Please Touch Museum and TJ Max at Nevada and Tennessee: Chicago Half Marathon

the Chicago Spring Half Marathon offers beautiful views of Lake Michigan, the city’s historic museum campus, and Soldier Field, finishing up at the Park at Lakeshore East where runners will celebrate their achievements at our post-race picnic.

Event Schedule

Time	Date	Event	Location
4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.	Thursday, May 14	Packet pickup	Fleet Feet Sports - 1620 N. Wells Street
10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.	Friday, May 15	Packet pickup	Fleet Feet Sports - 1620 N. Wells Street
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.	Saturday, May 16	Packet pickup	Fleet Feet Sports - 1620 N. Wells Street
5:30 a.m.	May 17, 2015	New registration (Junior Dash only)	Park at Lakeshore East
6:00 a.m.	May 17, 2015	Gear check opens	Park at Lakeshore East
6:45 a.m.	May 17, 2015	Registration closes	Park at Lakeshore East
7:00 a.m.	May 17, 2015	Chicago Spring Half Marathon starts	Park at Lakeshore East
7:30 a.m.	May 17, 2015	Chicago Spring Half 10K starts	Park at Lakeshore East
8:30 a.m.	May 17, 2015	Post-race picnic opens	Park at Lakeshore East
8:30 a.m.	May 17, 2015	10K Awards	Park at Lakeshore East
9:30 a.m.	May 17, 2015	Half Marathon Awards	Park at Lakeshore East
10:00 a.m.	May 17, 2015	Junior Dash	Park at Lakeshore East
11:30 a.m.	May 17, 2015	Gear check closes	Park at Lakeshore East

Please note: All times are approximate and subject to change. You MUST adhere to the specific start times of the distance for which you registered. For example: If you are signed up for the 10K and you start with the Half marathoners, you will NOT have a finish time. Due to the staggered start, it will be impossible to calculate your elapsed time. Please pay attention to the announcer and the difference in start times

COURSE DESCRIPTION

COURSE MAP
Click here to view a PDF of the course map.
COURSE SAFETY
Participants should stay to the right while running on the course. There will be two-way traffic for the Chicago Spring Half Marathon between the north side of the aquarium and the turnaround point. As the park paths will remain open to the public, please be prepared to abide by city officials and event marshals at key intersections on the course.
AID STATIONS
There will be a total of eight aid stations on the course, with Gatorade at each station.
START CORRALS
Please line up at the start according to your start corral listed in the bottom left hand corner of your bib. We will start each corral in “waves” for both the 10K and Half Marathon. There will be approximately two minutes between each wave start. For the Half Marathon, Corral A will start at 7:00 a.m. with each successive corral following approximately two minutes after. The 10K will be done the same way with the first corral starting at approximately 7:30 a.m.
PACE GROUPS
Pace groups are available for the following finishing times: 1:30, 1:45, 1:50, 2:00, 2:10, 2:20, 2:30 and 2:45. Everyone will be staged at the start line according to pace.
16-MINUTE PACE REQUIREMENT
Participants must be able to maintain at least a 16-minute mile pace for the Chicago Spring Half Marathon, for a finishing time of 3.5 hours at 10:30 a.m.
TIMING CLOCKS
There will be a timing clock at each mile marker.
GEAR CHECK
Gear check will be located on the east side of Lake Shore East Park along N. Westshore Drive.
Please note: all baggage must be inside the CLEAR PLASTIC BAG that was provided at packet pickup. Baggage will not be accepted if your items are not properly stored inside the bag. Personal bags or backpacks may not be placed directly in the clear bags. You must remove all contents from your backpack, place them inside the clear plastic bag and fold up your backpack to place it in the clear bag. All items must be visible.
Gear should be dropped off prior to entering the start area at the gear check tent. Please use the clear plastic bag provided at packet pickup. There will be additional clear bags on race morning. Place all items inside the clear plastic bag and attach the gear check label from your race bib to the bag for identification. You must have a race bib to use gear check. All unclaimed items at gear check and not claimed within one week of the race will be donated to a local charity. Do not give your items to volunteers except those at gear check. Please arrive early to check in your bag. Gear check will close five minutes before race start. Life Time is not responsible for any lost or stolen items.
*After the race, items must be picked up from the same location before gear check closes at 11:30 a.m.

CARA CERTIFIED
Chicago Spring Half has applied for and received the Chicago Area Runners Association designation as a CARA certified race. This race has agreed to adhere to and uphold CARA’s Best Practices Guidelines. These Guidelines embody the highest standards for quality, safety and comfort for participants in a road race.
Due to CARA’s advocacy efforts, runners in the Chicagoland area enjoy some of the highest quality road races in the country. To view the Guidelines and to learn more about CARA, visit www.cararuns.org.
The Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA) is a non-profit organization devoted to expanding, motivating, supporting and celebrating the running community of Chicagoland. CARA connects runners to resources that enable them to run – farther, faster, better, for life.

RACE PERKS

Tech running T-shirt
Commemorative finisher's medal
8 aid stations with water and Gatorade
Access to post-race picnic and celebration at the Park at Lakeshore East
Awards for top three runners in each age group

AWARDS

Awards will be given to the top overall male and female finishers. Additional awards will be given to the top three men and women in each of the following age groups in both the Half Marathon and 10K: