The Race That’s Good For Life 5K

There are lots of things to love about this race. There is literally something for everyone. Men’s and women’s races, a kids race, mother/​daughter & father/​son competitions, a junior jog and even Athena/​Clydesdale divisions for those who want to give it a go. And if you don’t run, there’s a walk too. I have never run a race where they have separated the men and the women but it turned out to be great. The course was wide open the entire way (even at the start) and the flower they give to the women at the end is a really nice touch.
Overall, I thought that the course was great. Almost completely flat with lots of people from the neighborhood cheering you on from their homes. Along with the great weather we happened to have this year, it was a perfect combination for a PR.
I thought that the organization was pretty good. There was plenty of room to move around in the high school before and after the race, even with packet pick up and vendors located in the same area. I also really liked that they had real restrooms open for all to use instead of porta potties. After the race, there were plenty of snacks and beverages too.
My only gripe was with the junior jog. It was a total cluster. We chose this event because our 4 year old wanted to run in a race. He was so excited until it came time to start. There was just a mob of kids and parents outside of the cafeteria with very little organization. It was difficult to hear announcements and lots of kids got knocked down due to the cramped out and back course on the same sidewalk. I have heard that they’re working on improvements for next year. I really hope so because I’m sad that this was our little guy’s first impression of what a race is like. It was nice that they gave out a finisher’s ribbon, though.
All in all, it was a good experience. The race is easily accessible by the green line but if you drive there is plenty of parking in the area, most likely due to the staggered start of all of the events. One tip, though, since there are so many opportunities to win awards, the awards reception is quite long and a little chaotic. They do post results almost immediately after the race so it may be best to look to see where you stand before sitting through the madness if you think you may have won something.

This is a great race. Good snacks, nicely organized. Thank you for continuing to offer a Clydesdale division!

It was my first race so it was fun. It was nice to see young kids, walkers, and runners (serious and newbies) take part. But the post race food and vendor area was poorly organized and there was not much left for the actual runners!

The Race That’s Good For Life 5K was hosted by the Oak Park Runners Club to benefit CARA (Chicago Area Runner’s Association), a non-​profit organization that enables local area runners. The race was recently voted the best and fastest in the Chicagoland area. I do agree that it could be the fastest, because I did my best race-​time so far. I do not know if I agree that it was the best race I’ve participated it. However, it wasn’t horrible either. It had good and bad things.
Pros: Parking was found nearby. Packet pick-​up was easy (even if the girl looked at my like I was confused when I said my last name that could also be a first name). Around this time of year the weather is a bit more cooperative. Except for one «hill», the course is completely flat. There was water at the mile marker and water/​Gatorade at the finish. Chip timing is used and there are clocks at the 1mi, 2mi and finish line (There might have been one at the 3mi, but I forget). People were handing out roses to racers at the end.
Cons: I personally found the scenery to be a little bland since it is down residential streets. The first mile had a significant amount of cracks in the pavement, which made running a bit uneven and hard on the ankles. Despite gear check being associated with the number on your bib, the girl wrote 667 when I was 66, so it took way longer than it needed to for them to find my gear among the piles of bags. Nothing really caught my eye to make me stay afterward and I pretty much left as soon as the race was over.
Pro/​Con: Separate races for women, men, mother-​daughter, father-​son and youth. I think that was a pro because it kept the course pretty open. It might be seen as a con for others.
All in all, it was a good race and I would encourage people to try it and support a great cause.