Featured 5k of the Week - Life Fitness ALS Rosemont 5k

The Life Fitness ALS Rosemont 5k is part of a 5k/8k event.  The first year it was run in November, this year, late October.  For the most part the two routes run the same course. The 8k splits off right at the start and runs a separate route for 3k before rejoining the 5k runners near the beginning of the 5k route.  From that point on - the routes are the same.  The 8k starts first, and the 5k starts about 10 minutes later.

Both races begin inside MB Financial Park in Rosemont, with indoor gear check, and indoor restrooms, at Hofbrauhaus.  (Thank you Hofbrauhaus!)  The route then exits the park heading north and loops back through the parking garage.  This immediately involves a steady decline - followed by a steady incline - all within the first 1/4 mile.  At the exit 8k runners head west and go over I-294 all the way to The Stadium at Rosemont, the home of the Chicago Bandits Pro Softball Team.  After that it does some turns and heads back across I-294.  Going over I-294 and its associated service roads and ramps adds another two hills to the course - all within the first mile or so.

At this point the 8k runners join the 5k course which travels east down (literally, as in downhill) Balmoral Avenue to River Road.  The northbound side of River Road is completely closed for the races, causing north and south bound traffic to share the 4 southbound lanes.  Traffic is stopped at various intersections for the duration - including an off-ramp and on-ramp to I-90.  The majority of the distance is run on River Road.  Runners head north past the Crown Plaza (home of Flashback Weekend Horror Con), past the Stephens Convention Center (home of Wizard World Comic Con), past the Hyatt-Regency O'Hare (home of The Fest For Beatles Fans), past the Rosemont "L" stop, under I-90 and into a corporate center where it loops through the center, at one point running alongside a tree-lined mini-forest.  The route then returns to River Road and does the whole thing southbound.  After going uphill on Balmoral this time, the course turns towards the parking garage, but instead goes through a tunnel (a downhill and an uphill) and emerges just outside of MB Financial Park, and finishes in front of the Hofbrauhaus.

There is definitely an added motivation while running next to cars stuck in traffic - and looking at you wondering "THIS PERSON is why I'm sitting in traffic?".  You definitely want to be giving it your all when they are giving you that look, and not dogging it.  But seriously, the early Sunday morning commuters were not upset, many watching with interest, a few yelling out encouragement, and some doing the friendly beep-beep honk.

The Rosemont Police / Safety Officers did a fine job controlling traffic at several intersections and ramps - and they all clapped or cheered as each runner went by.  At the end of the race, Hofbrauhaus offered a discounted German breakfast, or just some beer at the bar while watching the flatscreens.

A unique course and a well run event in every aspect.