you got the medal??
Yeah I agree, either giving it out with the medal, or just have runners pick it up at the Expo. The international runners have to pick up their bibs at the Expo so they could just add the hats at that time too. And the U.S. runners could also just pick up the hats. That’s what NYRR does for the Dash to the Finish Line 5K.
Love that hat. I would do the race just for that. They gave out hats for the Dash but not the 2 years that I did it.
I was thinking about it again but it sold out.
Glad you were able to take advantage of this. It stinks when they run out of things.
CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR ABOUT THE FULL.
I still have my hat from the Dash race I ran last year. It’s a little big for my head but I like it!
I don’t usually run the day before a big race. Maybe i should? Glad you were able to take full advantage of your time in Chicago. Looking forward to reading the full recap!
I don’t usually run the day before a half but usually do the day before a full – so weird I know, lol.
Everyone was in Chicago this weekend! I’m so happy you were able to be part of it. I can’t believe they ran out of hats that sucks, hopefully, they make it right!
It definitely seemed like many runners were in Chicago this weekend. It was a lot of fun!
Why would someone take a hat if they didn’t run? Unless they thought they were just free hats for everyone.
I don’t run the day before a race. Strong work!
Exactly! I was so confused on why people were taking hats if they didn’t run the actual race.
Well, you probably know I’m all about shakeout runs, before and after a big race. They work for me, but I know a lot of people avoid them. I have major FOMO from seeing all your pics with everyone. I have to say that hat is divine (as is the medal). I only have one race hat like that (Leprechaun Chase), and I think they are great swag!
I usually don’t do a shakeout run before a half marathon but i usually do one before a marathon, LOL.
Congrats on running the 5K the day before the marathon. I always took the two days before a marathon off to rest my legs. I’m curious if after the fact you were glad you ran it or regretted it. I’m headed over next to read your marathon recap!
Our son and daughter-in-law lived on the corner of Upper Wacker and Columbus on the 32nd floor overlooking the Chicago River while he was in grad school for his MBA. We loved going to Chicago to visit them and I miss not going since he’s graduated.
Oops, I see I spoke too soon – I’ll check back later for your marathon recap. In the process of double checking when you plan to post your recap, I saw that said that the 5K served as a great shakeout run. That’s awesome!
I just posted the marathon recap 🙂
Chicago is such a great city – I really love it there and wish I could move there.
I’m glad you helped nudge me into the 5K – it was fun and a perfect shakeout run!
That finish line scene was ridiculous – I hope they follow through on the promise to send out hats.
I really hope they follow through with the promise for the hats. I haven’t seen any emails from them yet, which is disappointing. I thought they would have reached out by now.
What a shame about the race swag – very poor organisation. Hope the marathon was better. Maybe they struggled to find volunteers for this when people were helping with marathon day.
I have never run the day before a marathon – too paranoid! I would do a creaky 5k the day after but that probably wouldn’t be a popular option …
It was such poor organization at the end of the 5K race. It was super disappointing! They promised to fix the hat situation so hopefully they will.
I love the hat and now I want one. 🙂 Great job on your 5K Bummer that it was so cold that morning. I have never run this race (I think this is year 3?) but every year I say I would do it.
You should definitely do it one year – it’s a lot of fun!