Giveaway: Karhu 5K Race Registration

This is the next race that I have on my calendar (June 9!), and it is quickly approaching!

The lovely folks that are hosting the Allstate Life Insurance Chicago 13.1 Marathon are also offering a free registration for the Karhu 5K.  The 5K takes place on June 9, too, and starts after the half marathon. It is a great way for friends and family of the half-marathoners to join in participating at the event!

Karhu means "Bear" in Finnish!
(On a side note, I happen to love Finnish goaltenders, especially this one.  But I digress.)

Also, I was very happy to hear that the festivities will bring with them an opportunity to participate in a shoe donation program!  (Great timing, especially after I wrote this a few weeks ago.)  Anything we can do to repurpose our old shoes and keep them out of landfills is a step in the right direction!

The details:

Allstate Life Insurance Company and Give Your Sole are giving half marathon runners the chance to leave a unique footprint on local communities as part of a shoe donation program around Allstate Life Insurance SM 13.1 Marathon® Series races.

Beginning with the Chicago 13.1 Marathon on June 9, race participants, spectators and local residents can donate moderately used athletic shoes to benefit homeless shelters and missions in race markets.  All shoes collected in Chicago will be donated to Breakthrough, an organization that provides shelter, meals and other services to homeless men, women and children within the city.

In addition to the Finish Line Festival, race participants and local residents will be invited to donate shoes at 2012 race packet pick-up events leading up to the race.  Participating Allstate® agents will assist with collecting donations by inviting customers to drop off shoes at their local agencies. In Chicago, donations will also be collected at participating Fleet Feet Sports store locations (N. Lincoln Ave. and N. Wells St. in Chicago, and at E. Schiller St. in Elmhurst) until June 10.

To celebrate the program launch in their hometown of Chicago on June 9, Allstate Life Insurance Company has teamed up with Chicago Bears’ 2012 first-round draft pick Shea McClellin to interact with runners and encourage donations at the Allstate Life Insurance Chicago 13.1 Marathon® Finish Line Festival, held at the South Shore Cultural Center.

This is a terrific cause!  I am all about this (and think the name is very clever, too).

Given the Karhu theme for the 5K, I also think that it's so appropriate that a member of DA BEARS would be involved with this shoe donation initative.  It would be very cool to meet Shea McLellin.  (I would post DA BEARS logo here... however, Adam would then ask why I didn't post a Steelers logo.  But again, I digress.) 

If you are interested in winning the free 5K Karhu race registration, please leave me a comment and let me know what your favorite pair of shoes are (can be running or nonrunning shoes, boots, clogs, your Mickey Mouse slippers, etc., etc.)

Giveaway Rules:

• This giveaway is open until 5:00 PM CST on Monday, June 4.
• Anyone and everyone is welcome to enter.  Please make sure that contact info of some sort is provided when you enter.
• The winner will be selected via http://www.random.org/.
• I will email the winner a registration link and code.  The winner will need to register for the race by Wednesday, June 6th.

Finally, please remember to DONATE YOUR OLD SHOES!!!

Summer 2012 To-Do List

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and Cary over at My Life's List inspired me with her Summer 2012 To-Do List. 

I thought I'd compile my own list.  Here it is!

• Go to the beach, preferably a mix of the city's north-side, south-side, and suburban locations.
• Go to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field and/or a White Sox game at US Cellular Field.
• Go swimming at one or more of the Chicago Park District pools, and consider getting a pool pass.
• Have a meal on my building's rooftop deck.
• Go on a Segway Tour (without losing my balance).
• Get my bike's tires pumped up from their currently deflated status so I can bike the lakefront path and roam the city.
• Go to a Farmer's Market and buy something completely out of the ordinary.





• Picnic and listen to a concert at Millennium Park and/or Ravinia.
• Go to the Chicago Air and Water Show, Venetian Night, and perhaps the Taste of Chicago or Jazz Fest.
• See a parade.
• Just for fun, dabble with some outdoor sports, e.g. kick around a soccer ball, hit some tennis balls, throw some baseballs, work on my volleyball serve.
• Go on one of those dinner cruises that depart from Navy Pier.
• Try the Chicago Water Taxi.
• Explore different Chicago neighborhoods by foot or on bike (Pilsen and Hyde Park, here I come!)





• Try some new restaurants close to where I live, particularly in Greektown and/or on Randolph Street.  Dine alfresco where possible.
• Keep up with my marathon training as well as my yoga, strength-training, and physical therapy routines.  (Still debating if I want to maintain my speed-training routine while in the thick of marathon training.  To be safe, probably not.)
• See some improv comedy at a theater I've never been to before.
• Go to the Chicago Outdoor Film Festival.
• Visit southwest Michigan and come home armed with a minimum 10-lb. supply of local blueberries.  In preparation, clear out some space in my freezer.





• Use those blueberries in as many recipes as possible.
• Hopefully be successful with my herb-growing kit, and use those herbs in as many recipes as possible.
• Go to a theme park, most obviously and conveniently Great America - but I would always love to go to Disney!
• Try some new grilling recipes (watch out, Bobby Flay!)
• Yoga in Millennium Park
• Try Pequod's and/or deep dish pizza from a place I've never tried before.  Maybe finally do a self-guided deep dish pizza crawl.

Suggestions?  Anything that I missed?

Weekly Runner Photo Challenge: Seen On My Run

This week's Runner Photo Challenge:

Your favorite “seen on my run” photo. It can be a photo of anything (person, place, thing, graffiti, animal, cloud formation, etc), as long as it was something you saw while out on a run.

This challenge made me think for awhile.  My running scenery rarely produces much out of the ordinary.  Also, I don't have pictures of some of the more noteworthy things that I did see, like a few funny license plates, or a van for which every square inch was completely covered with fridge magnets (true story!)

Originally, this was the picture I planned to use (which, I confess, I didn't actually see in person, but found through googling "Zentai suit."  Background info on how I came upon this is available here)

However, in the interest of mixing things up and using something that I really did see in person, Voila!


This isn't my own picture, but it does represent what I have actually seen.


On weekend mornings when I do my long runs, I wander my neighborhood.  At some point or other, I usually end up running past the United Center - and one of the neighboring parking lots is home to motorcycle riding classes hosted by Ride Chicago.

I've never driven a motorcycle.  But I find it fascinating to watch the students in action going through their "obstacle" course, making hairpin turns, etc.  It looks like a lot of fun!  You can hear the "vroom vroom" of the engines from a bit of a distance, too.  There is usually quite a diversity of people participating - men and women, both young and old, of all heights and weights.  They all look hard core with their helmets, jackets, and boots.

There are few things that I enjoy waking up very early to do, but I imagine that if I were taking a motorcycle class that I would spring out of bed for it!  My brother-in-law, David, and his partner Patty are motorcycle-enthusiasts, and I can definitely see how the motorcycles would be appealing to many. 

Am I ready to sign up for motorcycle riding classes of my own?  Not yet.  But it's still very cool to see the learning in action every weekend morning.  And I try not to stare when I run past.  =D

Tangents from the day after yesterday

Happy Tuesday-after-Memorial Day!

My mind is a bit of a warbled mess with everything that I've been wanting to blog about.  But instead of my usual word vomit, today we'll play a round of Let's Make a Tangent! 

(By the way, developing tangential thinking is an ode to some of the activities we did when I was taking improv classes.  How's that for getting tangents off on the right foot!?!?)

First off...
Yours truly was thisclose to banditing the Soldier Field 10-Miler this past weekend.  I kept torturing myself by looking at all the postings on Craigslist for people that were selling their bibs for half of what they paid.  I really am trying to be smarter about the races I pick since they do add up in cost (even when illegally bandited at half price), but I really didn't do myself any favors with my wacky deliberations on this race.  I need to stop tempestuous habits like this.

Speaking of things I do out of habit...
I have been meaning to try out the heart rate monitor on my Garmin 305 for the longest time.  However, due to force of habit, I keep forgetting about it until I'm already out the door, and then don't feel like going back upstairs to get it!  I WILL try it sometime within the next week or so.  Never mind adding another potentially uncomfortable device to the already mountainous load of gear I lug with me/wear when I go running.  (Just for giggles, I compiled a list and the full range can include keys, sunglasses, MP3 player and headphones, phone, ID, cash, transit card, knee straps, Kleenex, lip balm, Garmin, Saltstick capsules, hair tie, GU, SPI belt, water bottle.  With a load like that, no wonder it's so challenging for me to build up any speed.)

Speaking of discomfort...
Do women really run while wearing those sports tank tops with the built-in bras?  I found some gift certificates last week that immediately burned a hole in my pocket.  Therefore, to alleviate the pocket burnage and any potentially painful side effects such as sleeplessness and incessant hiccuping, I was looking online at running clothing and saw hundreds upon hundreds of those tops.  Personally I am not comfortable wearing those built-in sports bras.  But it seems that those kinds of tank tops outnumber regular tank tops by a 4 to 1 ratio!

Speaking of gift certificates burning a hole in my pocket...
I love to cook but have always been somewhat intimidated by French cooking.  However, I was very culinarily inspired by visiting Paris for the first time, and Adam and I watched the movie Julie and Julia over the weekend (which, by the way, is a charming flick.  Meryl Streep does an incredible job portraying Julia Childs!)  My inspirations and aspirations have prompted a copy of Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, to ever-so-spontaneously arrive at my doorstep by tomorrow.

Chocolate Croissants: the first recipe I'll be looking for.
(Is there an equivalent to "Yee-haw!" au Francais?)

Speaking of tools to aid in making yummy food...
A few weeks ago my mom gave me a Buzzy herb-growing kit.  I don't have much of a green thumb, unfortunately.  I used to have a Chia Herb-Growing kit (yes, Chia as in Chia Pets and "Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!").  Surprisingly, the Chia herbs were successful at first (but the tiny little baby herbs were so cute that at first I couldn't bring myself to eat them).  Then the herbs outgrew their starter pots, and when I tried to transplant them into bigger pots they didn't make it.  But I'm going to go ahead and give this new Buzzy herb-growing kit the old college try.  We'll see how it does compared to Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia.

Speaking of surprising early successes for which longevity is questionable...
My jetlag has continued to serve me well with waking up early to run/workout before going to work.  I've maintained these early morning workouts for a week now!  Believe it or not, I am actually enjoying getting my workout out of the way early so that I have the rest of the day free to focus on everything else.  Plus, it's nice when the early-morning streets are so quiet and free of traffic.  However, it is surprising how much activity there still is even at those hours of the morning.  E.g. dog walkers with their pups, construction workers in bulldozers, squirrels duking it out over the largest acorns.

Speaking of early-morning running and also of wacky deliberations (refer to Soldier Field 10-Miler banditing deliberations above, how's that for coming full circle!) 
I need to make my decision soon, VERY soon, regarding whether or not I'm going to join a CARA marathon training group or if I'm going to train alone.  I honestly still can't decide.  Getting into a groove with my early-morning workouts over the past week has helped push me towards CARA's training group, but I'm still not sure if I can reasonably commit myself to 18 consecutive weekends of doing it?

Stay tuned, more rounds of Let's Make A Tangent may be coming soon to a computer screen near you!

Weekly Runner Photo Challenge: My Worst Race

Since I've been out of town, I'm a few days late for one of Maggie's Weekly Runner Photo Challenges.  However, the topic (below) was so intriguing that I'm posting a response for it anyways.

Your worst race. Not necessarily your worst race photo, but a photo or representation of your worst race to date. It can be a photo of you before, during or after the race, or if you don’t have one, something that represents the race (maybe your bib, shirt, medal). And an explanation of why it was your worst race.

Eight words: The 2011 Magellan Development Chicago Spring Half Marathon.  (Try saying that five times fast.)

Phyllis the Penguin wearing my race medal.
It was hard to get Phyllis to stay upright long enough to model this picture.
She kept toppling forward from the weight of the medal.

It's not a coincidence that my medal from that race is being modeled by a giant penguin.  The weather conditions on May 15, 2011, were suited more towards penguins.  The winds were brutal, coming at us at 30-40 MPH.  Unfortunately, the course was right on the lakefront so there was nothing to blunt the force of those winds.  The temperatures were the 30s and it was raining/sleeting sideways.  It stung my eyes so much that I was literally trying to run hunched over 90 degrees.  It was hard just to walk, let alone run.

Hunching over 90 degrees while on a bike = aerodynamic.
Hunching over 90 degrees while running = FAIL.

At the time I didn't know much about fueling during races.  I'd never really heard of GU or Shotbloks or any of that stuff.  I ran the entire half marathon just on water and a cup or two of Gatorade.  Needless to say, I wasn't feeling very good during the latter half of the race.

Add to these brutal conditions that my left knee had been bothering me for several weeks leading up to the race.  I had gone in to get an injury screening a few days in advance to assess whether or not I was healthy enough even to run.  I did get clearance, but was told to be cautious and to stop or slow down if it hurt.  However, as it turned out, I was so cold and wet during the race that my legs were too numb to feel any pain.  In retrospect, this was probably not a good thing because afterwards I was sidelined for almost four months rehabbing my knee.

They say that whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?  In short, the aftermath of this race in combination with my knee injury taught me a heck of a lot about my body's limitations.  It taught me the importance of proper fueling, stretching, and working on ironing out those muscle imbalances.  Most importantly, it taught me that I am not a machine and shouldn't train like one.

Although, this is pretty cool:

Back to the real world

Traveling is one of my absolute favorite things to do.  I just got back from a 10-day overseas vacation (southern Spain; Tangier, Morocco; and Paris).  The travels were very enjoyable – lots and lots of walking;  great local culture, architecture, fine arts, and food; and opportunities to see everyday things from a completely different perspective.

Stop sign in Morocco

It was definitely nice to come home, though.  I am temporarily seeing my home city of Chicago through different eyes - and to me, that's one of the best reasons to travel.  Traveling helps you appreciate where you are when you are NOT traveling.

A few thoughts/recap details:

Vacation Runs 

I only went running twice during the trip, both times while in Spain.  The runs were on extremely hilly terrain, almost comparable to San Francisco-like hills. 

Southern Spain

My first run on those hills was brutally slow and ugly.  But then, the second hill run already felt noticeably better, which was very motivating.  I can definitely see how hill training can be incredibly beneficial.  Believe it or not, I now wish there were some real hills in Chicago because I would have loved to keep the hill-training momentum going. 

Maybe I will willingly do some more treadmill hill-simulations after all.  Seriously.  Getting started is always the hardest part, right?

Vacation Health Maintenance

One of the double-edged swords of traveling is having much less control over your food intake.  I thoroughly enjoy partaking in the local foods in any destination - it’s all part of the experience!  However, unfortunately local food frequently does not equate to healthy or well-balanced food.  In the past 10 days I’ve probably eaten three months’ worth of bread and potatoes, but probably only about two days’ worth of fruits and vegetables.  I can literally feel the food pyramid gods wreaking havoc right now. 

WARNING: Within the next 24 hours, I will singlehandedly be purchasing the entire inventory of all produce markets (excluding the asparagus) within a 7-mile radius of my home, my office, and my local plumber’s union, respectively. 

"Emily was here." 
Home refrigeration capacity be darned.

Beyond not maintaining my usual running or eating habits while on vacation, I also did not maintain my physical therapy routine and I did no yoga or weight training at all.  It’ll be interesting to see how my wonky knee and hip respond.  At the very least, though, I feel much fresher mentally and I am very excited to get myself back on track.

Speaking of which, I met up with Kim today and we had lunch at Native Foods Cafe, a vegan restaurant.  It was a blast!  Great food and even better company!  And also a great way to get myself back on track with better eating habits!

Kim taught me some iPhone camera shortcuts that made this picture possible (thanks, Kim!)

Vacation-Induced Circadian Rhythms

I hope to take advantage of my jetlag in a good way.  I’ve always wanted to go running in the early morning before work, but it is quite a struggle for me to wake up early enough to do so.  Usually when the early-morning alarm clock goes off, I look at it and think, “Yeah, that’s pretty cool.”  Then I’ll close my eyes for 5 minutes, only to find out that somehow within those five minutes an hour has passed by.  How does this happen? 

Looking beyond alarm clock tales from the crypt, this jetlag helps me wake up ridiculously early on my own accord.  This morning I was up and at 'em at 4:30 AM, so today I managed to get in a 10K run before going to work (something I've never done before in my life, ever!)

It was really nice to get my run out of the way so early.  It would be especially helpful to be able to consistently do this in the summertime when the daytime temps will be soaring.  Here's hoping that this jetlag boost will get me on the right track towards consistent early-morning productivity!

(NOTE: Jetlag may result in heightened ambitiousness.  Side effects such as oversleeping early-morning alarm clocks may occur simultaneously and without warning.  While jetlag-induced, you should not make goals you likely cannot maintain.)

On temporary hiatus

Hi everyone!

At the risk of sounding like my "Out Of Office" email auto-response, I am currently traveling with limited internet access.  Therefore, I'll be offline from blogging for a little while.

But never fear!