This is the 13th Annual BTN Big 10K and 5K. Soldier Field became packed with thousands of runners rocking their Big Ten gear.
The 10K race got underway at 7 a.m. The 5K started at 8:15 a.m.
The runners laced up and got ready to hit the streets of the South Side as the heat index is expected to hit the low to mid-90s Saturday.
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There are school mascots, cheerleaders and a massive post-race tailgate party.
New this year, fans and alumni of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington can participate in both the 10K and 5K.
After the race, festivities included food, beverages, music, games, giveaways and photo opportunities with Big Ten mascots and cheerleaders.
There were also some fun tailgate-inspired games like a football toss and corn hole.
The Chicago-based Big Ten Alumni chapters were also on-hand to give away school-specific swag to their fans and alumni.