Summer means weeknight races on the lakefront in Chicago, and this has been targeted on my race calendar for some time as a summer race kickoff. A nice $10 discount from the local running club (CARA) made the 10k $40, which is fairly reasonable for the distance in the city.

The expo was packet pick up at the local Universal Sole on the Monday and Tuesday before the race. My issue with this would be that the confirmation email (and apparently the website) said no race day pick up, which is kind of ridiculous when a the pick up isn't on a weekend. I guess I'm willing to accept no race day pick up or no weekend pick up, but not both. A quick phone call to the number listed in the confirmation email after 'Questions?' verified that there was race day pick up, just would've preferred to go without that admittedly minor inconvenience.

Swag was a nylon shirt that apparently came in different colors for each gender/size combo. Mine was a 'meh' aqua with the race logo on the front and sponsors on the back. I prefer mesh runner's cut shirts of the nylon t-shirt cuts, but the color/design was more of a turnoff than anything.

Course was a nice out and back from the easy to get to Gold Star Families Park and Memorial just east of Soldier Field. The 5k started 10 minutes after the 10k and shared the course, so that meant dodging walkers for the last ~1.5 miles, but otherwise congestion wasn't an issue.

There was a nice vibe to the race, with the disco theme providing plenty of inspiration for costumes and the music at the start/finish line party and in a couple of spots along the course fitting in with the theme nicely, the race overall though was just kind of okay. For a serious race, this doesn't warrant recommendation, but for a fun night on the lakefront, you can do a lot worse.

Mother's Day weekend in Chicago, what could be better than a 10k at Grant Park? Judging by the participation numbers, a 5k and a 2 mile walk, to start. The Komen Race for the Cure seems a good fit for Mother's day and the popularity of the Komen brand almost requires a venue as large as Grant Park no matter how many events are being held. Even with three events of varying participation sizes, lengths and disciplines (walking and running), this was a well-run event that I am compelled to recommend.

It starts with the signup, and signup was relatively pain free. Site registration is required, and fundraising is encouraged throughout the site to the point that it took me a while to determine whether or not it was required as well (it was not). That issue aside, no complaints regarding sign up. Cost was in line with other 10ks in the city and the CARA member discount made this a great deal ($35 total cost). Pickup was at Fleet Feet Old Town- easy to get to location- and for a fee, they offered packet mailing.

The course had some great scenery for out of towners to enjoy, while incorporating a few twists that veteran Chicago Marathon runners might appreciate. First, runners headed south and got to actually go down Mount Roosevelt to head west and then, after running along Michigan Ave and back towards Columbus, runners were treated to running through the marathon's start corral location before heading back east for a nice out and back along the lakefront. Mile markers were present along with gun time clocks along the course and there were four aid stations on the course, with two of them accessible twice due to the out and back.

Swag was just a cotton tshirt, but for the cost, I can't really complain, especially when the race itself is essentially a charity fundraiser. The atmosphere gets high marks- there were tens of thousands in attendance, and the MC during the pre-race warmup highlighted several cancer survivors that were participating in the day's events. The post race atmosphere was also very upbeat and the volunteers were all smiling and helpful before, during and after the race.

The 10k had low participation numbers compared to not only the other events, but many other 10k races in city, but assuming they bring it back next year (and I hope they do) it is definitely going to be on my calendar when mapping out my race schedule. Highly recommended.

Well run, affordable (with coupon code the half was $65), fairly flat, scenic race with a nice expo and organized, easy to navigate postrace party.

Racing a half marathon in the middle of August is almost asking for a hot race (and if you've ever suffered through the Chicago Marathon in 85 degree heat you know that early fall can be iffy, too), but if you're just running to get a good workout and have a good time, this race is hard to beat- even with the potential for a race day heat wave. In running the half each of the past two years, the temps have been warm, but not hot. The average low at this time of year in Madison is 56°F with an average high of 82°F and this year fell right in line. Race day saw temps in the low 70s at gun time (7 am start), steadily moving higher as the race went on. Thankfully, the organizers make use of all of the shade that Madison has to offer, so the sun wasn't beating down on everyone as they ran. The race starts in waves, so the course was never too crowded, and the 5k race does not interfere with the half, so congestion is avoided in both events. Each mile is marked with a running clock, there are plenty of aid stations with water and Gatorade (I don't recall seeing a station with energy gels but that's not a big deal for a half) and the areas closer to the college had nice crowd support. The course itself has some rolling hills and is a nice mix of urban and outdoorsy, with the finish coming after a stretch through the heavily shaded UW arboretum leads to a great post race party at Memorial Union Terrace overlooking Lake Mendota.

This is a very well organized, easy to get to, reasonably priced race with a small-ish expo. The race shirt could be improved upon- nylon is always a less desirable option than mesh tech fabric, but the finisher's medal doubles as a bottle opener, so you have something to open your post race beer with (you do get a freebie at the finish line in a collectible plastic mug as well). I'd normally hesitate to recommend a summer race of this distance, but this race is both challenging and fun and definitely deserves consideration for anyone looking to push themselves and enjoy a rewarding finish line experience after.