Chicago Marathon - 12th Oct 2014

DukeOfDromada · 12-09-2013 8:11pm

From the Chicago marathon website:

Bank of America Chicago Marathon
27th Mile Post-Race Party

As soon as you cross the finish line, celebrate your achievement at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon 27th Mile Post-Race Party located in Grant Park’s Butler Field. The outdoor celebration will feature live entertainment, and participant’s age 21 and over (photo ID required) can redeem the tear-off portion of their bib number for one free 312 Urban Wheat Ale. Additional food and beverages will be available for purchase.

The 27th Mile Post-Race Party is open to the public from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., with live music beginning at 10:30 a.m. and beer ticket redemption and sales from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Anyone any experience of this? If it is ok then I would think this would be the first port of call?

ThePiedPiper · 12-09-2013 8:19pm

Ah nice one, yeah. Race start at 7:30, we'll all hopefully be finishing between 10:20 and 11:00. So, eat a shed load of crap at the finish line, recover, beer there at 11 where we'll all maybe meet up with each other, then off to the pub? I still think I'll chance having a couple of beers in my bag, that time from 10:30 to 11:00 could be tough...

Peckham · 12-09-2013 8:25pm

Krusty has experience of it. Hopefully he'll pop by and share his experience. Think he boozed there for a while after the race.

ThePiedPiper · 15-09-2013 3:02pm

Hello all fellow Chicago runners,

Have you all applied for the ESTA Visa Waiver yet? The website says to do it at least two weeks before travel, so think now would be a good time to remind everyone about this.

blockic · 15-09-2013 3:35pm

RunForestRun wrote: »

Hello all fellow Chicago runners,

Have you all applied for the ESTA Visa Waiver yet? The website says to do it at least two weeks before travel, so think now would be a good time to remind everyone about this.

Nice one, thought of this during the week, then forgot it again! :rolleyes:

purceninho · 15-09-2013 3:51pm

blockic wrote: »

Nice one, thought of this during the week, then forgot it again! :rolleyes:

Lads, Fill in that form ASAP. And ensure it gets approved.

Speaking from experience, visa problems the week before a goal race are extremely stressful.

yaboya1 · 17-09-2013 4:28pm

belcarra wrote: »

Username|Outbound flight|Return flight
Peckham|Friday EI123|Wednesday EI124
blockic|Friday EI123|Sunday 20th EI124
belcarra|Friday EI125|Sunday 27th EI136 (from Boston)
yaboya1|Friday E123|Thursday EI122

Hi fellow marathoners,

I've had a nightmare preparation but it looks like I'm finally good to go. Not sure exactly what to expect, but was originally hoping to go sub 3:30. I'm not sure how the team comp works but if you're stuck for a body you can put me in too (although I'm not up to any of your standards judging by your predicted times!).

p.s. Belcarra, are you aware the immigration checks for your flight take place after you land in Chicago? Not ideal if you were planning on heading to the Expo on Friday.

belcarra · 17-09-2013 4:41pm

yaboya1 wrote: »

Hi fellow marathoners,

I've had a nightmare preparation but it looks like I'm finally good to go. Not sure exactly what to expect, but was originally hoping to go sub 3:30. I'm not sure how the team comp works but if you're stuck for a body you can put me in too (although I'm not up to any of your standards judging by your predicted times!).

p.s. Belcarra, are you aware the immigration checks for your flight take place after you land in Chicago? Not ideal if you were planning on heading to the Expo on Friday.

Welcome to the party yaboya1!
I will try and get you added to our team list so hopefully we'll have an extra member/drinker!

Not sure I follow about your comment about the immigration check and my flight...could you expand on it a little bit?
I'm a bit thick in these situations...!

EDIT: Think I just found what you were referring to...

yaboya1 · 17-09-2013 4:50pm

Basically it means you have to go through all the US Customs checks when you land rather than before you take off in Dublin. Will definitely add some time to your journey unfortunately.

Really looking forward to the trip now

DukeOfDromada · 18-09-2013 3:12am

Peckham wrote: »

I guess we need two venues - one for immediately post-marathon lunch and beers, and another for us to meet up again that night. If weather is good we can just hang around the "mile 27 party" for a while, but a nearby pub would be good.

Any of the below are good for me.

Beside me, there's Timothy O'Tooles, likely to be packed, but has a decent selection of beers. Further afield, there's Rock Bottom on Grand/State, which brews its own, and has very good bar food. Also has a roof garden if weather permits.

In the Loop, there's Monks (Lake/ Wells), which is a little out of the way, but must have 100 beers on the menu. Its beside both red and blue lines.
Nearer the finish line, there are a couple of places that are popular with the runners, Sweetwater tavern and grill on Michigan/ Lake and Houlihans near Michigan/ Wacker.

Peckham wrote: »

For immediately after the race, Kitty O'Shea's in the Hilton Hotel is close enough to the finish area and should be easy to find.

belcarra wrote: »

I've thrown all those bars onto a google map along with lodgings and Marathon start/finish/expo area. Kitty's looks the best bet for a number of reasons for post-race beverages (Not least it's around the corner from where 4 of us are staying!).
We can regroup later and go to an alternative pub to drink the night away!

Right, getting back to the important decisions; what pub(s)?

I think a plan could be immediate post race drinks at the 27 mile post race party to meet up with everyone. If we drink the place dry we simply move on to Kitty O'Shea's for some afternoon drinks and proper food. In the evening we can meet up in Rock Bottom??

Ruled out Timothy O'Tooles as "likely to be packed", Monks kitchen doesn't seem to open on Sundays

and Sweetwater and Houlihans look more like restaurants than pubs.

Peckham · 18-09-2013 8:08am

DukeOfDromada wrote: »

Right, getting back to the important decisions; what pub(s)?

I think a plan could be immediate post race drinks at the 27 mile post race party to meet up with everyone. If we drink the place dry we simply move on to Kitty O'Shea's for some afternoon drinks and proper food. In the evening we can meet up in Rock Bottom??

Ruled out Timothy O'Tooles as "likely to be packed", Monks kitchen doesn't seem to open on Sundays and Sweetwater and Houlihans look more like restaurants than pubs.

Sounds like a plan

belcarra · 18-09-2013 9:04am

I guess the real marathon starts at 11am!

blockic · 20-09-2013 5:07pm

From the website:

Packet Pick-Up is located at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon Health & Fitness Expo, McCormick Place. All packets must be picked up at the Health & Fitness Expo during regular Expo hours. Packets are not available for pick up the day of the event and packets will not be mailed to participants.

Participants must present their Packet Pick-Up Ticket or Email along with a photo ID in order to receive their Participant Packet and Participant Bag.

Anyone receive this email yet? Would be expecting it soon enough...

Was just on the website there....22 days! Holy ****! :eek:

Peckham · 21-09-2013 5:07pm

blockic wrote: »

From the website:

Anyone receive this email yet? Would be expecting it soon enough...

Was just on the website there....22 days! Holy ****! :eek:

Nothing yet. Checked the Runners World forum and seems like no-one has got anything yet. Think we can expect a pack in the post.

Peckham · 21-09-2013 5:34pm

Peckham wrote: »

Nothing yet. Checked the Runners World forum and seems like no-one has got anything yet. Think we can expect a pack in the post.

Just read your post again - seems like it's email only.

Peckham · 25-09-2013 8:11pm

The Participant Handbook has been uploaded to the marathon website. Looks like we can also expect a copy of this in the post as it will include the ticket we need to pick up our race number.

A few interesting bits in it:

1) Lots of free shuttle buses from the hotel areas to/from the Expo

2) Only four entrances into Grant Park on race morning (for c.40,000 people?), and all bags will be screened (however if you have no bag, then you get to access the park through an "express security lane". Also, gear check is on the far side of the park from where you enter

3) You need to cross over the start area in order to enter the starting corals - looks messy

4) Bar doesn't open until 11am! :eek: What's the point in rushing around the course - 3:15 it is for me!

5) We get one of these as our free drink

6) Our post-race pub is in the official race hotel - wonder if it will be particularly busy and worth considering a change of venue?

7) Race can be watched live here - think this will work from Ireland too

Race morning looks like it could be a little bit messy - particularly if we're looking to meet up before heading to the corrals. We'll need to plan this.

blockic · 26-09-2013 11:32am

Peckham wrote: »

A few interesting bits in it:

1) Lots of free shuttle buses from the hotel areas to/from the Expo

2) Only four entrances into Grant Park on race morning (for c.40,000 people?), and all bags will be screened (however if you have no bag, then you get to access the park through an "express security lane". Also, gear check is on the far side of the park from where you enter

3) You need to cross over the start area in order to enter the starting corals - looks messy

6) Our post-race pub is in the official race hotel - wonder if it will be particularly busy and worth considering a change of venue?

Race morning looks like it could be a little bit messy - particularly if we're looking to meet up before heading to the corrals. We'll need to plan this.

Nice one, might just head into town from the airport on Friday so and get a shuttle out or something...we can see if we are all up for going to the expo straight from the airport?

4 entrances looks like it could be a nightmare, have to get there well early so by the looks of it..6am?! :eek:

Start does indeed look messy but hopefully it won't be! Good call on the hotel i reckon, after 26 miles, I'm gonna at least need some seating!

Edit: Also I see the following:

Review your Packet Pick-Up Ticket for accuracy, including your: name, address, age, gender,
and Start Corral assignment. This information is critical for accurate scoring and mailing
of results.
Report any corrections or changes to the Bank of America Chicago Marathon office no later
than September 30, 2013.

Lets hope our details are correct as likely we won't get this until after the 30th if they are posting it to us!

Peckham · 26-09-2013 6:59pm

blockic wrote: »

we can see if we are all up for going to the expo straight from the airport?

Doubt I'll be going straight to Expo. Will likely drop stuff at the digs first.

belcarra · 27-09-2013 11:06am

re: picking up race numbers - I won't be in til after you guys anyways so won't be able to join you going to the expo.
With jet lag though I'll probably be awake nice and early Saturday morning so will look to go out there then, and be back in plenty of time for the architecture cruise at noon. Ye's are welcome to join my plans if ye like!

Also, TheBoyWonder is getting in a few miles post-injury in Jamaica so there's still a chance he will be joining us in Chicago also, although by his own admission probably be jogging to a 4 hour finish or thereabouts.

The after race pub (Kitty's) is only a few blocks away from the after race beer in the park so perhaps we should still aim to go there and if it's too busy at that stage seek somewhere else. With us being Irish and the fact that we should be in the top <20 percentile finishers we will probably get to the pub before the masses hopefully.

belcarra · 27-09-2013 11:14am

By the way, good news on the team competition...Pi$$ Artists has been officially entered and accepted as a team name!
Bad news is that the dopes have omitted my details!
I'll amend asap and add yaboya1 and tbw to the list also.

Peckham · 27-09-2013 11:42am

belcarra wrote: »

By the way, good news on the team competition...Pi$$ Artists has been officially entered and accepted as a team name!
Bad news is that the dopes have omitted my details!
I'll amend asap and add yaboya1 and tbw to the list also.

Cool! Only four teams in our division? What do we win?!

Krusty_Clown · 27-09-2013 11:51am

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

How about the pi$$ ARTists?

Belcarra wrote:

By the way, good news on the team competition...Pi$$ Artists has been officially entered and accepted as a team name!

I demand 10% of all winnings and three mentions during the acceptance speech.

belcarra · 27-09-2013 12:19pm

Peckham wrote: »

Cool! Only four teams in our division? What do we win?!

Entry concludes next Monday so hopefully nobody else will enter. If that is the case we have a great chance of winning a prize by default, never mind merit!!:pac:

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

I demand 10% of all winnings and three mentions during the acceptance speech.

The acceptance speech better be done and dusted before Noon as otherwise they may have trouble getting us back from the pub!

Itziger · 27-09-2013 3:19pm

belcarra wrote: »

Entry concludes next Monday so hopefully nobody else will enter. If that is the case we have a great chance of winning a prize by default, never mind merit!!:pac:

The acceptance speech better be done and dusted before Noon as otherwise they may have trouble getting us back from the pub!

Default was always going to be the best option.

blockic · 28-09-2013 8:37pm

Those flying Aer Lingus, did ye fill out the Advance Passenger Information on the website..mandatory aparently..

https://www.aerlingus.com/cgi-bin/obel01im1/bookonline/retrievePNRToChange.do?option=apis

@Peckham...yeah didn't realise I'd have a big bag with me! :rolleyes: Drop off first it is before the Expo!

BeepBeep67 · 28-09-2013 8:54pm

blockic wrote: »

@Peckham...yeah didn't realise I'd have a big bag with me! :rolleyes: Drop off first it is before the Expo!

You won't get all those tin mugs through customs!

Peckham · 28-09-2013 11:26pm

blockic wrote: »

Those flying Aer Lingus, did ye fill out the Advance Passenger Information on the website..mandatory aparently..

Did that a few weeks ago. Also, for anyone parking at the airport, DAA are doing discounted rates - €4 per day. Don't have the code to hand but let me know if anyone wants it.

ThePiedPiper · 28-09-2013 11:41pm

Peckham wrote: »

Did that a few weeks ago. Also, for anyone parking at the airport, DAA are doing discounted rates - €4 per day. Don't have the code to hand but let me know if anyone wants it.

yeah, would you send that code on to me if possible

blockic · 28-09-2013 11:48pm

Peckham wrote: »

Did that a few weeks ago. Also, for anyone parking at the airport, DAA are doing discounted rates - €4 per day. Don't have the code to hand but let me know if anyone wants it.

Yep, if you can send that on to me too if you find it! Cheers.

Peckham · 29-09-2013 7:30am

blockic wrote: »

Yep, if you can send that on to me too if you find it! Cheers.

Book at dublinairport.com. Use promo code likedaa13

Chicago Marathon - 12th Oct 2014

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