605 Running Co.
  • SHOP NOW
  • Career Opportunities
  • Location
  • Contact Us
    • Schedule A Fitting
    • Private Coaching
    • Race Timing & Event Management
  • News & Events
    • Blog 605
    • 605 Run Crew
    • Zenith Endurance
    • 605 Club XC
    • Lucky 7's
    • Sioux Falls Half Marathon: Skedaddle & The Bryan Boys for Hope: Zippy Mile
    • Recycle Run for the Furniture Mission
    • 605 Day 5k
    • Tiger Trot 5k
    • SuFu Circuit Relay
    • 605 Trail Fest
    • Center for Disabilities Run Walk & Roll
    • Rachel's Race
    • Trick Or Treat Trail Run
    • Gobble Wobble 10k

10 things to know on the Chilly Cheeks races

3/7/2017

1 Comment

 
Picture
​Four years ago, Karen Lopez Lechtenberg needed to combine some of her true loves: running road races, raising kids and helping others.
 
And because she can get more done in a day than most of us can do in a week, her solution was to organize a stack of races to raise money for her son’s baseball team.
 
That’s how the Chilly Cheeks road races began. Now in their fourth year, the races – a 5K, 5-mile and 10-mile – draw hundreds of runners. This year, they are on April 8 at Riverdale Park.
 
Here’s what you need to know.
  1. Karen used to organize races in Nebraska and wanted to do a spring race here. Plus she needed to raise money for her son’s baseball team. Put those together, and you have an event.
  2. The three races help support the team, but they also have given money to other organizations, including Project S.O.S., which provides school supplies for students.
  3. Each of the three races is a loop, and all of them are chip-timed.
  4. The 10-mile course isn’t finalized – but be warned that it’s gone up the switchbacks in the past. With the city mandate that all races must be run on the bike path, it can limit routes, but Karen still strives for variety on the courses.
  5. The race has grown every year. Last year was the biggest, with 350 runners. “I’d like to see it get over 400 this year,” Karen said.
  6. You aren’t just helping the baseball team – they’re helping you. Team members paint all the awards (coffee cups for age group winners, and penguin piggy banks), work the turnarounds and make all the food.
  7. The food. Oh, the food. There are baked goods and other treats at the finish, but there’s also chili – including paleo and vegetarian options.
  8. Wondering what to do with your kids? Don’t worry, there’s childcare. Only a mom of four kids would think of this – baseball team members and their parents watch kids at the playground near the start. So if you want to run but need help with childcare, this is the race for you.
  9. The 10-mile route is only in its second year. “It’s good for spring half and marathon training,” Karen said.
  10.  Runners receive a short-sleeved grey technical shirt with a penguin illustration on the front. Every year, it’s been a penguin.
 
There you go. I don’t know about you, but I’ll do about anything for free childcare. “We try to make it a family friendly and fun event,” Karen said.
 
Here’s a link to the race, and here is more on registration. Hope to see you there!
Happy running. 

Picture
​About the race director
Name: Karen Lopez Lechtenberg
Age: 42
Family: Husband Nate, sons Jackson, 13, Keeton, 11 and twins Miles and Owen, 9
From: Raised in St. Louis, Mo., but has lived in Sioux Falls for six years
Occupation: Teacher at Cleveland Elementary School

Picture
Jacqueline Palfy is a longtime runner, reader and writer, marathoner, mom and board member of the nonprofit Sioux Falls Area Running Club. Her contributions to the 605 Running Co. blog will appear each Tuesday. You can follow her on Twitter @runnerJPK or reach her at [email protected]. Story ideas are encouraged.
​

1 Comment
Ileana
3/13/2017 06:35:17 am

With all these running events this spring, it seems like running has become the ultimate hype. I'm training for a half marathon with SportMe <a href=“https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/half-marathon-marathon-training/id588594735?mt=8”>runing app</a>which calculates distance, time, pace and calories.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Kelcey Schroder Photography
    SHOP NOW

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    April 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

    RSS Feed

605 Running Company Downtown
225 E 11th Street #110
Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Store Hours | Downtown
Sunday: 1pm-5pm
Monday - Saturday: 11am - 6pm


605 Running Company The Bridges
5019 S Western Avenue #180
Sioux Falls, SD 57108

​Store Hours | The Bridges
Sunday-Friday: 10am-3pm
Saturday: 9am-4pm

605 Running Company
Copyright @ 2014 | 225 E 11th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 | 605.271.0480 | [email protected]
  • SHOP NOW
  • Career Opportunities
  • Location
  • Contact Us
    • Schedule A Fitting
    • Private Coaching
    • Race Timing & Event Management
  • News & Events
    • Blog 605
    • 605 Run Crew
    • Zenith Endurance
    • 605 Club XC
    • Lucky 7's
    • Sioux Falls Half Marathon: Skedaddle & The Bryan Boys for Hope: Zippy Mile
    • Recycle Run for the Furniture Mission
    • 605 Day 5k
    • Tiger Trot 5k
    • SuFu Circuit Relay
    • 605 Trail Fest
    • Center for Disabilities Run Walk & Roll
    • Rachel's Race
    • Trick Or Treat Trail Run
    • Gobble Wobble 10k