Featured Running Event of the Week - Shamrock Shuffle 8k

Well, it might be April, but the downtown Chicago streets were awash with green.  (Just like the river, which is green all year anyhow)!

The 37th annual Shamrock Shuffle 8k (4.97 miles) attracted nearly 25,000 runners on what turned out to be a perfect spring day, but gun-time was a balmy 32 degrees.

For anybody who likes Chicago, or enjoys racing IN cities, this is a bucket list race for sure.  Much shorter than a Marathon or a Half-Marathon, at 4.97 miles, this is something walkers and novice runners can tackle.  A chance to feel like the big time runners, running down block off downtown cit streets with onlookers almost everywhere, it was just like a "big" race.  Seriously, I can't remember a single spot on the course without onlookers - they were even under Wacker drive, on the bridges, and everywhere else!!!

The course is one that explores a lot more of downtown than one would expect in just under 5 miles.  The course starts in north Grant Park (behind the world famous Art Institute of Chicago) and heads north on Columbus and UNDER Wacker drive, then across the GREEN river to Grand Avenue towards State Street (that Great Street).  Runners then cross the GREEN river again and head south down State Street (a bucket list for any Chicago runner) towards Jackson.  Then west past the Chicago Board of Trade and heads north on LaSalle, aka the Financial Canyon (another bucket list for economics nerds like me).  It then heads west to Franklin and south towards Harrison, where runners actually go up a hill to do that really weird Franklin to Harrison intersection.  Then through a part of Downtown University Row towards Michigan Avenue.  From there, runners run past the historic architecture of South Michigan Avenue to Roosevelt Road.  Runners then tackle the steepest hill of the day (with only 1/2 mile to go, nothing like putting the most challenging hill at the end).  BUT, after cresting Roosevelt (over the Metra Tracks) - it's all downhill from there (literally) to the Finish Line in Grant Park.  If a Chicago runner wanted to "see the city" - this provides quite the selection.  From the North River District, to Grant Park, to the Financial Canyon, to Historic Michigan Avenue Architecture, to State Street (that great street), to underground roads, and even universities - this race provides the scenery!!!

In true Chi-rish fashion, the race ended with a free beer (for those of legal drinking age) and a large 3 hour post-race party with live music AND AND AND live Bagpipes presented by the world famous Shannon Rovers Pipe Band!!!

To quote The Beatles, it was a "sea of green" from 6:30am until 1:00pm downtown.  From the moment green-clad runners were walking to the event from the moment the post-race party ended.  Green shirts, green pants, green tutus, green hair (yep), green necklaces, green lights - and a green river!!

A well organized event, with 25,000 runners, it never felt "crowded" - of course being able to use the width of Chicago streets for the course, certainly helps alleviate foot congestion.

For those wanting to feel like they've run a "big" race - this is one for every level runner.  And for those elite runners, the start is organized by corrals based on average pace provided by the runners at registration.  Those "in it to win it" up front - and the those in it because we are all Chi-rish, towards the back.

Oh, and the start/finish setting?  Historic architecture to the west, beautiful Lake Michigan to the East, modern skyline to the south, and the famous Prudential Skyline to the north!!!!