Why else would you wake up at the crack of dawn to hail a cab during a sleeting, thunder-snowing blizzard to go downtown to stand in Grant Park for 1.5 hours while snow slowly slides down your back and then herd up like so much cattle to run in slushpuddles for 4.97 miles on your day off? Oh, and your shoes have soaked up a few gallons of ice-cold water, and your gloves have fallen in a puddle, so forget about being able to feel your toes or hands today. But who needs finger or toes when you’re busy doing all that character building?
In other words, I was one of the 13,294 other possibly retarded people (out of the 32,000 registered runners) who ran today. At first it was pretty miserable, and I considered throwing in the towel…but then I found Jamie and Eric and Lindsey, and we warmed each other’s damp spirits through laughter and giddiness.
While my time wasn’t as great as I was hoping, I’m mostly glad I ran 4.97 miles without stopping. Not once. Not even for a few seconds to walk. I’m so proud of all of us!
And I really want to share my appreciation and gratitude to Gina and Gator (and Liz!) for standing at the finish line and cheering me on today. It means a lot to me!
(Lindsey, Eric, Jamie and me pre-run. Note how deceptively chipper we all look right here. And note the snow on my brim.)
Chicago Theatre Addict 
13, 294! Whoa.. I didn’t realize that many people had dropped out, which I guess just enhances OUR collective coolness.
Way to go!! Awesome job, all of you… I saw coverage on the tv and I hoped that you were keeping warm!
god, that looks nasty. still: woohoo! you did it! YAY RIVB!!!
Thank you, Kristen and Kari! Very sweet.
JME, we are coolness defined. The 5K next month is gonna be cake.
One slight correction: “possibly retarded people” should read “definitely mildly retarded people”. It was still fun, but I think my socks are still wet. (They haven’t been allowed in the apartment, they sit in a pile in the hall next to possibly still wet running shows.)
Running shows! Like shows currently running on B*r*O*a*D*w*A*y? I so want to be in your hall!
Or possibly running shoEs. Hey, you shouldn’t make fun of the mildly retarded…
Wow, congratulations! I hope you got your celebratory banana, because you deserved it.
I didn’t get any bananas this time ’round. I got some cookies, though.
Every time I read about a Chicago race, the main theme is “the weather really sucked!” Does Chicago ever have clear skies with comfortable temps? Or are Chicago runners too tough to run in temperate conditions?
I just wound up on this blog. God, we’re cool.
Still.
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