Friday's Featured 5k of the Week - Run The Ribbon 1-Miler

It's not often that I start an article with pictures, but in this case, they will help illustrate what I am about to describe.

Instead of a 5k today, this post focuses on a 1-Mile race.  In order to complete 1-mile, runners did 5.1 laps around the Skating Ribbon (pictured above) at Maggie Daley Park in Chicago.

As you can see - it's not an oval or a circle, it's, I don't know what it's called, but runners go around it 5.1 times to complete 1 mile.  In addition to its unique shape, there is actually a 6 foot incline (and decline) to complete the circuit.  In the race layout, the runners start by going uphill and finish coming back downhill.  The climb in gradual - almost invisible to the eye - but noticeable to the body.

The race started at 7:15am in "heats".  Instead of trying to fit every runner on the course at once - the organizers asked runners, during registration, to self-identify their heat.  They were given 1-mile run times to place themselves in.  The day started with the less experienced runners and joggers and ended about 2 hours later with the elite runners, who were running the mile in under 5 minutes.  Waves generally consisted of about 7 people, some were as small as 2 and some as large as 12.  The idea was that the course would not be crowded and everybody would have the opportunity to run at their best pace.  It worked.  It was the first race I had done in this format, and it was fun.  It also allowed runners to watch and cheer on the other runners, and I'd say 99.99% of the runners were there before and after their particular heat race.  Showing the unity of the running community once again.

The "Ribbon" is an ice-skating ribbon during the winter, yes, with the 6 foot incline.  This means during the summer, it is an extremely smooth concrete surface, probably the smoothest surface I have run on.  There are some metal expansion joints, but while running, I did not notice them.  I recall this, because a Park supervisor asked me if they bothered me.  I thought that was nice that the Park supervisor was interested in the event and the feedback.

I ran my personal best 1-mile, but I wasn't pacing for a 5k, so naturally I ran faster than I would in a 5k.  For me, a 5k runner, the hardest part was picking a pace for this 1-mile race (5k races are 3.1 miles).  I knew I couldn't sprint the entire mile - and I knew I couldn't do my "finish line kick" the entire mile.  But I knew I could run faster than my 5k pace.  What pace do I run?  Do I pace with others, who might be going slower than the pace I am capable of - or do I sprint out and slow down?  I don't know.  I know I ran 1 minute faster (and change) than I do in 5k average mile.  Next year, I'll put myself in a faster bracket, and try to keep up - maybe that's the trick.  Lessons learned.

What I found most interesting about this event - is how people naturally "ran the tangents".  This is illustrated in the first picture above.  Instead of staying to the inside (or outside or middle) - everybody tried to run as straight of a line as possible.  Notice how people are against the inside rail and then the outside rail? It was like that the entire course. There was even a turn where a straight line meant almost running into the railings (90 degree turn) - and everybody came within inches of hitting a support structure.  This is illustrated in the 2nd picture, showing the inside rail and the support structure on the course.  Every single runner came within inches of tripping, 100% of the laps.  But nobody ever adjusted their line to avoid it.  It was the path the body and mind wanted to go.

What seemed interesting to me, is that this "running the tangents" wasn't a conscious effort - the body just naturally wants to run that path.  It is almost impossible to NOT run the tangents, it takes an actual effort to NOT run a straight line (I tried after the event).  It is interesting to think, how the body and mind "just do it".  They naturally pick the straightest line, they naturally come within inches of tripping - but don't trip.  And, if you try to override that, it's almost impossible to the point of being awkward.

And to top it all off - the event takes place across the street from Chicago's Millennium Park, with the historic South Michigan Avenue Skyline to the West and beautiful Lake Michigan to the East.  What could be better???