Great starter race if you've never ran a race before to understand corrals, running with groups of people, how to wear a bib, race/running etiquette, all that beginner stuff. But there are so many people involved, unless you're elite & can be at the very front of the pack, you don't have a chance. Lots of walkers get to the front of the lines. Lots of desk jockeys preening in front of their peers; (you don't need to wear a water belt for a 5k).

Also, if you're looking to change jobs, you get a sense of who the fun companies are. Lots of companies will go all out with food & drink, whereas others are just happy to get out of the office & go for a run.

I ran this race several years ago and then ran the Soldier Field 10 right after. It helped me to understand some of the dynamics at play during the race and take some of the edge off of the big race.