Warm Your Heart Indoor Single-Loop 5K

I really enjoyed myself at the Warm Your Heart 5k race yesterday. I’ve been telling everyone about it. I can’t wait until the event comes around again, because I am totally all in. Since I am new 2 racing sometimes I feel a little intimidated because I think that some races could feel a little competitive but not this race. Everyone was wonderful to me. The NW staff, the sponsor participants the people that I met in the race were great. It was a very friendly atmosphere and that’s why I enjoyed this race the most. It defiantly helps that it’s indoors as well.
I also liked that in the race, I only saw a one mile marker, it was the first race I’ve been in that did that. I told myself I would take a rest when I get to the second mile marker; so as I was coming around the corner I saw a white sign in the distance and I thought that, it was the 2 mile marker and I could not believe that it was actually the Finish-​line. Usually I take breaks, I jog a little walk a little, jog a little, walk a little; (no formal race training) and I had no idea that I had jogged for 2 miles straight to the finish line. I felt very proud of myself in this accomplishment. I felt well and slept well after wards, wasn’t sore. I would highly recommend this race. Next year was told it would be in February. Can’t wait :-)

This was the inaugural year for Warm Up Your Heart 5K, an indoor single loop race within McCormick Place. The race benefits the Northwestern Memorial Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. As a nurse working at Northwestern’s cardiac stepdown floor, I had to support the cause and celebrate the end of National Heart Month.
Cost: $ 30 – 50 depending when you sign up
Goody bag: long sleeve dri-​fit shirt (tight at neck, baggy in chest) + Northwestern nap sack
Parking: $ 19 in lot A
The idea of running indoors in February and in a large venue such as McCormick Place sounded like a great idea. Only thing was that I didn’t realized that we’d be basically running through a taped off maze with incessant turns (and therefore slower end result race time). The course ran through where the auto show is typically held. I was hoping for some running past the windows with some views of the city, but then again, it was an indoor race. The temperature was perfect throughout the race. I even felt some cool bursts of air every now and then as if the a/​c was on. One water station at the half way point of the race had me worried. I don’t stop for water in 5Ks, but the cement floor and water was just a slippery accident waiting to happen. Thankfully, I didn’t witness any spills.
The end of the race meant Smart Water, Dasani (my favorite bottled water, I’m weird. Must be because I love Coke products), Powerade, and bananas. They also had an area where you could punch in your bib number and immediately have a print out of your race time and ranking.
Definitely not a race for PRs, but a good cause. I loved seeing some of the surgeons I work with sweating it out!

I have never done an indoor race before, so that was something new and I’m all about expanding your experiences. It was definitely better to run in controlled conditions than have to worry abour rain, sleet or snow in an unpredictable February (even though it ended up being 45 degrees and sunny).
They did a really good job organizing everything. I found Check-​In relatively easily and was directed to Gear Check. The lines moved quickly and I was at the Start Pens (12min+ I’m ashamed to admit). They let each Pen approach the Starting Line every two minutes and sounded the horn. It definitely helped keep people from stampeding and made the Course less congested.
I was a big fan of the victory bananas and Smart Water. Can’t say that I liked the Powerade (I’m a Vitamin Water Zero girl). I also didn’t like the Gear Check Volunteer snapping at my friend’s friend to «cover up [her] number!» when she asked her number (clearly printed on our bibs) and was told she already had her bag.
Overall, I think it was run pretty well and will get better with a few improvements. It was their first year. I might do it next year if they bring it back, but I personally didn’t like how it felt like a maze with all the winding between the North and South Buildings. I hated that you could see almost the entire Course. That’s mostly because I kept seeing how much was left to run and all I could think was, «I’m glad a cardiovascular organization is running this because I might have a heart attack.»