Tour de Trails 20k

Preview number one

Over next few weeks I hope to write up a preview of the races I listed in my Super Duper Race list. These are all races that I hope to do in 2016 but have also had some involvement in before generally due to running or volunteer at them. As with any race please verify all details for yourself and every race is subject to changes right up to the moment it starts.

Today I am going to look at Rockford's Tour de Trails 12 mile, March 19th in Rock Cut State Park. 
 https://runsignup.com/Race/Events/IL/Rockford/TourdeTrails

This race is part of a winter series put on by the Rockford Road Runners on various trail systems around the Rockford area. They hold a 3 mile (December), 6 mile (January), 9 mile (February), 12 mile (March). There was an option to do the whole series if you signed up for the series before the first race or you can do individual race such as the 12 mile in March.

In 2007 I completed this series. It was under a different RD and all races where held at Rock Cut. If you completed the series you earned the coveted orange survivor long sleeve shirt.

The new RD has kept the same general ideas but made some nice changes. Kept is the low entry fee, challenging courses, bring a dish to share, low key race but added a small SWAG item for each race: December was a Christmas tree ornament, March will be a long sleeve cotton T shirt (see race web for full details including limits on sign up deadlines for SWAG etc), holds each race at a different trail system in the Rockford area although March will be at Rock Cut, gives a hoodie for those completing the series.

My previous races at Rock Cut have included the 2007 series, the 12mile (well 20k) series race in 2012, and in September I've done the club's HOBO races including 25k twice and 50k once. Rock Cut is a great trail system including wide cross country trails, horse trails and single track trails. Some is flat, some hilly and there could be a creek or swallow river crossing depending on the trails used. And being the tail end of winter it could be dry, wet, snowy, icy. I've ran in all conditions at Rock Cut.

My reviews:

March 2012 20k http://www.denalifc.blogspot.com/2012/03/mud-mud-and-more-mud-20k-trail-race.html

Rock Cut HOBO 50k http://www.denalifc.blogspot.com/2010/09/rock-cut-hobo-50k.html


  

Here's some super duper races for 2016

Happy New Year my friends.

2015 wasn't a good one for me. Well some parts where but running was not. A few medical issues (pneumonia, allergies, bronchitis) basically prevented any running. I did a few races but they didn't go as planned but I made them fun and finished. Hoping for a better 2016. At least work and school went well but it was a busy time.

My plan for 2016 is to get back to running, do some races, volunteer at some races all while working hard and learning well. Not sure what races I'll be shooting for in 2016 but some ideas are listed and I intend to do profiles on those listed and even others. Maybe you'll be at some of these

March 19 Tour de Trails at Rock Cut SP in Rockford. 12 miles of trails  https://runsignup.com/Race/Events/IL/Rockford/TourdeTrails 

April 30 Run with the Lions 5k St James Farm, Warrenville IL.  http://www.runwiththelions.com/ 

May and June will likely find me volunteering at the Ice Age 50 and the Kettle Moraine 10044

July 4 Pokanoka's 8 mile trail race, Shabbona Lake, IL. http://pokanokasrun.com/

July 15-16 Christmas in July, Lisle IL. This event includes a 5k, 10k, 6 hour, 12 hour and 24 hour.
http://www.christmasinjuly24hour.com/Lisle/Default.aspx

July 30 Hot, Hilly Hairy 50k Kenosha WI. Held on the famous UW- Parkside cross country course.
http://www.xcthrillogy.com/

August 28 Muddy Monk's Nearly Sane half  http://www.muddymonk.com/trailruns/

October 15 Des Plaines River Trail, 50 mile, marathon, half marathon.
http://www.desplainesrivertrailraces.com/

In the weeks ahead I plan to do a profile of each race detailing event details taken from their website, Facebook pages and my own experiences. I may add some other races and if any RDs want me to add their events please email me and I'll consider them (IJSEvents@gmail.com). Some of the above races are put on by RDs or organizations that do other events during the year or a series of races during the mentioned events so those will get some words during the profile postings. Good example is the Hot Hilly Hairy 50k put on my Kenosha Running Company who do a number of trail races during the year plus the HHH50k is one of a number of races held on the same day. Same with DPRT which if you have read my blogging you know what that event means to me.