Chicago Half

OK, Just a short report on my half today. I ran this race back in 2008 and 2009 my first and 3rd half before my marathon debut @ Chicago '09. My intention was to use this as a tune up for my 4th Chicago marathon. A guy from my Saturday pace group wanted to run together so the plan was to help him PR if possible. He had previously had a few tries and was currently at 1:36xx. Well it was quite humid out there (70%+,) but it was cloudy so not too bad with temps staying in the 70'sF. The strategy was to negative split so we did pretty well accomplishing that, since this out and back on lake shore drive had miles 2-8.5 into a head wind. Most splits were right around 7:00-7:10. We basically decided to hold off until the turn around and then let it rip. It worked out pretty well as we passed a slew of runners holding about a 6:49 pace most of the final distance. Javier told me to go ahead with 2mi to go and i told him I was hanging with him all the way. Told him not to talk himself out of it and to just hold the pace or slow just a bit. So we hung on and finished around 31:30 giving him a 5min PR. My only regret was making a rookie mistake by wearing new shoes and getting some blisters on the balls of my feet. Not a bad venue, Note: free beer from Michelob lite was the size of a dixie cup, if you wanted a refill you had to donate. I guess that donation was to pay for Lance Armstrong's remaining contract, geez!

Nice job! Nice to help your buddy PR, too!  Thank God for the wind since it was humid! 
I didn't stick around for the post-race stuff, but heard they were giving out deep dish Lou's--my favorite, but not at 9 a.m. after a race.  Bummer about the beer but you're prob right on why.

Good work Steve and nice job helping your friend attain his PR.  In spite of the cheap beer, that must have felt good.   (PS if you ever get the chance to run the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, NY, jump at the opportunity - unlimited free beer from the microbrewery that sponsors the race.)

Michele \"1L" Keane wrote:Good work Steve and nice job helping your friend attain his PR.  In spite of the cheap beer, that must have felt good.   (PS if you ever get the chance to run the Boilermaker 15K in Utica, NY, jump at the opportunity - unlimited free beer from the microbrewery that sponsors the race.)

Sounds great. Not that I would pound a bunch of beer right after, but thought they could at least have a 12 oz size. Kind of bad advertising for them. The Chicago marathon basically has a bar set up w/ Goose Island at the end of the finishing chute right behind the bananas and stuff. Not exactly the time I want to drink a bunch of suds, but it's probably appealing to the less serious participants.

Quite humid is an understatement. It was 93% with a dew point of 70 at the start.  It destroyed me.  I'm glad to see you handled it better than I.

Way to go old man! "The bottle was dusty but the liquor was clean. Sound of the thunder with the rain pourin down, and it looks like the old man's gettin on"!!!

Nice run Steve.  Maybe I'll see you in Chi.

mountandog wrote:Nice run Steve.  Maybe I'll see you in Chi.

Definitely! Look for the Chicago marathon dinner thread. I'll be there, Lord will'n.