When I got an email from the Soldier Field 10 Miler the other day, I was tempted. I ran this one back in 2006. Thing 2 was just 9 months old. Much of it was run on an overcrowded lakefront path. The turnaround point at mile 5 was wet from the water station with loose gravel and a slight decline. I slipped and sprained my ankle. Thankfully I did not wipe out completely although I came close. I walked and cussed and looked for a med tent. Since there was no med tent or meat wagon to board anywhere in sight, I hobbled along the remaining 5 miles to the finish on the 50-yard line of Soldier Field, slow time, fake smile and all.
There were many things I did not like about that race besides my sprained ankle:
- Overcrowded path
- No medal
- Nasty grey man-cut race shirt
- Getting to the city and $$$ parking are a PITA
But 7 years later:
- The course has been improved
- There’s 10th anniversary mega bling
- The price will never be lower
- The city/parking part is still a PITA
I’ve got til 10/15 when the price goes up decide on this one.
Do you seek revenge on races that didn’t go as you’d hoped? Do you find yourself running races you said you’d never do again? What races are you ‘shopping’ for in 2013?
DANG SO INTERESTING.
I learn a lot from you runner peeps.
I shall be back to peruse the comments 🙂
I just did that with a 15k last week…..redemption is sweet!
Go for it! And yes, every Thanksgiving, I run the Ashenfelter Classic race in my town. Each year we try to outdo last year’s shoe collection for Soles4Souls and I try to run faster than I did the year before!
So far, I’ve been lucky to not have a really bad race (I’ve only had two haha). But I can definitely see myself wanting racing revenge if/when one goes poorly!!
I’m definitely a revenge type person so I vote for – FINISH IT 😉 lol *that was supposed to be like a mortal combat “finish him” in a deep manly voice btw*
However, if there’s no medal?? I just don’t know
When I did it in 2011 it was a nice race, really nice bling, some other stuff but the race date was on Avery’s birthday this year so that was nice. My only issue with the races in the city and that’s that Fleet Feet doesn’t let you do race day packet pickup and I don’t want to drive into the city 2x in a week. So that cuts down on any races I want to do.
I say do it! Have no idea what races I will do next year. Thinking about the Red Rock Canyon half in Vegas and will do the NODM half again (PR’d there this year). You redemption will be sweet:)
I think you should go for it. The worst that can happen is you swear off it again (for good?)!
I have sworn off races before, only to find myself signing up again. Never say never is the lesson we need to learn!
I get revenge… but usually via another race. City races are such a PITA. Let us know what you decide!!!
I say do it!!! I know ull dominate! Spa love!
I’m just catching up on this weeks’ blogs so a belated congrats on Chicago for you! I am intimidated by the size of that race but it’s definitely on my bucket list.
I sought “revenge” so to speak with my first marathon. It was in Greenville, I was under-trained, and the hills killed me. But my less-than-stellar performance had more to do with me than the event itself, so I took control of my running and chopped a whopping 21 minutes off my time the following year. Otherwise, I just don’t have time to sign up for enough races to have “bad” ones, haha.
I say do it! Get that medal and try a better course…nothing like some sweet redemption! 🙂
Yay for mega bling! Get that revenge!
I think that’s how I got into marathons. I swore I was going to just do one, but the first one was such an under-trained disaster that I knew I HAD to try again to rinse the taste from my mouth. It wasn’t the same course though.
Not me, I would never go back! 🙂
Well, I could be biased because I’ve always wanted to do a Chicago race so this looks like tons of fun (Minus the ankle spraining) but yeah, I’ve gone back and made peace with a race before and finished it up my way!
“•There’s 10th anniversary mega bling”
I wouldnt have thought past this and would already be on the regristration page
I love the ten mile race distance… running one this Sunday! I’d say go for it. 🙂
hmm interesting question… I don’t really like doing the same race twice minus say a turkey trot. I think that’s different than most runners. However definitely if it was ick the first time, I’m really not interested in going back
I thought I’d have revenge on many races this year; but…um….no. Maybe Thelma and Louise need to hit this race up next year? Maybe it’s their turn for a “good” race!!
I’m shopping for my first half for 2013, so exciting and nerve wracking at the same time. I would give the race another chance. It was just a baby when you ran it and it seems like they’ve improved on many of the things you didn’t like. Give it a shot!
I think you really have to do it.
I swore I’d never do the Towpath Half Marathon again because it can be boring with not a lot of crowd support…but then I went ahead and did it last weekend and won my division! I’m so glad I broke my promise!
“There’s 10th anniversary mega bling”…and that alone is worth the race! I’m hoping just to be in racing shape for 2013!
Do it again but only because the things are changed. I will never run anymore a race that I have put on my black list. Why on my black list? The path and the lack of organization.
Getting revenge on a race course is almost as satisfying as setting a new PR in some people’s books. I try to enjoy any race but chances are if the race itself wasn’t enjoyable (even if I raced well) then I won’t be back.
I definitely get racing revenge, but sometimes it isn’t at the same race. When I DNFed my 15K, I knew that I had to run another one and I did, it was just a different race. Mike feels the same way about his marathon!