Ditka Dash

Saturday, September 27, 2014 - Second annual Ditka Dash. It was my first time running it. Super fun. There were 13,000 runners. The race was well organized with different waves (8:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.) and with corrals according to pace per mile.

The goodie bag came with two shirts (a white Da Finisher shirt and a navy blue Ditka Dash shirt), aviator shades and a Ditka mustache. There were also a ton of different optional add ons such as sweat bands, Ditka cigars and stickers. I just upgraded my Ditka shirt from cotton to Tech (which was a good move). 

Heading to the Start

Side of Soldier Field

Ditka 'Stache

Friends at the Finish

The only downside to this race was that it was "self timed" which meant you were not tracked and there was no official race clock. I used my Endomondo app to keep my time. So, that worked out.

Endomondo

My time was 27:38 (improved on my time of 28:28 at the Bucktown 5k on September 14). Pretty happy. Not sure I will run anymore the remainder of the year, but my goal is to train harder and get closer to a 26-minute 5k next year.

I would definitely run the Ditka Dash again (unlike the Color Run and Hot Chocolate).

Bucktown 5k

Confession: I don't love running. I mainly run 5ks because I like the shirts/hoodies. That was the main impetus for me registering for the Bucktown 5k.

I had not trained for this run. In fact, the last time I ran 5 kilometers was the Ravenswood 5k. That race day was cold, and I did not do as well as I wanted. I had to stop multiple times and just did not have the endurance for it.

30:59

Although I had not done any running since then, I have been doing Insanity. I felt confident that I'd improve on my next run. And I did!

28:28

My goal was to run under 29 minutes. Felt good running today and didn't stop at all. The conditioning from Insanity has definitely strengthened my large leg muscles. What I need to work in is my cardio to pick up the pace. 

My beef: The goodie bag included sweatpants - which look very nice but were HUMONGOUS. 

I ordered a small and discovered just how big they were once I picked up the packet. I drove back to the store to exchange them for an X-Small but was told I had to come back on Wednesday to make the exchange. Was pretty bummed. Seriously, these ran way too big. Check out the size chart.

Bummer. I hope the XS aren't too big. Looking forward to wearing these to keep me warm when winter comes. 

I would definitely run the Bucktown 5k again. It was very well organized with corrals and numbered gear check. Lots of these new runs (like The Color Run) have disappointed with not having gear check at all (and not notifying runners before the race) or having just a general gear check which took forever to find one's bag. The course itself is nice, too. Not as neighborhoody as the Ravenswood 5k, but pretty close. There wasn't much uphill running, which can sometimes kick my butt.

If you've never run this race before, I highly recommend it. 

iTunes 40 Free Songs from Lollapalooza

Hello, friends! I know some of you out there have iPods, iPads and the like. Hopefully, you're not running with an iPad on your back. It might injure you.

I have here a download code which I got at Lollapalooza this summer for 40 free songs on iTunes. I don't use iTunes, so I'm passing it along.

Obviously, the code will only work for the first person who uses it, so get those trigger fingers ready. Good luck to the quickest of them all! Also, I have no idea what artists or songs are on this collection. Let me know how you like it!

I'm excited to do a few more 5k runs before the cold weather comes around.

Amazon - Running Shoes 20% Off

If you've been running on fumes (or at least your shoes have), it's a great time to get some new kicks.

Amazon has an extra 20% off running shoes orders of $75 or more through August 13, 2011.


Brands include:

adidas
adidas Originals
Aetrex
ASICS
Aura
Brooks
Hi-Tec
Karhu
Mizuno
New Balance
Pearl iZUMi
PUMA
Reebok
Ryka
Saucony
Saucony Originals
Tretorn
Zoot

That means if you buy at least $75 worth of shoes, you'll save enough to get a Nathan Shadow Pak if you haven't already. It's great!

Happy running.
 

Running Playlist

There's nothing that pumps me up for running better than the perfect set of songs. A fast beat, some guitar shredding and maybe some crazy vocals do the trick. So, what have I been listening to recently?

Some of the mainstream music on my playlist includes: Yellowcard (Rough Landing, Holly and Miles Apart); Paramore (Born for This and Fences); and Lady Gaga (Judas).



  

Mea Culpa Mea Culpa



But what delights me even more are some tunes by an indie rock band called The Kickback. While they have songs for all types of moods, my favorite songs for running include:



The Kickback - Roman Regret

The Kickback - Alpha Flight

The Kickback - Hate this City



Listen to these songs and more for free here. Check out their tour information and online store. Their next Chicago show will be at The Cobra Lounge on September 3, 2011.  

Fall Into Fitness 5k Run/Walk - September 25, 2011

Fall Into Fitness 5k Run/Walk will take place in Portage Park. This course will lead you through tree-lined streets similar to the ones in the Ravenswood 5k.

Website Link

This 5k run/walk is targeted to families and is very affordable. While other races cost from $30 upwards, the registration fee for adults is only $15 and there's even a discount family rate for up to 5 family members.

Entry Fees

Age Bracket	Pre-Race	Race Day
Adults (ages 18+)	$15	$20
Youth (ages 6-17)	$8	$10
Seniors (ages 60+)	$8	$10
Family Rate (up to five members)	$35	$45
Children 5 and under	Free	Free

Proceeds will go toward providing health care for the indigent who are treated at Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center.

Register by mail, in-person or online.