Tough Mudder: Race No. 11

Of all the races I’ve done in 2015, this is the only one I fully, hard core, trained for. And for good reason: Tough Mudder is a 10-mile mud and obstacle course run. Most of the obstacles require some serious upper body and core strength, which I seriously lack.

My training began in March when I joined a local Cross Fit gym to prepare. In addition, I started eating paleo almost exclusively, and Chris and I both gave up drinking about 6 weeks before the race.

At the height of my training, I was sometimes working out twice a day, and I definitely started to notice a difference in my overall fitness and endurance. I have no doubt this is why I ran my fastest 5K a few weeks before Mudder. That said, for all the work I was putting in and all the food I wasn’t, I didn’t lose much weight. My already fairly toned shoulders gone even more toned, but my jiggly middle didn’t change at all, which was really discouraging. But that’s another post for another day.

As for the race itself, all that prep definitely helped, but a lot of Mudder is mental. Sliding into a bath of ice water doesn't require upper body strength. But that obstacle (Arctic Enema) was the one I feared the most, and it was one of the "toughest" for me. Going under, your lungs contract from the shocking cold, and you have no air. It's terrifying, I'm not gonna lie.

I'd go through each obstacle one-by-one, but that would be pretty boring. A lot of the race this year was in a river, so what I remember most about the race was wading through waist-deep water for miles. There were a a few I couldn't complete, but those were the ones most other people couldn't do either (Balls Out, Funky Monkey). But I did conquer Everest, which still amazes me.

Shawshanked was another one that was pretty tough and I'm amazed I did it. You climb up a tunnel and drop out the end into water. It sounds easy, but the tunnel is slippery and already caked in mud from other people. There's a rope inside to help you, but that's also slippery and caked in mud. There was a minute inside I didn't think I could make it, but someone else was already behind me so I had to keep pushing forward.

Overall, the best part of Tough Mudder was doing with it Chris. It was just the two of us, and although the race requires teamwork, strategy and support, we never argued or got upset. Considering we've been together for 13 years and we still argue about whether or not he's driving erratically (he always is), it's amazing we got through it drama-free.

Before

After

Race Summary

Race name: Tough Mudder

2015 Challenge Race No.: 11

Location: Richmond Hunting Club, Richmond, IL

Organizers/Sponsor: Tough Mudder

Beneficiary: Wounded Warrior Project

Cost: $170

Distance: 10 miles

Best parts of the race:

- Physical demand

- Camaraderie

- Organization

Worst part:

- Location. The site itself is perfect for this race, but it's a two-hour drive from Chicago. In fact, the parking lot for this event is technically in Wisconsin. 

Following events:

May:

JPMorgan Corporate Challenge, May 21 @ Grant Park, Chicago, IL

Soldier Field 10 Mile, May 23 @ Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

North Shore Classic Half Marathon & 5K, May 31, Highland Park, IL

Ravenswood Run 5K: Race No. 10

Amazing what a difference a day makes. The Race to Wrigley and Ravenswood Run was my first set of back-to-back races. Saturday’s Race to Wrigley was cold, rainy and, for me, slow. Sunday’s Ravenswood Run was crisp, sunny, and my fastest 5K to date.

This was also the first race of the year both girls participated in – not the full 5K, but shorter kids dashes.

And they were all about it.

This is always one of my favorite races of the year because it’s in my neighborhood, the weather is generally great for running, and it’s relatively small — small enough that I spotted my neighbor Rahm on the sidelines cheering on the runners with his family this year. Yes, that Rahm.


Race Summary

Race name: Ravenswood Run 5K
2015 Challenge Race No.: 10
Location: Ravenswood, Chicago, IL
Organizers/Sponsor: Fleet Feet Chicago
Beneficiary: Ravenswood Community Services Food Pantry and the Student Health Centers at Lake View and Amundsen high schools.
Cost: $29
Distance: 3.1 miles
Best parts of the race:
- Location
- Size
- Organization
- Easy packet pick-up

Worst part:
- No complaints! Love this race.

Following events:

May:
Tough Mudder, May 9 @ Richmond Hunting Club, Richmond, IL
JPMorgan Corporate Challenge, May 21 @ Grant Park, Chicago, IL
Soldier Field 10 Mile, May 23 @ Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
North Shore Classic Half Marathon & 5K, May 31, Highland Park, IL

Race to Wrigley 5K: Race No. 9

The Race to Wrigley provided my second opportunity to run with someone else this year. For this one, my sister, a fellow die-hard Cubs fan, joined me. My sis and I also got to hang out a bit before the race with a childhood friend who was also running.

Like my last non-solo race (Shamrock), I paid little attention to my speed and instead chose to chat the majority of the run. Also like the Shamrock, the weather for the Race to Wrigley was not the best. It was rainy and so cold I needed to wear gloves: Understandable in mid-March for Shamrock; not so understandable in late April for a baseball-themed race. But alas, chilly temps and rain are becoming the norm this year in Chicago.

The race itself was a nice route through mostly residential areas near Wrigley. Post-race there was the ubiquitous bananas, beers and giveaways, the most exciting of which were individually packaged steaks from PRE. The line for this giveaway was insanely long, but my sister chose to skip it and instead go straight to the guy transporting the freebies from their truck to their booth. So in addition, to getting our steaks faster, we also got the opportunity to tell our husbands that we brought home meat we got from the back of a truck. #truth

Race Summary:

Race name: Race to Wrigley 5K & 10K

2015 Challenge Race No.: 9

Location: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL

Organizers/Sponsor: ATI Physical Therapy

Beneficiary: Cubs Charities/Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Cost: $45

Distance: 3.1 miles

Best part of the race:

Location

Cubs tie-in

Swag

Giveaways

Worst parts:

The weather. Not anyone's fault, but it was freakishly cold. 

Next race:

Ravenswood Run 5K, April 26 @ Ravenswood, Chicago, IL

May:

Tough Mudder, May 9 @ Richmond Hunting Club, Richmond, IL

JPMorgan Corporate Challenge, May 21 @ Grant Park, Chicago, IL

Soldier Field 10 Mile, May 23 @ Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

North Shore Classic Half Marathon & 5K, May 31, Highland Park, IL

Be The Match 5K: Race No. 8

After the massive Shamrock Shuffle, it was nice to go back to a smaller, lakefront race. The Be The Match 5K in early April also provided the first opportunity this race season for the kids to watch in an outdoor environment. We got lucky with some gorgeous Spring weather, and the kids had a blast running around and not standing still for a photo.

Maya also managed to sweet talk an organizer into giving her a dozen helium balloons.

This was also a charity that really struck a chord with me. So much so that I signed up to join the bone marrow donor registry on the spot. You can too! Check out bethematch,org and learn how.


Race Summary:

Race name: Be The Match 5K
2015 Challenge Race No.: 8
Location: Montrose Harbor, Chicago, IL
Organizers/Sponsor: Be The Match Foundation
Beneficiary: Be The Match Foundation
Cost: $30
Distance: 3.1 miles
Best part of the race:

• The charity
• Size of the race. Nice & small!

Worst parts:
No complaints! This was a great race.


Next races:

April:
Race to Wrigley 5K, April 25 @ Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Ravenswood Run 5K, April 26 @ Ravenswood, Chicago, IL

May:
Tough Mudder, May 9 @ Richmond Hunting Club, Richmond, IL
JPMorgan Corporate Challenge, May 21 @ Grant Park, Chicago, IL
Soldier Field 10 Mile, May 23 @ Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
North Shore Classic Half Marathon & 5K, May 31, Highland Park, IL

Shamrock Shuffle: Race No. 7:

Up until now, I’ve done a lot of smaller races. But if there’s one big, official-start-to-running-season race, it’s the Shamrock Shuffle. This was the third time I’ve done this race, and kind of like childbirth, I blocked out the unpleasant parts of the first two times I ran it. But this year, I’m documenting the unpleasantness, dammit. And like childbirth, I am probably never doing this race again.

Here’s the deal: The run itself is great -- 5 miles through downtown Chicago. Yes, the weather can be dicey in late March, and it’s always crowded. But otherwise, it’s a great race … on race day.

The day before, on the other hand, is a huge pain in the ass. I’m looking at you, packet pick-up.

The past two times I did this race, pick-up was at Navy Pier, which is the painiest of pain-in-the-ass locations in Chicago. There is no good way in or out of Navy Pier. In addition, packet pick-up was always located at the farthest, most-eastern point of Navy Pier. So no matter where you get into Navy Pier, you’ve got a good half-mile walk just to get to packet pick-up.

So this year when I saw that pick-up was at McCormick Place, I was optimistic that it would be slightly easier. Because for some reason picking up my packet at the largest convention center in North America seemed like an improvement.

I should note that the Shuffle’s pick-up is actually a race expo. And you can’t pickup your packet anywhere else. No early shoe-store pick up, no race-day pick up. Attending the expo is a requirement.

Here’s the other thing about the Shuffle packet pick-up: They force you not only to attend the expo, but also to weave through all the vendor booths. Twice. On one end of the expo, you pick up half of your packet. Then you are required to go the entire length of the expo, past and through dozens of sponsor tents, to retrieve the second half. Clearly this is by design, as these sponsors paid big bucks to ensure that every runner be exposed to their moisture-wicking socks, electrolyte chews and lactose-free energy shakes. And yes, I realize the funds raised are all for a good cause. But seriously, I will give you $20 to not make me deal with that madness.

Like the expo’s previous location, there is no good way to get in or out of McCormick place. I easily walked 3 miles alone just going to and from the parking garage to the pick up. You may think this sounds like exaggeration, but McCormick Place is a collection of four connected buildings, and just the exhibit hall space alone totals 2.6 million square feet. Sucker’s huge.

But the final reason this was a humongous pain the ass was entirely my own fault: I brought both kids, but not Chris. The only thing worse than attempting to navigate a convention-center race expo is doing so while chasing two preschoolers.  For some reason, I left the house at noon with the girls and thought I drive from Lincoln Square to the McCormick Center, pick up my packet at the expo, then make it back up north to Lincoln Park for Maya’s gymnastics at 3:15.

As a result, I was stressed, frazzled and angry until about 2:45, when I was still at the expo, chasing both kids, and had not yet picked up the second half of my packet. At that point I finally conceded that gymnastics was never going to happen, in fact, no other Saturday activities were going to happen. This was it: Our entire Saturday was going to be devoted to Shuffle packet pickup. Once I finally admitted that ugly truth to myself, I relaxed and let the kids do their thing. We played the sponsors’ games, tried all the samples, took silly pictures. I even had some wine. And we didn’t get home until after 5.

Needless to say, I was exhausted the next day for the actual race. But I ran with my friend Tara, we talked the entire race, paid no attention to our speed, and did brunch after at Meli.

Was the pleasantry of race day enough to make up for the trials of the previous day? Perhaps, but my friends and I can do other races. Shamrock Shuffle, in the immortal words of Taylor Swift, we are never, ever, ever getting back together.

Probably.

Race Summary:

Race name: Shamrock Shuffle

2015 Challenge Race No.: 7

Location: Grant Park, Chicago, IL

Organizers/Sponsor: Bank of America

Beneficiary: Various

Cost: $50
Distance: 5 miles

Best part of the race:

• Race route and distance
• Green headband/neck warmer thing included with race packet

Worst parts:

• See entire rant above.

Next races:

April:

Be the Match 5K, April 11 @ Montrose Harbor, Chicago, IL

Race to Wrigley 5K, April 25 @ Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL

Ravenswood Run 5K, April 26 @ Ravenswood, Chicago, IL

May:

Tough Mudder, May 9 @ Richmond Hunting Club, Richmond, IL

JPMorgan Corporate Challenge, May 21 @ Grant Park, Chicago, IL

Soldier Field 10 Mile, May 23 @ Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

North Shore Classic Half Marathon & 5K, May 31, Highland Park, IL

Get Lucky 7K & Half Marathon: Race No. 6

This was my second Team Ortho race of the year, and I have to say, they put on some good races. The first was my first race of the year, the Polar Dash. My love for the Get Lucky race goes back to the Polar Dash -- they offered a dual packet pick-up, meaning that when I picked up my packet for the Polar Dash, they also had Get Lucky packets ready for pick up the same day. Two races, one packet pick-up, total win in my book. And as I’ll get to in later posts, I’m getting to the point that packet pick-up can make or break a race for me.

Like the Polar Dash, this one featured great swag as well: a green & black zip-up hooded fleece. It was actually too warm on race day to wear it, but I put that hoodie to good use training this winter.

The race course was again along the lake front, this time starting at Soldier Field and heading south. The distance -- 7K, or about 4.3 miles -- was a nice warm up for some of the longer runs of the season. And like all the other early season outdoor runs, the race wasn’t too crowded. My only complaint has to do with the race start -- again, like my issues with the Polar Dash. I worked my way up toward the front of the race because I wanted to go for a good time, but some other folks who pushed their way all the way to the front of the start line walked immediately. So, I spent the first 5 minutes running around walkers.

Otherwise, this was a great winter race. And with sunny, mild temps, I felt like a lucky gal.

Race Summary:

Race name: Get Lucky 7K & Half Marathon

2015 Challenge Race No.: 6

Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

Organizers/Sponsor: Team Ortho

Beneficiary: Team Ortho Foundation

Cost: $50
Distance: 4.34 miles

Best parts of the race:

• Early packet pick-up, distance, location and swag.

Worst parts:

• Non-corraled start

Next race:

Shamrock Shuffle 8K, March 29 @ Grant Park, Chicago, IL

April:

Be the Match 5K, April 11 @ Montrose Harbor, Chicago, IL

Race to Wrigley 5K, April 25 @ Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL

Ravenswood Run 5K, April 26 @ Ravenswood, Chicago, IL

Fight For Air Climb: Race No. 5 of 35

After my first stair climb, I was somewhat dreading this climb. My first climb was 80 floors, and I got seriously dizzy throughout. How was I going to handle 180 floors?

Fortunately, the dizziness didn't happen this time around. I'm not sure why, but I have a few theories:

1. Each tower is only a 45-story climb, so the spinning is kept to 8- to 10-minute bursts, followed by 10+ minutes waiting for the elevator back down. 

2. Because the towers have staircases at each end, the organizers flipped the climb rotations. In other words, for the first tower, I made a series of 90 left-hand turns. On the second tower, it was 90 right-hand turns. I think this helped reset my equilibrium a bit. 

3. The staircases are narrower than the Aon center. I thought this would make the spinning/dizziness worse, but the tighter turns actually seemed to help. Or maybe it was all in my head. 

All in all, this climb wasn't too bad. But I'm not sure if I'll do another stair climb. For one, they're expensive. Both this climb and the Step Up For Kids climb required $100+ in donations to be eligible to climb. Yes, it's for charity, but it was still pricey for me. Second, they're kinda boring. I mean, you're trapped in a gray stairwell for the race. They try to liven it up with posters of encouragement along the way, as well as water stops with music. But otherwise, it's pretty monotonous. 

That said, how cool would it be to climb the Sears/Willis Tower, especially considering the race benefits an organization near and dear to my heart? So we'll see...

Race Summary
Race name: Fight for Air Climb
2015 Challenge Race No.: 5
Location: Presidential Towers, Chicago, IL
Organizers/Sponsor: American Lung Association
Beneficiary: American Lung Association
Cost: $25 + $100 required fundraising
Distance: 180 floors (4 towers @ 45 stories each)
Best parts of the race:
- Organization - Unlike my first climb, this race was surprisingly well organized. And they had pre- and post-race snacks!
- Seeing fireman in full gear complete the climb. You can actually smell the smoke on their suits before you even see them. I can't imagine climbing in all that gear. Amazing.
- Seeing this guy, who plays a fireman on TV, but will always be Steve Brady to me.

Worst parts:
- Waiting for the elevators down in each tower.

Following events:

March:
Get Lucky 7K, March 14 @ Jackson Park, Chicago, IL
Shamrock Shuffle 8K, March 29 @ Grant Park, Chicago, IL

April:
Be the Match 5K, April 11 @ Montrose Harbor, Chicago, IL
Race to Wrigley 5K, April 25 @ Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Ravenswood Run 5K, April 26 @ Ravenswood, Chicago, IL

Mardi Gras Chaser 5K/10K: Race No. 4 of 35

I'm horribly behind on my race posts. But with a race-free weekend ahead of me, I'll try to use this time to catch up. So let's rewind three months to Chicago's still-snowy winter (I know, I don't want to go back there either) and revisit my first 10K of the year.

Although I hadn't really trained much for a 10K, The Mardi Gras Chaser was, and still is, one of my favorite races of 2015.

For starters, it was an outdoor race in February, and as I learned during my first race of the year, outdoor winter running rocks — especially when the route is plowed and salted. The high that day (Feb. 21) was 33 degrees, although at race time on Montrose Harbor, it was probably in the teens or 20s.

I ended up running my fastest 10K, and I think the day's cold temps played a big part. Now that I'm running in much warmer spring weather, I've realized how much harder it is to run in the heat. I'd take a race day the 40s over the 60s anytime.

In addition to the weather and distance, this race also had great post-race snacks. Being Mardi Gras-themed, the finish line had cupcakes, snack cakes and sweets galore ... and I ate none of them. Instead, I loaded up a bag of goodies and brought them home for the girls. In fact, since going mostly paleo last year, I rarely eat any post-race freebies, other than the requisite banana, of course. In turn, my kids have developed a Pavlovian response when I come home following a race. "What'd you bring us, Mom?" And this time, they were pretty stoked to find something other than Luna bars.

In addition to the post-race snacks, I also loved the swag. Instead of a shirt (because I really don't need any more of those), the giveaway was a neck warmer. I haven't needed to use it yet, but I'm sure I will next winter.

Race Summary
Race name: Mardi Gras Chaser 5K/10K
2015 Challenge Race No.: 4
Location: Montrose Harbor, Chicago, IL
Organizers/Sponsor: Back on My Feet
Beneficiary: Back on My Feet
Cost: $45
Distance: 10k (6.2 miles)
Best parts of the race:
- February race!
- Post-race snacks
- Swag

Worst parts:
- Despite its name, the race took place after Mardi Gras, so if you're into giving up stuff for Lent, you can't really partake in the post-race sweets or beer.


Following events:

March:
Fight For Air Climb (180 floors stair climb), March 8 @ Presidential Towers, Chicago, IL
Get Lucky 7K, March 14 @ Jackson Park, Chicago, IL
Shamrock Shuffle 8K, March 29 @ Grant Park, Chicago, IL

April:
Be the Match 5K, April 11 @ Montrose Harbor, Chicago, IL
Race to Wrigley 5K, April 25 @ Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Ravenswood Run 5K, April 26 @ Ravenswood, Chicago, IL

Paradise Coast Marathon Half & 5K - Race No. 3 of 35

After some internal debate, I decided not to do the Cupid's Undies undies run, mostly because it wasn't timed and was only a mile. That just didn't feel like a real race to me. But that left me needing to do another race in February just to keep pace for my 3.

Fortunately, a planned family trip to Ft. Myers, Fla. happened to coincide with a race in Naples, so I got to stay on track.

The race was a marathon, half and 5k, and because I'm nowhere near able to do a marathon or half, I opted for the 5k. Although this race took place in Florida, and the highs that day were in the mid-70s, at the 7 a.m. start time, the temps were in the 40s, so it was a little chilly before the race. While running, though, those chilly temps were perfect. That, plus the location — a swamp buggy race course — made this my favorite race of the year.

I also clocked one of my best 5k times, so this race will be tough to beat. Here's to Race No. 3!

Race Summary:
Race name: Paradise Coast Marathon Half & 5K
2015 Challenge Race No.: 3
Location: Florida Sports Park, Naples, Fla.
Organizers/Sponsor: Elite events
Beneficiary: None (from what I can tell)
Cost: $35
Distance: 5k (3.1 miles)
Best parts of the race:
- Location!

Worst parts:
- Early start time

Upcoming events:

Next race: Mardi Gras Chaser 10K, TODAY @ Montrose Harbor, Chicago, IL

March:

• Fight For Air Climb (180 floors stair climb), March 8 @ Presidential Towers, Chicago, IL - I need some donations for this one, so if you can spare a few bucks, please donate! Full disclosure: This is probably not the last time I'll hit you up for donations this year, so you know, keep that in mind when choosing how much to donate. Seriously, even $5 helps.
• Get Lucky 7K, March 14 @ Jackson Park, Chicago, IL
• Shamrock Shuffle 8K, March 29 @ Grant Park, Chicago, IL

Step Up for Kids - Race No. 2 of 35

Among the many perks of living in Chicago (six major league sports teams, endless free family activities, one of the highest bars-per-capita rates in the U.S., to name a few), are the abundant skyscrapers. Chicago is all about its architecture, and as a result, we've got tons of stair climb events.

Some of the more popular ones, like Hustle Up the Hancock and the SkyRise Chicago (at the Sears, er Willis, Tower) apparently sell out in minutes, at least for the full climbs. So, for people like me who aren't so quick to pull the trigger, I'm fortunate to have plenty of other tall buildings to climb.

Last week I did Step Up for Kids at the Aon Center, an 80-floor climb. This was my first stair climb event, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Overall, I did OK, finishing the climb in about 24 minutes. The winner did it in 9:57, which I can't even begin to understand.

Surprisingly, the climbing part wasn't very difficult. I didn't really get short of breath or feel the burn in my legs. Instead, I was slowed down by dizziness. Doing a climb like this means you're turning 180 degrees every 5 seconds or so. That was the hard part for me.

Part of the appeal of doing an stair climb is the view you get from the top. Unfortunately, this January day featured rain and fog, so here's the spectacular view of the city from 80 floors up:

Aside from the climb itself, this event didn't seem particularly well-organized. Chris and the girls came with me, but the area where spectators were permitted to hang out lacked amenities. The area was on the lower level of the Aon Center, and it was also where they had packet pick-up and bag check. So, lots of people were down there. Yet, there was only one bathroom with three stalls in the women's room. The lines were insane.

In addition, there wasn't any water, snacks, water fountains or anything for spectators, not even for purchase. The one plus was a kids craft zone, which worked out well for Chris and the girls. At the finish line, which only climbers could access, they had lots of kid-friendly snacks and drinks, so I loaded up and brought them down to the girls.

But otherwise, I wasn't super impressed with the organization. It's possible that all indoor events are like this, and I'm just spoiled by large outdoor events. I'll find out in a few weeks at the Fight For Air Climb. It's a climb at the Presidential Towers — there are four towers with 45 floors each. I'm doing all four, so it's a total of 180 floors. Hopefully I'll figure out to combat the dizziness between now and then. Got any suggestions?


Race Summary:
Race name: Step Up for Kids
2015 Challenge Race No.: 2
Location: Aon Center, Chicago, IL
Organizers/Sponsor: KPMG
Beneficiary: Lurie Children's Hospital
Cost: $150 ($50 registration + $100 fundraising)
Distance: 80 floors
Best parts of the race:
- Indoor race in January

Worst parts:
- Lack of bathrooms in general area
- Lack of water, snacks, anything for supporters in general area
- Waiting for the elevators to get back down, which took longer than the climb up. I honestly would have taken the stairs down to avoid waiting in that line, but it wasn't an option.

Upcoming events:

• Next race: Possibly Cupid’s Undies @ John Barleycorn, Chicago, IL – Feb. 7. Still trying to decide if I'm going to do this one. I would love to run it with Chris, but the childcare situation makes it hard. Anyone wanna run in your undies with me?
• February:
• Mardi Gras Chaser 7K, Feb. 21 @ Montrose Harbor, Chicago, IL
• March:
• Fight For Air Climb (180 floors stair climb), March 8 @ Presidential Towers, Chicago, IL - I need some donations for this one, so if you can spare a few bucks, please donate! Full disclosure: This is probably not the last time I'll hit you up for donations this year, so you know, keep that in mind when choosing how much to donate. Seriously, even $5 helps.
• Get Lucky 7K, March 14 @ Jackson Park, Chicago, IL
• Shamrock Shuffle 8K, March 29 @ Grant Park, Chicago, IL

35 for my 35th: No. 1

I turned 35 on Jan. 1, 2015. In honor of my 35 years on Earth, I decided to give myself a little challenge: within the year 2015, I will complete 35 official races. The races can be of any kind: running, biking, stair climbs, triathlons, mud runs, obstacles courses, etc. But they all must be official races, with entry fees and bibs numbers and the like.

In case you’re doing the math very slowly, 35 races equates to about 3 races per month. So, it’s not exactly an easy challenge. I mean, how many races can you do in January?

So far, one.

I completed the Polar Dash (5K) in Chicago on Jan. 10. It was 16 degrees outside at the time, and I attended my company’s holiday party the night before. And by “attended,” I mean, the libations were flowing, there may have been some G n R karaoke and head-banging on my part, and I got home after 2 am. But the next day, ran I did—nursing a moderate hangover.

Surprisingly, despite the chilly temps and bitter winds off the lake, I managed to overdress. I wore two pairs of pants, three long-sleeve shirts, two pairs of gloves and a knit hat. Most of me was sweating. The only part that got cold was my nose, which lost some feeling part way through the race. But otherwise, it was a great run. I had a blast, and although my time wasn’t great, sweating out the previous night’s vodka was a win in my book.

Race Summary:

Race name: Polar Dash

2015 Challenge Race No.: 1

Location: Grant Park, Chicago, IL

Organizers/Sponsor: Team Ortho

Beneficiary: Shriners Hospitals for Children - Chicago 

Cost: $50

Distance: 5K (3.1 miles)

Best parts of the race:
- The swag—a cozy zip-up fleece and an adorable penguin hat
- Time of year and location—proved to myself that an outdoor run in January in Chicago isn't just doable, but better than I expected and fun

Worst parts:
- Crowded start—Everyone lined up by their expected minute-per-mile, but once the starting bell went off, everyone just started moving forward, slowly. Although I lined up at a pace that required running, the race didn't clear out enough to do much actual "running" until about a mile into the race. Staggered start times, even by 45-90 second each, would have been much better.
- Frozen water at the water stations—I had to pick up a few cups before finding one that had actual liquid water inside. But I guess that’s one of those January outdoor race hazards.

As for races No. 2 and beyond, here’s my plan for the next few weeks, although I may add more if I can:

• Next race: Step Up for Kids (80-story stair climb) @ Aon Center, Chicago, IL – Jan. 25 (tomorrow)
• February: Possibly Cupid’s Undies @ John Barleycorn, Chicago, IL – Feb. 7 (Trying to find a way to do this one with Chris, while securing a few hours of babysitting for the kiddos, in between Jane's swim lessons in the morning and Maya's gymnastics in the afternoon. So we'll see.)
• March:
• Get Lucky 7K, March 14 @ Jackson Park, Chicago, IL
• Shamrock Shuffle 8K, March 29 @ Grant Park, Chicago, IL