If you are in to running and you are near Chicago this one is a must do. Free parking for anything in Chicago is a miracle, and free parking on the Soldier Field/Museum Campus is unheard of. Above all else this race is about SOLDIER FIELD!

You start your day inside Soldier Field and the finish line is the 50 with Bear Down Chicago Bears bumping through the sound system. Does it get better than that? Now the course is a little boring but you still get to see some of our beautiful city (I say ours since it used to be mine…sad face).

I did the race because I like to be fit and I dig triathlons but I had not hard core trained for running. But I said…whatever I will go run the 10 miler. I titled it Struggle to the 50 because I had a sweet side cramp the last 1/2 mile that might good friend Julie helped me power through. Fun race overall.

Hmmmm…where to start. The EXPO was a disaster. People waiting forever…in the FREEZING cold. Fail. The staggered start to the race was a disaster. It started late people all over the place like chickens with their heads cut off.

The positive is the Swag is awesome (that year in the form of a dark grey hoodie, and you get a cup of luke warm chocolate fondue. Not a repeat event for me.