Time Is Relative, Don't Ya Think?

It didn't take an Einstein-minded runner to figure that out on Saturday at the Run to Remember 5K, which honored fallen Chicago police officers. One look at Soldier Field's flags told you all you needed to know. As I was reminded by race food-area volunteer Mark Buciak, the first half of the basically out-and-back course would be a breeze; the second half would be a word that rhymes with stitch. It was all true. Times were slower for everyone, many running 40 seconds to more than a minute slower than the week before on Ravenswood's lightning-fast course. After a fairly normal first mile with the wind, things seemed OK. Once you saw everyone else running slowly into the teeth of the wind on the way back, you realized it was all about hanging on and placing as well as you could. I even tried drafting, but there weren't many large runners in front of me. About hanging on and placing, take my 21:08 for instance. It might be my slowest time ever for a 5K on the CARA Circuit. It got me the same age-group place that a 20:27 got me last week. Neither time is anything to whoop about, but as one friend said, "it is what it is."
The podium picture looked like this:
MEN
1. Rob Chenoweth, 39, Chicago, 16:25 (9th at Ravenswood in 16:12). Rob, who runs for Fleet Feet, reportedly pulled away on the third mile, which included a hill west of the Field Museum that caused many to lose some time.
2. Chris Setzler, 35, Wonder Lake, 16:32
3. Jason Ream, 26, Chicago, 16:41
WOMEN
1. Lisa Johnson, 32, Chicago, 19:21 (7th at Ravenswood in 18:38, she also runs for Fleet Feet)
2. Kalina Michalska, 30, Chicago, 19:38
3. Cari Setzler, 29, Wonder Lake, 20:09 (under 19:00 at Oak Park and Ravenswood!)
There were 1,057 finishers in a race for a very worthy cause.