Last Wednesday I was invited to join Team REFUEL for the Rock n Roll Chicago Half. There was no Bachelor hookup this year, but our sultry weather was forecast to cool and Rock n Roll is always a fun race so Things 1, 2 and I headed to the expo on Friday. Ouch on the $21 parking.
Race day dawned hot and humid. So much for the forecast. Well into the 70’s at the start, climbing into the 80’s. Did I mention humid? Sigh.
I met up with the rest of Team REFUEL, who could not have been nicer.
Emily and I lounging in the VIP tent.
My corral went off not too long after 6:30 and in the first 200 yds. my fuel belt came off, bottles spewing everywhere. Good thing this is a fun run I guess. I collected myself just before entering the notorious tunnel of stale air that screws up your Garmin. I already had to pee. Joy.
Goals for today: Just have fun. Manage the heat and make the best of it. I’m embarrassed to admit how poorly trained I am for a half right now. I haven’t run more than 3-4 miles since the Chicago Women’s Half a month ago. But I’ve been healing a torn rotator cuff and it’s feeling way better, so there.
At mile 3 I finally pulled over for a potty stop. Line was long. 12 minutes ticked away. I made myself not care.
We wove thru the Chicago loop streets. I was thankful for the shade of the buildings and any puff of breeze. I knew it would only get hotter and once we got out to Michigan Ave. the sun would be brutal. I took salt at mile 5 (Caveman grabbed some at Noodle & Co the night before and made me promise). I took an espresso Clif Shot at mile 6 and pretended I was at Starbucks, although my mouth was oddly dry. I had lost a bottle and my fuel belt was totally dry. I found a med tent with a baby pool of ice and the first of many ice in-the-bra episodes happened there. After the salt and the gel and the ice, I was as content as I was going to be. I found myself trotting next to a very tall guy who took 2 strides to my 60. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the tallest drink of water but this guy had 2 feet on me. I stayed with him onto Michigan avenue. He could be my shade tree. I lost Lurch, er I mean uber tall guy as I scoped for some Ade of the Gator at mile 7. All I found was water so I pressed on. Odd.
Miles 8, 9, 10 11 all passed with just water at the stations too, and even that was getting behind. I waited. Were they not offering Gatorade? That’ll teach me to read the race brochure. So it’s blazing hot and sunny now and I’m running to one stoplight and walking to the next in heat weenie style. Restuffing my bra w/ice whenever I can. Up ahead I see them giving out orange wedges, except when I approach they aren’t oranges at all but cold sponges. Dude are you hallucinating? I back off my snail crawl even more. For once I was happy to cower underneath McCormick Place. This year they stationed DJs in there and made a laser-light tunnel out of it. I try my best not to slip into a pot hole or trip on a wire.
Finally FINALLY at mile 12 THERE IS GATORADE! WITH ICE!!! Never has ade of the gator tasted so refreshing. I wanted to loll and sip all day. But I pressed on. Under a viaduct I found a woman reeling, about to go down. I helped her onto the curb and got help. What difference would another few minutes make? I’m sure I’d been out there about 8 hours by now anyway.
At last I made it onto that part of the course where there seem to be a billion cars coming at us, separated only by a double line of cones. Too exhausted to even think about where this is: LSD probably??
The sounds from the finish are audible now although I can’t see it. I know I need to not walk. Fueled by that last swig of Gatorade, I made it in. Chocolate milk never tasted so good. I chased that with a Jamba Juice smoothie and a popsicle…oh and more ice down the bra and a soaking wet towel turban.
I made my way back to the VIP tent for an amazing brunch spread, of which I can stomach maybe a couple of grapes and a bite of watermelon.
Final Words: This is always a fun race, but such a hot time of year here in Chi-town. This year I really enjoyed the bands on course. The amenities/refreshments in the finishing chute are fantastic. I think the shirt graphic is nice although I’d love a color other than grey. The medal is cool! Slowly I’m getting used to the RnR trademark cheapo ribbon.
SO SO SO IN AWE of all who ran this race.
it’s been such a steamy chicagoland summer!!!
Sounds like a perfect way to run 13.1 in the heat of the summer! Glad you had the opportunity, even if no hottie to entice!
I ran a 25k trail race yesterday, first time running above my low HR all summer. It was hot, hot, hot, but so much fun. I am walking like I ran a marathon today, though!
Marcia your race reports always make me smile! Great job on getting through that Chicago heat!
I “raced” this weekend with my son – hot, but so much fun!
Wow, that is SO hot for a race! Way to be smart and take it easy. Sounds like a fun weekend!
Sounds like you survived a really hot race day! Congratulations just on that. I can’t do the heat and not sure if I could have survived. I love chocolate milk after my runs! It tastes so good! Congrats on a great race considering your injury. I hope it is feeling much better.
12 minutes for the bathroom?? Yikes!
This race sounds nuts! I’m glad you finished, but running on the surface of the sun really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be 🙂
Glad to hear someone else was dying for some Gatorade on the course! They gave out salt packets last year at St. Louis and those would have been appreciated this year here, too. My legs were cramping up majorly by the end of the race!
I hate hot. Ugh!
If you happened to notice the band “The Student Body” the lead singer is a friend of mine 🙂
Glad you finished and were safe. And glad you had fun!
Ahh, this race. I loved it, yet it was so hot last year! I do remember that first tunnel, my Garmin did get messed up!
I really want to come back to Chicago some time. Hopefully soon!
Ugh, that sounds like misery!! Way to stick it out. I’ve been suffering on my 3- and 7-mi runs, so I can’t imagine a half in this heat. Well done!
I’m not gonna lie – it sounds sort of miserable!!! I laughed at the part where you helped the lady to the curb (not at her – hope she was OK, BTW) but at your comment about what was a few more minutes since it had already been 8 hours!!!
Glad you finally got some Gatorade!!!
There’s no such thing as a Heat Weenie! You were smart about the heat, no big deal. Great recap, loved the part about the ade of the gator and sipping all day. It sounds kinda like what Green Bay Marathon has been the last two years.
A. What is it with you and potty breaks at RnRs?? 🙂
B. What the hell is wrong with RnR for holding this race in mid-July in Chicago?
C. That shirt is butt ugly.
D. The medal is cool, though.
E. I’m sooooo glad you came out alive from that race!!!!!!!!!
F. I MISS YOU!!!!
Great job on finishing in brutal heat! Thank goodness for ice!
Way to go busting out a great race on such a hot day!
YOU ROCK! I am in awe of those of you that do this stuff! 🙂
Seems like tweet button & other share buttons are gone from a lot of the blogs – is something up?
Sounds like one of those races to just go out and have a blast (but necessarily PR)! No races until the fall for me, but lots of long, hot training runs!
Congratulations on finishing, but it sounds like it was a tough day. It was so good of you to help the woman who needed assistance.
I knew there was a good reason why I don’t do races in summer. That sounded like really hard work. Well done for finishing.
Hard to believe anyone still schedules races in Chicago in the month of July
Another hilarious recap as always. Your watermelon after the race gave me an idea: they should hand out watermelon instead of oranges at some of the fuel stations at races!
Nice of you to help the woman who was about to go down. Medal was very cool (despite the ribbon!) Yes, it was a hot one (and I don’t fare well in the heat), but somehow it seems we all still managed to have a good time!
Such a hot race. Congratulations on finishing in the heat!
I don’t know how people run in heat and humidity. I’m such a fair weather runner. Congratulations!!!
I always think that lavish post-race spreads are such a waste – who can eat and drink that much after running a half marathon?
Marcia!!! It was so good to see you and catch up for a bit on Sunday morning!!! THANK YOU AGAIN for the VIP wristband, I have never had the privilege of such nice pre- and post-race facilities so it was quite a treat. You ROCKED your Team Refuel gear and I really do think you should go for Kona!!!!! =D =D =D
So many people LOVE this race. Hmmmm…. It came to the CHI when I was preggo with Michael, I ran it in year 2, had tummy issues, waiting in the line for a group of potties on MI Ave and about had an “accident” I was there so long. I just don’t know about going back. But I’m starting to think about it.