Nearly 2,600 participants ran a scenic 5K course near downtown Chicago's South Loop at the Bally Total Fitness Race to Taste 5K on Sunday, July 2. Though the rain poured down intermittently throughout the race and post-race festivities, runners stuck around afterwards for the goodie bags, which included 11 food coupons for use at the 26th Annual Taste of Chicago, the Midwest's largest food festival.

With more than 70 Chicago restaurants represented this year, runners were free to replenish at the booths set up throughout Grant Park. For two to three tickets per "taste" portion, the food festival offers 300 menu items--everything from classic Chicago provisions such as ribs and deep-dish pizza to various ethnic foods from Chicago-area restaurants.

The course began and finished at Columbus and Balbo, near Grant Park's Buckingham Fountain, and took runners past the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium before beginning a loop along a lakefront path between Lake Michigan and Lake Shore Drive.

While the cuisines at the Race to Taste represented local culinary talent, the race winners represented Chicago's athletic aptitude. Andrew Hill, 25, of Chicago, was first to cross the finish line with a time of 15:10. The top female finisher, Nicky Archer, 20, also of Chicago, finished at 17:47.

Esteban Perez, a 29-year-old multi-disciplinary adventure racer from Chicago, finished the course in 25:21. Perez used the Race to Taste as part of his training, but managed to find a way to make the 5K race an adventure as well. "I'm going to use my tickets on exotic foods, like alligator meat, turtle soup, or ostrich," said Perez, who has been going to the Taste of Chicago since he was a child. "It tastes like chicken!"

Young Race to Taste runners cool down with ice cream at the 26th Annual Taste of Chicago. The race began at 8:30am and the Taste opened at 11am. Each participant received coupons to the Taste.

Two young competitors compete in the 200 yard dash for 6, 7 and 8 year olds.

Heather Schneider, 22, Kathryn Schneider, 54 and Kim Schneider, 20 stay dry after completing the Race to Taste two mile walk.

Jeanne Ryan, 42 and Jen Malloy, 38, both of Chicago, completed an 8-week CARA course for beginning runners just three days before completing the Race to Taste, their first 5K race. "Our goal was not to walk - and we did it!" Malloy said.

Orlando Cabanban, 72, approaches the finish line.

Click here for race results.