When I first heard talk of a half marathon in Chicago in January, I thought they must be joking. With the extreme cold, ice, and snow, I figured they might get a handful of crazy people like me to do a long run along the lakefront on a Saturday and call it a race. The funny thing is, that's apparently how it started. But now it's a sold-out race for 1,200 runners!
Kimberly Stedman came up with the idea a couple years ago, after travelling to warm weather 'destination' races in previous winter months. So she and her friends decided to stay home and do a race right here. The first year she planned to have a dozen or so friends run a half marathon course already established in another race. They were going to meet at her home. But word travelled among her friends, and she found herself with 100 people involved. So they had to move it out of her house, and get approval from the Park District.
Last year the idea continued to grow, as did the number of people interested. But they failed to get the blessing of the Park District, so there was no 'official' race, though they did go ahead with the 'After Party'! So they decided to to do it legally this year, with sponsors, a real race director, and full support along the course. Universal Sole is partnering with Kimberly and promising to make it a well-organized event.
Stedman tells me this was never about making money, just having fun. She is a banker in real life, and that limits her ability to devote her full attention to race organization. So the entry fee is pretty cheap, by normal race standards. But runners get a t-shirt, and a finisher's medal (that doubles as a beer bottle opener), as well as what promises to be a rockin post-race party.
This is the kind of 'grass-roots' race that is what running is all about. I certainly enjoy the big event-type races. But there is definitely a place for races like this. You should check out the web-site to see the cool silhouette 'Blago-running' logo! Also, the name of the race screams fun, though I can't spell out what 'F3' stands for on a family-friendly website like this. In any case, I'm looking forward to the race! http://runningguru.com/EventInformation.asp?eID=f3events
But that's just the first half of the weekend. Sunday is the annual climb to the top of the AON building, called Step Up For Kids, benefitting the Children's Memorial Hospital foundation. ABC-7 is a proud sponsor of this event, and I have been honored to serve as the station's spokesperson for the public service announcements we run.
I've lost track of where the AON building ranks among the city's tallest buildings. If Trump hasn't surpassed it, then it's still the second tallest skyscraper in the city. I know. I should know. Anyway, the stair climb is a fun workout, with a nice reward at the end. The party at the top is really nice, and the view overlooking Millenium Park and the south loop is amazing.
There is a competitive aspect to this climb. It is a race, after all. Terry Purcell (pictured), is one of the professionals who runs up the entire way. Just to be clear, no one else does that. I try to keep a steady pace, but I would not call what I do on stair climbs anything close to running. I've done a bunch of them over the years, and I've picked up a few tips over the years.
You'll notice Terry has his hand on the rail in the picture, and that is definitely a good idea. Use the rail to help pull yourself up. Breathe steadily, and keep your feet moving. I go back and forth between taking one or two steps at a time. There are good arguments for either approach, and I suggest doing what feels best to you.
But if you don't want to climb, you can still support a great cause by sponsoring a climber. Please follow the link to the website: ttp://www.heroesforlife.org/site/TR/StepUp/StepUpforKids?pg=entry&fr_id=1310
Oh, and one more thing. The race most Chicago Runners have in mind at this time of year is still several months away. But registration for the Shamrock Shuffle is already filling fast. Below is part of their most recent press release: Only weeks after launching registration, the 2012 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K has already reached more than 17,000 registrants. As winter wears on, stay motivated to train and get fit by signing up for Chicago's annual kick-off road race. Secure your spot today by visiting the Registration page of shamrockshuffle.com.
I'll see you on the roads............
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