When I first met my friend Colleen, I was drawn to her energy and enthusiasm. When I got to know her more, I found out we both had a love of running, pizza and beer. It was a match made in heaven. And to make things even better, she ended up marrying one of Jarrett’s best friends so we’ve been able to spend even more time together! Over the years Colleen and I have done many races together, from 5Ks to Ragnar Relays. Colleen is the runner I wish I could be – she’s so impressive and make it look effortless! In the years I’ve known her, she’s run multiple marathons and I’ve been able to watch her at a few of them. In 2018 she decided to run the Chicago marathon. I had never been to Chicago and Jarrett had only been briefly for a cousin’s wedding so we decided to go for the long weekend and show our support.
Unfortunately it was raining on the day of the marathon but Colleen handled it like a champ. I’m always so proud watching her run and I don’t understand how she can keep her composure and a smile on her face 20 miles into a race. After the race finished and she freshened up, the four of us and another couple went out for pizza (of course!) and then bar hopped around a bit. My favorite place we stopped at was The Game Room in the Chicago Athletic Hotel.
The next day Jarrett and I spent the day exploring. Even though we were in Chicago in October, it was so hot! We did some touristy things but since it was our first time in the city, there was a lot we wanted to see.
We walked a bit of the Magnificent Mile and then went to Navy Pier. The highlight of the trip was doing an architectural boat tour through the city. I’ve always loved architecture so I found this absolutely fascinating. The tour guides were so funny and we learned a lot. At the end of the tour, the boat went out into Lake Michigan and we got a great view of the city. When we got back on land we rode the Centennial Wheel and checked out the rest of the pier.
It was a quick trip, with only two real full days in the city. I would love to go back again, even just for another long weekend to see what else the city has to offer. Have you ever run a marathon? Or if you’ve been to Chicago, what are some must things things in the city?
📍I acknowledge the lands mentioned in this post are the ancestral lands of the Peoria, Bodwéwadmi (Potawatomi), Myaamia, Kaskaskia and Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo) people.
The Adventures of Suze 
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