Today my friend Cari picked me up at 6AM and we headed to Park Forest, il for the Park Forest 5 miler. Park Forest is the most dinky town however, this race attracted a lot of money because of the change to win 500, 400, 300 dollars (1-3rd place) and also because it was on the CARA circuit (Chicago Area Runners Association) so if you run for a store or company you are encouraged to participate to get your store or company points in the circuit. The race was cool because you wind through a nature area and you get some rolling hills which you don’t get in Chicago. It was a challenging coarse though. The village of Park Forest had a whole day of festivities. There was the kids jog after the 5 miler, then there were food booths where you could get tickets to get food (if you did the race you got 2 free meal tickets). Then there was the kids lap swim, and the kids water obstacle course. The awards were at the out door pool so everyone was standing in this pool as we listened to the awards. I ended up fourth which I was bummed about. I wanted the 300 dollars. I ended up getting a camping chair.
When I got back I had a whole list of things I wanted to do but first off I needed to go to the bike store and buy a bike lock. Unfortunately, the lady at the bike store told me that in Chicago they are very good at stealing bikes (which I had heard) and so I had to buy one of the expensive bike locks. So my options ranged from 40 dollars to 85 dollars. I bought the 40 dollars which seemed way too much for a bike lock but I guess I will have it for along time. Then I asked them to look at my squeaky brakes. They said I needed new break pads. Both sets of pads were 10 dollars and labor was going to be 30. I bought the pads and figured I would figure out how to replace them myself. When I got home I had enough time to change the back brake pads but not the front. I then headed to Paul Rollet’s for a Labor Day Barbeque with a big thing of pasta salad in my bike basket. When I got there it was dark so I called his cell phone. It ended up the party was on Sunday! I felt a bit funny. Not even 4 blocks from there I went over a bump and my basket ripped off the bike and took the pasta salad with it. There was Pasta everywhere! A bunch of people were sitting on there front porches and watching. It was one of those neighborhoods where everyone has old sofas on there porch and people just kind of watch the cars go by. They are probably still talking about the crazy white girl that spilled pasta salad all over herself and the ground. I again was a little embarrassed. I looked at the basket and it looked like the plastic that was holding the basket onto the bike was so old it had lost its flexibility and just cracked. This bike might have a bit TOO much character! Well, I made it back in one piece and decided I better take it easy the rest of the night and so I watched the movie “For the Love of the Game” and it made me miss Jeff because it was about the Tigers. Good day altogether despite a few wrinkles : )
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