Race to Wrigley...

You just have to love a good 5k.

Why?  They are so inclusive.  Don't get me wrong, I also like 10 mile races, because not everyone can go out and walk/trot a 10 mile race.  There is some self selection in the event, which allows for it to be run by runners who understand the few unwritten rules to a running race. 

That being said, the neighborhood 5k is just as much fun, for different reasons.  First of all, they are smaller races.  Here in Chicago, the Race to Wrigley I ran on Saturday is about as big as the neighborhood 5ks get (5000 registrants).  Now there are much larger city events (Chase Corp Challange, Shamrock Shuffle get over 15,000 runners), but there are a bunch of these neighborhood events that are just great.

So pretty much everyone can get out and do a 5k.  Some people walk and run, some people do it it in under 20 minutes (me someday?), but most people finish between 20-30 minutes.  A great way to start a Sunday if you ask me.

Of course, not everyone was asking me... or wanted to hear from me for that matter.  Top on that list was What's Next Dave Gal (see above).  We celebrated a friend's new job and impending move from Chicago the night before, at which time WNDGal was trying to find excuses not to run the race the day.  Apparently the best thing she could think of was a hang over, well that didn't stop her.  

The next morning she was up and at 'em (although not pleased), and managed to brave the low 30 degree weather and threat of snow.  With WNDGal is our good friend Sara (having a laugh at poor WNDGals expense). 

On to the Race

This is only the third running of this race, and it has really improved every year.  The route is a real good one, and nice because it is in an area I know very well.  As you can see from the photos, it ends going through the Wrigley concourse, and coming out under the famous marquee.  Cool stuff.

I didn't run nearly as well as I did last year, finishing 2 minutes slower in 23:57 (ouch, I know).  Not sure what was going on with that, but it would have been slower had I not run with my co-worker Brittany.  I think much of the problem is it has only been some 14 hours since I ran 12 miles (which is my high for this year thus far.)  I thought about putting off the long run to do better in the race, but decided the schedule just did work out well if I did that.

All in all I think everyone had a good time, with the possible exception of WNDGal, who left her breakfast right around 1.5 miles into it.  Even she was glad she did it, and ran the route later in the week to prove she could do it. 

Running:

3.1 Mile Race, 24:57, 7:47 minute/mile