Monday's Featured 5k of the Week - Voices Against Brain Cancer/Chicago 5k

Today's featured 5k is the Voices Against Brain Cancer (also known as VABC and Voices In Motion) - Chicago edition.  The series hosts events in several cities, this article focuses on the Chicago event.

Like many 5Ks the focus of this event is on the fundraising.  Several "teams" are put together and raise funds (individuals can raise funds as well, of course).  Each "team" tends to get their own special shirts made up for the event.  What is cool about that is two-fold.  1) Just all the different colors, sometimes running/walking in a group, other times scattered throughout the course.  2) By seeing all the different "teams", it really shows the amazing outpouring of concern and care for individuals impacted by this disease, as well as concern and care for all people impacted.  It is inspirational to see the amount of people that are there in memory of or in support of someone - and by extension support/memory of all those impacted.  It is a moving sight.

The race itself is very walker friendly, as many crowd-runs are, but this one, maybe because of the large "teams" seemed more walker-welcoming than others.  Runners line up "in front" and walkers are asked to line up "in back" and are held about 5 minutes before being released.  I believe there was about 1000 participants and I'd say the runners made up 40% and walkers 60%.  Of course, that's an extremely unscientific guestimate.  But it doesn't really matter, what matters is all these people who showed up to support this cause and to support those impacted.

The course itself was a familiar Diversey Harbor/Notebaert Museum/Lincoln Park route that is often used.  It starts by Diversey Harbor heads south to past the Lincoln Park Zoo and into Lincoln Park proper.  Spends about a 1/4 miles on the "deck" of an inland pond, which is pretty cool and adds to the scenery and terrain.  It then heads back past the softball fields, along the west side of Lake Shore Drive, and then past the "infield" or the "race village" before it circles back and passes the other side of the "race village" to the finish line.  Personally, I've always like that final 1/2 mile or so - as it goes past the race village on one side, then circles back.  It gives spectators extra chances to cheer on the runners and also adds additional inspiration for that final stretch of the run.  In addition, in this particular case they had a live band playing - so for the final 1/2 mile or so, the runners could clearly hear the band - nothing better than music to go along with the running/walking!

The course is hilly (of course, in Chicago that is a relative term, those in the Rockies might not consider it hilly).  Has a few low grade, yet long uphills - and downhills.  Also includes a few 90+ degree turns, which adds to the fun.  The scenery is great, a zoo, a park, a skyline, a lake, a pond, a harbor, and trees!  Also the terrain changes a few times from crushed gravel to pavement to finished wood.  The crushed gravel is quite soft and feels like running on thick carpeting - always a relief for runners.

This particular event offered live timing & scoring on a flat screen TV courtesy of MyLaps software.  So, that was nice, instead of everybody gathered around paper being blown about - they could walk up to a TV and see what's happening real time.

The conclusion of the race included bringing up several courageous people involved with brain cancer - from Chicago neurosurgeons to current patients to survivors to nurses to those who lost loved ones - all of who ran/walked the event too!  The amount of strength and courage on one stage at one time was simply amazing!  And not a dry eye in the audience during that time.  Tears of sorrow but also tears triggered by the courage of others.

A very moving race, well organized, great course, great scenery.

http://www.voicesagainstbraincancer.org/