Have You Picked Your 'A' Race, Yet?

Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  View on Instagram

Have You Taken a FIT36 Class Yet?
Chicago's newest high intensity interval training studio is offering complimentary classes now through March 18th.

Come try our full-body functional training workout that will develop your cardiovascular endurance, increase your muscular strength and improve your balance and coordination over a variety of movements.
 
  •  12 functional exercises with each workout
  •  Upper and lower body movements
  •  All classes taught by professional group exercise instructors 
  • Clean, brand new facility in Lincoln Park
  • Call 773.281.2729 for more info


Price Increase Next Week!
Did you finally decide if you are going to run the marathon, half marathon, or 5k at the Wisconsin Marathon? Now that you know, sign up today!

Prices for all distances will increase on Thursday, March 16th. 

You have worked hard all winter. Now it is time to enjoy a fast course along Lake Michigan, just over the WI/IL border in Kenosha! You'll enjoy brats, beer, and cheese when you finish!

The race is on Saturday, May 6th. For information, go to www.wisconsinmarathon.com


Price Increase Coming
Only 171 days until the 2017 Transamerica Chicago Triathlon sets off in Monroe Harbor. Race weekend is 50% full, with all special competitions nearly sold-out. Commit today and save $10 before next weeks' price increase. 2017 is YOUR year. #ChiTri is YOUR race.
 
Visit chicagotriathlon.com/youcan/ for details.



Current Issue
March/April 2017
Kick Off New Season; 
Top 100 Long-Distance Events
Free Event Photos
Chicago Athlete is the first place to look for photos from all the big races in Chicagoland. Go to our  Facebook Page
for photos updated hours after races end.

Calendar of Events
Looking for upcoming endurance events in Chicago? Check out  Chicago Athlete's event calendar  for the largest event guide in the Midwest.

2017 Athlete Preparation: 
 100 Midwest Long-Distance Races
One of the first steps in planning for a new season is to pick and register for races; according to Triathlete Magazine, athletes should select one or two "A" races, or target races, every season, such as a new distance or location, and building the rest of your schedule around that. Because these races require a full taper, peak and recovery period, they are the priority and focus for that season.

Once your target races are selected, go ahead and chose a few "B" races, which may be shorter or less expensive, and a few "C" races to take the place of a hard workout, but still get the competitive environment.

There are "B" and "C" races all over the Midwest, but finding the right "A" race may be more difficult; in order to help you with your scheduling, we listed 100 longer distance races in the Midwest that could be great options for your target races. From half marathons to Olympic triathlons to 100-mile races, there's bound to be one on this list that appeals to you.

*This is not a comprehensive list of races in the Midwest. These are dates and locations as of Feb. 1. For more races, check Chicago Athlete's online race calendar www.MyRacePal.com throughout the year as more get added.

New Naperville Ride Promotes Drug Recovery Through Cycling
new nonprofit organization called Pedal4Life wants to help recovering addicts in DuPage County, founder Ira David Levy says. Pedal4Life aims to start a program called Pathway to Home, which will help both veterans and civilians with their recovery from substance abuse.

To launch the Pathway to Home program, Pedal4Life is sponsoring a bike ride May 21 in Naperville called the  Hero In Me ride.  Riders can sign up for 15-, 32- or 48-mile courses that will travel through parts of Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Woodridge, with two-thirds of the routes in forest preserves.

"I find it ironic that the word 'hero' serves as the root of 'heroin,' which kills so many people," Levy said. "Our goal is to replace heroin with the hero within."

Do Nike's New Shoes Give Runners An Unfair Advantage?
The shoes came in the colors of a tropical drink, lime and orange and pink, as if the logo ought to be an umbrella instead of a Nike swoosh. You half expected the insoles to smell of rum and coconut.  The shoes cushioned the feet of all three medalists in the men's marathon at the Rio Olympics last summer. Later, in the fall, they were worn by the winners of major marathons in Berlin, Chicago and New York.

The latest shoe designs have produced fast times and impressive results in international races. But they have also spurred yet another debate about the advance of technology and the gray area where innovation meets extremely vague rules about what is considered unfair performance enhancement for the feet.

Where to draw the line of permissible assistance?
 
Bret Schoolmeester, Nike's senior director for global running footwear, said, "We're very confident we're doing things within the rules and above board."

It's Time for Some Spring-Cleaning - With Your Health
Spring is in the air, and all across the nation people are weeding through closets, kitchens and garages, resulting in hauls to Goodwill, curbside freebies and overflowing trash cans everywhere.

So how might this ubiquitous wish to clean and improve translate to your health and fitness?

Jenny DeMarco, a personal trainer (itrain4life.com), suggests doing an inventory of what works and what doesn't in your health and fitness routine (or lack thereof).

High School Grad Rides Across U.S. for '3 Reasons'
While most 18-year-olds' focus on graduating high school and getting into college, Jan Gierlach is adding "cross-country bike ride" to his to-do list.

In fact, Gierlach graduated from Barrington High School in December, and in February, he left for a 3,300 mile ride from San Diego, Calif. to St. Augustine, Fla. He's not totally forgetting about school though, as he plans to be back in time for graduation, and still attend college in the fall.

Although Gierlach's ride is unaccompanied, his pur- pose is not solely for accomplishment; this adventure is a popular one created through the charity Ride for 3 Reasons, which helps raise funds and build awareness of three causes: ALS, cancer and hospice. Gierlach was introduced to the charity through founder Bob Lee, and because he feels a personal connection with each cause, he knew he had to do it one day.

"My grandfather passed of lung cancer, a dear family friend passed from ALS and my grandma received hospice treatment," Gierlach said. "It's much more meaningful to ride with a charitable connection, and Ride for 3 Reasons was directly in line with my values and passions."

Race Results from March 2 to March 8

March 4
Oak Forest Fleadh 5K - Oak Forest, IL

March 5
Run for the Nuns 5K Run/Walk - South Elgin, IL

  
Calendar of Events from March 9 to March 15
Full calendar available at myracepal.com.

March 11
Elks Shamrock Shimmy - Galena, IL
St. Paddys Day 5K - Naperville, IL
Lucky Clover 4 Miler - Carmel, IN

March 12
Milwaukee St. Paddy's 5K - Milwaukee, WI 

March 14
CARA Six Series - Chicago, IL
Pi Day 3.14-mile Fun Run - Chicago, IL


Local Discounts, Deals and Price Increase Alerts  
Race Directors: Have a discount code or price increase for your upcoming event? We encourage you to submit them to [email protected] to provide to subscribers! 

-Save $5 with code CHIATH

Lincoln-Way Half Marathon (Race Date: April 29)
-Save $5 with code mychicagoathlete

-Save $5 with code PPCA2017

-Save $5 on marathon or half marathon with code CANEWSWM17

Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekendberlin  (Race Date: May 11-14)
-Save 15% when you email #beatlungcancer to [email protected]  through March 31

Universal Sole Four Mile Classic (Race Date: May 18)
-Save $5 with code CHIATH

Leon's Triathlon (Race Date: June 4)
-Price increases on March 20, April 30 and June 3

Utah Valley Marathon (Race Date: June 10)
-Save $10 with code chicago10 (good until May 15)

-Save $15 with code TWOHEART15 

Kona Marathon (Race Date: June 25)
-Save $10 off full and half marathon distances, or $5 off the quarter marathon and 5K with code KMEGROUP17
-Price increases April 30 and June 1

-Save $10 on any distance with code CHIATHLETE17

Universal Sole Burgers & Beer 5K (Race Date: July 17)
-Save $5 with code  CHIATH

Hawaii Volcano Rain Forest Runs (Race Date: Aug. 19)
-Price increases on May 14 and July 31

Berlin Marathon (Race Date: Sept. 24)
-Save 15% when you email  #beatlungcancer  to [email protected] through March 31

-Save 15% when you email #beatlungcancer to [email protected] through March 31

NYC Marathon (Race Date: Nov. 5)
-Save 15% when you email #beatlungcancer to [email protected] through March 31

Copyright © 2016. All Rights Reserved.