First-Ever Homecoming 5K at Montrose Harbor | October 23

Your college homecoming is about to get a whole lot better. That is, if you’ve found yourself debating between game day and a run, ultimately opting for kegs and eggs , tailgates and your favorite sweatshirt displaying your alma mater. But this time around, your workout doesn’t have to suffer. Instead it’s enhanced by that college experience, or maybe it’s the other way around where the college flashback enhances the run. I’ll let you decide on the Homecoming 5K, one of the newest events to the fall roster of 5Ks, coming to Montrose Harbor on October 23. But I’m thinking the Homecoming theme only augments the running experience. Don’t you think?

• It’s Chicago’s largest alumni-themed run, and it’s presented by Nike.

• It doesn’t require an early wake-up call—the race starts at 9:30am and the beer starts flowing at 11am.

• It’s held the day after the big Homecoming games for Northwestern, Purdue, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota and probably a handful of other schools I’m missing, so the only excuse for skipping is that you imbibed too much the night before.

• Besides, you won’t have to be heavy-handed at Saturday’s game if you save for the tailgate party at this 5K’s finish line, complete with beer—cold kegs—and concession sales, cornhole, a football toss and live music. Just like hanging with the frats.

• You can show your school spirit with that old college tee—if it still fits or hasn’t found its way into the rag bag—or by raising money for your alumni association. Raise more donations than others and you’ll be crowned Homecoming King and Queen.

• It wouldn’t feel like college, football especially, without a marching band and cheerleaders. And you’ll even get football because the Bears game will be broadcast on a Jumbotron at the tailgate.

• And at $40, this admission price—for the run and post-race party—won’t set you back as much as tickets to live-action football and all its tailgating.

Now that’s a Sunday I can’t refuse. Except I might be lagging in the school spirit department unless I can uncover my college tee.