2026 Chicago Half Marathon + 5K

I enjoy volunteering during various race events, and this time was no exception. The energy and excitement at the finish line was palpable and as a two time half marathoner, I understood what it took for some runners to dig deeper than they ever have before to cross that finish line.

This was my first time volunteering for a Life Time Fitness event. Initially, the experience became challenging when attempting to access the volunteer parking lot while following the directions provided. Traffic on LSD was at a standstill and navigating to Stoney Island wasn’t much better. Police officers and security personnel alike, disregarded my parking pass and weren’t much help at all. Requesting that volunteers arrive earlier, coupled with clearly including road closure times, is especially important for planning and access. This inconvenience resulted in the need to pay for parking at the Obama Library. I am requesting reimbursement for the $34.00 expense and have uploaded my receipt below.

Crowd control at the finish line quickly became problematic as an influx of runners, fueled from excitement, accomplishment, and I’m sure in some cases, sheer disbelief of their feat, crossed the green line in droves. Initially, only two security guards, stationed at the exit gate were present. Despite our best efforts to keep the area clear, many runners weren’t cooperative, making it extremely difficult to maintain and orderly flow for the finish line workers. This is a great opportunity to shout out Jennifer (Jen), with the contracted security firm. In the midst of our team attempting to adjust and redirect traffic, Jen seemingly appeared out of thin air and quite literally shifted the atmosphere in the most encouraging, professional, yet direct manner. I couldn’t thank her enough for her successful efforts. During the worst of those chaotic moments, we witnessed several instances of runners blatantly “taking” extra medals, which was disheartening to say the least. There was also a member of the medical staff who disregarded our team member monitoring the medal stands who simply walked up and took a medal without asking.

I believe with proper planning adjustments, these issues can be remedied as you plan for future events.

Thank you for the opportunity to share my experience and most importantly, my gratitude is extended to your organization for the opportunity to serve.