The Really Awesome Run My Sister Totally Missed

So last week, as you know, I was in Chicago.  And now I am not, which has led me to wonder about 15 kazillion times in the past two days WHY that is.  I am a city girl!  I have a city kid!  Why do I live...here?  Not that here is bad, it's just...well...

*sigh* 

Yeah I know it gets cold there, I don't care.  That's what LL Bean is for.

ANYWAY!  While I was there I went running, duh.  I had oodles of fun on Map My Run making some fun routes for my sister and me to run together.  And then she totally bailed on me.  Well okay she had a leg injury but still, she missed out.

I started out from our hotel, down Michigan Ave, and through Millennium Park.  Ran around the Art Institute, through Grant Park, by Buckingham Fountain, and down to the Museum Campus.  Passed the Field Museum (and the dino), went around Soldier Field, and turned to run along the lake.

And then I saw this:

It honestly took my breath away; I was in awe.  I've been to Chicago loads of times, but I had never experienced it in the early morning, alone, when the streets are quiet aside from other runners, the sun is coming up, and everything is fresh.  In that moment, and this sounds cheesy but its true, I had a sincere appreciation for the freedom I feel as a runner.  I can't really explain what I mean by that.  It just made sense to me at the time that I was exactly where I needed to be at that moment, and I was super thankful to be there. 

As I ran back to my hotel, I passed the door.  I kept going all the way up the lakefront to Water Tower Place, and back down again just because I could.   And because I knew just how lucky I was to do it.

The sidewalks began to fill up, the tourists began to take pictures, and the locals came out with their dogs and strollers to begin their Saturday.  I went back to the hotel and found my family eating breakfast.  My sister asked how the run went, and I told her that she missed a good one.

But now that I look back, I'm kind of glad she did.

I miss you Chicago!  I'll be back soon!