We ran the 2019 Soldier Field 10 Mile race this weekend with our newlywed friends, Brittany and Larry. We haven’t run anything longer than a 5K since the 2017 Hot Chocolate 15K. The draw of the Soldier Field 10 Mile, as you might imagine, is that it ends on the 50-yard line of Soldier Field (home of the NFL’s Chicago Bears). We ran it because it was at least a 15K and fit in our calendar.
There’s something awesome about stadiums. The sheer size and grandeur makes for a unique feeling. The race began on the field, went south for about 5 miles, and then turned back north along the lake before the aforementioned finish on the 50.
My goal was to finish in 90 minutes, which would be 9 minutes/mile. I was running at about that pace before hitting an energy wall at mile 7. I wound up running at a 9:55/mile pace overall.
Karissa’s goal was to finish in under 2 hours. Her stretch goal was 1:45. She and Brittany are running buddies. They ran the first 7 miles together before Brittany had issues with the heat & humidity. Karissa finished the race alone and wound up finishing in 1:54 – well ahead of her 2 hour goal and a bit short of her stretch goal.
Larry tweaked his groin earlier in the week playing softball. He tried to battle through it for the run, but the injury coupled with the humidity and heat got to him too. He and Brittany wound up finishing the race as any newlyweds should – holding hands!
It was a great day for a run. The forecast had called for storms. The race host, RAM Racing, even sent out an email to participants warning of cancellation or course changes if the weather didn’t cooperate. Luckily, we had a warm, sunny morning for a run! Just a bit humid. It was a fun race and we’ll definitely consider doing it again next year.
