Speedy in Chicago

Last night was a speed session. 8 miles with 5x600m at a 5K pace with 90s of jogging inbetween these.

When Jason and I went running on Sunday we found a track that is on Chicago Ave and basically Lake Shore Drive. For you Chicago people it's right next door to the Museum of Contemporary Art. I was talking to my dad and I think that it used to be a part of Northwestern. It has proved to be a really nice find.

Anyways, we decided to run there from our new apartment which we have found to work out really well. We have found the best way to get over the expressway and to the lakefront is to take Augusta over it and then hang a right at Elston and take this to Chicago Ave and then Chicago Ave to the lakefront. Chicago Ave does get really crowded and lots of stopping and starting with the lights...but as dear old dad says, "that's just a problem looking for a solution". It's a little over 4 miles to the lakefront path which is a nice warm up to get ready to run.

Yesterday however we stopped before the lakefront path at the track to start our speedwork. We ended up running 4 miles before starting the speed repeats. Our goal is to do these repeats between a 6:50 min/mile pace to 7:10 min/mile. We totally started off way way too fast and we were both sucking wind severly after the first one. We didn't really know what the problem was, but we scrapped our bodies off the track and kept going. Later when looking at the repeat times I realized why we were so tired:

1. 5:44 min/mile : 2:10.69
2. 7:12 min/mile : 2:43.87
3. 6:53 min/mile : 2:36.80
4. 7:04 min/mile : 2:41.00
5. 7:00 min/mile : 2:39.47

I think that if we had slowed the first one down we would have been able to be a bit faster on the other four. The speed workout ended up being 2.5 miles total. We ran 1.5 miles west on Chicago and jumped on the bus and rode the remaining 3 miles or so to Western and then walked the few blocks home.

While we were running these repeats there was TONS happening over by the park. There was a 16" softball game happening as well as live music coming from the MCA next door. It was a really really wonderful evening in the city and just more fuel for my "I don't want to leave Chicago" fire.

I am really enjoying doing more running in the city. When we lived in Wrigleyville we always did the same route.....waveland to the lakefront....south for x number of miles and then back north for x number of miles and then home. Not too exciting and I'm sure we'll get into similar ruts in our new place, but as of now there is tons to see and fun making new loops.

Anyone interested in going to the Ukrainian Village Festival on Sunday afternoon? This is taking place 3 blocks from our apartment and is 1-10pm on Sunday afternoon....perfect for after say a early morning long run. Beer Garden and Ukrainian food and dancers....really anything better? Let me know at jasonleahrun@gmail.com.