Race report #4: Chicago Distance Classic

How is it possible to enter this 13.1 mile race online just a few days before the event? There are plenty of similar half-marathons – with vastly inferior ambiance and scenery – that fill up instantly. Maybe it’s another Chicago half-marathon coming up next month. Or the Chicago marathon the month after that. Whatever the reason, it’s hard to fathom why anyone would miss this. Starting in Grant Park and running south along Lakeshore Boulevard before circling back along the lakefront path, the 2008 edition saw cool (for August) temps and very little humidity. The course can get slightly cramped at times, but organizers did their best to ease the congestion by breaking the start into staggered “waves”. And, if nothing else, this race is worth it for the stunning view of the Chicago skyline just after the turnaround.