I left work about an hour early on Thursday then headed up 65 past Nashville then cut northwest on 24 and ended up just south of Paducah, Kentucky for the night. From there, it would be about 7 hours to my race location in the small town of Washington, Iowa. It’s pretty much just a town square about 30 minutes south of Iowa City. I broke up that trip with a stop in Springfield, Illinois for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. That was gripping, and I nearly teared up a couple of times. Lincoln’s enemies called him the devil incarnate for his opposition to slavery and it is incomprehensible to me that a practice so clearly evil could be thought of as a positive good. Evil does not surrender easily and the more righteous your fight, the more opposition you will face. Never back down!
I was just happy to get to the starting line for the race. I was only 13 days removed from a sprained ankle after landing on a pine cone and had experienced some brutal detox symptoms as Mercury and Arsenic have been dumped out of my organs into my tissues. The course looped around town for 2 miles then turned on to the Kewash Trail, which was partly paved and partly dirt. The early pace felt much too slow and I was actually holding back to hit the splits but still went out a bit faster than planned. Nearing halfway however, I was faltering. By Mile 8, it was clear that I would not make my time goal. The trail was slightly sloped but it felt like it was uphill both ways. I feared a Delaware level meltdown in which it took 40 minutes walk/jog the last 5K but it wasn’t that bad this time. My time is still too embarrassing to reveal but it was over 6 minutes faster than last time (nearly :30 per mile) despite being slightly slower at the 10-mile mark. Toxins or lack of fitness? Probably a combination of both. At any rate, I made a quick exit, so I could get to Chicago. 41 race states. 39 half marathons.
The drive in was smooth until the last 10 miles, which took about 30 minutes because of the congestion. Thankfully, it was a weekend and not rush hour. I checked into the Trump Hotel and was treated to amazing city views both from my room and the 16thfloor terrace bar. From there, I took a stroll down Rush Street and Michigan Avenue, an area known as the Magnificent Mile, known for its high-priced shops. I ended up on another Lakeshore Dr. on the shores of Lake Michigan with a sandy beach and running trail with skyscrapers in the background.
As twilight descended, I went up on the 360 Tower for a cocktail on the 94th floor where I enjoyed a nice conversation with 2 young men from India and got some amazing shots of the skyline. I stopped for some deep dish pizza on my way back. I prefer the New York style but it was still quite good and filling. I capped the night with a drink on the aforementioned 16th floor at night.
I caught the sunrise over Lake Michigan on Easter Sunday then attended church just 3 blocks from my hotel. From there, it was a walking tour of the Riverwalk then on to the Sears Tower, which I wanted to see in the daylight. I made a quick stop at Millennium Park before lunch and check out time.
Off to St. Louis. I’m normally a believer in the getting there is half the fun but this drive through the Illinois plains was not very exciting. It is more scenic across the river in Missouri. I slept in on Monday then got on a 9:30 tour of Busch Stadium, home of the Cardinals. I’ve got lots of respect for that organization. They are always competitive and have a passionate fan base that usually doesn’t get as crazy as New York or Boston.
Last but not least was my visit to the Gateway Arch. Everybody knows about the views from the top but it also has an interesting historical museum underground and a pretty nice restaurant for lunch. Epic trip? I think so.
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