This was low key race, with a very fun after party.
As you can guess from the name it was a race put on by the Chicago Bears, Nike and Fleet Feet to kickoff the 2014 Football Season. Put those three sponsors together and you are most definitely going to have a great time.
The race offered race day packet pick up which is a big plus, especially for a weeknight event. The packet pick up lines were a bit long, but moved fairly quickly.
The course was pretty typical for one in the Soldier Field area, so if you run a lot of summer races evening races in Chicago, this course may be a bit boring for you. What made this race/course different, was the start line. They began the race with a NFL style kick off (think fireworks, mascots, and even a video from your favorite Chicago Bear player).They had staggered start times of every 15 minutes, which was a convient option for the after work crowd.
I would say this wasn't a very competitive race, but more of a fun run style, perfect to run with friends or family. By having staggered starts, the course didn't seem too crowded.
The after party was my favorite part of the evening. There was the typical post run complimentary beer and other stadium style food for purchase. Once you got your food and beer, you could mingle in the tailgate area that had been staged and hang out with your friends. Once the race was over, they showed the football game on a jumbo-tron, which encouraged runners to stay and "tailgate".
Overall great event, fun low key race, and if you like football, you will love the post race party.