Featured Running Event of the Week : Pancake Pacer 5k

The Pancake Pacer 5k, presented by Illiana Christian High School is the Featured Running Event of the Week.  In addition to being a 5k, as hinted by the name of the event, it is also a Pancake Breakfast.  Proceeds help fund the private school's athletic programs.

This is a street course which starts and finishes outside the main entrance the school.  There are police patrols on the major intersections, and then student volunteers at each of the other intersections and turns throughout the course.

The course is primarily flat, but actually starts with a long gradual climb of nearly 20 feet (give or take), which takes place over nearly one mile.  It has an immediate drop though, which occurs across two blocks.  The course is a loop style with the first and last mile taking place on the same straightaway - which means a nice long downhill to the finish - definitely a fun way to finish any race!

The entire course is run on neighborhood side streets, with a few of the residents coming out to cheer runners on.  The race starts at 7:30am on a Saturday, so the number of spectators isn't super large, but every spectator is important and great for morale.

In addition to the run, each participant also receives a free pancake breakfast served inside the schools gymnasium.  The breakfast is quite bountiful as well, including all-you-can eat pancakes, sausage links, various pancake toppings (fruit, whip cream, syrup, etc), several diced fruits (cantaloupe and various melons), and bananas.  I believe there were also breakfast bars if I remember correctly.  In addition there is orange juice and of course, there was already finish line water in bottles.  There may have been coffee as well, but I'm not a coffee drinker, so I didn't notice.

The breakfast is also open to the public and spectators for a mere $5.00 donation.

Awards are announced about 1 hour after the race, or when all finishers have arrived.  Awards are overall and by age bracket, and get announced in front of the capacity crowd at the breakfast.