Race Review: First Midwest Bank Southwest Half Marathon

Registration just opened for this great local half. Go HERE to register! Thanks to Maggie of Run for Pi(e) for writing this review.

Review of the First Midwest Bank Southwest Half Marathon in Palos Heights, IL – review is of the 2010 race, which was my very first half marathon.

Registration: Online and easy. Registration opens up in November, and they reported that they sold out about 10 days before the race in 2011.

Cost: Don’t remember what it was then, but for the 2012 race, it’s $55.

Packet pick-up: At Moraine Valley Church in Palos Heights. Free parking. Lots of exhibitors, and no lines for bib/shirt pick-up.

Swag: You know how the RAM folks like to say the Hot Chocolate has the best goodie bag? I think the Southwest Half does, at least it did in 2010, and relative to the cost. Short sleeve tech shirt, free pair of Feetures performance socks, lots of free snacks (Clif bars, etc), a gift card to Francesca’s (although I’m not sure for how much and I never used it … I think I still have it … wonder if it’s still good), lots of flyers for other local races, lots of coupons for local businesses.

Race Day: The race starts on Rt 83 in southwest suburban Palos Heights, IL. Parking was in surface lots down the street from the start/finish – a little bit of a walk, but only a few blocks. And it was free. There was a long line for the port-a-potties, but that should be expected. You have 2,000 people with one goal: poop before the race starts. (There. I said it.) Also, gear check was quick and easy (before and after the race).

Start corral: Open corral, marked by pace. It’s a smallish race (1,636 finishers in 2011 and 1,427 in 2010) so it didn’t feel too crowded.

Actual race: Almost perfect. The course was an out-and-back along Route 83 through Palos Heights and Palos Park. Most of that stretch is wooded, either along the forest preserve or wooded residential areas. Very pretty and quiet. Streets were closed to traffic. There was a band playing at the turn-around. There were some folks along the route cheering, which was nice, but mostly it was just us running through the trees. The course was pretty flat, minus the part where Rt 83 goes over LaGrange Rd/Rt 45.I think the water stations were every other mile, and I think every other one had Gatorade. There were also port-a-potties at the water stations, or you could just dash into the trees (as some runners did). I was near the back of the pack and they were running out of cups by the time I hit the later stations, which sucked. At one point, a volunteer just handed me a giant bottle of water. I took a few sips, but didn’t want to carry it, so I just set it on the side of the road in case another runner saw it and needed it.Photography on the course was done by Action Sports Images, and they got quite a few good pictures of me. They were at the start and finish line getting you as your crossed, and also on the course. I don’t remember seeing any post-finish photographers getting shots of runners with their medals. (On my way back to my car, I asked someone to take a picture of me with my phone.)

Finish: By the time I finished, there was still a crowd cheering for us. Like I said – I was back of the pack. I quickly got my medal and my bottle of water. No bottle-necking. There were free massages/stretching, but I didn’t get one. There was also the usual bagels, bananas, etc, and live music. And beer – I don’t remember if it was free or not, I had zero interest in beer at that point. My hands were bloated and my legs were tired, I just wanted to sit with my feet on a chair and drink water and try to eat something and let it sink in that I just finished my first half marathon.

Overall: Great race. Minus the lack of water near the end for the back of the pack, it was pretty perfectly done. Also that year we had perfect weather – chilly (for May) at the start, but warmed up (I wore a tank and shorts). I definitely recommend this race, especially if you live in the south/southwest suburbs. However, because it is a smaller longer distance race in the suburbs and without some kind of novelty or gimmick (like the RnR Chicago Half, or the Soldier Field 10, or the Hot Chocolate 15K), most of the runners are more serious runners. I finished in 2:48 and the pack had thinned out a lot around me in the last few miles – I was 1,351 out of 1,427. I don’t think that should discourage anyone from signing up (and I don’t think they have a time limit), but just something to keep in mind.