An Unusual Invitation

Some months ago my friend Tam mentioned she had started organizing the next "Journey" for Chicago. I'd heard a bit about the previous year's event & thought it sounded like a hell of a lot of fun. I was drawn to the concept and liked the fact that it was non-sponsored and unsanctioned. We were discussing the trouble she was having finding a finish line venue & other complications, including volunteers. It was at this point I mentioned coming up from Cinti to take part.

She said I could be a chaser. Thankfully she made no mention of a 5.5 mile course, or I would have laughed and asked what else I could do. Maybe hold a sign or something? Still, I knew chasing would involve running, and being terribly out of shape resolved to start training to try & prepare myself to catch people who think running halfway across a city is a fun thing to do on a Saturday night. Athletic types, in other words. Which, in case I haven't made myself clear, I am not.

I did start exercising a lot more. It didn't make me any faster, as I was to learn, but it did definitely help and of course did a lot for my own personal health and well-being. Just one part of the impact this game would end up having on me before it was all said and done.


I Love It When A Plan Comes Together

I got on the emailing list. Various ideas about checkpoints and stuff were knocked around. At some point the chase team formed into our own cell and we started talking strategy. The lead guy, Kyle, talked about how as "seed" chasers we just needed to tag a couple-few people to get the "infection" started. We discussed forming small groups of 2-3 and having one person try to drive the runners into other chasers. I immediately volunteered to be one of those herders, knowing that I'm not breaking any 100-yard dash records but that I am more than capable of making a spectacle of myself.

I was also following the checkpoint agents & other volunteers as they came up with their themes and was struck by the imagination and creativity this group of random people were displaying. The chaser trophy had a damn light in it! Too cool.. There were robots. And muffins. And all sorts of other spectacular things going on that I didn't get to witness but kept hearing about all night at the bar after the race. But first...

MAYDAY

I left Cinti via [FNORD]bus & arrived in downtown Chicago around 1400 local. Wandered around for a few but was carrying a duffel and figured I'd give my gracious hosts a call. Just as they picked up an El train thundered overhead, completely drowning any hopes of conversation. Welcome to the city! While I waited for a call back I grabbed some coffee at one of the [FNORD] Donuts that seem to be on every 3rd corner. Coffee down and having not heard back yet, I decided I would head to the park since the meeting was less than 2 hours away, then once I was in the area grab a bite to eat.



No sooner had I walked from the subway station to the park & started looking around than I noticed a voicemail. Naturally Tam had called me back while I was underground and out of contact. I headed back, dropped off my bag, and we then drove over to the park with the gear for the starting line.



Tam & I had talked about the Mayday tradition and how the previous year used the Labor Trail for part of the course. We talked about Haymarket and the Pullman Strikes & such. I was ready for some pandemonium in the streets! There was a bit of pre-gaming at the park and then I joined up with a red-eyed Veritas Noir & another dude named Joe who was wearing serious-runner-type gear. We noticed the park was filling up with runners and decided to head on out and find a good area to ambush them from. We said hello to a friendly group of robots running the first checkpoint and then spread out.


Release the Hounds!

I found a large parking lot just North of CP 1 on Bliss that exited onto both Cherry and Hickory. It had a ramp to the entryway that was pretty well obscured by some bushes. This would be my basecamp. I dropped my bag and changed into the getup I'm pictured wearing below. It wasn't long before I heard someone running up the street and darted out after him. This guy accelerated away from me like I was wearing clown shoes. He finished alive, at least. I did this a few more times, scattering large groups of runners back up Cherry and away from the CP. Hopefully my other chaser teammates nabbed some of them in the panic because for one, I'm slow, and for another didn't want to stray too far from what seemed like a good hiding spot. So far I hadn't caught a single runner.



I realized the runners were leaving CP 1 via the next street over, which had a few 18-wheelers parked up the side. I hid in front of one and waited. Guile beats speed! I caught my first runner. He seemed a little pissed, which I figured was a good thing because he'd be a motivated chaser and was definitely faster than me. He surrendered his runner ribbon and exhorted me to hurry up & tie on the yellow chaser one so he could get moving. I'm guessing he caught more runners than I did, because I only got one other guy & he was smoking a cig while running!

I chased a few more though, and definitely sent one group right into a pair of chasers who were a block up from me.


Narrow Escapes & Where the Hell Am I Going?

I ducked back to my "blind" to get some water and got a text from HQ telling us to move up. I started heading that way and saw one of the more amazing escapes of the night. One chaser had made this runner turn and double back through a parking lot. The security guard had come out of his little shack but didn't seem to know what to do about a couple of people chasing each other around his lot. Another chaser appeared, and this dude was fast. I noticed he probably had a foot or more longer stride on the runner and was closing as I moved to block an exit, but thought he had her for sure. All of a sudden she kicks it into a whole other gear and left this guy in the dust, jetting into a fenced-in loading dock sort of thing. I found myself cheering her on! I didn't see an exit though, and figured the two chasers would team up to get her and wanted to get ahead of the pack so I headed North again, consulting my map and looking for an El platform to take me up between CP 4 & 5.

I got hissed at and chased myself by a goose protecting its goslings. I met one runner coming across a railroad bridge, but within 100 feet of the water was considered a safe zone so I just tipped my hat.. I saw a couple of groups of runners around the [FNORD] Foods that was CP2 but didn't get anywhere near them. I walked through the North edge of the safe zone to see what kind of crowd the CP had. It seemed to be clearing out so I figured I should hustle. I ducked into the doorway of a closed clothing store and changed back into street clothes.

This turned out to be kind of funny, because I soon found myself walking through the kind of neighborhood more in line with the tweed coat & tie I had been wearing. I didn't notice at first, because I'd found myself focusing on everyone's upper arm looking for ribbons. I realized I was carrying clothes in a shopping bag and wearing a stuffed backpack. And with a yellow ribbon around my arm. I must have been getting off the trail on my way to the train station because I didn't see any runners until I got off the train at Belmont. I did get a lot of snooty looks that made me want to start tagging randoms.


They'll Have to Get Past Me First

I decided to check in at the finish and grab a beer. I changed back into my suit and headed back out, determined to make a last stand. I started heading East on Belmont and then back and forth down more dimly-lit sidestreets that seemed like they'd be inviting to a runner. I didn't find anyone.

I got down to Broadway and heard running footsteps. I turned just in time to see the same woman who had ducked into the loading dock back between CP 1 & 2 turn and run into an alley from about a block away. Aha! I headed back around the corner, determined to cut her off, but there wasn't an exit. I headed around the block, but no exit there either. I went back around to where she'd entered and didn't see her. I hope she made it to the finish untagged.

At this point I was only passing other chasers and decided to wait about a block from the finish line. I sat there for a good 45 minutes on a stairway waiting and every few minutes someone would come jogging by. All were chasers. I decided I'd done my work and headed back to the bar.


Observations

When you're looking for ribbons on people's arms first, your initial impression of them becomes muted. Physical attributes and style of dress etc. are secondary & seem like an afterthought because you're already scanning the next person.

Adrenaline is the greatest.

Fun is contagious. I had several different people from all different walks of life express a genuine interest in what we were doing & how it worked.

I am still not in shape.

Halfway through the night, navigating the streets of an unfamiliar city by myself, I started to get my bearings and felt like I knew where I was going. Still, locals would probably do a lot better as chasers.

There is quite a rush to be had from charging up a street alone at a group of 50-100 people and having them scatter in a complete panic like you're a pissed-off Yeti on rocket skates.

This is one of the cooler things I've ever taken part in. Thanks to the organizers, volunteers, and all 400-something of the runners, too.