United Run for the Zoo

I ran the 2015 race a few days ago. While the actual run was fun despite the monsoon rain, the event management has been very poor. This was my first 5k run and I was so pleased that I ran the whole way despite the pouring rain. I was excited to see my results and immediately went to the website. My results were posted and I had beat my goal by a wide margin. The problems began when I tried to return to the results later that day. My name and bib were missing! I immediately emailed Anne Gault, the event contact listed and then emailed again several days later when I received no reply. Finally received an email 5 days later asking if I had completed the race after the «black flag time». I was stunned. There had been no indication of this at the race or on the website. Sure enough when I went back to the website it now states the 5k was black flagged at a certain time and that no results are available if you finished after that time. This information was obviously added days after the race. I am now told my results are not available. How can that be when they were posted at the time. What a huge disappointment. My multiple requests for clarification have gone unanswered by the zoo and the race management company.

I’m glad I added the Run for the Zoo to my list of 5Ks. Would I run it again? The jury is still out on that one. And although the weather was super crappy this day, that doesn’t have anything to do with why I am hesitant about running it again.
For me, packet pick up was super easy. I went on Friday, easily found free street parking and found no line/​no wait at the tent. The friendly volunteer found our names easily and we were done within 5 minutes.
The race itself was ok. There were different corrals for people based on their mile times – I appreciate that. But there are always some people that spoil it and don’t follow those rules. Why some sight-​see-​slow walkers always group themselves in the runner corrals is such a mystery to me, even when the announcer will tell walkers to start after the runners. And I really think strollers shouldn’t have been allowed on this race either, some parts of the path get kind of narrow and it seemed like a lot of those stroller runners lacked any kind of runner courtesy. And before you label me a baby-​hater, just know that I have done a few races pushing a running stroller but sure as hell made sure I didn’t nip at anyone’s heels or weave in and out of the running packs. Geez some of these stroller runner parents make all of us look bad.
There was a water station at mile 1.1 which was odd – why not half way through like other 5ks?
There were bananas and water galore for us at the finish. The full size Gatorade bottles were nice and so were the bottles of Nestle Chocolate milk.
The weather ended up being short of a monsoon so they had to cancel the kids Safari Stampede obstacle course, but an email later in the week offered a chance for parents to come back to the zoo and pick up the medal their kids would have received. So nice of them! But then my dilemma, do I give my kid a medal for a race he didn’t even run? just hash tag me #oldschoolparent

This was my first year running this particular race. After spending the first half of the year working towards PRs and new distances, I wanted a couple of «just for fun» races, and the Run for the Zoo seemed like it would be the perfect choice. It had everything I wanted — easy to get to on public transit, an affordable price, a great course (through the zoo!), and a fun shirt design. Sold!
Sadly, the Run for the Zoo didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I had a lot of fun, but there was a lot that the race could have done better.
My biggest issue had to do with the apparent lack of organization. Packet pick up and gear check were both a nightmare, with unusually long waits and nice but clueless volunteers. There was also not adequate support on the course, as the water station was sadly understaffed and under stocked.
There were also the usual problems for smaller races that don’t assign corrals — runners and/​or walkers starting too close to the front, which caused those of us who lined up correctly based on pace to have to do a lot of weaving. I did, however, appreciate the wave start. It helped keep the course more open with fewer traffic jams. Well done!
There weren’t as many freebies as other races (water, gatorade, banana post race, and one tent handing out little first aide kits and cups — each runner was also entitled to one free beer and one slice of pizza), but that isn’t why I run and it is to be expected with a charity race like this. I do take a bit of umbrage with the post race food, however. They really played up the fact that there would be pizza after the race. There was even a «pizza ticket» that you had to turn in to claim your slice. My slice of pizza was not only cold, but it was also the smallest slice of pizza I have ever seen. It was one, maybe two bites worth of food. I would probably have been happy with my tiny bite of pizza if every single source of communication about the race hadn’t made a point of mentioning the post race pizza. I know it is a little petty, but I was disappointed.
I left with a new 5k PR and a feeling that this was a race that has grown considerably over the years, but they are still trying to do things the same way they had been doing them when it was a smaller race.
I loved the shirt and the course, and I am always happy to run a race that supports something that I care about (I’m a fan or the Lincoln Park Zoo), but I’ve come to expect a little bit more when it comes to organization and race management. I think I may have been spoiled by all of the Fleet Feet organized races that I’ve run over the past couple of years.

Packet Pick-​Up hours and process are terrible. What is Vision Event Management? I would stick to Fleet Feet races.

It is interesting to read the previous reviews and, sadly, figure out that the zoo has not tried to improve using the provided feedback. That said, here is my synopsis of the race; this year, 2014, was my first year participating:
–Overall, a pretty decent race and pretty path. The T-​shirt provided with registration was super cute!
–I like the finish through the zoo, though it would even be better if there was a little more «in the zoo» running.
–They couldn’t find my bib. Overall packet pick up was a mess –lines were about 30 min long, delaying the start of the 5K; after the first wait, I had to wait another 10 min or so in another line to get my new bib.
–Bad decision to start the now-​running-​late 5K with the 10K. Too crowded. They need corrals /​staggered starts. This caused a full on «runner traffic jam» at
one point and we had to stop running. I have never seen this in a race before.
–No toilet paper in any stall in the women’s restroom (come on, really?)
–Need to delay the zoo opening to the public on race day, as this caused a major crowd /​traffic issue. Or, just hold the race an hour or two earlier –which is better for heat sensitive people like me anyway. (Heat was really bad this year –obviously not the organizer’s fault. It was 90 and humid –very difficult running weather.)
All that said, I would consider doing it again so long as they tried to make improvements. I think this is a classic case of a «small» race that started off well years ago and has become so popular, that it is outgrowing itself. I think they just need to rethink packet pick-​up, perhaps offering the «mail to your home» option I’ve seen for other races (usually runs $ 10 or so). So worth the extra money to avoid the hassle!
I plan to write to the race organizers to see what kind of response I get. If they are open minded and acknowledge the feedback, I would consider trying it again next year!

This was our first year doing the walking 5K at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Unfortunately, the weather was really cold, raining and crappy. Otherwise, it’s for a good cause and I was happy to be there. Also, the course was beautiful. We paid a few extra bucks to have the race packets shipped to our home prior to the event. I would do that again. It made things so easy.
I will mention that the hired security was useless. Before the walking 5K’ers were set to depart, the 5K and 10K runners took off. At one location in the course, ignorant people kept walking past the security right into oncoming traffic (the runners). The security people did nothing! These people are running for time! Get the F out of their way! They shouldn’t have to run around you to avoid a collision just because you’re so self absorbed and ignorant!

The Lincoln Park Run at the Zoo features 3 events — the 10k, if you are accustomed to longer distances, the 5k, if you enjoy a faster paced sprint, and the Safari Stampede, if you want to find out if your kid is faking his asthma condition. At $ 35, I went with the 10k. I figure its the least I can do since I don’t pay anything for the zoo. (Btw, if anyone hears about similar runs for PBS, my neighbor’s Internet, or tipping, let me know.)
There are timing corrals at the start, but those are observed the same way I observe Unilocal review guidelines. And although you do briefly run through the zoo, on this rainy and windy Sunday morning, there were more empty cages and abandoned pens than that house in Cleveland where they freed those enslaved women. Most of the run takes place up and down the lakefront. I was able to break out of the pack and get closer to the front, with lots of space. But coming back, I could see a crowded mass of sweaty, panting, young professionals, similar to what you see at the Black Friday opening of an Abercrombie and Fitch.
There was no post race party. I did get a water, Gatorade, and a banana that was so bruised, it’s now receiving calls from Chris Brown. Also, Q-​Doba was there giving out free chips and salsa. That was a strange vendor considering most of their clientele are not the types who are used to running, or for that matter, movement of any kind. United Airlines was the main sponsor, which makes more sense. The zoo animals, much like United passengers, are confined to tight spaces, left to wallow in their own filth and robbed of all dignity. At least I get a couple of air miles.
For participating, you get a reusable bag and a shirt. My shirt had the silhouette of the head of a rhino — you know the animal with the big horn jutting out of its face? Of course, it could have also been Sarah Jessica Parker. In any case, it would take a very sick, sick person to hook up with either.

Where’s the animals ?? Was here in November too, lots of empty cages! I do understand they were going through lots of renovation, maybe it all will be complete when I return for the 3^rd time! We made the most of it!!! We always do!

Overall this was not a bad run, but a few logistical changes could have made it even better.
Pros:
–Optional packet mailings. I happily paid a few extra bucks to avoid waiting in lines to pick up my bib.
–The tech shirts were nice for women; the guys I talked to didn’t love the color scheme, however.
–Fun environment, great turnout
–Friendly volunteers
–Ample street parking nearby
Cons:
The logistics could have been better in a few ways.
–There were banks of porta-​potties that were closed. Lines before the race were so long because fewer than ¹⁄₃ of the toilets were available for use.
–The course was a little rough in spots and you had to be careful. Not sure if there were some better paths that could have worked better, but something to consider for the future.
–I ran the 10K and as we got to miles 4 – 6, we were on the same course as the walkers, forcing us to navigate around families with strollers. This seems like poor planning. I would advise starting the 10K first, followed by the 5K so the longer distance runners could get a head start on the course. Also, it was pretty hot by the time we finished, so an earlier start would be more prudent for June weather.
–Add some Gatorade at the aid stations (see above point re: June heat).
–The mile markers did not seem to be accurately placed, particularly in the second half of the course.
–By the time we finished, there were no bananas or popsicles left. We were promised popsicles during the race! So sad.

What a difference 5K makes.
This was my fourth year running the United Run for the Zoo race, which was the first race I ever ran so it’s definitely become a tradition.
This year I decided to sign up for the 10K instead of the 5K since I have a half marathon to run in less than three weeks.
The $ 30 race registration included a gender specific dri-​fit New Balance tee. Very comfortable. Loved the rhino.
PACKET PICK UP.
I had my brother pick up my packet since he was already in the city. He showed up 5 minutes late at the New Balance store and was told to come back the next day since they already shut down their laptop and therefore could not look up my bib number (keep in mind my brother had the email I forwarded him with all the information).
COURSE.
Both the 5K and 10K course started at the same spot. 5K runners started first and 10K runners started a good 30 minutes after. Not much overcrowding as previous years. Less strollers in 10K race. I normally like to look at the course layout ahead of time to mentally prepare, but in this case no map was available on line. The actual course ran north up Stockton up to Waveland Park, along the harbor then through the zoo for the last mile or so. Crowding was only a problem at around the 2.5 & 3 mile areas where runners had to cross each other coming back. That could have been planned better.
FINISH.
Towards the end of the course I had to keep dodging slow and inconsiderate people that were participating in the zoo fun walk who were taking up the entire width of the walkway. ON THE LEFT, PEOPLE!
As far as re-​fueling snacks, I remember this race to be one of the best. Bananas, apples, bagels, popsicles, Muscle Milk, Quodba nachos, water. I’m not fast but I’m also not the slowest runner. By the time I crossed the finish line there was nothing but stale bagels and warm water available. They were even packing up the tables. Disappointing.
Next year, I think I’ll stick with the 5K to keep my sanity and keep it fun.

Nice, laid-​back race. I ran the 5K one (there’s also an 10K one on the same day) and the other runners weren’t so ultra-​competitive like you see in other races. Got the sense that they were there for the fun of it. I’ve run a couple of other races in the past and was surprised at the amount of food they were giving away at the end. And the grape popsicles were an unexpected nice treat.
I also think it’s a smaller race compared to what I’ve seen in other ones which is good cuz you don’t have to worry about it being overly packed on the course.
My only dislike was the fact that you actually only run through the zoo for a very short leg of the race which was kinda sucky considering the theme of it. And also it’s the same course as the 10K and they started 20 minutes after our race. So those ultra competitive runners I talked about skipping the 5K were in that one and they were almost ran me and my slow ass over a couple of times. (But I suppose that’s my problem not theirs.) My recommendation is to just look out for those fast runners… or perhaps start the 10K first so as to avoid more bottlenecks.
My motto is, «Will run for food» so will most likely do this again next year.

This was a really fun race, however there was some confusion with the start. You just line up wherever and there are no corrals. We started a little late because they were busy towing cars down the street, but besides that it was easy to pick up your race packets and there was a lot of free stuff they were giving out ha!
The path was also very interesting– sometimes a little hilly so make sure you’re practicing on an incline!

The Run for the Zoo had its good points and its bad points, but it was mostly a fun little race and I’m glad I participated this year. I’m also glad I didn’t shell out $ 14 for parking, because I arrived about an hour and a half early and had no trouble finding street parking on Clark for $ 2.50. I ended up walking about three blocks or so to the race site, but I could have been way closer if I’d known exactly where the check-​in area was. It wasn’t a big deal.
Check-​in went pretty smoothly. I kinda freaked out when I realized you had to give the people your bib number. Every race I’ve been to they have it divided by last name and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to compete. However, one of the check-​in girls told me to go look for my number on a list just a few meters away. I found it quickly, got my bib, turned in my ticket for my free shirt and was all ready to go. Easy peasy!
A ton of cars had illegally parked on the race course and tow trucks were on the scene at 6:30am to clear all of them away. They worked pretty quickly and had an open track by race time.
The race path was well thought out. It winded on the outer edge of the zoo and past a dozen or so enclosures. The scenery was great, but the majority of the course had potholes and cracks all over. I spent more time looking in front of me to be sure I wouldn’t break my ankle than catching glimpses of the zebras and flamingos. It was also pretty crowded with about 2,000 people in the 5K that backed up where the streets and walkways narrowed.
I ended up not doing as well as I would have liked time-​wise, but my time wasn’t too bad and any feelings of defeat quickly melted away with the free Popsicles in the post-​race party area. I’m just happy this is done so early in June and that it wasn’t too hot. And not only did they provide iced goodness, but I also got a sweet United bag and I stockpiled Muscle Milk, a bunch of lo-​cal energy drinks, fruit packs and Kefir probiotics like the Apocalypse was here and now.

I really liked the idea of this race – who doesn’t want to run through the zoo? But was disappointed that only a short leg of the race actually goes through the Zoo – seems like they could have made more use of the wide zoo paths, and given more enjoyable scenery.
I also liked that you get dri-​fit shirts – that was a nice plus. I felt like packet pick-​up was easy on race-​day morning.
My biggest gripe about this race is how many bottlenecks there were. For the large amount of people running, some parts of the course were only a tiny little path. Everyone would get completely backed up. I second the reviewer who recommends this as a good family race, but for the solo Saturday race runner – there are a ton of other fun and well organized runs out there.

First year running this race, it was a good mix of running path of pavement, gravel, by the river and through the zoo which was nice. Although this was more a family race then anything, If you are looking for a family oriented 5k race you should do this next year, if you want a more serious race and have a desired time I’d say skip this race.
I had to avoid kids and people with strollers just to try and keep up to my desired pace. I am not sure if I’ll do it next year since I was going into it as a serious runner (wanting to lower my race time from my last 5k). Due to avoiding kids and people who didn’t move over to the right or off the path, when walking. I ended up just short of my desired time so I was disappointed. I would’ve liked the race more if all of the little kids were in the kids race vs. letting the little kids try to run the 5k.

This was my first time doing the run for the zoo, and I have to say I think it was pretty poorly organized.
I went to the packet pickup and found one very crabby volunteer openly bitching about how people didn’t have their bib numbers. Well, if I was supposed to have it, it should have been emailed to me, I’m not psychic. There was a guy sitting at the entrance who I guess had them, but wasn’t catching everyone on their way in, meaning you might have to wait in line twice.
After I left that funfest, I realized I had not been given the parking pass that I had paid $ 12 for, so I had to go back and get it.
The morning of the race I was getting ready and went to get my timing chip off my bib. Hey, where’s my chip? So I left even earlier, waited in line, was redirected to another line, and waited again. I was informed that I had signed up for the fun run, not the timed race. Was there a choice? And if so, why? It just complicates things. I was not the only one wandering around that morning wondering why I didn’t have a chip.
Anyway, I was given a new bib and a chip with a number on it that did not match the bib. I saw the volunteer write both numbers on my old bib, but yet I am not listen in the race results.
There was also no Gatorade on the run or at the end. Two of the water stops were early on and, in my opinion, placed too close together.
As far as the route, it was ok. I liked the idea of running through the zoo, though I didn’t think we really spent all that much time in there and I only saw one or two animals. Maybe it was too hot, but that isn’t my main gripe about the whole thing.
Maybe it was a fluke and the race is normally more organized, but I just wasn’t impressed.

I’ve done this race for two years now and hope to be able to do it for many more. This event is truly family and runner friendly. They have a 10k and 5k run, 5k walk, and a race for the little ones. They have ample volunteers around the course and there was enough food and beverages at the finish line for all. They also offer dri-​fit t-​shirts to everyone, including walkers. The only downside is the course layout. While it cuts through the zoo, you have to dodge runners to get to the exhibits/​vendors which can be a safety hazard. But kudos to the lions who were actually roaring (cheering) on the runners and walkers!

It seemed like ages since I’d been to Lincoln Park Zoo. Like, at least 10 years. Too long, for sure. So I signed up for the Run for the Zoo as the perfect reason to return to the place I once loved.
The event itself is well-​organized. There’s a 10K, 5K, 5K fun walk, and Gorilla Gallop for kids. With all those events going on, I expected some confusion. But to my surprise and delight, this was a smooth sailing ship. The course looped through the zoo at the beginning of the race — and it was fun (and a little unusual) to run by a crowd of polar bears. They didn’t do much cheering, but that can be forgiven. The rest of the course followed the lakefront trail, up almost to Irving Park and back down by the Belmont Harbor.
After the race was over, I played tourist and strolled around the zoo, stopping in the new primate house. Wow. That made the early morning well worth it. I’d highly recommend the race and taking a day for the zoo.