Smoked at the Beach Palooza Finish Line

What do you do after you cross the finish line of a race? There's post-race drinking. Post-race get-me-back-home-as-soon-as-possible. Post-race clothing change. Post-race massage. Post-race refueling--my personal fave, especially after a marathon. But I spotted a new--and unfortunately quite disgusting in my opinion--one over the weekend: post-race smoking.

Seriously? You just ran 3.1 miles, hopped over and through obstacles, trudged through the sand and an arctic pool now turned lukewarm from the heat, and crossed the finish line at the hot-as-Hades Chicago Beach Palooza, and you're going to light a cig? What could be more awful tasting--and worse for the lungs already recovering from the "trauma" of a hot and heated run--than taking a drag?

I don't get it. Maybe it's because I'm not a smoker. Or maybe it's because my out-of-running-shape body could barely handle the cross-country 5K--and hoisting myself up and over some of those obstacles--in the heat. Maybe it's because I was huffing and puffing at the finish line and all I wanted was to gulp all the water I could grab from the volunteer. Or maybe it's because she really wanted to live up to that "freakishly amazing" title on her tank top. Yeah, running with lungs full of tar would be freakish, but maybe not so amazing--or awesome.


Note: I'm only slowly easing back into running but I'm digging these 5Ks where I tote my camera. If I can't run fast or as well as I'd like, at least I can capture some pretty random memories (like this one).

Fit-Pic: Can't Get Enough of the Beach

 

If I were to have a summer motto, I'd probably choose one to the effect of "you can't spend too much time at the beach." That is, if you come equipped with enough sunscreen, entertainment (or lack of sleep, which suffices in my case), water and snacks--you could easily be out there all day. The only problem is, until this weekend, I actually couldn't spend--or perhaps chose not to spend--any time at the beach. But thanks to our Chicago heat, us beachgoers have been out in full force. Check out this line for Saturday's Beach Palooza at Montrose Beach (stay tuned for a race report, too).

 

And see? The 3,000 or so participants hung out in the fenced off post-race area after finishing the 5K with obstacles that followed a twisty course around Montrose. Finding their friends, playing cornhole (thought I took a picture of that but apparently didn't), listening to cover band tunes, drinking Mike's Hard Lemonade (isn't that a good post-race refresher?)...you get the idea.

Sunday was a different tune: the beach, Oak Street's this time around, was packed. Swimmers, volleyball players, loungers, bikes, coolers, ice cream carts, you name it and it was likely there. This picture might not depict it, but there was a lot happening at the beach. Maybe more sleeping and relaxing than Saturday's scene, but hey, isn't that what Sundays are for?

How did you spend your weekend?