SkirtChaser for Marklund not your average 5K

Jeannine Zupo knew she wasn't running her average 5K as soon as she checked out the outfits of her fellow runners.

At the SkirtChaser 5K, which launched last year at locations throughout the country, all women don skirts (with running shorts beneath, of course) and begin the first wave of the race.

And as the name suggests, the men begin the second wave three minutes later to chase their better halves to the finish line.

Zupo also learned the lighthearted nature of the SkirtChaser - followed by a block-party, beer garden, dating games and prizes - doesn't end with the race. Because a SkirtChaser is so different from the average fundraising 5K, Zupo knew it could draw supporters for Marklund, an organization she directs that helps people with severe developmental disabilities.

"Marklund has always talked about hosting a 5K because we have a lot of supporters who are runners and take part in events like the Chicago Marathon," Zupo said. "But I thought this was fun, since there are so many races across Chicagoland and many of them are the same old thing."

So on Saturday, June 13, the SkirtChaser 5K will come to Bloomingdale and will be the first charity SkirtChaser in the country, benefiting Marklund's general operating fund.

"The race organizers are hoping to make our race the model for hooking up with charities across the country," Zupo said.

More than 500 people already are registered for the event, and organizers expect an additional 200 runners on race day. Local officials like members of the Bloomingdale Police Department also are donating their time to help run the race. And other post-race offerings include live music, prizes of up to $500, and a fashion show.

Zupo said she's thrilled with the initial registration and hopes the race will become a tradition in Bloomingdale, where Marklund was founded. Marklund now has several locations throughout the suburbs and offers services such as 24-hour nursing care and a full range of therapeutic and educational programs.

"We're hoping to grow this race every year," she said.