Monday's Featured 5k of the Week - Run The Runway at CEA

CEA - Chicago Executive Airport
(formerly Palwaukee Airport - in Wheeling, IL)

Third in the series of Runway 5Ks.

So, out of all three (Midway, O'Hare, CEA) - CEA is the only one that actually begins and ends on an actual runway.  Of course, there is a lot less traffic at CEA.

The course begins in a taxiway area hours before a Plane and Food Trucks Exhibition takes place.  Parked in the center of the staging area is a rather large private jet for spectators to look at - and then along the opening stretch of the 5k there are several smaller jets and prop planes facing the course.  Runners can look at these prior to the race - but it's also cool to run down a runway with planes to one side.

The course itself starts on a runway and ventures onto other runways and taxiways, and at one point heads towards the hangars and behind the hangars, returning back to the runways for 3 very long straightaways leading to the finish line.  Due to the long straightaways, it does start to feel like the course is longer than 5k....but it isn't.  Naturally, being all on airport property it is a very flat course - and a very fast course as well!!

Being a flat course, with few buildings, runners get the chance to see almost the entire airport at each turn.

At the end of the event, the taxi/staging area now has several Food Trucks marking the perimeter, with food choices of all kinds.  Within an hour or so, the Plane and Food Truck show begins - participants get to be the first to see the planes and eat the food!  (Of course, water and food is provided at the finish line as well).  Participants get to park only a few feet away directly on airport property.

The 2016 site isn't up yet - but this event took place in August in 2015.