Monday's Featured 5k of the Week - Run For Your Life Safety 5k

The Run For Your Life Safety 5k is hosted by the Tinley Park Fire Department and the nationally accredited Tinley Park Fire Prevention Bureau, to raise awareness of home fire safety - as the name would suggest.  No, it doesn't mean you have to run for life to survive the 5k.

In addition to raising awareness, the money raised also benefits the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance’s Camp - I Am Me, which is the first accredited burn camp in the United States for children ages 8 to 16 who are burn survivors.

The 5k starts in the Tinley Park Metra Parking Lot - which allows for a large starting area as well as plenty of extremely close parking!  The course ends in the parking lot too - but more of that to follow.

The course starts at the end of the Metra lot and then heads out on to the 80th Avenue for a short while then back into a neighborhood.  This neighborhood is comprised of three concentric circles.  The course begins on the outer circle - and without running in circles, switches back/forth eventually ending up at the inner circle, then with some more weaving back and forth, to the outer circle.  Even if a runner looks at the course map ahead of time, it would be very difficult to monitor exactly where they are on the course.  Not to say it's literally a dizzying experience, but it can be odd.  Sometimes it feels as though no progress at all is being made, then suddenly it's over.  This is not a negative, it's quite unique to the event, adding to it's "flavor".  In addition, the neighborhood might appear to be a standard Chicagoland flatland - but it's not, it is filled will subtle rolling hills.  Runners will discover, that once in the neighborhood they are either going uphill or downhill - but never just flat.

Right at the very end, when runners have switched back several times and ran every concentric circle from outside to inside to outside, the course makes a sudden turn onto a sidewalk.   Runners can not miss this turn, as it is flanked by an entire Daisy Scout Troop pointing the way and cheering loudly while holding signs!  Such a great way to finish a race!  The sidewalk has a very friendly downhill slope leading right to the finish line.  Perfect for that "finish line kick".  Runners then proceed under the outstretched ladders and snorkels of fire engines on both sides to the finish line.  A very spectacular finish for sure!!!

A great cause, and all participants receiver a cool 5k patch, similar to the traditional Fire Department logo.

Official website here - http://www.tinleypark.org/index.aspx?NID=688  The race usually takes place in early May.