Ice Cream and Athletic Glory

I rejoined my running crew, but not without difficulty. [READER]( M[y running crew]( has been running from [the Freeze]( in Logan Square to different ice cream spots in the city since late March, but I've sat out most of those runs. After spending most of the pandemic in my apartment, my body basically forgot about the act of running. The indoor exercises that sustained me throughout the pandemic did not sustain my ability to run in circles for several miles. So when the friends I routinely ran with before the pandemic regrouped at a regular interval, I rebooted my running training program. This is the third time I've started an app to get in the rhythm of routinely running five kilometers. I did it seven summers ago to prepare for a bachelor party in which all of us who organized the event surreptitiously signed the groom-to-be up for a 5K. I completed my training before I flew to New England for the bachelor party, and I ran the race while carrying a homemade flag emblazoned with an ironed-on photo of the bachelor of the hour. I got into the routine of running five kilometers every other day since then, though I'd take days off whenever Chicago got hit with subzero temperatures. Those days off stretched into weeks in late 2018 and early 2019; once the weather warmed up, I restarted my training program from day one. Starting from scratch a third time proved strangely challenging. Before the pandemic, I'd pushed myself to do more than my routine five-kilometer excursions. I'd gone further than I ever thought I could with my running crew; in the fall of 2019, we did a run down to the Original Rainbow Cone in Beverly, and our path had us on our feet for more than 14 miles. The memory of putting my body through hours-long runs still felt fresh when I began to put my sneakers on the pavement again just a couple months ago. I didn't anticipate the mental challenge of holding onto that idea of my brief athletic glory while simultaneously getting winded after running a mile. I completed my training program last week, and I rejoined my running crew for the second time this year last night. We completed a 3.2 miler from the Freeze to Annette's Italian Ice in Lincoln Park. And by "we," I mean the four other people who ran with me. About three miles in I had to cut my run short and walk for a bit while the rest of the group moved ahead. I caught my breath, ambled down a sidestreet, and sporadically jogged the rest of the way to Annette's on my own. Tomorrow, I'll lace up my sneakers with a new running goal in mind. Sincerely, ["Brockton Rap Collective Van Buren Records Is Making A Name For Itself And Its City,"]( by Mano Sundaresan (WBUR) ["G Herbo's Life at 25,"]( by Andre Gee (Complex) ["The Mad Pandemic Bottleneck of Indie Bands,"]( by Samantha Hissong (Rolling Stone) ["Independence Day,"]( by Rollie Pemberton (Cadence Weapon) Larry June, [Orange Print]( Jungle Green, [Jungle Green Will Never Make It]( snag., [Death Doula]( RXK Nephew, [Slitherman Activated]( [Tap Secret! offers "cotton candy" escapism and a welcome return to live performance]( Chicago Tap Theatre and JC Brooks team up for a new show with a 90s beat. By [Melissa Perry]( [@melissaperry99]( [Eschaton is a virtual cabaret with a surreal twist]( Host Tony Grayson rolls out the willkommen mat for a livestream variety show. By [Catey Sullivan]( [@CateySullivan]( [GOSSIP WOLF:]( critic Jessica Hopper publishes an expanded edition of her first book]( Plus: Bryan Away (aka Elliot Korte) drops an album of lush folk-pop, and an animated footwork film joins the projections on the Merchandise Mart. By [J.R. Nelson]( [@JR1Nelson]( and [Leor Galil]( [@imLeor]( [Chicago’s Devin Shaffer channels idiosyncrasies into soundscapes on In My Dreams I’m There]( By [Shannon Nico Shreibak]( [@essenness]( [Issue of Jun 24 - July 7, 2021 Vol. 50, No. 20]( [Download Issue]( (PDF) 1971 Chicagoans have relied on the Reader for trusted alternative coverage of our city. The Chicago Reader is now a 501c3 nonprofit organization which means our survival is in your hands. In order to continue to be your trusted alternative voice of Chicago, we need your help. If you can donate just $5 today, we can show the world that community funded, independent journalism is the future. [DONATE TODAY!]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2021 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. You are receiving this e-mail after having opted in to one or more of our newsletters, memberships, or e-mail lists via our website, Facebook, or at an event. Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader 2930 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 102Chicago, IL 60616 [Add us to your address book](