Featured 5k of the Week - UChicago Comer's Children's Hospital 5k

Full title :

RBC University of Chicago Comer's Children's Hospital Race for Kids 5k.

This event consists of a timed 5k, a timed kids 1-miler, and a kids dash fun run.

This event had prestige and history and scenery and Chicago built right into it.  As noted by title, this event takes place at Midwest's Ivy League University - The University of Chicago on Chicago's South Side.

The race starts - and finishes - right in "The Quad" surrounded by giant historic classical university buildings.  If parking at the UChicago Hospital Garage, participants walk towards the event and then through the arches and witness the expanse of the quads.  With the spectacular university buildings, one can't help but get goosebumps.  Racers village is located in the quad as well, with several sponsors tents, gear check, radio/DJ broadcast, and everything else expected at an event.  But, being early autumn, it had more of a feeling of a college open house event - or just some university special event in the quad.  The crisp autumn air, the changing leaves, and the surrounding architecture certainly started the day in a unique way.  Memorizing might be a good word.

The race leaves the quads and heads onto the streets, with a little jump from a curb onto the street - oddly, on the way back, entering the quad from another direction there was no jump up onto curb.  (Didn't really notice that until just now).  Anyhow, the course then goes through the historic Hyde Park neighborhood to the north of the University and back East towards the Lake and the Metra tracks.  As part of this route, participants also pass through, or at least by, "Pepperland" - a colorful building on the corner of Harper and 57th.  The course then travels under the train tracks.  And just as the quad appeared after the arches - the Museum of Science & Industry appears after the train viaduct.  The beginning of a throwback in time, the last remnants of the Chicago World's Fair - held on this very property back in 1893.  The course then heads back south for a while before ducking back under the railroad tracks.

Upon exiting the viaduct this time, as participants head West, they travel along the world renown "Midway Plaisance", also made famous during the 1893 World's Fair where the "carnival" and "circus" attractions - the midway - were located.  With the classic architecture of the University buildings to the left of the runners, one couldn't help but see ghosts of the past as they ran.  It was like running through an article about the legendary "White City".  One could only imagine what it must have been like to walk these same steps during the 1893 World's Fair.

The course then headed west for the duration of the Midway Plaisance just to u-turn back onto 59th street and head back towards the quad.  The race entered the quad from the north though some ancient gates and to the finish line.  This setting could definitely be defined as a "grand finale" of a finish.

It was easy before and after, and yes, even during the race, to naturally feel the history of the area - the grandeur of it all.  What a great way to finish a race.

Plenty of water and food and chocolate milk and food and treats for the participants, a very well organized event.

There was also a 1 mile kids race that started and finished at the same locations in the quad as the 5k  - and a kids dash which took place completely within the quad.

It was announced that over $303,000 was raised for the Comer's Children's Hospital.  Congrats to the runners who raised the money in 2015 - and congrats to the runners of past years - without good turnout in the past, sponsors would be donating in the present.

An excellent cause - and a historic course!!!  (and the perfect time of year for it!)