today's distance: 4.97 miles (that's an 8K)
on sarah's iPod: "tik tok" -- Ke$ha
Holidays are magnets for fun runs. Halloween costume races, Thankgiving Turkey Trots, Christmas Jingle Bell Jogs; everybody that likes to run rolls out. And some people that just like to party roll out, too. It took about 45 seconds for me to decide to come up to Chicago for the weekend to run the St. Paddy's Day 8K on the shores of Lake Michigan. Not only was it a chance to run in an oustanding city, but also guaranteed spending quality time with my great friends Jason and Sarah. So glad I did.
Beyond knowing how to throw the best running events in the world, Chicago also knows how to serve a good meal. Dinner last night didn't dissappoint. We met Jason and Sarah's friends, Andy and Amy and the other Jason (O.J.), at an Italian place in Logan Square. After a few glasses of wine, we were seated in the middle of the room for dinner. While the food and wine were memorable, it was the conversation with good people that stood out. O.J. is, hands down, the funniest person I've met in quite some time. He reminds me of my friend Stacy. Both of them are incredibly well-spoken in terms of vocabulary, but they have the gift of using their dialogue to turn virtually any mundane situation or anecdote into a rediculously funny story.
Last night we laughed out loud as O.J. introduced us all to the profound world of the honey badger, one of the meanest and scariest animals on earth. No sh*t. I thought that a badger and a beaver were the same animal. No sir. I was quickly corrected and received a full lecture on the wonders of the honey badger. Of course, O.J.'s knowledge of the honey badger comes almost entirely from that bastion of academic content and integrity: YouTube. We were then introduced to various YouTube clips of the honey badger in action as O.J. masterfully narrated every action-packed turn. We laughed out loud the entire time. It was one of those nights when the time seemed to stand still, based in great food and even greater people. I've got the best friends in the world.
And if you haven't seen the honey badger footage on YouTube, please stop reading now and go there immediately. You can thank me later.
Holiday runs, while almost always heavy on the strollers and cell phone set, are really fun because the vibe is pretty laid back. Costumes are encouraged and it never fails that most people participate. I've never jumped on board with the dressing up, which is a function of feeling dumb or not good enough, but I pushed myself a bit and did it this time. Slightly. In my own way. Instead of the standard running uniform of black and blue wicking gear, I bought a green Nike tech shirt and a pair of green knee-high Adidas soccer socks. I was proud of myself for getting out of my comfort zone and doing something a little bit different. Of course, my effort at costuming paled in comparison to the thousands of people who were wearing everything related to St. Patrick's Day under the sun. Face paint, afro wigs, Dr. Suess hats, beads, stripes, oversized sunglasses, big animated gloves. All green. Of course.
This was my first 8K race, so I had no feeling whatsoever on how to pull off the pace. That had me feeling a bit out of sorts, which wasn't helped by the fact that I was still standing in line for the port-o-potties with only minutes left before the gun. In fact, I was next in line when the gun went off. They were very close to the start, however, so I literally ran out of the "Lepro-can" and straight into the back of the pack. There wasn't any time for hanging out in the corral. Maybe next time.
Having no plan, I made a game-time decision to simply run hard and play it by ear. The course ran parallel to the shores of Lake Michigan, providing for a steady wind and breathtaking views of the city skyline and the expansive lake. I immediately felt excitement to be running with thousands of strangers in such an awesome setting. In that moment it couldn't have been better.
Because there was no pressure to maintain for a long distance, I let my legs do their thing. And it felt really good. The first mile was weaving through packs of soccer moms and kids goofing off, but it was fun nonetheless. Things thinned out quickly, as they always do, and I began to weave through runners instead. That doesn't usually happen, but it was today. The pace finally slowed around mile four, but not by much. With about a half mile left, a slight rain began to fall. With about a tenth of a mile left, a moderate rain began to fall. At the finish line, a full rain was falling. I didn't give a rip, however, having just finished my first 8K. Finish lines are the best places in the world. The energy is through the roof and the adrenaline is pumping. The only place better than a finish line is the next starting line.
The post-race party was sponsored by Guinness, which meant there was beer pretty much everywhere. It was inside the Noebert Nature Museum and had tons of cool Irish dancing and bands and stuff. And Guinness beer. We socialized and laughed and talked about the run and enjoyed the dancing and music and food. And beer.
Next weekend will be back in my little Southern hometown college hamlet of Fayetteville for a 20 mile run in preparation for the Oklahoma City Marathon, which is six weeks away. It's getting close to crunch time and I couldn't be happier. Maybe i'll wear my knee-high green soccer socks again, but probably not. Maybe i'll end the run with another Guinness, but probably not. And I definitely won't run 8:15 paces like I did today, but i'll give it my best and enjoy every mile. That's for sure.
Run.
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