Giveaway: Karhu 5K Race Registration

This is the next race that I have on my calendar (June 9!), and it is quickly approaching!

The lovely folks that are hosting the Allstate Life Insurance Chicago 13.1 Marathon are also offering a free registration for the Karhu 5K.  The 5K takes place on June 9, too, and starts after the half marathon. It is a great way for friends and family of the half-marathoners to join in participating at the event!

Karhu means "Bear" in Finnish!
(On a side note, I happen to love Finnish goaltenders, especially this one.  But I digress.)

Also, I was very happy to hear that the festivities will bring with them an opportunity to participate in a shoe donation program!  (Great timing, especially after I wrote this a few weeks ago.)  Anything we can do to repurpose our old shoes and keep them out of landfills is a step in the right direction!

The details:

Allstate Life Insurance Company and Give Your Sole are giving half marathon runners the chance to leave a unique footprint on local communities as part of a shoe donation program around Allstate Life Insurance SM 13.1 Marathon® Series races.

Beginning with the Chicago 13.1 Marathon on June 9, race participants, spectators and local residents can donate moderately used athletic shoes to benefit homeless shelters and missions in race markets.  All shoes collected in Chicago will be donated to Breakthrough, an organization that provides shelter, meals and other services to homeless men, women and children within the city.

In addition to the Finish Line Festival, race participants and local residents will be invited to donate shoes at 2012 race packet pick-up events leading up to the race.  Participating Allstate® agents will assist with collecting donations by inviting customers to drop off shoes at their local agencies. In Chicago, donations will also be collected at participating Fleet Feet Sports store locations (N. Lincoln Ave. and N. Wells St. in Chicago, and at E. Schiller St. in Elmhurst) until June 10.

To celebrate the program launch in their hometown of Chicago on June 9, Allstate Life Insurance Company has teamed up with Chicago Bears’ 2012 first-round draft pick Shea McClellin to interact with runners and encourage donations at the Allstate Life Insurance Chicago 13.1 Marathon® Finish Line Festival, held at the South Shore Cultural Center.

This is a terrific cause!  I am all about this (and think the name is very clever, too).

Given the Karhu theme for the 5K, I also think that it's so appropriate that a member of DA BEARS would be involved with this shoe donation initative.  It would be very cool to meet Shea McLellin.  (I would post DA BEARS logo here... however, Adam would then ask why I didn't post a Steelers logo.  But again, I digress.) 

If you are interested in winning the free 5K Karhu race registration, please leave me a comment and let me know what your favorite pair of shoes are (can be running or nonrunning shoes, boots, clogs, your Mickey Mouse slippers, etc., etc.)

Giveaway Rules:

• This giveaway is open until 5:00 PM CST on Monday, June 4.
• Anyone and everyone is welcome to enter.  Please make sure that contact info of some sort is provided when you enter.
• The winner will be selected via http://www.random.org/.
• I will email the winner a registration link and code.  The winner will need to register for the race by Wednesday, June 6th.

Finally, please remember to DONATE YOUR OLD SHOES!!!