New half marathon to take the path less traveled and offer runners views of West Side

Chicago is getting a new half marathon and it isn’t going to be along the lakefront, the traditional epicenter of the city’s running community.

It’s going to be on the West Side.

The Bank of America Chicago 13.1 will be held Sunday, June 5. It will begin in Garfield Park and travel through Humboldt and Douglass parks before finishing back in Garfield Park. The route will traverse the neighborhoods that line the boulevards connecting all three parks.

It will be organized by the team that hosts the Chicago Marathon and the Shamrock Shuffle.

The venue will offer a “unique experience, encouraging runners to get out of the Loop and explore the neighborhoods of Chicago’s West Side,” according to the race website.

Registration for the race is open, and about 6,000 runners are expected to participate, according to Carey Pinkowski, the executive race director.

“The West Side was always something we thought would be a great fit,” Pinkowski said. “I’m humbled. It’s an exciting part of the city to be in.”

The event will include a race day festival in the shadow of Garfield Park’s Gold Dome Field House that will feature a mix of entertainment, health and wellness activities.

There will be a fee to register for the race, but the festival will be free and open to the public.

The registration fee is $95 but will increase to $115 at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, May 19.

Elite runners and wheelchair athletes are slated to participate in the race.