Brother Brian Race Recap: Chicago-Area Cross Country Challenge
Brother Brian, a 22-year-old college senior in Chicago, submits this race report.
December 4 – 8k Cross Country Challenge, Gilberts, Illinois
See the photos.
The Cross Country Challenge/mud run was quite an experience. It was about an hour drive outside of Chicago on a piece of farmland. There were a couple inches of snow on the ground and the temperature was in the low-20s. After hearing warnings about not to wear pants or much on top (would be colder if everything got wet), I went with race shorts and a long sleeve T-shirt.
After an initial shock, I was actually warm enough for the 8k race...with one exception. I've never had this happen before, but, bluntly enough, not even two miles into the race my penis was in some serious pain and eventually went completely numb. I was almost in tears at the finish line. It took about half an hour with my hands down my pants after the race to regain feeling and then about another five hours, a nap, and a warm shower to ease the tenderness. So, keep this in mind if you ever decide to wear shorts on a bitterly cold morning. And, as it worked out, there was no mud or water this year, so I would have been fine keeping my pants on.
Other than that, the race was fun. (Other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?-Ed.) We got to the start a minute or two late and didn't even start running until a bit after the start because I didn't see it marked. By the time I got going, I had to play a big game of catch-up. However, the lack of open space on the course (going up and down snowy hills/through narrow bends/under and over fences and trees) didn't exactly allow for this, and in many spots on the course I was forced to walk as people in front of me where either walking or slowly jogging.
My chip said I ended up finishing in about 50 minutes, but I could have done it 8-10 minutes faster if I wasn't trapped in for most of it and actually started running when I crossed the start line. It wasn't until the last mile that it opened up a bit and I was able to maintain a steady pace for the first time.
In the end, despite the cold, we all had lots of fun. We even got a nice Brooks technical long sleeve shirt and a warm, catered post-race lunch in the barn staging area. Before the race, I was so cold that I honestly did not want to have anything to do with it, but I guess the adrenaline took over. Quite a different feeling from the confidence that I felt before the Chicago Marathon two months ago.
The idea of the Cross Country Challenge/European style race is a fun one. If you try one, though, leave the watch and pace band at home, because it seems to be more a matter of survival.
That was a scattered report but, then again, it was a scattered race experience.
December 4 – 8k Cross Country Challenge, Gilberts, Illinois
See the photos.
The Cross Country Challenge/mud run was quite an experience. It was about an hour drive outside of Chicago on a piece of farmland. There were a couple inches of snow on the ground and the temperature was in the low-20s. After hearing warnings about not to wear pants or much on top (would be colder if everything got wet), I went with race shorts and a long sleeve T-shirt.
After an initial shock, I was actually warm enough for the 8k race...with one exception. I've never had this happen before, but, bluntly enough, not even two miles into the race my penis was in some serious pain and eventually went completely numb. I was almost in tears at the finish line. It took about half an hour with my hands down my pants after the race to regain feeling and then about another five hours, a nap, and a warm shower to ease the tenderness. So, keep this in mind if you ever decide to wear shorts on a bitterly cold morning. And, as it worked out, there was no mud or water this year, so I would have been fine keeping my pants on.
Other than that, the race was fun. (Other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?-Ed.) We got to the start a minute or two late and didn't even start running until a bit after the start because I didn't see it marked. By the time I got going, I had to play a big game of catch-up. However, the lack of open space on the course (going up and down snowy hills/through narrow bends/under and over fences and trees) didn't exactly allow for this, and in many spots on the course I was forced to walk as people in front of me where either walking or slowly jogging.
My chip said I ended up finishing in about 50 minutes, but I could have done it 8-10 minutes faster if I wasn't trapped in for most of it and actually started running when I crossed the start line. It wasn't until the last mile that it opened up a bit and I was able to maintain a steady pace for the first time.
In the end, despite the cold, we all had lots of fun. We even got a nice Brooks technical long sleeve shirt and a warm, catered post-race lunch in the barn staging area. Before the race, I was so cold that I honestly did not want to have anything to do with it, but I guess the adrenaline took over. Quite a different feeling from the confidence that I felt before the Chicago Marathon two months ago.
The idea of the Cross Country Challenge/European style race is a fun one. If you try one, though, leave the watch and pace band at home, because it seems to be more a matter of survival.
That was a scattered report but, then again, it was a scattered race experience.
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