General Discussion Race Reports! » Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Rss Feed  
Moderators: k9car363, alicefoeller Reply

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer - Run


View Member's Race Log View other race reports
Chicago, Illinois
United States
Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
Total Time = 15h 00m
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 0/
Run
  • 15h 00m
  • 30 miles
  • 30m  min/mile
Post race
Event comments:

Ok, this could be a very long report. I will make both days on one report to keep things simple. The family and I got to Chicago on Thursday night. Went to the hotel and got the kids in bed.

Friday morning, caught and early shuttle to the airport to pick up the rental car. From their picked up the family and went to the Lego Discovery center. The family had a very good time with some great highlights. Seeing my wife try and make a lego ball was quite entertaining. The kids were a bit torqued off when I did not follow the directions and free styled my build. Kids got a limited edition lego brick and overall had a great time.

From there we went to the expo. Was able to be early enough to get a coveted XXL Crew sweat shirt. Could not get one in Boston as they were sold out by 4 PM. I got one of only 3 that size. Also purchased a polo shirt. Kids were great!! Have not had such a succesful time with them in years.

From the expo we went to Uncle Bobs house to have a big family dinner. We do not get a chance to see the whole family often. It has been about 3 years since our last visit. Kids got together like they had been together for years!! Adults picked up with the usual family "flair" and a good time was held by all.

Now for the good stuff. Got up at 4:30 AM to catch the shuttle to opening. Was quite surprised at how far the hotel was from Soldiures Field. Good thing they had way more than a few shuttle busses. Got our gear onto the trucks and settled into a pre walk hurry up and wait. About 45 minutes before the walk, I see two "Biggest Looser" white T-shirts. Then I see the white head band!! I get my wife's attention, and she freakes out. Mike, this seasons winner is an opening ceremony speaker!! I have never seen her star struck before!! Too much fun. Opening was entertaining as I have never seen one before.

From there the lemmings are let loose. The sea of pink is even more impressive in motion at a 1/2 mile out from opening. The idea of passing on aid stations quickly evaporates as two things become clear. First, I hydrated early and often. This is a good thing, but not when you want to avoid porta potty lines. #2 the porta johns were plentiful and the lines very short!! Extreamly impressive!! I am not sure that the Chicago crew out decorates Boston, but I was very impressed by the consistaint organization and enthusiasim. Although the walk dose not like it, every station was putting ice in water bottles as they went. Will have to work on this in Boston.

Got to lunch at mile 9 ( I think) and sat for about 20 minutes. It was drying out some. Oh yeah, did I mention, this is an Avon walk, and rain is manditory. The rain was somewhat heavy at times for about an hour. Not quite enough for me to want to put on my rain coat as the temps and humidity were still quite warm. Any cooler or any heavyer, it would have gone on.

Back to lunch. Crew was breaking up cardboard to sit on..nice! Ate quick and went back out on route. About mile 14, my wife started to wind a bit. Our colective training was not as good as it should have been. Found out that a little gatoraid helped her a ton. At about mile 15, I needed to find a Jewel. I completely forgot that electrolite tabs would have been huge. Picked up Magnesium and Potasium. Helped a ton.

Got to mile 20 and our pace slowed to a nudge above a crawl. The Superior ambulance/ mobile DJ and the support in the Jewish communitiy were huge. Big boost of energy. This should not discount the amount of cheering from the Team Maureen and other teams on route. The cheering stations were awasome!!

The biggest disapointment was at the finish. Large groups were stopping under the arch and taking photos. That is fine, but not when 100 walkers are bunching up behind them. Oh well. Went around the arch to get my wife to our tent. Found our tent spot and had her sit. I had been tightening up every time I sat, but I was able to literaly run to grab our 2 duffle bags and tent. Ran back to my wife and hastly set up the tent. Ended up with broken pole and had to run yet again to grab a new tent poll. Got the tent up and our gear in just before the skys opened up!! Timming was huge.

While it rained, we got our gear reset for Sunday and the rest of the night. As quick as it started, the rain stopped and we went to the showers. At 8 PM, NO LINE!!! Not quite sure how it happened, but I accept. After the showers, we went to supper, again, no line!! Ate well and headed back to our tent. Got zipped back in, and guess what, the skys opened yet again!! The timming was just too good.

The next 30 minutes or so were quite interesting. As the storm continued to intensify, I remembered the words at opeing..."If you see sevier weather/lightning, find shelter". This as the lightning and thunder get closer. The wind picked up and was driving the tent cover into the tent, causing it to rain inside the tent in small ammounts. To make things even better, the wind was literaly pushing the side of the tent down on top of me only to spring back up!! Even though it was quite warm in the tent, I opted to get into my sleeping bag, if only to stay dryer.

As I lay in my bag taking in the current events, I hear the sounds of near by O'Hare airport. This sound makes the following news report come to mind..."I was sitting in the trailer when I heard the train comming. The only problem, is the train is'nt near by..." In the morning I heard that tornados did touch down about an hour away from the same storm. Close enough for me :)

Awoke to a dryer night at about midnight to make an attempt to find the porta john. Finding was not a problem with the glow sticks on them. Getting the 1/4 mile to them in under 30 minutes, a little bit more of a problem. I felt like cromagnum man walking upright for the first time. I took about 20 minutes of streatching to get somewhat close to upright again. After returning to the tent, I got about 4 more hours of solid sleep. The best part was the trip to Jewel kept me from massive charly horses and other cramping. I will take stiff over cramping all day long.

Awoke at about 4:30 for anouther nature walk. Decided I could not go back to sleep at that point. Headed towards the food tent to see if it was functioning yet. On of my favorite highlights, of all my walks, happened on this trip. I got ready to turn a corner when a wiery crew member came around twards me. I sized her up as tired and having not quite gotten a caffine hit yet, and she saw me walking yet again as cromagnum man. With that, she perked right up and smiled at me!! I so know exactly what she was thinking.."I may be tired, but I am not as tired and as sore as he is!!" It is ammazing how a walkers "misery" can make a crew member just come back on line.

Anyway, continued to the food tent to only see about 6 tents set up, under the giant tent set up for eating. Just too funny. Even better was the look on the walkers faces as they too saw the irony of a tent set up under a tent. :) Glad I took my cell on my walk as my wife called and was able to catch up with me for a very early breakfast. Got a chance to chat with the DJ crew and invited them to Boston. Do not think they will come, but they were invited by yours truely.

Broke down the tent and got ready for the walk. I put on the 6 ft gnome costume and painted my beard pink. The beard started 3 weeks ago in Boston at that walk, and was saved for this walk. Figured I would be stopped often with comments and picture requests. What surprised me was the number of questions about the VFFs I was wearing. The bottom line, I opted for the VFFs because I knew I used different mussle groups when I wore the VFFs and took my chances with them.

My wife was having issues with her foot on Sat, and they continued into the morning on Sunday. She had a tough start that only got tougher as the miles mounted. I told her that what ever happened, I was with her. I also told her that I had done what I came to do. I made peace with the fact before getting into Chicago that I might not be in shape to do the whole walk. At about mile 5, she raised the white flag. We hopped a bus back to closing and bailed out. This was helpful because we got the chance to get back to our room early, shower and go to Ed Debevics for supper with the kids. They had a good time. Ben especialy enjoyed shooting straw wrappers at our waiter.

Family went home on Monday, and wife went off for xrays. She was told probably tendinitius, but if it did not get better in a week, come in for an MRI to see if it is a stress fracture. We are both glad that the bus was available at mile 5.

Overall we had a great walk. I can not deniy I am disapointed that WE could not finish the walk, but staying togther was what it was all about. I am not sure if I like walking or crewing better, but I think a walk could happen again in the future.




Last updated: 2009-10-03 12:00 AM
Running
15:00:00 | 30 miles | 30m  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/
Performance:
Course:
Keeping cool Drinking
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall:
Mental exertion [1-5]
Physical exertion [1-5]
Good race?
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

{postbutton}
2010-06-07 9:13 PM

User image

Frugal Gear Geek
2199
2000100252525
having fun with the kids
Subject: Avon Walk for Breast Cancer


2010-06-11 8:09 PM
in reply to: #2907056

User image

Master
2146
200010025
East Side of the Bay
Subject: RE: Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
Quite an adventure! I hope your wife is feeling better and you should both be proud of the distance!!
General Discussion-> Race Reports!
{postbutton}
General Discussion Race Reports! » Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Rss Feed