It was such an unexpectedly warm May day, but I'm so glad I ran this 10k race. I am slowly getting back into running fitness and used this race as a check-in for my goal half marathon (Rock N Roll Chicago) and goal marathon (Chicago). My plan was to start around 6:50 pace and see if i could bring down the pace for the duration of the 10k. I ended up at 6:59 pace, so not quite what I was hoping, but the heat was a big factor and the fact that in some parts I had a hard time figuring out where to run because of the congestion. Since I was in the 10k, we started after the half and around mile 3 and 4 I got trapped between the leaders in the half coming from the other direction and the 3 hour half group going the same direction as me, which I was struggling to run around , since it was a big group. That is my only complaint about the race, the congestion. It was otherwise well run, plenty of aid stations, and the bonus breakfast buffet at the end was awesome. I also loved that each of us got to take home a free plant, mine is still (surprisingly) kicking today. I'd run this race again, but ideally the half marathon, rather than the 10k.

This was my first time running the Shamrock Shuffle and I had a great time. :) The expo was small, but had some good swag and it was easy to find my race bib, shirt, etc. On race morning it was easy to get into the park and my corral-much easier than it was at the Chicago marathon. I got to the park 45 min early, warmed up, checked my gear, and then made my way to corral A for the race. I hadn't been running much going into this race (about 15 mi/week) and just recovering form an injury, so i went in ready to have fun. The course was similar to the Chicago marathon, flat and fast. There were a few aid stations, but with the short race and cool weather, I did not need the fluids. It was well marked and there was carpet on the slippery bridge, which was nice. I did much better than expected with my lack of training and the energy on the course was contagious. It was a great kickoff to the 2019 racing season! Post race i got my medal and there were plenty of snacks from Mariano's and beers for all. I definitely want to run the Shuffle again in 2020!

I was lucky enough to run my first ever 10k at the Lincoln Park Zoo Run for the Zoo on Sunday June 3, 2018. Even though I ran cross country/track in college, I never made it through a track season due to injury and thus never got the chance to run a 10k race. The weather on race morning was absolutely perfect for a shorter race: sunny, no wind, and in the 70's. :)

My training for this race was virtually non-existent. I ran the Illinois Half Marathon on April 28, 2018 and after the race I took a couple weeks off/very low mileage due to some knee/hip pain. Once I finally started running again, I did not do any speed work and only ran 9 times between the half marathon and this race, so I was very surprised with the outcome.

-Expo/Packet pick up: The packet pick-up was held the Friday and Saturday before the race at the Lincoln Park Zoo. It was easy to find and the volunteers were friendly. I picked up packets for myself, my husband, and some friends since I was off work the Friday before the race.

-Parking: It was a little tough to find parking at the Lincoln Park Zoo lot and it was a little expensive, but it was worth it to get a close parking spot. Michael and his mom found a parking garage about a mile from the zoo for cheaper. Free Street parking is hard to come by in the area, so you should either take public transit or be willing to shell out some cash for parking. 

-Waiting for the start: The start line was easy to find and had different sections of the corral depending on your projected finish time pace. I lined up a the appropriate spot, but I felt like a lot of other people did not. There were definitely people who started too fast and then faded, but I feel like this happens most races. 

-Race course: The course was relatively flat and fast. It started on the road in front of the Lincoln Park Zoo, then moved to the Lake Front Running Path, and then you finished with a loop inside the Zoo. There were lots of beautiful views to take in on the 10k course! The only parts of the course I did not like was the start of the race/end of the race were run on the uneven road and the slippery board walk in the last half mile. I felt nervous that I was going to slip, but I luckily did not. It is not the race's fault either- it had rained the night before. Overall, they did a great job of marking the course and ensuring our safety.

 
-Post race/after party: As soon as I finished the race inside the Zoo, I was greeted with all kinds of beverages and treats. My favorite was the post-race popsicle! There were various vendors out and about, so you could get a lot of free treats. Kind bars, beer, water, Gatorade, and Bobo's Oat Bars to name a few. You could take a walk through the Zoo to say hello to the animals, take pictures in any of the ionic locations in the zoo, or dance to the post-race music. 

-Swag: Every finisher got a cool dri-fit shirt. The top male and female 5k and 10k winners each won free flight tickets, so that was cool. As mentioned above, there were treats galore. There were also free race photos and they definitely captured some great moments during the race. :P

Overall, it was fun race! It’s flat and fast which is perfect for obtaining a 5k or 10k PR. I'd run it again next year!

Despite having a cold, I am happy to say I crossed the line in 1:34:06, good for a 6 minute PR. The highlight of the race weekend, though, was my husband's massive 26 minute PR in the marathon. He finished in 2:42:57 good enough for a 2019 BQ!

Expo/Packet pick up: My husband and I encountered wicked Friday late afternoon Chicago traffic and an hour into the trip knew we were not going to make the expo in time. Thank goodness for our friend Mikey (who ran the 10k race) and saved the day! He picked up the packets for us and then delivered them to us at dinner. 

Waiting for the start: It was a little chilly so I wore a "throw" shirt, but everything was easily marked with signs. There seemed to be enough porta potties and the lines moved quickly. I didn't use one, but that's always a pro in my book!

Race course: The course was flat and fast! Perfect course for a PR. It went though campus, nearby neighborhoods, and a park. There were tons of spectators throughout the course, which was a nice morale boost. There were ample aid stations. I only took in water, because I don't fuel for half marathons, but they also had Gatorade and GUs. I also remember one aid station that offered sliced oranges. I'm not sure how to eat while running (hence one of the many reasons I'm not ready for an ultra. lol), but it was a nice gesture.The energy toward the finish was unreal! The last mile of the race you made your way toward to finish in the stadium and it was so cool! I was in awe of how beautiful the campus was and excited to be close to the finish. :P I can imagine that people who attend/attended University of Illinois for college felt emotional at the finish! I know if I ever return to my alma mater to run the race that finishes on our track that I will get emotional.  The stadium finish was hands down my favorite part of the race! :)

Post race/after party: At the finish, in the stadium, I was wrapped in a heat sheet, offered water, offered a sports drink, and offered a stretch from the Athletico station. There were also ample opportunities for photos, which I took as I waited anxiously for my husband to finish the marathon. I took some photos with friends and alone while I waited. I also got stretched out at the Athletico station which felt awesome on my tight hips and IT band.Once my husband finished in an astonishing 2:42:57, we took a few more photos with and without the PR bell. The PR bell had received a lot of love at this point and was broken...we took photos anyway!:P After the photos we made our way to the post race party to check out the beers and snacks. My husband got a beer and there were a lot of snack options! None of us were hungry at that point yet or we would have eaten something.

Swag: Every finisher got a sweet medal (regardless of race) and free finisher photos. For running the half I got a dri-fit long sleeve shirt and my husband got a quarter zip for running the full. Our hotel was super cute and made us little good luck goodie bags as well, but I forgot to snap a picture :(

Overall, it was fun and well organized race! It's flat and fast which is perfect for obtaining the PR or a BQ. I definitely want to return! 

I become injured in early November and was unable to run the Madison half that month, so I knew a Jan half wasn't realistic. My husband signed up for this half and I felt left out, so I signed up for the 5k in the hopes that I would somehow recover and be able to run at least a few weeks before the race. Thankfully, I overcame my injury in a month and half through lots of rest, time in the weight room, yoga, and a little cross training. I started running again a week before Christmas and knew that my goal for this 5k would be to finish and nothing more.

Now I will say that despite my lack of fitness going in, I am so happy I signed up for this race! The weather was unseasonably warm for January (40s) and it was so much fun.

Packet pick up: There were multiple weekends and locations (city and suburbs) to pick up packets and even an option to pick it up race morning for $15.

Parking: Only con about this race. Parking was a slow process and expensive because they made you pay before entering the garage. Most places have you grab a ticket and pay on the way out. I would have preferred that option because my husband and I kept our wallets in the bag in our car truck. So when we got to the front of the parking line I had to jump out of the car and scramble to open the trunk and find one of wallets to pay... I feel like myself (and everyone else) who had to do this held up the parking line significantly.

Waiting for the start: My favorite part of the race (besides running it) was the ability to stay inside the warm United Center until the start of the race and pee in a real toilet instead of a porta potty :P I also thought the gear check was easy to find and very well organized.If it had been actually cold on race day, I would have still been comfortable because the start line was right outside the door. I still took advantage of the warmth and since I did not warm up, I reported to the start line until 5 min before the race. Had I had lofter goals for this race (i.e. getting a PR rather than just finishing), I would have warmed up, done drills, etc.

Race course: The 5k (and the half) was a flat and fast out and back course. There was one water station on the 5k course than I didn't use or need, but it was nice that they had one. My husband ran the half and did not take in much water, but was pleased with how many stops were on the course too. There were quite a few people cheering and taking pictures so that was cool too. I just started running again a month before the race (due to my injury) and recently got a new job as a chemistry teacher, so my training was subpar going into this race. In the two weeks before the race I only ran twice and had not done much speed work since before my injury, so I decided that smartest option was to treat the race as a tempo run. For this reason, I was definitely surprised with the end result. Finally, everyone I saw on and off the course was nice, but this makes sense, because I feel like only the most dedicated runners are willing to run or volunteer in a Chicago winter race!

Post race/swag: Everyone who ran the 5k or half got a cool medal and there were some sweet age group and overall prizes. The top three overall 5k runners for each gender got a plaque and the top three half marathon runners got prize money, which helped make the half marathon competitive. So I got a pretty sweet plaque from the 5k! There were also age group prizes for the half marathon, which my husband narrowly missed (4th in his age group with a PR of 1:15). We also all got a cool lightweight hooded top, which is super comfy and soft and I've already worn twice since last weekend :P

Afterparty: After the awards, we decided to mosey on over to the post-race party and get our free beers from Kroll's. Our entire table ordered Two Brother's Pinball pale ales. A few of us got food as well: my husband got a veggie burger, I got sweet potato fries, and our friend got a Chicken Cesar Salad which he enjoyed. Kroll's had a fun atmosphere, the food was decent, but I feel like they were a bit understaffed. They could have used a few more severs to handle the high volume of hungry and thirsty runners.

Overall, the F^3 Lake Half Marathon and 5k was well organized, fun, and definitely a race I'd do again. :) Although, next time I'd do the half marathon rather than the 5k.