Do the Hustle: Part 2

So the debate rages on. Did we run a 5K Saturday or didn’t we? Seems likely the answer is no. Do I care? Mayhap. I mean, not really. 

I think pretty much everybody who ran the Santa Hustle on Dec. 1 in Chicago did it for fun. Was I bummed to realize I didn’t set a PR (everybody seems to be using that abbreviation and I finally figured out it must mean “personal record”). Then again, I was skeptical from the get-go, given my PR is something in the 27:47 range. I doubted the veracity of a 26:41 time.

That said, I can understand the disgruntlement of the serious runners who like to track their time in every race. Sort of. Do I sound wishy-washy? I consider it a result of a brilliant mind, able to see both sides of an argument and, in the case of one that doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme, granting validity to both sides. Doesn’t matter, you cry? I am reminded of a quote by former Buffalo Bills coach Marv Levy, related to me by my ex-wife. To paraphrase, because I am unsure of the exact quote and am too lazy to look it up for purposes of this blog, Levy, when asked by a reporter if an upcoming game was a “must-win” situation, replied, “No. World War II was a must-win.”

Perspective.

For those of you who didn’t read part 1 of this Santa Hustle recap (or don’t remember what I wrote four days ago), it appears the Santa Hustle 5K wasn’t. As in wasn’t a 5K. The course by some calculations came up short. Reading through the Facebook comments, I found reports of 2.86 miles, 2.8 miles, 3.11 miles, 3.13 and 3.0 miles. Those commenters used a variety of reputable, or at least known, run-mapping apps and online services.  

The trouble spot appears to be the tunnel under McCormick Place. Let me tell you, that stretch was more trouble than simply disrupted GPS signal. The pavement there was dodgy and those of us wearing sunglasses were wise to remove them to get a better view of the tricky terrain, lest we twist an ankle.

Anyway, if one can get past the question of course length, the run itself was pure joy. Well organized, well attended, it screams for a repeat next year. I like this run as much as Monster Dash. I’ve been asked why I would drive all the way to Chicago to run a 5K. Well, they don’t have races like that down here. I love the races I’ve run in the area: Bix 7, CASI St. Patrick’s Day 5K, Kewanee Run Your Ice Off, RR Days, Run Galesburg Run, Bishop Hill Swedish Stomp. But the costume runs are something special. Not that some folks don’t dress up special for Bix and the St. Patrick’s Day run.

Back to the Santa Hustle. The bigger races I’ve been in, the ones with thousands of runners, all group runners by estimated mile pace. That helps prevent a bunch of slowpokes (like me) from clogging the front and hurting the times of real runners. Now, I’ll admit, Ellen and I stretched it a little by placing ourselves in the 9-minute corral. I don’t think we hurt anybody. But the brilliant thing about the Santa Hustle is that the pace corrals are roped off and the volunteer elves move the ropes and runners up to the start at 2-minute intervals. This staggered start has the effect of spacing everyone out and allowing for each group to start off actually running, thus letting the runners find their individual paces faster. Monster Dash, by comparison, was a mob scene that prohibited running until about two or three blocks into the race.

Another plus for the Santa Hustle: Gatorade. Most races offer water. The Hustle had water and little cups of Gatorade or some similar sports drink. Nothing super special, but I liked the option and went for it. I also grabbed a cup of mini M&Ms, though I didn’t try to eat them on the run. Learned my lesson on eating while running at Monster Dash when I tried to gobble a Nestle’s Crunch on the run. I think the mini M&Ms are perfect for choking on while gasping for air. No thanks.

Anyway, the race finish was lined with tables of water, bananas, crackers and other snacks. There were after parties at seven bars downtown. We had our own, hosted by Mike and Ellen Baum, complete with Zing Zang Bloody Marys and an assortment of amazing food.

I recommend the Santa Hustle to anyone looking for a fun run. And if you want to make a donation while you’re there, you’ll help the Toys for Tots program in the process.

Today's Stats

Temp: 34 degrees F (outside)

Distance: 3 miles

Weekly Total: 3 miles

Treasure: Nothing – wimped out and ran indoors tonight.

iPod Playlist (Running Playlist):

Warehouse – Dave Matthews Band

Rock and Roll Music – The Beatles

Songbird – Kenny G

Tom Sawyer – Rush

Never Gonna Give YouUp – Rick Astley

I’m Amazing – Keb’ Mo’

Theme From Alamo Bay – Ry Cooder