day 7

Today was our major beginning of packing. My awesome Mommy is here, and she has taken on the kitchen as her target. We were in there ALL DAY (Mom started at 9am or so...we went to bed at MIDNIGHT). I cannot believe this! Note to self: when you live with 3 other women, you only own a 1/3 of the stuff...so you only pack that much. We own EVERYTHING in this apartment...and it ALL has to go!For my 7 day mark, I decided to reflect on something that has dominated most of my freetime the past two summers: The Chicago Marathon.Training for the marathon starts in June and concludes in October...which means you are running all over Chicago during the BEST months. This is good and bad...good because it's beautiful here during the summer...bad because it's beautiful here during the summer and you'd rather be at the beach than RUNNING for 4 hours.My favorite street to run down the first year I trained for the marathon was Damen. From Foster to Chicago, Damen cuts through Ravenswood, Lincoln Square, North Center, Roscoe Village, Bucktown, Wicker Park, and West Town. It's one of those streets that can be quiet and residential and then all of a sudden can be bustling with restaurants, boutiques, and people.Last year when I ran the marathon, I spent a lot of time on Lake Shore Drive. I love running from Foster Beach down to Navy Pier...closing in on the city until you get to the Oak Street curve where you're right in the middle of it.I also enjoyed running after work a lot, leaving my office in Cabrini and running down the Chicago River...and I always take a moment and stop on the Franklin Street bridge. It is one of my favorite views of Chicago.Now, the marathon itself is the best tour you could take of Chicago. I love that it's a loop all around the city, I love that I can see random people I know throughout the route...I love that it's like the biggest holiday in Chicago, I love that last year when it was 90 degrees that people were outside with their yard hoses spraying it onto the runners to cool them down, handing out homemade ice packs, or even getting buckets of ice from Seven Eleven to hand out. The marathon really brings our city together...from the beginning of training when you see other marathoners on Lake Shore Drive chugging out the first weekend 7miler, to the day of celebrating in the park. The marathon makes me love Chicago more.