For the 5th year in a row, the Palos Half Marathon – a.k.a. the First Midwest Bank Southwest Half Marathon was a huge success. The weather was absolutely perfect for the start and during the event. The organizers of this event year after year have done a great job with the entire event.
The packet pick up for the event is held in conjunction with the village’s Health Expo. There are tons of volunteers and the whole packet pick up process is quick and painless. Because packet pick up is required before the day of the race, race morning tends to go very smoothly.
Because we set up the Team Tri Smart tent, a few of our club members always arrive early on the scene. It is a bit chaotic, but it is organized chaos as the vendors start arriving to put up their displays and offer freebies for the runners. Each vendor is assigned a specific position.
The runners start to arrive and energy begins to fill the air. The porta potty lines start to grow and the runners start discussing last-minute decisions – should I wear sunglasses, do I need gloves, how many gels do you think I need to bring? Even though many of us arrive early, the time flies and before you know it, it’s time to line up for the race start.
Thanks to all the organizers of the event and especially Running for Kicks. We’ll be back again next year!
