Washington Park 1-Mile Fun Run

Chicago Run hosts two fun runs each year. It brings  kids across all their Chicago Public Schools from north to south in order to run one mile together. This year I participated as a volunteer at the Spring Washington Park Fun Run to help the race go smoothly.

We show up bright and early - Juice and bagels; volunteers and Chicago Run staff; shoes and ponytails. Droopy eyed volunteers were slurping away at their grande coffees, and we were all lined up in a row to get signed in. Pretty soon, thousands of kids will be streaming in to run one mile. For some, it will be their first outdoor run. For others, it will be their first race. Everyone is going to have the opportunity to show off what hard work they put in though. This idea excites all the volunteers as we assemble and listen to Chicago Run's Executive Director Alicia to kick off the morning.

Her speech describes how Chicago Run was began and how far it has come since its inception. They've gone from twelve schools to fifty-five. Hundreds of students to thousands. Its growth has been exponential, and they've had a fun time doing it. She let's us loose into our work groups.

I'm in the trial maintenance team with David. We clear the pathways to make sure everything is safe for the kids - broken glass, twigs, and more. We have fun doing it! After we're finished, we wait for the huge rush of kids. They're rushing off buses and being herded into their corals. The start line volunteers will start the students in waves to cross the starting line. It's a mad house.

While we wait, we make lots of signs for encouragement, prepare our bubble blowers, and strategically place ourselves around the course so that we can clap and cheer them every step of the way. I'm lucky to be at the exact half-way point and so I shout over and over again, "you're halfway finished! You're almost there! You can do it!" I hang my hand into the crowd and provide a gratuitous amount of high fives. All the kids that come by are super charged up and some of the younger ones even start to sprint a little to get to high five me.

It reminds me a little of life, you know? A mile can seem like a really long way if you think of the entire thing. Gotta keep moving one little high five at a time until you cross that finish line. Eyes always up and legs just pumping along. It's what I strive for when I run - you can feel your brain empty out and your body moving in an almost trancelike state. It's like returning to my roots.

If you like reading about Chicago Run and its work, please consider helping support the organization cause by click HERE to donate to my 2013 Chicago Marathon Campaign.

That's all for now folks. Signing off!
Brooke