And All That Jazz

Still on the Chicago beat, catching up on some backlogged blogging..

Conference workshops behind us, we had a few minutes to step out and catch some of the local sights close to the hotel in Millenium Park.

I looked for Roxie Hart in the theatre district, alas, I was unsuccesful.

Me and my fellow human beans, reflected in the Bean

This mall's interior just screams out for a zombie apocalpyse showdown

Seriously, I just don't get art sometimes. It's all a puzzle to me.

My travelling companions, however, love it.

Had to stop here for two movie reasons: up top reminded me of the scene from Spider-Man 2, when he brought the runaway train to a halt.  Below?  The chase scene from Ghost.  Movie geek, that's me.

The day was complete when we stumbled on a comic book store.  Even in the Windy City....

Later, we stopped by the Presidential Suite at our hotel, the Fairmount Millenium Park, for a gathering with folks from other community colleges from Massachusetts.  What's the big deal about that?  It just happens to be the room where Barack Obama stayed the night before the election.

So naturally, that means a photo op in the Presidential bedroom....

And the desk where Obama worked on some of his campaign day remarks

Team MCC

It wouldn't be a trip to the Windy City without checking out the jazz music, some of the best to be found anywhere in the country.  This night brought us to Andy's Chicago Jazz.

Our MCC Jazz Quintet

And finally, some MCC swag to jazz up the joint

Running is an Art - Chicago Style

Pre-breakfast at the NCMPR conference, I convinced Mary-Jo Griffin and Donna Corbin to join me for a run to start the day.  Full disclosure: I NEVER told them how long it was going to be.

Both of them were good beans to join me.

Here's the Old Bean himself

Running past one of the multiple art museums that dot the Chicago landscape, Mary-Jo and Donna are Mighty Lions

Two Warriors

Hanging with Major Logan

Mary-Jo decided to add an extra loop around the park.  Show-off.

We made her pay for it by taking the stairs full-speed.

The MCC Public Affairs peeps

Great legs in Chicago

I've definitely got the legs for running

We've got a leg up on the folks who decided to sleep in

A couple of dinosaurs

Running is in my bones

Yeah, I found the start of the Chicago Marathon.  Maybe it's time to put that one on my list.....

My aces in the hole

Outside Soldier Field, I was proud to let people know I'm a Patriots fan

Heading back, the skyline (and our hotel) still seems a long way out

Fast fillies

A running Maverick

Damn the torpedoes, this run was a Hall of Famer!

By the time we were done, we logged a 6 mile run in the Windy City!  The most that both Mary-Jo and Donna have ever run!  Give them a big cheer!  Wonder if I can get them to join me for another jaunt the following morning...........

A Big Blow Takes the Windy City

Headed out to Chicago this week with some colleagues from the college to collect an award for the collection of Paul Sullivan columns that Middlesex Community College published in book form last year.  The conference was the annual event for the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations, and we were proud to represent the college at the awards dinner.

I, of course, took advantage of the mornings to get out there and log some running miles along Lake Michigan.  Armed of course, with a trusty camera to document the voyage.

It's never a good sign when your plane is painted like a whale from SeaWorld.

We landed late at night, but that didn't stop us from sampling a taste of what Chicago is famous for.  This one is for you, Andrew!

Did I mention that Chicago is windy?  Just to drive the point home, it's always reassuring when the street signs in front of your hotel have been blown over.

Early a.m., pre-conference, it's time to lace up the sneakers and go explore!

Lake Michigan from the riverwalk.

Some of the coolest ice floes I've ever seen, for sure.

A boatload of canoes at Navy Pier

The Bean - more to come on this in subsequent posts

Terminator deer

And of course, no run would be complete without asking a complete stranger to take your picture in front of the Chicago skyline, rocking Boston Marathon gear.  Hey, who knows when I'll be back in Chicago?!?

Next post, you'll see I convinced some of my traveling companions to join me.  Little did they know what they were in for...

Heartbreakers

With just over a month to the Boston Marathon, the E Streeters took to the hills of the marathon course, tackling Heartbreak Hill, not once, but twice!

And oh, the people you meet out there!

Atop Heartbreak at the entrance to Boston College, we stop to catch our breath

At the Chestnut Hill reservoir, the Boston skyline behind us, John and I always know where the camera is.

Coming back over the hills, who do we run into the but the Baron of Beantown Bootcamp himself, Joe Patuto, fresh off his own training run!

A couple of minutes later and it's the Great Scott himself, Scott Graham, reuniting the sons of two of the legendary Chelmsford Elks road race organizers

Two Boston Marathon great, both named John, Kelly and Piekos.  One is a legend, the other is a legend in his own mind.

The real reason we do these workouts on the course?  The unbelievable support systems along the access road that provide you drinks, support, and well, you can see what else they offer

I cast a long shadow

And finally, a 16 miler in the books, we do what all other great runners do.  Eat Mexican food!

In Tommy's case, that means a Man vs. Food showdown with a three-pound burrito.

Sean impressed us all by ordering the entire meal in German, which was a problem in the Mexican restaurant.  As you can see, ripe as we were, the waiters and other patrons gave us a wide berth.

No idea where next weekend's training run will take us, but hopefully, there's Mexican food waiting for us at the end.