Run like a mama: Summer o' running

Summer early morning running has been a blast.

Even with Chicago's goofy summer weather--chilly and non-stop rains the first part (and thus, wicked chafing), hot the second part (OK, more chafing) -- it just rocked.

Friends and I mixed it up from just solely running Chicago's lakefront. I ran trails in Michigan (Kalamazoo and South Haven), Illinois (Palos, Des Plaines River Trail, Waterfall Glen) and Wisconsin (Kettle Moraine).

I renewed my "suburb crush" on Evanston by running its paths through Northwestern University's magnificent campus (boy, if I could go way back in time, I wish I would have pursued NU for school...Oh well) and along the North Shore with its tony lakefront mansions.

I ran alone more, too, which was nice and only a little bit lonely. And made some new running friends who I really like.

Not every run was new and exciting. There were lots of runs in my awesome city neighhorhood. Ravenswood, my home for 19 years and counting.Love our neighborhood's awesome urban, liberal family vibe.

There were a few pulse-quickening moments, like calling 911 this morning when the guy laying on the ground (but breathing) did not move despite my friend and I repeatedly yelling ARE YOU OK? Fortunately, when the paramedics got there, they quickly roused him, glassy-eyed and bewildered. There were also the crack or whatever-pipe smokers that one morning earlier this summer, also a 911 call. (So creepy).

Most of the time, though, partiers we encountered were just harmless revelers who hadn't gone to bed yet.

I'm not a great photographer. I was a newspaper reporter for years, and everyone knows reporters can't take decent pictures to save their lives. And I forgot to take a lot of photos, too. But here's pics from my summer o' running.

Bring on fall!