2011 Reagan Run, Dixon, Illinois

Last week my parents called and offered to buy Brenden a plane ticket to Ohio so he could visit for a few weeks all by himself. Brenden was super excited and said he'd love to go. While talking to Brenden I joked about how it would be so cool to find a race in Chicago on the way to the airport and how his flight was in the afternoon so we would have time to do a race most likely. Brenden and I googled races in Illinois. We found several. Then I mapped out our way to Midway airport. We found a race called Reagan Run in Dixon, Illinois and it was right off of I-88 which was on our way. Only problem is, we would have to get up super early to get to Dixon to pick up our packet in time.

So the plan was made and I registered online for our race. The race was set for Saturday, July 2nd at 8a.m. and we had to be there at 6:30a.m.ish to pick up our packet. We got up at 4:10a.m. to leave by 4:30a.m. along with my daughter Alyssa who wanted to take pictures and went to Dixon.

We arrived in Dixon at 6:20a.m., stepped out of the car and it felt like a heat wave had hit us. The weather didn't cool down in the night.  It was so hot that our hands were sticky.  Neither of us were sure how we would run this hot race.  However we were there to race so we picked up our packet and walked around Dixon to find the start and finish line, make ourselves familiar with the area, took pictures of Reagan's boyhood home and had a great time. It was a fabulous race.
Positives:  Chip timed, great shirt, lots and lots of food at the finish.  Well organized with volunteers at every turn.  Streets closed for racers.  Lots of bathrooms without too much of a wait.  A packet with some goodies in it.  Drinks at the start and finish and water on the course a couple times.  Split times called out to you at your 1 and 2 mile mark.  A special timing chip we got to keep. 1500 other runners to talk to.  Beautiful town! Oh and the best part was that the local YMCA let Brenden and I go there and shower for FREE so we wouldn't be stinky at the airport.  They were so nice on the phone giving us directions to the Y and were really nice in person when we arrived to shower!

 Enjoy the pictures that Alyssa and I took:

picture right off the freeway

 Picture of our race route.  Double click to see it bigger.

Ronald Reagan boyhood home.

Statue of Ronald Reagan on the right side of his home.  Brenden was fascinated with.

Brenden found his race pace.

My race pace, which is quite a bit slower than Brenden's pace.

Cool street sign.

There were signs showing quotes of Ronald Reagan all over the city.  My favorite quote was one I saw while running that said, "All great change in America begins at the dinner table."

A picture of Brenden's and my shoes with our special Centennial timing chip that we got to keep.

A before race picture.

The finish line.

Pizza after the race

Food of all kinds!

Even Italian Lemon ice.  It was super yummy!

Brenden and I in our race shirts at the airport later that day!