It's almost time to leave your treadmill behind and hit the pavement in Chicago, as weather fit for outdoor running finally arrives. If you're looking for a race to run but don't want to cough up a registration fee, you might want to plan a trip to the park this summer.
The Chicago Park District and the Chicago Area Runners Association are teaming up to bring the ‘Go Run series of 5K and one-mile races to Washington Park, Warren Park and Humboldt Park this summer. Each race is free and open to anyone who wants to participate—runners just need to register once through the CARA website and then show up to any of the scheduled events. All races are timed and participants are welcome to run, jog or walk the course.
The first race in the series takes place at Washington Park, Warren Park and Humboldt Park on Saturday, April 28 at 9am. Subsequent races will take place every Saturday at 9am, through June 9 (though more dates will be added throughout the summer).
Before you start training, check out the complete list of events and take a look at each park's course at the CARA ‘Go Run website.