COME RACING WITH US!
Races these days are well organized, well attended, often support good local charities and are fun for adults and kids of all ages… more bang for the bucks than some breakfast out, a movie or a trip to Great America!
You may notice that we ask about your interest in races when you became a member; you may also notice that almost all of us have 1 or more (hundred!) T-shirts from races all over the world; indeed, you may see some of us get a tad competitive in that last 400 at the track workouts... but racing is not for everyone, and we are cool with that!
For those who do choose to race – and we’ll be happy to help you get a foot in the door – the Chicago Area Runners Association competition can be a lot of fun. Age- and gender-categories offer many of us the chance to score points for ourselves and the ERC team, and some of us are good enough to do very well. Plus, the charitable impact and camaraderie are a real draw. But, whether you do or don’t race, we all love running, and that’s the bottom line.
Join/Renew on-line or use the ERC APPLICATION!
Questions? EMAIL us and we'll get right back to you.
UP-COMING RACES...
- Des Plaines River ½-Marathon, Saturday, March 27th, 9 AM, on the same trail course as the old Libertyville 1/2-marathon and it offers a team option for those who don’t want a full ½… try a 3.1, 4.3 or 6.5 run with ERC buddies or family members, in a team of 4, 3 or 2 people… fees are $45 for a solo runner or $28 per team member, but there’s a limit of 700 runners, so hurry!
- Northwestern University benefit for Special Olympics: Annual Spring 5K Run/Walk – Saturday, April 10th, 9:30 AM. Fee is $15 for adults, $10 for NU students, meet on the south landfill.
- The Morton Grove Park District Prairie View 5k on April 18th at 8am. Just a few miles west and sponsored by Nichelle Pajeau's employers!
- CARA #2 – The Race that’s good for life 5K – Sunday, April 11th, Oak Park. NOTE START TIMES: 9 AM, Women’s; 9:50 Men’s.
2010 CARA "Runners' Choice" Circuit
March 21 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K [CLOSED] April 11 Race That's Good for Life 5K April 24 CARA Lakefront Ten Mile Presented By NovaCare June 6 Sternberg Lighting Roselle Run for the Roses 5k* June 13 Downers Grove 5 Mile* July 3 Community Bank of Elmhurst 4 on the 3rd July 24 Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10 Mile August 1 Rock-n-Roll Chicago Half Marathon August 21 DeKalb Cornfest 10K Sept 6 Park Forest Scenic 5 Mile Sept 12 Chicago Half Marathon Sept 25 Park Ridge Charity Classic 5K Oct 10 Bank of America Chicago Marathon * web site not available yet
May 1 Run to Remember 5k
May 29 Fleet Feet Sports Soldier Field 10 Mile Presented by adidas
CARA - THE BEST OF THE REST*
* Based on location, distance and general worthiness... but YOU be the judge! All the rest are listed in the footnote on the 2nd page.
ERC RUNNERS ENJOY CARA HONORS
Six ERC runners enjoyed both a lovely luncheon and multiple honors at the 2010 CARA awards on Saturday, January 23rd.
Nancy Rollins, Senior Runner of the Year, Overall Age-Graded Champion, 1st Female 60-64, Long Distance Award, Participation Award
Fritz Gareis, 3rd Male 55-59, Long Distance Award, Participation Award
Erika Vazquez, 6th Overall Female of the Year, 1st Female 25-29
Christina (Junior Female Runner of the Year, 1st Female 14 and Under) and Isabella (2nd Female 14 and Under) Lundgren
Paolo Tiongson, Junior Male Runner of the Year, 1st Male 14 and Under
And, they're all smiles... Erika, Nancy, Fritz, Christina, Isabella and Paolo in front! Congratulations to them all and to ERC as a team for many age-group 2nds and 3rds in 2009.
It should also be noted that ERC placed very well in the club competition... 4th (of 6) overall, but 2nd in 5 age-groups (among 8-10 clubs), and 3rd, 4th and 5th (among 8 clubs) in the other age-groups. And, participation counts: 1 more runner in most of those age-groups and we'd have had firsts!
How Many CARA Races did ERC Runners Run in 2009?
Check it out HERE and you'll be surprised at a) How many ERC runners participated in at least 1 CARA race (110!) and b) How many of us ran quite a few... topped by these folks in double-figures:
| Nancy Rollins | 13 |
| Bill Klopsch | 12 |
| Erika Vazquez | 12 |
| Suresh Decosta | 11 |
| Fritz Gareis | 10 |
(NOTE: Check on my accuracy... names have changed, some members' races may not have been counted until after they joined ERC, and, of course, I make mistakes!)
Final 2009 Individual Results
The CARA Runners' Choice Circuit Race results are in, compiled by and thanks to Dave Boyce! You'll find all the runners in all 19 races, including the numbers participating... e.g., 42 for the Chicago Marathon! You can also go to the CARA web site to look up both CLUB and INDIVIDUAL standings in the CARA Runners' Choice competition.
But, there are plenty of other races that we run, in and around Chicagoland, the country and the world, so check the Newsletter page for those.
ERC Runners at Lincolnwood, 2009
Coffee, muffins and our tent on a cool-but-beautiful day for racing... and we're ALL SMILES!
ERC RUNNERS IN ACTION
Check out our runners in racing action - and Partying Hearty, to boot - in our PHOTO GALLERY.
Click on an album, click on slidewshow (captions!) and use 'full screen' mode for best effect!