"And just like that, I felt like I could take on the world."
"At that moment, I was grateful I wasn't running the Chicago Marathon the same year."
"A very, very, cold race."
"5 years later, and it is still the largest medal I currently have."
"Shockingly, no turkeys took part in this race."
"This race officially introduced me to the Chicago Booth Running Club."
"I 'carb-loaded' with a bagel that morning and thought it was enough."
"I did not account for the summer heat, and I was already panting by the 6th K."
"I ran 7 miles down the mountain surrounded by densely packed trees, in pitch darkness — and couldn't help smiling throughout."
"I remember watching with envy as a slew of runners were about to celebrate the end of the race, while I still had roughly six miles to go."
"Even though I wasn't able to run the full half-marathon, I was able to beat my previous record by fifteen minutes. So that's something, I guess."
"The sprint down Michigan Avenue was my favorite part of the race — the road wide open, the crowd roaring, and the skyline rising to my right."
