Zach Runs Chicago

Alright runners - the Humana Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon is back in Chicago on July 19th. And, in fact, this year it's basically a running festival from Friday through Sunday (July 17th-19th), with the expo on Friday and Saturday, a 5K on Saturday and a 10K and half on Sunday. And this year if you run the 5K on Saturday and then either the 10K or half on Sunday you get a special "Remix Challenge" medal . Because these kinds of "challenge" gimmicks always work on me, I'm now registered for both the 5K and the half. I'm not saying you have to do both... but... If you're ready to register today, it's $20 off because of the Blackhawks' win last night: Discount code: CHIWINS Valid: 6/11 And if you're waiting to register and want to save $15 on the half, here's some info that might be helpful: Discount code: SAVE15 Valid: Between 6/13-6/15 Registration link: http://www.runrocknroll.com/save15

As a member of the running community I've obviously heard a lot about the Rock 'n' Roll series over the last several years - especially since the brand was purchased by Competitor Group in 2008 and really started expanding - but I'd never run one before. I figured now was a good time to check one out. On Friday afternoon I went to McCormick Place for the expo (I figured it would be easier to get in and out on Friday than on Saturday). After picking up my bib, shirt and "swag bag" (their words) I spent a good deal of time walking around checking out all the booths (and there were a lot). Even though I knew Rock 'n' Roll is a big brand for some reason I was still surprised by the size of the expo and the amount of free stuff they were giving out. I'd guess the expo was about half the size of the Chicago Marathon. As I was getting ready to leave I walked past a booth and almost walked into Dean Karnazes . While I wasn't a big fan of his last...