Happy 2016, and races I'm considering this spring

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone enjoyed ringing in 2016! Adam and I celebrated with some friends at Nellcôte, a neighborhood restaurant about 2 blocks from our home. (Yes, the convenient location was a HUGE plus!) The event was Moulin Rouge-themed, complete with burlesque performances. It was so much fun!

Here are a few pictures:

From L to R: me, Adam, Marlen, Steve, and Mari
Not pictured: Wade and Urosh

The festive decor.
Women decked out in high heels + balloons on the floor = lots of popping noises all night long!

Cheers, cheers, and cheers!
I know this looks like massive consumption, but I honestly only had about one glass of champagne the whole night.

Fun cabaret-themed touches

I am pumped to get rolling on making 2016 even better than 2015!!

From a running standpoint, I am regaining my spirit after dialing back for most of December. At this moment, I still only have one "definite" race on my calendar (the Shamrock Shuffle). But I have finally started considering a few other spring races. Better late than never, right?

First, I'm looking at two new-to-me races:

Chi Town Half Marathon
I've never run this race, but it's been on my radar screen for several years. As a general rule, I like city races, and the April 9 race date is very workable. The organizers also host the Prairie State Half Marathon in October that I've run three times with good experiences.

I will admit my considerations are being swayed by the race medal. It looks really cool!

Pittsburgh Half Marathon
This is another race that I've long had on my radar screen because it's Adam's hometown. I've heard countless testimonies on how phenomenal the event is. It has come highly, highly recommended from everyone who has ever run it. Signing up would also force me to put in some much-needed hill training!

On the downside, the race is really expensive. More than four months out, registration prices are already $100 and are going up to $115 next week! Plus, my workplace is going through transition and the May 1 race date may potentially conflict with month-end close timing. Hopefully I'll get schedule clarification veddy soon.

Next, there are three races I've done in the past that I'm considering repeating:

Cinco de Miler
I had a great time running this race last year. The race shirt and medal are among my all-time favorites, and the post-race party was a blast!

Last year's post-race loot

The catch is that this race takes place on May 7, which would conflict with...

Wisconsin Half Marathon
I loved this race when I ran it in 2013. The course is so beautiful and the atmosphere is so friendly and down-to-earth. It would also give me a fantastic opportunity to see my good friend Katie, who lives right in town!

Katie and me at the post-race party in 2013!

Why must so many spring races take place on the same weekends? Sigh...

CARA Live Grit Lakefront 10-Miler
The 10-mile distance is my favorite - and there are only a handful of 10-mile races out there! I consider this race one of the classic Chicago races. Registration is affordable and this is a true runner's race. I've run it three times and always had good experiences. The drawback is the March 19 race date, which is a month earlier than usual.

Any suggestions on other awesome spring races? What races are you most looking forward to in the coming months?

--
Linking up with Mar, Cynthia, and Courtney for the Friday Five.