We'll see you April 10, 2022 as the Wintrust Lakefront 10 Miler will be the RRCA National 10 Mile Championship!

Wintrust Lakefront 10 Miler & 5K

​Amenities​​

• Chip-Timed 10 Mile and 5K

• Beautiful lakefront course, with unique run over Cricket Hill, and our exciting track lap finish!

• Unique Long Sleeve Performance Shirt

• Custom Designed Keepsake Race Bib

• Professional announcing by Chicago running legend Dave Kappas!

• Overall and Age-Group Awards

• 10 Mile is a CARA Runners' Choice Circuit Race!

• Optional finishers medal (limited quantities available)!

Event Details

Event Day Schedule

• 8:00 a.m. - Event venue open (No early arrivals please)

• 8:50 a.m. - Deadline to report to Start Wave

• 8:50 a.m. - Pre-Race Announcements / Instructions

• 9:00 a.m. - Start​ (Beginning with 10 Mile Start Waves, followed by 5K Start Waves)

Registration Fees

• 10 Mile: SOLD OUT

  • Early Bird - $39 (SOLD OUT 15 minutes into registration) - Limited to first 100 registrations​ (10 Mile & 5K included)

  • ​Regular - $49 - Through March 28

  • Late - $59 - Through April 13

• 5K: SOLD OUT

  • Early Bird - $36 (SOLD OUT 15 minutes into registration)- Limited to first 100 registrations​ (10 Mile & 5K included)

  • ​Regular - $44 - Through March 28

  • Late - $49 - Through April 13

• Optional Finishers Medal: Additional fee of $5 while supplies last. (SOLD-OUT)

• CARA Supporter Level members save 10%! (Discount credited automatically with member login on form)

• Capacity: Limited to 750 (15 waves of 50 persons, see details below).

• Refund Policy: If this event is canceled due to COVID-19, participants will have the option to choose to receive a refund (minus transaction fees) of registration fees, or to receive a 110% credit of registration fees for any future CARA registration, or to participate virtually. Optional finisher medal fees are non-refundable. In all other circumstances, participants must agree that refunds and deferrals will NOT be issued for any reason, including participant injury, illness, personal conflict, and any other issues out of the control of the event, including, but not limited to cancellation due to weather/lightning.

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Course

• Description: The course begins on the Wilson Track and progresses along Chicago's scenic Lakefront Path. Throughout the course runners will enjoy breathtaking views of the lake shore, the Chicago skyline and those of Montrose, Belmont, and Diversey Harbors. Participants in the 10 Miler will run south to Fullerton before returning north to the Montrose Ave. tunnel. Participants in the 5K will split off at the first pass of the Montrose Ave. tunnel. In the final mile, 10 Mile and 5K participants will run up and down Lincoln Park’s landmark Cricket Hill, before an exciting finish on Wilson Track and into the finish!

• Miler Markers: Mile markers will be posted at each mile.​

• Aid Stations: Bottled water will be available at the start, finish and at aid stations along the course. Aid Stations will be located at 2.12 miles, 4.57 miles, 6.72 miles, and 9.12 miles. Medical support will be available at all on-course aid stations.

• USATF: Course certification numbers are: 5K = IL18015NM / 10 Mile = L21008NM

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Finisher Medals

• Finisher medals for the 10 Mile and 5K will be available as an optional registration add on while supplies last. Finisher medals will be provided at packet pick-up to those who select them during registration.

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Awards

• Recognition awards provided to the top three males and females overall in both the 10 Miler and 5K.

• Recognition awards provided to the top three males and females in age-groups:

  • 10 Miler: 14 & Under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85 & Over

  • 5K: 19 & Under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 & Over​

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Packet Pick-Up ​

• Sunday, April 11, 2021

  • Fleet Feet Elmhurst (11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)​

• Wednesday, April 14, 2021​

  • Fleet Feet South Loop (11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)​

• Thursday, April 15, 2021​

  • Fleet Feet Lincoln Square (11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)​

• Friday, April 16, 2021​

  • Fleet Feet Old Town (11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.)​

• Packet mailing is available during registration for a fee. To add packet mailing after registration, login HERE. Deadline to order is April 4th at Midnight CT.

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Travel / Parking

• Travel information may be found in the Participant Guide (Available by April 1)

• Parking: Free street parking is available within the park on Montrose Ave., Simonds Dr., Lawrence Ave. and Foster Ave. Paid parking is available in the Chicago Park District lots at Wilson Dr. and Lakeshore Dr. (Wilson Lot) and at Foster Avenue and Lakeshore Dr. (Foster Beach).

• Public Transit: The following bus lines will get you near the start; 78-Montrose, 81-Lawrence, 145-Wilson/Michigan, and 146-Marine/Michigan. Be sure to check the bus schedule with your desired departure time. The 145 and 146 routes start running later on the weekends. You may also take the Red-Line Train to Wilson and head east about one mile to the start.​

• Ride Share: Those traveling to the event by ride share should drop off inside the Wilson Lot. Ride share drivers will not be able to turn-around on Wilson Dr.

• Bike: Bike racks are available near the start/finish line for participants who choose to ride to the race. Please bring a bike lock. A Divvy station is located immediate adjacent to the start line.

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Event Capacity / Finish Cut-Off

• Participation will be limited, register early. If capacity is reached, CARA will not add additional waves or event days.

• Participants must finish within three (3) hours after the last on-time start (no late starts).

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Start Wave Assignments / Procedures

• Procedures have been designed to fully meet current Restore Illinois gathering and safety guidelines for athletic events. CARA has successfully hosted multiple races and community events in 2020 using these plans.

• Participants will be separated into groups of 50. Each group will be a “Start Wave”. Multiple start waves will be used, and procedures will be in place to maintain separation between waves.

• Participants will be assigned to a start wave based on an expected finish time provided during registration (please be as specific as possible for this time). Participants wishing to be in the same start wave as another person (friend/family) must register with identical expected finish times. Participants will also be assigned a “Start Position” within their start wave for management of participant flow within groups.

• Assignments will be developed from fastest to slowest expected finish times. This method groups runners by pace, and therefore limits the need for passing of faster/slower participants while on-course.

• Each participant will have their assignment shown on their bib number. Start Waves will be designated by letters (A, B, C, etc.) and Start Positions will be designated by numbers (1-50). Participant assignments will be displayed as an alphanumeric combination. For example an assignment of Start Wave A, Start Position 25 will be shown as “A-25”.

• Participants must report directly to a pre-race organizing “pod” for their assigned start wave upon arrival. A one-way participant flow (counter-clockwise) will lead participants to their pod. Participants will follow the same one-way flow for event exit. Per Restore IL Guidelines, each separate pod will be 30 ft apart from any other pod or walkway.

• At each pod will be an event staff member in hi-viz to regulate entry to only those assigned to the pod, and to oversee participant physical distancing, masking, and additional safety guidelines.

• Each pod will include its own toilet, handwashing station, gear drop, garbage, and pick-up of post-race amenities (bottled water, snacks, finishers medal, etc.).

• Pods for the fastest participants will be closest to the start corrals / start line, allowing for the first start waves to proceed to corrals without needing to pass participants arriving to slower participant pods.

• Beginning 10 minutes prior to the run start time,  each start wave will be led from their pod to the start corrals by an event staff member with hi-viz, bullhorn, and holding an overhead sign with the start wave letter shown.

• At the start line there will be three start corrals. Start corrals will have three zones: “Starting”, “On-Deck, and “In-The-Hole”. 

• The first wave (Start Wave “A”) to arrive at the corrals will organize in the “Starting” zone. The second group (Start Wave “B”) will organize in the “On-Deck” zone, and the third (Start Wave “C”) will organize in the “In-The-Hole” zone. 

• Within each zone participants will line up at an assigned start (que) position. Start positions are designated by numbered cones. Each cone is set 6 ft apart from each other. All zones are set-up identically so that participants are set in their start position order prior to their arriving in the starting zone. This allows for organized movement from the first zone to the final zone.

• At the starting zone, as the race begins, only one row of participants will start at a time (5 participants). Every 5-seconds, the next row of participants will begin the race. A starter will give the signal for each row to begin at their turn. The start signal will include an audible command, and a physical command (for hearing impaired participants). As a row begins, the rows behind step forward to the position/cone directly in front of them until they reach the start line, and their turn to begin the race.

• Once all participants in the starting zone have begun, those in the On-Deck zone will move forward to their positions within the Starting corral. At the same time, those in the In-The-Hole zone will move forward to the On-Deck zone. At this time, the next start wave (“D”) will move into the In-The-Hole zone. This procedure will continue until all waves have begun the race. Each wave will take 50 seconds to clear the start line. Subsequent start waves will move forward to start que positions as runners continue to start the race.

• As runners finish the race, event staff will direct finishers back to their pod. All post-race amenities (bottled water, snacks, finishers medals) will be located within pods to encourage quick movement back to pods.

• The event will make available at the finish dry masks for participants who need to replace their original mask.

• Post-race, participants may remain in their pod until the event close time, or must exit the event venue. Upon return to pods, event staff will be in place to monitor physical distancing and mask guidelines. Participants will be encouraged to exit the venue as soon as possible after completing the race.

• Upon exit, participants must follow the one-way participant flow to exit, that does not conflict with participant flow from the finish line or course.

Participant Guidelines / Expectations​

Participants must agree to and follow these guidelines:

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• Do not participate if you are feeling sick or ill, and or have a fever, or if you have been in contact with someone unrecovered from COVID-19. 

• Persons from high-risk groups for COVID-19 complications should consult their physician before participating.

• Do not engage in traditional forms of physical contact (handshakes, high-fives, hugs, partner stretching, etc.).

• Do not engage in close group pictures/selfies.

• Only spit or blow nose into a tissue or handkerchief.

• Do not share personal items, such as hydration, energy gels, towels, etc.

• Wear a mask or face covering while gathering pre- or post-run, and anytime they are within six feet of others. Runners may remove their face cover while running when they can maintain social distance.

• Comply with any State of Illinois and Cook County travel orders.

• Participants may be required to exit the event should their actions not meet expectations and or they are creating risk for themselves or others.​

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Hydration

• Participants are encouraged to self-carry a personal hydration bottle or pack. Standard bottles provide enough hydration for at least one-hour of exercise.

• Bottled water will be provided on-course at aid stations and post-race within pods. Participants must self-retrieve hydration from tables. Volunteers/staff will not hand out hydration directly. Bottles will need to be deposited in containers within 100 yds of the aid station, or carried. Please avoid dropping plastic bottles on ground for pick-up.

• Volunteers/staff will be required to sanitize hands, wear masks, and wear food preparation gloves at all times while handling product.

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Spectators / Non-Participants

• Non-registered persons, friends, and family may not enter the event area. Non-registered persons are encouraged not to attend to avoid over gathering.

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Gear Check

• A self-service gear drop area will be located within each pod, rather than traditional gear check. Participants will manage the placement and retrieval of their own bag to limit contact with others. Event staff will only maintain supervision of the area, however, the event is not responsible for lost items.

Awards Ceremony

• An awards ceremony will not be held to avoid congregating or extending the time participants need to remain at the event.

• Awards will be mailed to participants after the event.

Results Posting / Look-Up

• Results will not be posted at the event to avoid congregating at a single area. 

• Results will be posted live to the event website, allowing for participants to look up their results on mobile devices.