f^3 lake half marathon 2017 recap

Disclaimer: I received an entry for F^3 Lake Half Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

You can read a quick-read version of my review on BibRave.com.

I've run the F^3 Lake Half Marathon for the past two years, so of course wanted to run again in 2017. I like to run at least one race a month, and F^3 has become my go-to. It's a unique race as pre- and post- race you get to hang out in the warm United Club at Soldier Field. I also really appreciate that after every race, they send out a survey for participants to fill out to help them improve the following year. They actually take the responses to heart and make changes where necessary. The race this year was on Saturday, January 28 with a 10am start time for the half marathon and 10:30am for the 5k.

The BibRave Pros ready to take on the cold!

This year there were SIX days of packet pickup, and they weren't all in the city. THANK YOU! I was able to go to Running for Kicks on Tuesday night to grab packets for Mark, my mom, and myself. Pickup was quick and easy, and in your drawstring bag you received your bib, a thin, long sleeve tech 1/4 zip pullover, and a KIND bar.

1/4 zip pullover.

We got to Soldier Field a little before 9, and waited a few minutes to get through the line for parking. The parking at Soldier Field North Garage was discounted for runners at $19 (usually 20–30 depending on the event/day). You could go straight from the garage to the United Club without stepping outside. My mom grabbed her additional shirt that she purchased (left overs from last year's race) and dropped that back in the car while I met up with Mark and Kim. We chatted for a few and took our pre-race photo before parting ways. I met back up with Mark after he did gear check and then Mark, the RD of Run Laughlin, came up to chat for a few. This was our first time meeting him in person, as he recently moved to Chicago. Really nice guy. We also got to briefly chat with Chicago Ultra 50 of twitter fame :)

Mark toeing the line.

With about 20 minutes till race time we used the bathrooms, which seemed like long lines, but moved pretty quickly (and hey - water and soap!). 10 minutes before the race half marathoners were being ushered outside to the start line. There were pace signs set up so runners could line-up according to their expected pace. I believe they went up to 12mm. We took our place at the back of the pack. The National Anthem was sung, and then it was time to start. I'm not sure how many 'corrals' or waves there were, but the back started at about 10:10. 

CES was pacing (new this year) and they had finish times of: 1:30, 1:40, 1:50, 2:00, 2:10, 2:20, 2:30 – run/walk (5/1), 2:45 – run/walk (5/1), 3:00 – run/walk (4/2 or 3/2), 3:30 (sweep) walk. I didn't run with a pacer, but my goal was to stay ahead of the 3 hour group.

Mom and I were running our own races this time around. We often run together, but I knew she would be ok on the course herself, since it was mostly just a simple out and back that we've done before, so I wanted to use my own run/walk intervals and see how it went. I hadn't run 13.1 miles since November's Wine and Dine, and I took most of December off due to illness, so I honestly wasn't expecting to do great. My 11 miler the weekend before had not gone as I had hoped, so I just wanted to finish by 3 hours. I've only finished under 3 hours once... so to be under I would be very happy.

I was feeling good and did 70/30 intervals. I told myself that if I hit 5 miles and needed, I could change to 60 seconds of running. I hit 5, and though felt a bit fatigued, I wanted to push myself so said hit 6, hit 7, hit 8. At 8 I brought it down to 60. I loved getting to see Mark and Kim on the course to high-five and cheer them on. It also distracted me as I was keeping an eye out for them rather than paying attention to my pace or thinking about being tired.

I brought my own hydration, but there were 4 aid stations which you hit twice (out and back), with Gatorade and water. I took water from one of the stations. Around mile 8ish they also handed out Gatorade chews which was a nice touch. That doesn't happen at too many 13.1 races.

Course Map.

The course took us around Soldier Field and then onto the LFP. Though the path can be narrow, i didn't notice too much congestion or problems. The path was clear of ice and there were a few puddles, but they were pretty easy to avoid. Any other issues on the path were clearly marked with a cone. 

I'm not great with math or figuring out pacing while on the run, but when I hit mile 10 and saw my time, I knew that I would be close to hitting a PR if I kept up with the pace I had. I figured if I did, it would be about a two minute PR (finishing at about 2:52). I was getting tired, but the idea of hitting a new PR, something I was aiming for this year, and doing it at my first race of the year, kept me motivated. 

I think this was around mile 9 or 10.

I finished and was UNDER 2:50. I was not expecting that at all. After I found my previous PR and looked up my official finish time, I ended with a new PR that beat my old one by 5:53. Whoa. I was really impressed with myself haha. The real goal I'm hoping to hit this year is under 2:45 so I can use it for proof of time for Dopey Challenge and get a better corral placement. I kept thinking about how much my pace needed to improve in order to get from my PR at the time down to 2:45 and it seemed daunting and impossible. This race/pace showed me that I CAN do it. I need to cut off about 3.5 more minutes, but I feel that will definitely be doable this year. Especially since I am working on getting my run intervals longer and cutting back on the walking.

I think another reason I was able to PR was that I went into the race with low expectations and no pressure. I just wanted to get through it not feeling miserable. When I have a goal race, I seem to put a lot of pressure on myself, for whatever reason, and end up failing hard... which leads to a lack of confidence. I need to learn how to not put so much pressure on a race and just run it and have fun, trust in the training, and hope that translates into the PRs I'm looking for.

At the finish line (after picking up my snacks - notice the bagel in hand haha.

At times the wind really cut through me (16–22mph winds/gusts), but it wasn't too bad. On the LPF there isn't anything to help cut the wind - no buildings or anything. It was about 26 degrees with a real feel of 16. I had my BUFF® to help cover my face when needed, and I think I dressed appropriately for the temps (I sometimes have trouble having too many or too less layers – it takes me a few months to hone in what works for me, and then it's spring haha. I typically try to follow this guide I have, but I usually run a little warmer so do a little less than it suggests). I took my gloves off at mile 1 and didn't need them again, though these two women around mile 9 were asking me where my gloves were haha. For whatever reason, my hands warm up when I run and are ok in 16 degree weather without gloves. It's strange because my hands are cold just about any other time.

At the finish line, you received your large 2017 finisher medal (half marathoners only), a full-sized bagel (multiple flavor options available), bottled water, bananas, Gatorade in cups, Muscle Milk, and crackers. 

I then waited for my mom to finish while cheering on the other runners. I wanted to be able to clap fully, so I didn't put my gloves on, which led to very cold hands. My mom was only a few minutes behind me, and the announcer was impressed with her age. She got a lot of cheers from people around for that, which was nice.

We went inside to warm up and I ran into a friend I met back in December at an ultra race that I went to cheer my friend Angie on at. We talked a bit and she convinced me to meet up with a group of ultra runners in February on the trails. Ahhhh what did I get myself into? Haha.

After we gave hugs and said our goodbyes, we headed to the Awards Table to see if my mom won anything. They looked up results and said 60–69 she was 5th place. Well, she is 70, so we were wondering why she was in the wrong age group, and then she looked again and said it was 60+. Ok, so we went home. I was so cold now being in my wet clothes, so I changed in the car and we drove home.

Official race photo. I only had two :(  This is towards the start.

Later, I was looking at the FAQ, and saw that he age groups should have been 60–64, 65–69, and 70+, so my mom actually should have gotten an award. A few days later they sent out an email saying photos were ready (free downloads!) and mentioned that there was a mistake with the age group awards (something to do with the timer and the initial upload) and that an updated list was now available. If you didn't get your award, you are able to go to the CARA office and pick it up. My small issue with this is I feel like since it was a mistake on their end, they should just mail them out. It would cost my mom more than what she won to get into the city to pick it up, so it's not really worth the time and effort. While I appreciate they give out so many awards for all of the male and female age groups of 5 years, it still kind of stinks that she has to go out of her way to go pick it up after she did try to get it at the awards table.

Anyway, with one minor complaint, I'll be back again next year. I really like the race and feel it's well-organized/managed and is unique in that we can stay warm before the race and warm back up after the race inside.

Mark and me before the race, the runners headed outside, me before the start,
me inside after the finish. Look at how bit the medal is!

There was an after party at Kroll's where you could grab your one free beer with your ticket from the bib (Pollyanna or Noon Whistle - both good craft breweries in Chicagoland) and a discount on food, but I had another engagement to get to, so wasn't able to attend. I heard it was hopping though.

What's next for me? I've got Back on My Feet Mardi Gras 10k on February 25 and then my main goal is training for Illinois Marathon in April.

Want to run either with me... or you know, your own race, but we'll both be there ;) you can use the below codes to save some dough.

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BONUS: Did you run the F^3 Lake Half Marathon? Run the BoMF Mardi Gras Chaser 10k and receive the Frozen Frostbitten Challenge medal!

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burgers and beer 5k recap

The Burgers and Beer 5k was on Monday, July 14 with a 7pm start. Yes, it was a weekday run (it's like going against the rules on a school night, except for adults haha). It is a Universal Sole event, with registration on RunningGuru. 

Packet pickup was the week prior, on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, along with race day packet pickup on site. I went on the Wednesday – I met up with my mom for lunch, and then headed over there for our bibs and shirts. I was really happy with the shirt – it was a tech shirt, gender specific, blue (my favorite color), and had a fun logo.

T-shirt and bib.

The race was being held outside of Soldier Field (on the south side). It was a simple out and back on the Lakefront Path, starting and finishing near Waldron Drive, with the turnaround and aid station near 31st Street. It was a lovely night for a run. I was a bit cold when I was done, and it looked like rain might come in, but thankfully never did. The race itself was pretty uneventful. I ran with my mom doing 30s:1m intervals. I was excited because Nuun was the hydration sponsor for the race, but I didn't see any Nuun until afterwards (was just water). I grabbed a bottle of water at the finish line, and went on the hunt for the post-race deliciousness.

The course.

See lovely skyline views.

The Finish Line.

Where this race excelled was in the post-race party. One of the best ones I've been to yet. Included in your race fee was a free beer, and get this, it was craft! Whoo! You know how happy that makes me. You had your choice of 312 Urban Pale Ale or 312 Urban Wheat. For food you received a burger (they had veggie burgers as well) from Billy Goat Tavern. Also, ice-cream from Rainbow Cone. Plus, some Skinny Pop popcorn bags. There were lots of vendor tents, with samples of Nuun, Saucony shoes, Pretzel Crisps, and I think there might have been massages. 

Love Rainbow Cone!

YUM.

We stuck around for awards and the raffles. This was an amazing raffle! They gave out soooo many prizes, but unfortunately, I did not win. I was really hoping for a case of 312. Other prizes included gift certificates for Saucony shoes, gift certificates for Universal Sole, and cases of Red Bull. It was awesome!

Did I mention a portion of the race proceeds went to supporting Special Olympics Chicago? I love when races help raise money for great causes, such as the Special Olympics.

This was definitely a fun race, but I was pretty tired the rest of the week. Being out late on a Monday can take it's toll haha. At least with Thursday races you only have one more workday to get through ;)

I'm going to keep an eye out for this race again next year! I'm generally steering clear of most 5Ks now, but if you are offering such delicious treats afterwards (a cheeseburger and craft beer?) – sign me up!

Here is my BibRave.com review: http://bibrave.com/races/burgers-and-beer-5k/1386

chicago spring half marathon recap

Source

The Chicago Spring Half Marathon was held on Sunday, May 18 at 7:00 am at the Park at Lakeshore East.

Packet pick-up was being held at Fleet Feet in Old Town Thursday–Saturday. I went on Friday during my lunch hour. Pick-up was easy breezy, all of it held within the store (sometimes they use the lobby of the building for bibs and then the shirts are in the back of the store). I grabbed the bibs for both my mom and myself along with the t-shirts (which were cute, a nice lime green color). 

Back of the shirt.

Front of the shirt.
Photos from Chicago Spring Half Marathon Facebook Page.

I decided that it would be easiest for my mom and I to drive into the city and park rather than take public transit – it would be faster, and I'm much more comfortable feeling gross in my car rather than on a train after a race haha.

We got to the Millenium Lakeside Garage around 6 o'clock (we like to give ourselves ample time to drive, as you never know what the construction and/or traffic will be like). We hung out in the car for about 30 minutes, eating our Nature Valley Oats and Honey granola bars and chatting. We made our way over to the park at 6:30 and went straight to the portalets. There were a good amount of them, but the lines were a little wacky because tents and other items were in the way. Since there were groupings of the portalets around the area, each group had 1–2 lines of people waiting for the approximately 15 portalets. Some people thought it was ok to form their own lines (aka cut), but the majority of people waited patiently. We chose a line and were in it for about 15 minutes. One of the workers came around at 6:50 announcing the start of the race in 10 minutes and that we should all make our way over to the starting area (which was a little ways away from the finish/picnic/toilet area), and if you could hold it you should. I don't think anyone paid much attention to that idea.

Event signage.

Pretty view while we wait.

Corral line up.

Headed to the starting line.

We made our way over to the start and sat around for a half hour until our corral was set loose. It was hard to tell when the event actually started, but I feel like it might have been a little late. The 10k was set to start at 7:30, but the final corral was released at that time, so I imagine the 10k started around 7:45 or so. There was also a Junior Dash set to start at 10 am. There were about 2 minutes between each corral start (which is why I think it started late – we should have been around 7:20, but were 10 minutes later. It could have also been more time between the corrals, depending on how they were getting past the finish line. Whichever the case, they note that all times are approximate and subject to change.). It was a bit cold waiting around, as it was cloudy and in the low 50s with a breeze. I wore shorts and a t-shirt because the high was going to be 70, and the sun came out shortly after we began (and stayed out the rest of the race). I was happy with my choice of clothing once the race started, but I'm always so cold beforehand haha. By the finish it was 68 degrees, which is warm for running ;)

The course.
Source

The course started south on the lakefront path, past the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum, Soldier Field, and McCormick Place. The turnaround was at the 10k mark, and then you followed the same path back to the finish. The finish was different than the start, so you ran past where you started and then took a little bit of a turnaround under a bridge, up a (sort of small) hill and over to the finish. 

Chicago skyline heading back towards the finish.

Soldier Field on the way back.

One of the harbors.

Running on the lakefront path is so wonderful – I love the view from any direction, but I think running back towards the city is always the best (city skyline AND the glistening water of the lake are both in view). 

There were plenty of aid stations along the way (a total of 8) and each had water, gatorade, medical tent, and bathrooms (portalets). The volunteers were all friendly and encouraging. There wasn't too much congestion on the path, either (for me at least. It always gets a bit messy once you have the faster runners coming back and the rest of the pack still going out, but it wasn't so bad.). The path is still open to the public, so it can be difficult at times to not get run over by cyclists or tourists on rented bikes. Some, but not many, make their presence known with a bell or a quick shout of 'bike on your left', but most just ride so close and practically run you over. It's frustrating, but not much can be done other than to try and listen for them and stay to the side when you can.

There was a 16-minute pace requirement for this race. They also had pace groups this year, though, like most races, I am too slow to utilize. Maybe by next year I can be in the 2:45 group :) Clocks were stationed at every mile marker, and the turn around was easily marked, as was the way to the finish (which was a bit weird, but I understood where to go).

The skyline from behind the Shedd Aquarium.

Since I had gotten my PR in the half marathon 2 weeks prior, I decided to stay with my mom for this race (though, she's not much slower than I am. She walks more than she runs, but she is quick with those walks). I also hadn't ran much since the other half, as I was trying to let my blisters heal for this race. It was nice to have the companionship and chatter to help the miles melt away. Races go a lot faster when I'm with someone, though sometimes I enjoy just listening to music and being in a groove. Pros and cons to each, I guess, but I like to mix it up depending on how I'm feeling that day.

My feet weren't nearly as bad as they were two weeks ago, but they were still a bit sore, since they hadn't healed completely yet. I did wear moleskin, which I think helped. Other than my feet, I felt good the whole race. I took a Clif Shot Blok about every 2.5 miles and we did 30 seconds run and 2 minutes walking for our intervals. Officially, our finish time was a little over 3:10, so really not that far off from my PR. This year is definitely going better than last year, as far as finish times and nerves. Huzzah!

Another half marathon in the books!

Panoramic view of the picnic.

After receiving our medals, water, gatorade, and snack bars (I forget what brand, but I want to say Lara bars), we hit up the picnic portion. The post race picnic had the best food I've ever had post race (catered by Goose Island). There was a buffet (you could only enter using the ticket that was on your bib) with pancakes, sausage, egg whites, watermelon, and potatoes. Yum. Along with a great buffet, they also had a free massage tent, a flower planting station (you got to plant your own flower and bring it home, what a cute idea), and a few vendors (medal display, TomTom had their new GPS watch, etc). It was nice to finish and relax in the park afterwards.

The amazing buffet!
This and the following 3 photos are from the
Chicago Spring Half Marathon Facebook Page.

Flower station.

Flower station.

The medals.

I would definitely do this race again, and I give it high marks as far as races go. I know the lakefront path can be a bit of a hassle with non-racers, but since I'm used to it and know beforehand that it can be a pain, I feel I can keep my expectations in check and have a nice race day.

One of the reasons we ended up registering for this race is because it's party of the Chicagoland Half Marathon Series. Last year I completed the Windy City Challenge and got an extra medal (the challenge was to complete the Allstate 13.1 in June and the Chicago Half Marathon in September). This year, they changed the name and added another option. You could complete either the Chicago Spring Half Marathon or the Michelob Ultra 13.1 (formerly Allstate) AND the Chicago Half, or complete all three, for an extra bling and some race perks. When I heard about this new challenge, I was already registered for the Michelob Ultra and the Chicago Half, so I figured why not add the third race.

Below are the differences for the two challenges:

26.2 Challenge participant benefits
• Priority packet pickup line at the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Health & Fitness Expo for the Chicago Half Marathon.
• Chicagoland Half Marathon Series runner dedicated gear check and reunite at Chicago Half Marathon.
• Participants who complete two races* within the series will receive a 26.2 commemorative medal.*First race must include the Chicago Spring Half Marathon or 13.1 Marathon. And, the final race must be the Chicago Half Marathon in order to qualify for a medal.> 

39.3 Challenge participant benefits
• Participants who complete all three events within the Chicagoland Half Marathon Series will receive a commemorative finisher medal.
• Priority packet pickup line at the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Health & Fitness Expo for the Chicago Half Marathon.
• Chicagoland Half Marathon Series runner dedicated gear check and reunite at Chicago Half Marathon.
• 39.3 Series Finishers will receive a digital Chicagoland Half Marathon Series Finisher Certificate.

So there you have it. Can you believe all those pictures I took? I'm finally starting to remember to take some to accompany my recaps, plus they're fun to have to look back on the race. Just a few more races to recap, and then I'll finally be caught up. Thankfully, not as many races in June and July, so once the recaps from previous races are done, I'll be back on track ;)

Editors note: I did a BibRave review on this race - check it out here!