No Hustling for Me Next Year

Registration for the 2008 Hustle up the Hancock opened today. As of this writing, the full climb is sold out and I’d suspect the half-climb will be soon too. After the amount of money we spent on me the Chicago Marathon (hotels take it upon themselves to rape you that weekend), it just isn’t in the budget for next year.  Plus, if you’ve ever done this event, you know that the journey to the top of the John Hancock Tower is faster than your journey back down.  In years past, my time to climb has been in the 20min neighborhood, and the line for the elevator back down is in the 90min neighborhood.  That doesn’t make it the most kid friendly, so add babysitting onto the tab.

It’s a bit sad, really.  This was my first event, and completing it was my first realization that I could actually participate in strenuous events. I know there are a ton of great events in the Milwaukee area, and I plan on trying to find an participate in those. I still haven’t determine what they’ll be (probably at least a couple 5k’s and some longer races), but that is still a few months off.

Good luck to all you climbers that got in! I will say despite the long elevator line afterward, it is well worth it.  There are thousands of races out there, but only one chance a year to climb the 1632 stairs to the observation deck of "Big  John." Plus it benefits a great cause, and having also done Go Vertical! Chicago (climbing the Sears Tower, registration is still open today for the November 11th climb), I can say it is a very well run event.