Fun Races For Runners In Chicago Area

I wanted to jump on here and share some cool events that are happening around the Chicagoland area that many runners probably aren't aware of but maybe they should be.  Midwest Event Management is a new Chicago startup event management company that has started putting on some amazing running events in the Chicago area for runners!  

The first one and most popular is the Shamrock 5k Beer Run in Arlington Heights, IL.  This annual race is in its third year and has over 2,000 runners annually.  What makes this race unique is that it is a beer run that has beer stations on the course!  That's right at every 1k mark instead of having a water station there is a beer station!  Runners don't run this race they attempt to stumble their way through it and the after party includes more beer!  

If that is too much beer for you then there are two other races that also include beer, but not until you finish the race.  All of this beer is included for free with the race entry fee.  The Cheers To New Year's 5k race is a fun race in Itasca that starts and finishes at a the Church Street Brewery.  So, you don't have to worry about the weather you can hangout in the brewery and after the race go back in and enjoy a free drink on them.  The Beer5k is the same model; however, it starts and ends in downtown Chicago on the lakefront!  This is a great event for runners and once they finish they can hangout at the brew-fest taking place.

The Wine Run 5k is a super fun race that involves free wine for runners. This race has expanded from the south side of Chicago to a few other wineries in Illinois and Wisconsin.  This is a great way to run a fun race, get a free wine glass, and a free shirt.  These events have grown in popularity and are growing each year you don't want to miss out.

There are many other fun and exciting events that Midwest Event Management are putting on.  So, instead of paying $30 for a plain 5k think about one of these fun events and get so much more out of your running!

How do I market my 5k race?

Marketing your 5k run is one of the most important thing you will need to plan for when organizing your race.  If you don't have any runners at your event you aren't going to be able to raise much money for your charity or be able to cover your costs of producing the event.

Step 1: Setting up your online registration.  The days of mailing in paper registration forms are long gone and now with smartphones and technology most runners signup online with an online registration site.  We recommend using the registration platform Itsyourrace.com for your race registration.  The great thing about setting up online registration is runners can sign up in advance to help give you a better idea of how many runners will be attending your event.  In the past many runners signed up the day of the event; however, if there was poor weather they might not show up at all costing you hundreds to thousands of dollars.  This way with online registration you lock in their registration costs.

Step 2: Create a Facebook page for your race, or if you already have a Facebook page create a Facebook event for your race.  Make sure to tie in your online registration so your Facebook fans can click the link to register for your event easily.  Also make sure to include pictures of your event and positive images of runners running your race having fun.  Sending positive vibes about your race is key when trying to convert runners to register for your race.

Step 3: Post your event on online calendars 9 months in advance.  Why so early, because the serious runners typically plan their running events far in advance.  You want to make sure you post your race on the main running calendars like running in the usa and also your local running clubs website.  You can also be proactive and post the event with paper flyers in local businesses and shoe stores to help promote your event.

Step 4: Paying for advertising. Depending on what your race budget is paying for advertising will help you get the word out about your race.  Some forms of advertising include: mailers, email blasts, boosting Facebook posts, Active, local running magazines, and running google ads.  What we have seen through our experiences is that boosting a Facebook post is your most effective way to advertise your running event.  The rate of return is about $1 for every $1.50 spent.  So, you are essentially losing money on advertising but you are building your event and getting the message out.


I hope this blog helped you out and I wish you the best of luck with marketing your race!  If you have any comments or suggestions on marketing please feel free to leave me a comment.

Thank you!!!