Disclaimer: I am promoting the Run For The Zoo as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

We all run races that benefit amazing local causes. But would you run a race thru and for your local zoo?

The Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, IL is a privately managed institution that primarily depends on the support on its visitors, members, and donors to remain free to the public.

WHAT?! You read correctly – FREE. Year round.

By registering and running the Run For The Zoo, you are supporting a family-oriented wildlife experience for visitors coming to the Chicago area from far and wide!

MISSION : Lincoln Park Zoo is dedicated to connecting people with nature by providing a free, family-oriented wildlife experience in the heart of Chicago and by advancing the highest quality of animal care, education, science and conservation.

For this Friday Five post, I wanted to go over 5 great reasons you should want to run (and register TODAY) for all of the events at the Lincoln Park Zoo on June 2nd!

Event : Run For The Zoo
Date : July 2nd
Location : Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL

1 — you get to run WITH the animals

The Run For The Zoo 5K and 10K courses meander around the outside of the park before coming back in for the finish. Running past the various animal exhibits would be a great boost of energy in that final stretch!

While the 5K route stays a little closer to the Zoo for the entirety of the distance, the 10K ventures out to the Chicago Lakefront Trail.

If you are planning on pushing your little ones while you run, you may consider running the 5K, as the 10K course does not allow strollers.

Need a smaller distance race for those little ones to run??

2 — Safari Stampede

The Safari Stampede Obstacle Course is a mini obstacle course for the kids that will take place in 2 heats – 9am & 9:45am.

This events is recommended for all ages 3-8 and registrants will receive great swag (event shirt and participant medal).

Register today as there are limited registrations!

3 — fun & swag

More than just having fun running around the Zoo, you can also earn some swag. All registrants will receive a themed tech shirt with a brand new logo for 2019!

Want to earn a medal (because some of us are all about that bling!)?

Learn more below about how to further support the zoo and earn a Supporter Medal at the finish!

4 — Supporter Medal

NEW FOR 2019 – Participants who make an additional $25 donation (on top of their registration fee) will earn a commemorative supporter medal! Knowing that your donation is going straight back to zoo is the perfect way to earn that bling!

Here are a few examples of ways your donation may be used to contribute to animal enrichment activities :

• $25 — buys a weeks worth of fresh, leafy greens for the resident bears or Kong toys for animals like Paatsy, the zoo’s resident aardvark
• $50 — provides new puzzle feeders to the African Apes or supplies the penguins enough cereal to keep snacking for 2 months
• $75 — buys a year’s worth of fresh fruit for the zoo’s two Puerto Rican parrots (the only two in the continental U.S.) or provides the African painted dogs with 5 new playtime enrichment barrels
• $100 — provides the zoo’s resident camels with an automatic water dispenser or a 5-month supply of peanut butter for the polar bears, Siku and Talini

You see, even a small donation can help bring tons of enrichment activities to different animals throughout the Lincoln Park Zoo! What could make fundraising even easier is making a team and fundraising together!

5 — Team Challenge

Do you thrive in a team atmosphere? I’ll race you to the finish! Register with 4 or more of your friends as a team and earn an award :

• Overall Largest Team – the team with the most registered participants will win a signed copy of “Reach: The Remarkable Impact of Lincoln Park Zoo“
• Biggest Fundraiser – raise the most money as a team will win tickets to the Holiday Market (in December) as well as a special behind-the-scenes tour of an animal building
• 10K and 5K Top Three Fastest Teams – the top 3 participants from each team will be measured and the teams with the fastest total times will win a free class at Lincoln Park Zoo’s Fitness and the Zoo program

REGISTER TODAY (and save!)

If you haven’t registered already, now is the time to do it! Register the whole family to participate in the Run For The Zoo on June 2nd — and save a little by using the discount code BIBRAVE to save 10%.

I completely planned on running this year, but at 32 weeks pregnant, the travel just wasn’t going to happen…maybe next year! Let me know if you’ll be running! I would love to support you while you support the Lincoln Park Zoo!

I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and start a conversation!
More Ways to connect with Lindsey from LivingLovingRunner :
Facebook   Instagram   Twitter   Pinterest   Bloglovin’