One of my favorite Chicago races is coming up soon, on Sunday March 29th – the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8k. This year will be my fourth time running the Shuffle. I consider this race to be the kickoff to running/racing season in Chicago, with festive crowds and runners decked out in their finest green. Check out my 2014 photo race recap here.

For running motivation, whether it be outdoors or on the treadmill, I put together a 4 week plan to get ready for the Shamrock Shuffle 8k:

This month has been a rough one for outdoor training with even colder weather than usual for February. I’m crossing my fingers for warm spring weather for this year’s race. I’m also hoping to finish at least a few training runs outdoors instead of cooped up inside on the treadmill. Register for the Shamrock Shuffle here if you want to join me! For more training motivation, check out the Nike+ Training Program.

To start my outdoor training runs on the right foot, K and I are taking a long weekend trip to Seattle in a few days to visit friends and run the Hot Chocolate race! We are running the 5k, and I’m incredibly excited to check out the city and run in warm temperatures {50 degrees feels like the beach compared to home}!