Featured 5k of the Week - Pumpkins In The Park

The Pumpkins In The Park 5k is held in Chicago's Lincoln Park, south of the zoo.  The event is much more than a 5k run, it includes the following :

Kids 10-yard dashes for various age groups
Music DJ
S'mores making - on an open wood fire!
Trick-or-Treating from the vendors for kids
Kids costume parade
Adult costume contest (contestants must have participated in the 5k)
Pie Eating Contest!!!
Beer Tent
Chicago scenery

The pie eating contest was amazing!  In the true spirit of a contest, contestants had 2 minutes to see who could eat the most pie.  For the first 90 seconds they had to keep their hands behind their backs!  Quite a fun way to end the day!

Prior to the event, on the grass, they hosted 10-yard kid dashes/crawls for ages of "less than 365 days" all the way up to older kids.  Then the kids had an opportunity to Trick-or-Treat across the vendor tents.  And then, after that the kids participated in a Costume Parade past the main stage and the vendors.  This was definitely a "family-friendly 5k".  In addition, Lincoln Park Zoo, right next door, had special Halloween events and across the street had a neighborhood event.  This was definitely a get to the race early type of event.  Plenty to do leading up to the special 4:00pm start time!

At 4:00pm the timed-5k event took place.  The event was contained completely in Lincoln Park, which was quite scenic as the trees displayed all sorts of various colors along the route.  The route was the traditional Lincoln Park bike/jogging path with a couple of differences.  This event started in the south portion of Lincoln Park and took the crushed gravel trails northbound past the softball fields (yes, they are still playing league softball at this time of the year) and past Lincoln Park Zoo before turning around and heading southbound on the paved paths.  Runners were able to look across a 5-10 yard greenspace and see other runners heading in the opposite direction.  Near the end, the route headed through a small tunnel just south of the zoo, and then looped around to go across the top of the tunnel (this being the only incline in the race).  This allowed runners to watch other runners looping around, a unique portion of the course.  Following this part, the rest of the course headed back to the finish line in south Lincoln Park.   There was the added motivation of Lincoln Park Zoo patrons leaving the park cheering on the runners - and there was a group of "voluncheers" on top of the bridge/tunnel area cheering on runners as they passed by.  Due to their location, runners could hear the cheers as they approached that portion of the track.  The cheers combined with the PA from the finish line, let runners know they were in the home stretch.  Also, as runners approached the home-stretch the autumn aroma of burning wood and smores filled the air - a perfect ending for the race.

Following the race, they presented awards to the Top 3 male and female finishers on stage - and had age-group awards available at the event tent.  But, then it got fun!  There was a costume contest for male runners, female runner, and groups.  In addition, special for this year, the "best Star Wars costume" category.  Following that to round out the day - the previously mentioned Pie Eating Contest!!!!  Probably a good thing they saved that until AFTER the races.

More than just a 5k - but a full Halloween event!!!