I’ve eyed the Cinco de Miler for years and coveted the sombrero medal, alas I could never make the date work. Until this year. I was extra delighted when they offered a suburban option for packet pickup as trekking into the city is a pia on race day is more than enough trekking for me.
Since the race didn’t start until 9, I was able to wake at my usual time and be casual about fuel/coffee, etc. It was still warm, 67 degree, however thunder rumbled and a few large drops of rain fell as I pulled out of the driveway.
The rain increased as I headed into the city to pickup Emily and was a full-blown thunderstorm before I was halfway there. Traffic crawled and I worried I’d be late, but that didn’t happen. We made it to Soldier Field with time to spare but the entire start area had been evacuated due to lightning. Yikes. Would the race be cancelled? Delayed?
Thankfully everything blew over as we sat in traffic to the parking garage. Except now a cold front came in with vicious winds. I decided to wear my jacket to the starting area and gear check it.
No bib = bandit?
As I stuffed my gear check bag, panic set in when I realized I did not have my race bib. I knew I had it in the car because I put it on my bib belt. Did I leave it in the car? Drop it somewhere along the way? Leave it in the bathroom? Should I race back to the car? There simply wasn’t time. For the first time ever, I became sort of a “pseudo bandit”. Just my luck they were carefully checking bibs at the corral entrance so we waited for the starting gun to just sort of blend in and go.
Emily and I made a fun run out of this one and took our sweet time and gabbed away. With winds the way they were it was perfect. We pulled over for skyline pics and to enjoy the course mariachis. I was grateful I kept my long sleeve half-zip on.
I was a little nervous I’d be denied a finisher’s medal with no bib but that was not the case. I wasn’t able to get any food though because a tear off part of the bib was needed to enter the food/beer tents. No big deal since I’m not much of a post-race eater and beer is not my bag. Emily was kind enough to share her food with me.
What I didn’t need a bib for was to ride the mechanical bull. There’s a bucket list item fulfilled! Ha!
While I had no (ok not too much) problem showing the bull who’s boss, I do have to say the hardest part of said bull riding is getting on the damn thing. I sort of did a running/jumping/springboard type approach that got me hanging on (and laughing) for dear life. My kids are so proud.
Final Words
Pros: Overall it was a really well-done race. The Mexican theme was really fun and they did a great job of carrying it through all aspects of the day. The course was a portion of the Soldier Field 10 mile as we ran South through the McCormick Place tunnel and continued down Lake Shore Drive then headed back North via the Lakefront Path. The race shirt may be my all-time fave. I originally hoped for a sombrero medal and I feared the donkey was going to be a keychain, but it turned out to be a cute little “ass” medal that is super fun and gets two maracas up from me.
Cons: In typical Chicago style, the weather is unpredictable. Parking was pricey (what else is new?) at $20. Although I appreciate the effort to offer a suburban packet pickup, having it for only 2 hours in the middle of the evening rush could not have been less convenient. I was hard pressed to make it across town in heavy traffic and had to do lots of mom-taxi juggling to make this happen.
Finish Time: 48:14 9:46 pace. Perfectly happy with that. When we got back to the car post-race, I found my bib and race belt had fallen down and wedged between the seat and door, partly under the seat. Mystery solved.
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I’m linking up with Holly and Tricia for the Weekly Wrap
and with Ilka and Angela for the Sunday Fitness and Food Linkup.
Tomorrow’s Tuesdays on the Run topic is Destination Races: How much do they really cost? Join us!
$20 for parking at a race? That seems a little crazy. I definitely prefer a packet pick-up out in the suburbs to avoid city traffic, and sometimes I’ll even do race day morning pick-up if that’s an option. That would stress me out to not be able to find my bib before the race! Nice job making the best of it all!
Wow, fun theme for a race! I love that you rode the mechanical bull! I know what you mean about logistics for city races. Years ago I did the Shamrock shuffle in Chicago. Thankfully my cousin had a place in the city near public transport that worked. It was also difficult in DC. The metro trains were helpful for some of the big races (like marine corps marathon), but then smaller races like Nations Triathlon didn’t have enough pull to get the metro open earlier so you had to deal with packet pickup and bike check-in the day before and also parking for race morning .
Oh, I’ve never lost my bib but I can see that happening to me! That shirt really is fantastic! Glad you like the medal after all.
Congratulations, Marcia! You know this is the second blog I read this morning where someone lost something!
I was wondering if you would find your bib! Thank god they let you on the mechanical bull without it. I would have been really upset about that! You know me…
How fun that you got to ride a mechanical bull! Steven decided he wanted to do that when we were in TX the last time, but it didn’t happen. I should just have him do this race next year!
Man, I would have freaked not to have my bib! I’m happy it wasn’t a big deal and you still got your medal!
That is nuts it did storm there! We were expecting it in Kenosha but just lightening and thunder, far away, luckily!
Great theme for a race. At least you managed to blend in without the bib. Loving the mechanical bull, it looks great fun
I LOVE that medal! Super cool to ride the mechanical bull!
I see what you did there with your reference to the cute little ass medal. =) Great recap, so great to catch up with you, thanks again for driving, and thanks for suggesting the mechanical bull! Best post-race activity EVER. I am really glad it wasn’t an issue for you to get your medal without your bib – that was a relief!
It is so nice you ran with Emily and enjoyed the event. You still had a great finish time and you missed the storm:)
Your bull pic is cracking me up! I have never done that yet…
The medal is really cute!
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I actually forgot my bib at my trail race last month, I left it on the dresser at home lol
Watch out! Here comes the race bandit! she is going after the Donkey medal and the bull!! she runs fast, so you better watch out!
I’m so sorry to hear you lost your bib, but it sounds like you had a great time! Congratulations on an awesome race! if there were mariachis in any of the races I did, I would not be able to run, because I would have to pull over and start singing with them!
Geez $20 for parking? that is crazy! You big city girls…….. I love the bull pictures I would have gotten some major eye rolls for that one but hey, that is the fun part! I have never run without a bib but I always worry about it! Sounds like a fun race and that is a cute “ass” medal!
I love packet pick up when it’s close to home. Sometimes I base my race decisions on where I can get my packet. If it’s close to home or work, I’m in.
That is my favorite path to take when running/biking/walking 🙂
I just can’t head to the city to run anymore… the packet pickups… the traffic and the parking… I know.. I’m lame! Suburbs are SOO much easier. I got out and ran while it was still warm saturday in the rain and loved it!! It was before the cold front.! That wind was crazy on Saturday afternoon.
I like the key chain, I think it is original and fun. I am such a rule follower that I am unsure if I would have ran the race. Hmmm, great topic for Tuesdays on the Run !
Glad you were able to run and collect your medal sans bib. It’s funny that is the bib is the one thing I’m always most worried about forgetting. That race shirt is so fun!
I wish more races around here would offer suburban packet pick-up – such a smart idea.
So glad the lack of bib did not prevent you from running the race!
I’m just imagining you trying to blend into the crowd and pretend that there’s nothing wrong while all the time you’re secretly sure you’re going to be caught out with no bib.
What a relief that you were able to run and get your finisher’s medal after all! Congrats!
That’s so frustrating to lose the bib before the race but glad you didn’t get bounced. And at least you found it in the end. Great race! The medal is cute too.
Oh the race bib….I would have been a paranoid freak. I’d still try to run, mind you, but would be nervous about getting caught doing something I had every right to be doing LOL I am glad you came to terms with the donkey, and it appears you have reached a truce 😉 Very cool shirt!!
So glad you were still able to run even with the bib being MIA. That is so awesome that they had a mechanical bull! Looks like you and Emily had a great time! Great job! 🙂
This looks like such a fun race! And the medal is adorable! What a great job they did with the theming. And glad you were able to run even with your MIA bib – definitely a relief I’m sure!
A mechanical bull? Hmm…how on earth will I top that for entertainment in PCB? LOL. I know. Gator wrestling! This sounds like a fun race, especially sharing it with Emily. I’m glad the storm blew over before the start. The ass is out of proportion (says every female I’ve ever known) to the ribbon. But it’s a cute little ass. Thanks for linking with us Marcia.
Sounds like a great race, minus the missing bib. But it worked out fine and the mystery was solved. Who needs beer afterwards anyway? Me cause I’m not a beer drinker, Mr. Sippi gets mine.
I love the medal or umm keychain, whatever it is, it is unique. 🙂
That sounds like a fun race! I’m glad you were able to get through & get your medal without your bib. Love the mechanical bull ride that you got to do, how fun!! Thanks so much for sharing at the Sunday Fitness & Food Link-Up 🙂
I’ve never run this race. Looks like a fun one!