I ran this race the first time it came to Chicago in 2007 or '08, and several years following. At the time is was small. Now it's massive like the Shamrock shuffle, and when it first started growing they did a terrible job adjusting the course for the number of participants and it was a crowded wreck; The last time I ran (maybe 2010 or '11) I had to walk at several spots because it was so congested! However, I ran in 2013 after swearing that I'd never run this race again, and was very pleasantly surprised by how they'd heard the feedback and acted on it.

Course: The 2013 course was mostly in the city; to the west and south. They ran it on major city streets that were completely shut down which created space. The markers for where to turn if you were running the 5K or 15K were very clear. The open streets (and cool weather) made for a fast course; very easy to PR the 15K.

SWAG: It's always nice to get a thicker pull over vs a standard t-shirt. The black one they had this year wasn't bad, but in years last they've had some less than desirable colors. Everything else is pretty standard.

Management: You are moved along in a heard from place to place. Very systematic. The finish line, gear check, and post race are all very spread out.

Watch out: I have this feedback on every race now (the marathon the exception because they give you a very large bag), but the clear plastic bags that are now handed out for checking your gear are way too small! Especially for a race like this where you can get rain or early snow. There's no way extra clean dry shoes and clothes fit in the bag; let alone your standard pants and fleece you wear to the race out of necessity given the temps. If runners now need to check gear in a clear bag, the bag needs to be much bigger.