This was a last minute race. Literally I added it just a couple of days before when I found out we would get to run ON the O’Hare runways and they would have planes out and such. As a private pilot (inactive) I’ve always loved aviation and this just seemed like a brass-ring type of experience. You just have to reach out and grab it….

Now, normally, I’d puke at the idea of paying $40 for a 5k. Seriously, I have so many freakin’ shirts I don’t need any more. This race benefited the Wounded Warrior project and that just pushed me over the edge. At the race start they announced they presented a $25,000 check to the Wounded Warrior project. SWEET! That’s something I can get behind.

Originally, I thought my boys would love doing this. Nope. Neither one had any interest. REALLY? OMG. So fine, I went solo. Planned to take a ton of pictures, which indeed I did. This wasn’t a race for me, but a catered training day with interesting scenery.

I got there plenty early to check in. I thought it would be harder to navigate around O’Hare but it was a breeze. Got a 2nd row parking spot. Went to check in. Waited in the Registration line only to find out… Oh no, you have to go get your number on the tables over yonder, THEN come back.

Ok… so I got my number. Came back. Waited in line again. Oh no, you don’t need to be here, go get in the line to get your bib. REALLY? Could maybe that have been mentioned before?  Got my bib, shirt, and ok… still have a ton of time.

I went up that stupid-line and told everyone what to do. Dropped off my stuff, attached my bib… hmmm still 45min to kill. Too early to warm up. Ok, so I went back, went through the stupid-line AGAIN, dispersed about 100 people… then went to porta-potties. Got some swag.  Still 35min. Ok… went back through stupid-line again (people were coming in heavy at this point)…. dropped off my swag.  Hung out in the car… went back and did stupid-line again.  Let’s just say I probably redirected 300-400 people in the end. Nutty. I was bored and figured I’d fill my Karma bank anyway.

Finally I warmed up and wandered to the start. It was kind of far from registration through the back-end of O’Hare. Portions that you just don’t normally see. Finally got to the start, heard the announcements and say the elites go flying away (yuk yuk). They had a 747 out there right by where we were running. Cool!

took forever to get moving, but once we were we went down some back roads and then to the runway.   It was a good thing I was not “racing” this because there were 2,500 people and most of them were walking or jogging. So I just did my thing, stopped to take pictures whenever I felt like it and enjoyed the morning.

the 747 is catching up to me, but I won’t let it beat me!

You the black marks? those are seriously sticking! it was like you were running on fly paper! Very weird. I also had no idea the runways were grooved like that.

Me after I beat the plane. It was close.

The expo didn’t have much except some runway equipment and a few vendors. They frowned upon the adults climbing on stuff so I got my free chips and talked to the guys at the Wounded Warrior project and headed home.

Not a bad way to spend a morning… Keep it fun folks!