Soldier Field 10-Mile Race Report

Sometimes training doesn’t go as planned. As a result racing doesn’t either. In this case it went better than I ever imagined.
Background: I’m healing a torn rotator cuff and recovering from an upper respiratory infection. I haven’t run more than a couple of miles (with walk breaks) since the Wisconsin Half on 5/4.
I had no expectations for this race.
I questioned the wisdom of running it at all.
I spent most of the day before putting in our garden. All. Of. It. On my feet all day. Not hydrating.
Race day dawned, low 40’s and overcast. Up at 4, I headed downtown before 5am.
This was my first race longer than 10k ever back in 2006. I had a 9 month old and a 4 year old then. The Caveman brought them along to cheer for me.
This time I’m alone. Only one dog bothered to get up to see me off. The kids have their own activities now.

I arrived at Soldier Field and was pleasantly surprised by FREE, convenient parking!
Flush toilets with a minimal line on the mezzanine level of the stadium made me a happy girl.
In 2006 there were no corrals at all. Today there are 14, and 4 bib colors. My corral toward the back of the first wave closed at 6:45. I made it there with 5 minutes to spare.

It was a staggered start. A very staggered start. My corral didn’t get to the start until 25 minutes after the elites. Standing in a corral for upwards of 50 minutes made it bone chilling. I was grateful I traded my tank, sleeves and skirt for a long sleeve tee and capris.
At last we were off, hemmed in tightly. Under the infernal McCormick Place in the first mile. Garmin signal was jacked.
Although I’d planned for this to be a redemption race, my ornery shoulder + chest congestion meant a big revision was in order.

Revised Plan:

• Run EASY! Finish, preferably sans shoulder pain.
• Take walk breaks to manage the pain.
• Walk the entire thing if I needed to.

After the first mile we were out on an entirely closed Lake Shore Drive. Back in 2003 we shared barely a lane of LSD with cars, trucks and the exhaust that comes with them. It was gross. One of the reasons I’ve not been back to run this race again til now.
Mile 3 I took my Huma Gel. The nubbly chia consistency was a little weird but I got it down. I felt good. Running easy. Feeling fine, thanks to the cold wind at my back.
The extended stay in the corral left me needing to hit the potty. No biggie as I was certainly not racing this by any means. I took my time. Mile 5 still no shoulder pain. Still feeling good. We made the turn to head back on the Lakefront path, strong headwind off the lake now. In 2006 this is where I was tripped and sprained my ankle. I ended up gimping it in, but not giving up. I stopped to take a few pics of our beautiful city.

Mile 6 still feeling STRONG! I peeked at Garmin to see my pace had barely waivered. Huh?
Mile 7 it felt like I took a bullet to the right ovary. I last felt this in Grand Rapids, 2008, mile 20. I was barely drinking. So I drank and ran it out. I am stronger than ovarian gunshots. This is what I told myself anyway. The miles clicked away fast. Why wasn’t this feeling harder after barely a lick of training in 3 weeks? Shoulder was PERFECT! This run was a gift. One of those indescribably delicious runs that happens but for the grace of God.

I picked it up in the final miles as we approached the stadium and entered the ‘tunnel of badassery’ onto the field. Unlike 2006 when the finish line was a small affair off on the sidelines, today we charged clear down the center of the field for a finish smack dab in the center of the 50-yd. line. It was cool!
Surely my 9:28 avg. pace did not light the world on fire and certainly did not earn me any age group accolades. But I am tickled. Grateful. THRILLED! Because I enjoyed it!
In the end, my younger, new-mom self with swollen, sprained ankle kicked my 50-year old w/nagging chest congestion and dicey shoulder’s ass by 3 minutes. But for whatever reason, I don’t feel one bit defeated. Each of us arrives at the starting line with a unique set of circumstances; training, injury, illness, whatever. All we can do is make the most of the cards we’ve been dealt that day. I feel like I did!

The medals were presented by soldiers. The thought of a soldier presenting ME with anything when I owe them so much for our freedom is beyond touching.

Final Thoughts: This race has come a long way since I ran the 3rd annual back in 2006. Having LSD closed to traffic is a huge improvement in terms of safety and alleviation of crowding. The Lakefront Path gets a little congested on the way in but the well-staggered start helps a ton. As I mentioned earlier, parking is FREE, volunteers are energetic and plentiful, finishing smack dab in the center of the 50-yard line is awesome–a must-do. Swag is brilliant! We got a ‘runner refresh’ bag of food and there was a tailgate party, complete with beer out on the Soldier Field lawn. Other than the PIA of getting into the city for packet pickup and waiting in the corral for 50 minutes (I’m nitpicking here), this race is a spectacular one. Thanks to all who worked so hard to make it so excellent!