In Chicago, we're bona fide runners. That's right, we're official. This year's Chicago Nike+ Human Race on August 31, 2008 is a United States of America Track & Field (USATF) sanctioned 10k. This means that the course has been nationally certified by the Road Running Technical Council of USATF, determined that the shortest possible route is still 6.2 miles. All of this on top of the race start and finish: the infamous Soldier Field. Built in the 1920s, Soldier Field is a monument to the times and great sports palaces typical to the "Golden Age of Sports" and one of the few such stadiums still standing. Sounds hoity-toity, right? Well think of it this way instead:

Runners start their Human Race at one of Chicago's historic landmarks, Soldier Field with the iconic Chicago skyline serving as a backdrop. Heading south through The Museum Campus, a 57-acre green space and site of the Shedd Aquarium, Field Museum and Adler Planetarium, the Nike+ Human Race proceeds to South Lake Shore Drive. Passing 39th street and the proposed site of the 2016 Olympic Village, runners turn north for the final three miles along the lakefront running path, a 20-mile path built for Chicagoans and considered by many to be one of the city's crown jewels.

Breathtaking views of Lake Michigan push participants through the second half of the race. Imagine the sun setting over Chicago as runners enjoy 3 miles of views of the city, all the while running alongside the lake! On the home stretch, runners kick north through the Museum Campus and after turning west onto Waldron Drive, sprint to the finish, crossing the tape in the shadow of Soldier Field, home to the Monsters of the Midway, the Chicago Bears.

Get ready, Chicago, here comes the Nike+ Human Race!