Shamrock Shuffle runners race on West Harrison Street during the final leg of Sunday’s 8K. The race is in its 43rd year and brings out hard-core runners and casual enthusiasts in their Kelly green garb.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
After last week’s corned beef and Guinness, 28,000 runners continued the St. Patrick’s Day fun during the annual Shamrock Shuffle 8K in downtown Sunday morning.
“It’s a beautiful day for a shuffle!” one supporter shouted as runners neared the finish line in Grant Park.
This was the city’s 43rd Shamrock Shuffle, kicking off Chicago’s outdoor running season and capping off three weekends of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Runners, decked out in head-to-toe green attire with shamrocks all over, reveled in the fun and goofy energy of the race.
Francisco Aguilar, an 18-year-old senior at Benito Juárez Community Academy, participated in Sunday’s race with Running Forward, a youth running club from Little Village.
The race creates a strong sense of community among the runners, Aguilar said, and it’s extra fun when everyone is in a good mood. Sunday’s race was his fourth Shamrock Shuffle, and he set one of his personal best times.
“It’s really fun and inspiring,” Aguilar said. “I love that it brings all kinds of people together.”
Aguilar, a long-time soccer player, started running four years ago when one of his mentors persuaded him to give it a try.
“From that first run, I fell in love with running,” Aguilar said. “And I gained a healthy lifestyle too.”
This year, he’ll do the Chicago half-marathon with the club.
Running Forward is a part of New Life Centers, a nonprofit that works on the South and West sides. The club started 10 years ago to provide a space for young people to train and run together, Aguilar said.
“Our community has dealt with a lot of violence,” said Aguilar, who was born and raised in Little Village. “We run together in the neighborhood because we just want to bring a positive light and encourage peace in the neighborhood and show that we can all come together as a community.”
Mark Torres, a mentor coordinator for New Life Centers, also completed his fourth Shamrock Shuffle on Sunday. He helps lead Running Forward, which meets twice a week for training.
“I’m not a big runner, so these guys keep me accountable,” Torres said about the young athletes.
The running club is “all about building community with a hyper-local focus on Little Village,” Torres said.
Sports like running are a good outlet for young people as they’re able to learn about discipline and commitment, Torres said.
The weekend of running was a family affair for Citlallin Lara. She and her 9-year-old son ran in the one-mile race on Saturday in Grant Park. Then she ran the 8K on Sunday with her sister-in-law and her 18-year-old daughter. The three wore matching green tutus, green and white striped knee-high socks and shamrock temporary tattoos.
“It’s just so fun and a reason for the family to get together,” Lara said. “It’s also a chance to do something for ourselves.”
She’s a seasoned runner. Sunday’s shuffle, her 10th, is usually the first race she does for the year and kicks off a season of racing.
She has four half-marathons lined up for the year, including Chicago’s in the fall. She also entered the lottery for the New York City marathon since she didn’t get into Chicago’s this year.
“It’s just a great experience, especially the feeling of running with a big group of people,” Lara said about racing. “You suffer during training so that the race day is fun. I love to enjoy the crowds, the energy. All your hard work pays off on race day.”