Friday's Featured 5k of the Week - Race To Wrigley

This week's featured 5k is in memory of my Dad, not a runner, but a lifelong diehard Cubs fan.  This weekend would be his birthday.  The 5k is the Race To Wrigley, which is held in April.  The 2015 race is April 25 at 8:00 and includes a 5k and a 10k.  The course routes are not published yet, but this will focus on the 2014 5k route.

First, every participant receives a Cubs-blue technical shirt - last year it was a long sleeve shirt with a commemorative logo celebrating the 100 years of Wrigley.  Each participant also gets a free beverage at the event, soft drink, or, yep you guessed it, a Budweiser.  Nothing says Cubs baseball more than Chicago Spring weather, Wrigley Field, and Budweiser!

The course starts outside the main gate on Addison and heads west into the Wrigleyville neighborhood, then north on Ravenswood, then east on Irving Park with a jog onto Southport, then back to Wrigley on Clark.  Runners then run along side the Wrigley brick outside, and then head into the concourse at Addison, running for a while through the grandstand concourse of Wrigley exiting back onto the street directly under the famous Wrigley Field sign at the main entrance - a perfect photo op!!!  Then the runners turn the corner and finish in the adjacent parking lot.

The race attracts runners and walkers alike - and plenty of both - well over 1000 total (maybe even 2000).  Whether you are a runner or a walker - this is a great event.  Usually by mid-late April the cold weather is gone and the hot weather isn't here yet.  The trip through the Wrigleyville neighborhood is scenic and goes by pretty quickly.  And of course, runners get to run through the Wrigley concourse to finish the race.  So, if you are new too running or prefer walking or a longtime veteran of running or simply a Cubs fan - this is the race for you!!

This year's theme is "Let's Run 2" - so they have added a 10k course to the event!

Proceeds from this event go to the wonderful Cubs Charities - one of the best charitable organizations around!

Cubs shirt - Wrigley Field - Wrigleyville - Springtime - sounds good to me!!

Info here - http://www.race-cubs.com/