I have to say, after a few bumps when they tried to do it the first time, they really pulled it…read moreoff. It was a really good event. Everything as promised. Cute shirt, a great medal, and DJ's every half mile. Tim Spinnin' Schommer was the main DJ on the stage in the after party. We will definitely come back next year and get a whole group with us because it was really really fun!

It's great running the SF10 after a two year hiatus. What a great way to start off the holiday…read moreweekend. This year, a 10k was offered along with the 10 miler. I did the 10k and had a similar experience (and medal) as if I had done the 10 miler :-). The best part of finishing in Soldier Field. Great job to the event organizers and volunteers! It was an amazing Saturday morning and perfect for the run.

Fantastic event! So wonderfully organized! Hope to experience this again! Perfect way to honor…read moreyour veterans!

Chicago is known to be windy so I layered up. By the time it took me to walk from Millennium…read moreStation to my starting coral, I had already warmed up. Ran into a couple of people I knew and joined them in a pre race stretch session. I even made a few friends and we agreed to meet up in October for another race. This was my first time participating in Run Mag Mile; it's amazing how beautiful and peaceful Chicago is when it's shut down. No buses. No taxis. No horns blowing. No noise. Just peace and quiet. Which sets the scene for a great outdoor experience; walking or running. My goal in starting was to walk briskly and finish up with jogging. For some reason, I completely did the opposite. I began with a nice paced jog and ended up walking over the finish line. Either way, there is no feeling like receiving a medal that you earned. And what a beautiful medal it is. Let the festivities begin! Our bib included a drink ticket and two FREE Taste of Chicago tickets. Plan to return next year and beat my time! Wish me luck!

What a FUN race! Granted I'm not an avid race runner so I don't have many to compare this to, BUT I…read morehave worked many races as a brand ambassador or volunteer so I have the post-race after experience to compare. 5K Race itself was well orchestrated and seamless; we ran through Grant Park where the Start line gear check etc was then turned onto Michigan Ave north crossing the river over the bridge and up to the Hancock building where we turned down the other side of Michigan Ave, turning again to the underpass on Randolph then south on Columbus for the finish line. Beautiful morning to do so, weather cooperated and was sunny and a lovely fall 70 degrees. 5K finishers did not get a medal unfortunately; only 10K. Plenty of water bottles and Luna protein bars at the end. No bananas though. The announcer was lively monologuing and saw my bib number 'Kristin we've been waiting for you!' Hah! I about collapsed from laughter and surprise. Afterwards runners can collect a brunch boxed meal and a beer or moscow mule with tickets from your bib. mb financial booth doing some giveaways.

This is a great race that visit some of the great west side parks that are [art of the Chicago…read moreBoulevard system. Much of the race runs along these boulevards visiting Humbolt, Garfield and Douglas Park. This is a different view than the Chicago Marathon. The 13.1 race has improved since its first running. It was great to see Carey Pinkowski starting us on and cheering a little before the half way mark. In 2025 it was great to see Ted Metellus in the finish line VIP area after he ran the race. The start was well organized and there was no trouble with crowding. The signage was a little misleading making you take a roundabout way of getting to the bag drop. Found water stations plentiful, course easy to follow and crowd and runner support great. The postrace activities were better than the Chicago Marathon's. The music and the party were great. The only trouble I had this year was not signing up before they closed the registration. I think it closed early because many signed up for the benefit of completing the distance classic and guaranteeing a Chicago Marathon bib the following year. It would be nice to allow bibs to Chicago marathon legacy runners.

I just had to register for Bank of America Chicago 13.1 being that the start/ finish line is in my…read moreneighborhood. In time we will see how much this event grows but the opportunity to run this inaugural event was hard to pass up. The course also runs through some of the parks on Chicago's West Side that I am very familiar with like Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, and Douglass Park. The health & wellness expo was held within the Roosevelt Collection Shops, a beautiful location in the south loop of Chicago. The expo was very organized with the main stations highlighted. With it being organized, it did not appear too congested in the process. The volunteers were very helpful and kind at this expo. Packet pick-up went smooth after I identified the corral letter sent via email. After that, I went to the booth section with that particular letter to pick-up my shirt and bib number. Prior to the day of the run, I smiled every time I looked at the t-shirt because it reminded me that this is an inaugural event. Running an inaugural event is something that nobody can take away from you. Starting in Garfield Park, the course ran through Garfield Park, Humboldt Park, and Lawndale neighborhoods. My favorite highlights along the course were of course seeing the Garfield Park Fieldhouse, running through a peaceful Humboldt Park, and seeing locals on their porches waving. I adored the older women nearby Garfield Park on their porches waving, cheering, and greeting us with "Good morning!" as we ran towards Lawndale neighborhood. It is a memory of this event that I will always remember and cherish. There were a decent number of spectators and supporters along the course. Most were there to cheer on their supported runner whether it be friends, family, or runners' part of their particular running club which were mostly from either Three Run Two, or Chicago Road Runners. The majority of the course was flat with a slight decline and incline mostly within the viaducts along the course, but nothing too excruciating. I have to say the rough parts for me where the mental games started were from mile 8 to 12. There was a lack of spectators in the majority of the area plus I felt a nagging pain in my left ankle at the time. The course had enough medical personnel and police officers along it. There were also plentiful water stations with a combination of Nuun Hydration followed by water! And both were identifiable! It warmed my heart seeing the 'Biofreeze' set-up along the course which I just had to run through; running through it helped ease the pain I felt in my left ankle. I would definitely run Bank of America Chicago 13.1 again because its presence brings positivity to Chicago's West Side, plus, I would love to see and be part of the event's growth in time. ~Blessings~   Thomas G

I was inspired to get into running after I saw that movie about that mentally-handicapped guy who…read moreran really fast and ended up joining the football team. You know, Rudy? But when it comes to RAM Racing, you could say I have a love-hate relationship (similar to when I dated that bi-polar woman). I'm happy to say they got this race right, though. Packet-pickup was at the event, held right next to Soldier Field. They even changed the event name (formerly "Terrapin 5k"), joining a long list people enjoying success after a name change (e.g. Christopher Kutcher, Elizabeth Fey, Osama Seacrest). For participating, you got a long-sleeved shirt with the race's slogan, "Run, Rock, Relax," but it was obvious that people were taking it easy. Many drank their free beer before the race, thus carrying on a tradition of athletic events in/around Soldier Field where people were just there to have fun and couldn't care less about the outcome. Of course, the notable difference is this athletic event wasn't a Chicago Bears game and these people weren't the Chicago Bears. The race is divided into corrals. Corral "A" is where you find all those folks who put stickers like "26.2" on their cars' back wind-shields. Even though I ran in corral A, they were sold out of those stickers when I went to the store. Luckily the store had a few "Total Douche" stickers still in stock. If you're not a runner, corrals go all the way back to "L", where we are reminded that it is difficult to get a second wind when you never experience a first one. The race around Museum Campus and back to the stadium is easy enough, and at the end, you receive corn and a hamburger, served to you on a Frisbee. Man, that took me back to college, and the farcical lengths people went to save money on plates. Also, it reminded me how much I hated eating at our cafeteria. The "Rock" part of the race is the post-race band, "Big Head Todd and the Monsters." The event offered a $25 entrance fee for those people who were only there for the after-party, which I thought was good. It would have been unfair to make Big Head Todd and his monsters pay the full fee considering they didn't even run. I'm sure the band was not accustomed to playing in front of so many in desperate need of a shower, but at least now they'll be ready for those gigs at retirement homes or in eastern Europe.

Don't be fooled: it's the Chicago Beer 5K, not the closely named Chicago Bears 5K (which is in…read moreJuly). I love to do these events -as I'm a craft beer enthusiast. I love trying different beers and learning the names and flavor nuances so I can ask for those beers when I go out to eat. This was a great event. It wasn't very big. We ended up meeting some other ladies along the path as we walked to the south end of Grant Park. She said only 400 people were registered, which is considered pretty small by downtown 5K standards. The path was really pretty, mostly along the lakefront. My only feedback is that this happened to fall on the same day as the Walk and Roll Chicago (a cancer charity walk). Therefore, it was a bit chaotic. Both races shared some of the same path.There was a bit of a clogged situation at times, and a runner almost tripped over me. I was walking (nursing an injured ankle) with a 20 lb. "ruck sack" (it's called rucking), so the crowds didn't bother me. It was my first time doing this, so I was taking my time. Hopefully, next year, they will check the calendar of events or change the path to go in the opposite direction of the Walk and Roll. (There was also an event time change due to this conflict but it did not help the overlap. The cancer walk must have gone on for hours. It was wrapping up when we walked back to the car around 1pm or so.) The after party was great. You got a little mug as you finished and could then walk around the little festival and try different beers. There were a lot of great brewers from the city and suburbs and I got to know some new breweries to check out. Loved this event - hoping to make this an annual part of my summer 5K schedule!

I ran this race a few times before Covid and it always was a unique and fun one. For the 2022…read moreedition, F^3 was a slap in the face. They were sending out race emails BCC'd (instead of paying for a trusted sending service) so everything went to spam. The only important email that went through, on 1/21, provided 24 hours notice for the last Chicago city packet pickup. However, the more important detail shared turned out to be that the event would be 100% outside with no use of the United Club: "We will be conducting the race outside this year. After consulting with our medical director and team, we will not be using the indoor United Club in an effort to mitigate COVID risk during a time of high community spread. We furthermore will recommend face coverings while in corral areas." Despite how massive of a convenience this was, organizers seemed incapable of communicating in a timely fashion on Facebook or on the race website. I perceived this as a sly way of minimizing blowback. My position is that if the organizers didn't have to completely eat the fee for canceling the United Club week-of, they should have credited some portion of entry fees for those who wanted to run the next year. That would be in an ideal world though. In this world, the next "Race is On!" email participants received was telling us to take public transportation to the race and to gather at a bar after the race. So much for those doctor's recommendations! When complaining about this online, someone in the Chicago running community mentioned that this "independent" organization was actually bought out by some national group or private equity firm years and years ago but continues to hold on to the "independent" branding. I've been unable to verify it, but, man, being a distance runner during Covid was a frosty experience.

The Purpose of this Half Marathon and 5K was to sponsor a Chicago Legacy called: Girls in the…read moreGame! Which seeks to empower and engage young girls and adolescents in their "mind, body, and future" with a variety of opportunities to participate in activities. Truly much needed and admired as an organization in Chicago! See: https://girlsinthegame.org/ This is one of the reasons why I wanted to participate in the 5K this year! The Race from a Participant Perspective- I really, really loved this 5K...while most of the participants were runners for the Half Marathon and training-they encouraged 5Kers as well to participate. The Venue- Soldier Field-the Route started at The Chicago Bears Ticket Kiosks behind The Chicago Bears Stadium-Soldier Field and followed the running/bike path down by the pier/harbor and out along Lake Michigan heading South. Then looped back to finish. The Start- For the Half Marathon Runners-there were three possibly four different starts depending on pacing. There were pacers provided for each group. For the 5Kers-we started after the Half Marathoner Groups had a head start...it was nicely spaced. The Route- Amazingly beautiful day with Blue Skies. People were there cheering on which is always fun! The Loop itself lead along Prairie Growth Habitats and Birding Habitats...there were benches and places to picnic for the spring/summer months...I cannot wait to go back and ride my bike and picnic when it gets warmer. The Finish- Fantastic Swag- *Sweatshirt *Finisher's Medal *Cookies *Tote Bag *Water *Bananas *Gatorade Chews and a free beverage ticket at a bar on the South Side. FYI- 1. They Immediately Text your finish time after you complete the race 2. Photographer on-site taking pictures during the event 3. Music at the Start 4. Warm Up Lead by Professionals at the Starting Line 5. Great MC 6. Check-in for Bags was efficient I cannot wait to participate next year! I highly recommend for not only runners-but WALKERS who are taking steps to be mindful and enjoying a different perspective of Chicago...that nurtures an individual's mind, heart, and soul!

This is a pretty good 5k. The reason I'm giving it 5 stars is because it's one of the better races,…read morebut the time between groups starting the race takes so long when you're the last group. I get why it's like 2-3 minutes between groups, however it's very cold out. I do want to say that the end of the race is getting way better, much more organized. The line to get the finisher mugs went super fast. The race packet pickup was pretty easy. The clothing you get with the packet was nice.

Overall 2.4 stars?! WHAAAAAT!…read more This is my 4th year participating in this event and I can't stress enough of how much I love it. This is not a race where you can truly know what your pace is or get a personal record but come onnn. Hot chocolate as an incentive?! 50,000+ people participating?! There's a reason for that! It's a great experience and the perfect run to appreciate the downtown area for all the beauty it has to offer. The events start at 730am however anticipate starting well after 8am. With 50,000+ people there's just no way to get everyone across the start line at exactly 730. The chocolate, the after party, etc are well worth the wait haha. There's something about running this course that just helps me adore the city of Chicago and love all of its architecture. Roads are blocked off for the runners, it's peaceful and honestly just beautiful. This event/course is one of my favorite 5Ks and I'll continue doing it for as long as I can.

Overall, a great race and I recognize it was their first time. My only point of feedback:…read moreespecially in the Lincoln Park area - paths are very narrow and it is very hard when people are walking on the course. I would just encourage them to be a little more organized with the corrals and ask walkers to either stay to the right or be in the back so people who are actually running the event can run. Other than that, for a first time event, it was actually amazing. I loved all the women in costumes. There were a few guys here and there, but mostly women, so it was very empowering. Love Wonder Woman as a character and obviously the symbolism of female empowerment. The swag and medal were absolutely beautiful. Very nice for the price point!

I participated yesterday in the Chicago Wonder Woman 5k and it was the most fun and woman-…read moreempowering race I've ever been. Met lots of wonderful gals with incredible stories making them real-life Wonder Women! Their swag was worth it alone!! Great volunteers who were happy to be helping. Just a wonderful environment! I was not planning to be home in Chicago October next year, but gonna need to alter my plans! I don't want to miss next year and bringing more Wonder Woman friends to add to the fun! Gawd!! I'm still on a high from it all!!!!