Sugar, We're Going Down Running: Paste:Local Takes On the Nike+ Human Race

[Above: The author celebrates an unlikely accomplishment to the sweet sounds of Fall Out Boy.]

On Sunday, 25 cities around the world participated in Nike+ Human Race. Billed as the “World’s Biggest One-Day Running Event,” the 10K jaunt culminated in music concerts held in each city: Chicago got locally-grown Fall Out Boy, while hometown boy Kanye West teamed up with Common in Los Angeles.

Joining close to 14,000 other Chicago runners, the largest turnout of any U.S. city participating in the global run, was one of the most exhilarating and intimidating things I’ve done in a long while. For a 30-something casual runner, who hadn’t run more than three miles at a time in a decade, this 10K (6.2 miles) was seemingly insurmountable challenge. But it was well worth the aches and pains that are still with me two days later.

This is what races are all about: people of all levels pushing themselves farther than they think they can go. For some it’s beating times, for others it’s training for the next big race and, for some on this particular run, it was all about the chance to see Fall Out Boy. Since I’m not 13, I had little interest in the latter; for me, it was about getting the chance to stand on Soldier Field after proving something important to myself. Adults often forget the childhood mantra of "anything's possible," but do something youthfully preposterous-- such as entering and completing a 10K race, despite having never run that far-- and it will restore the belief that nothing is out of reach.

The starting line flanked Soldier Field with runners aligned by athletic ability, the elite athletes getting first crack at the course. My friend Amy and I took our marks at the way back of the crowd, debating on if we should run/walk, walk, or simply back out, chill in the air-conditioned media area and just attend the concert at the end of the race. But once we crossed the line, with Kanye West’s “Stronger” and All-American Rejects “Move Along" pumping us up through the speakers (both bands were performing Human Race after-concerts that day, Kanye in LA and the Rejects in New York City), our adrenaline soon took over.

Encouraged by the runners around us, we began a slow and steady jogging pace, figuring we’d just stop and walk when it got to be too much. The course headed south and each marker we passed propelled us further along. Along the path, various marginal bands played; none stood out, but they served as decent distraction and added a reason to move quickly away when thoughts turned towards walking rather than running-- time to pick up the pace.

We passed cheer sections comprising different neighborhoods and an Olympic 2012 section.  Running by a grandmother strolling with her granddaughter, giggling girlfriends pumped for FOB, and watching as “real" runners flew by us-- all of this enhanced the experience. We were neither the slowest nor the fastest runners in the race, but we still belonged.

Shortly after passing the 5K sign-- at that point, the farthest I had gone for any race-- the trek turned north and we were flanked by Lake Michigan, with downtown Chicago gleaming in the distance. Somewhere nearby, Tom Petty’s “American Girl” was blaring from speakers. "Oh yeah, all right, take it easy baby, make it last all night..." It was gorgeous and invigorating as the sun began to make its way behind the skyline.

By then, our knees were beginning to ache and there was still no sign of Soldier Field. As anyone who has been in a race knows, pushing through that last couple miles really sucks. But we just kept running. As "Livin' on a Prayer" blared as we approached the final leg, I swore under my breath. We were more than “halfway there"-- damn you, Bon Jovi! Thank God for Bruce, who told us we were “Born To Run” as Amy and I sprinted to the finish line.

Elation! We made it! We ran the whole 10K! And while the reward of Fall Out Boy wasn't my first prize choice (I was more excited to have run on Soldier Field), the band had the crowd riled, congratulating runners for their accomplishments. From their catchy mega-hit “Sugar, We’re Going Down,” to their cover of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It,” Fall Out Boy and running a 10K brought out the 13-year-old in me: Invigorated, ecstatic, jumping about with giddy abandon to some sugary radio hits, it was all a reminder that we’re never too mature to reach new heights.

Were you at the Nike+ Chicago run? Share your story with us.