I got my husband to sign up for the Run for the Zoo at Lincoln Park Zoo this year and he loved it! We left early and watched the sun come up over the lake as we drove through the city. It was very romantic… (Not really, it was just early.)

But because we were so early, we were able to get awesome parking and our bibs without any crowds. They also had a super organized gear check so we could have dry clothes ready for us at the finish. And we got to enjoy indoor zoo bathrooms and some of the animals before there were large crowds.

The weather was perfect with absolutely no humidity, a nice breeze and blue skies. And I love the way everything was on time.

7:30 a.m.: 5K Run/Walk
8:15 a.m.: 10K Run
9:00 a.m.: Safari Stampede (Heat 1)
9:45 a.m.: Safari Stampede (Heat 2)

Because my wonderful Hubby gave up his early morning for me, I decided we could stick together throughout the whole race. He wanted to do a run/walk pace (his favorite) so I ran it with him. And let me tell you–it was a lot of FUN.

During each of our walk breaks I took pictures! There were 600 runners in the Run for the Zoo 5K.

The course was pretty crowded and LOADED with kids. It was fun watching all the families run together. This is definitely a family-oriented event. But if you are a serious, fast runner, you do get some great prizes. Like plane tickets, zoo memberships and plush toys from their gift shop.

We had a blast running around kids, puddles and by the animals. There’s nothing funnier than hearing, “Oh look, a zebra!” during a race. We crossed the finish line together and totally enjoyed the race. And look, you get FREE downloads from the course photographers.

When we were done we grabbed some water, fruit and freebees like waterbottles and snack bars.

We did make it back in time to watch the 10K runners start their race. Ram Racing did a fantastic job getting everyone through each race. And the announcer kept everyone excited to start.

After wishing everyone good luck we headed to the beer tent! Isn’t it funny that runners think nothing of drinking a beer at 8:30am after a race???

The Run for the Zoo was a fun race and I would definitely recommend this run to anyone who wants to support Lincoln Park Zoo. The money keeps the zoo free for everyone to enjoy.

Helpful Hints
Get to the race early. Parking lots fill up fast and there are street closings that begin at 4am.
Pack a clean set of clothes. There are plenty of bathrooms to change in.
Bring your own bag for gear check. They do not have them there.
Get to the front of the corrals if you plan on being fast. It’s pretty crowded after the first couple of corrals.
Bring your ID for the beer tent. They require it!