Friend makes a running video

http://runnergirljaneth.blogspot.com/

A friend made a video for a Nike run video contest and I think it is rather good. Click to Janeth's blog where she has posted the click to the video. If you like it I am sure Janeth would love your vote.

McNaughton Park Trai Runs

Chicago Ultra Runners group run

Today was held the first official Chicago Ultra Runners group run. I say first because a few of them went on a group Inaugural run for a photo shoot for Windy City Sports (see April issue) last month. http://www.chicagoultrarunners.com/

Brian Gaines put out a suggestion to run at Deer Grove, http://www.fpdcc.com/tier3.php?content_id=68&file=map_68c in Palatine. Great suggestion Brian.

I've ran at Deer Grove only twice before. Once when I picked it as a new park to explore and run and in 2007 I ran the Xterra Trail 12k finishing last!! http://denalifc.blogspot.com/2007/08/xterra-xtreme-12k-deer-grove-palatine.html

Seven of us sowed up to run, the Magnificent Seven - Torey, Sarah, Kelly, Sean, Ben, Brian and myself. I would also run into Juli half way around my one loop. Photo by Kelly

When I left Naperville for the 50 minute drive north it was raining. Last time I ran Deer Grove for the Xterra race it poured with rain on the drive up. Was this a sign? The drive was fine not much traffic at that time of day. Pulled into the car park and Kelly, Brian, Torey and Sean where already there getting ready to run and talking. Introds were made. Sarah and Ben then pulled in and so we was already to go. Brian and I had a cheery debate on which way to run onto the yellow trail, left or right, but i think Torey just decided and headed towards the right or clockwise. I knew I'd be slow and running way behind these guys. Kelly kindly ran with me for around a mile then went ahead. I caught up with them soon after thanks to a bathroom break but all soon pulled ahead. There was a number of trees down on the trial and some minor mud section. Of course heading down the trail along Dundee Rd was a mud bath with some mud shoe sucking sections but like a good trail runner I plowed through them and on. I had forgotten how hilly this trail is. Illinois is not known for hills but if you seek them out they are there.

About half way around I ran into my friend Juli coming from the other way. Juli told me she had ran the Chicago Lakefront 50k www.chicagoultra.org the day before and was out the "shake out her legs" - I'd have been sleeping not running. After a few minutes of chat Juli decided to run with me back to her car that was actually just one car park away from where the group runners were parked. This was great and got me back into a good groove and helped me run and not hike. I kept my run to 5 mins hike 2 mins plan although did start running again before the 2 mins was up. About a mile from the car parks Juli and I meet the group (sans Kelly) running the loop again but in the other directions - guess Brian won that debate!!! Juli was introduced to those that didn't know her - I think Juli will be out running with us again :-) All too soon Juli was back near her car and I finished up the last half mile. Kelly was at her car so we chatted until the others got back and then the above photo was taken. Next time Kelly will HAVE to be included.

This run did me a world of good and hopefully will jump start my training that was very lacking over this winter. Most my running race plans are not happening now due to that so I'll be replanning. I think (Xterra) Trail 12k at Deer Grove might be in the plans now before HOBO in September.

Thanks to Torey, Sarah, Kelly, Juli, Ben, Sean and Brian for being out there today. It was great fun and i can't wait to run with the group again. I'll see some of you at McNaughton next weekend.

Cheers, Ian

20k Trail Race for a good cause

http://www.nancysellars.com/?page_id=56

http://www.nancysellars.com/beartrax_app.pdf

A 20k at Lapham Peak, Delafield WI, near Milwaukee. There is a 20k and a 5k both on the trails around Lapham. The 20k includes parts of the famous Ice Age Trail. See web for more info.

As my title says the race is for a good cause. I didn't know Nancy who was tragically killed in summer of 2008 by a drunk driver. I do know a lot of people who's life were touched by Nancy.

Be there April 26th

Road run in trail shoes

I woke this morning to 1/2 inch of snow on the ground. Not much really but I had planned a 4 mile road run today as Laura and I had errands to do. Before the run I get the newspaper from the end of the driveway (our paper delivery is always plastic wrapped which we recycle) and the driveway is covered in ice. The walkways have snow. The roadway is just wet but that's for cars. The sides of the roads were a mix of wet, snow and ice. What to do...................
.........like any trail runner I put on the trail shoes instead of road shoes and head out on my 4 mile road loop. Wasn't a great run but was good to be out there. Winters kill running for me and I refuse to join a health club and run on a dread mill.

Think Sunday and Monday I'll hit one of the many nearby Du Page Forest Preserves for a limestone trail run. Knoch Knolls will be too muddy.

Chicago area trail races

My 2009 schedule is here: http://denalifc.blogspot.com/2009/01/2009.html but thought I'd supply a list of Chicago area trail races. By area I've included Chicago and burbs, central IL, southern WI and NW IN. Some are dirt, some limestone. Some are not confirmed so check first. If you know others let me know, any distance.

Chicago area:
http://www.psrr.org/ Channahon 25k (4/11) think mostly limestone and flat

http://www.chicagotrailseries.com/index.html Website not updated but 2009 dates are 8k (6/6) 10k (7/11) 12k (8/8) part limestone part single track dirt.

Universal Sole put on two trail races Rock N Sole around 5 miles one in July (Palos) and November (Schiller Woods) but US is under new management so not sure if they will happen in 2009. Both events were on single track, wide grass and if on limestone it was non maintained so "dirt"

Spring Ahead 10k (4/19) Naperville part road part trail (5k all road) http://www.ncospringahead.com/

Equestrian Connection Trail races 5m, half marathon and full marathon May 3rd, limestone mostly I think http://equestrianconnection.org/_wsn/page4.html http://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=HZ2V7K7

Run for the Cops Swallow Cliff of Palos (6/7) http://www.runforthecops.com/index.htm Trail is limestone but not maintained so more like dirt in places and not flat

Jim Brimm Events holds the Cross Country Challenge in Gilberts 5 miles in December
2008 details https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=MF2V9K7

Windruners (Lisle) 10k (8/30) limestone trails Danada FP. http://www.windrunners.org/
https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=4S2V7K7

Waterfall Glen Xtreme 10 mile in July at Waterfall Glen all limestone 2009 TDA 2008 info https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=K72VCK7

Rockford: Rockford Road runners hold 2 series of trail races plus another trail race all on dirt single and wide track http://www.rockfordroadrunners.org/index.html
Winter Series 5k, 10k (both done) 15k (2/21) 20k (3/21)
HOBO series 10k (9/18) 25k (9/19) 50k (9/20)
plus Fall Classic 4m (9/26) in near by Caledonia IL

Danville area http://kennekuk.com/events.htm Lake Mingo 7.1 mile (6/13), Howl At The Moon 8hour (8/8) Wild Wild Wilderness 7.55 (9/23)
Champaign area http://www.secondwindrunningclub.org/ Clinton Lake 30 (3/28 - sold out), Buffalo Trace 5m (5/16), Allerton Park 5.5 (10/25)
http://migotsky.googlepages.com/home Buffalo Trace 7 day trail (5/24-30 TBC)

Near Peoria or thereabouts
Pekin, Il (4/10-12) http://www.mcnaughtonparktrailruns.com/index2.htm 50,100,150 miles
nr Peoria (10/17) http://www.farmdaletrailrun.com/ 8 and 33 miles

Wisconsin near or short drive from Chicago:
WORS series (held with their MTB series) http://trailrun.wors.org/index/page/p/events
Bear Trax 20k plus 5k (4/26) http://www.nancysellars.com/?page_id=56 Delafield WI
Ice Age Trail 50k,50m (5/9) http://www.badgerlandstriders.org/IA50/index.html
Kettle Moraine 100k 100m (6/6-7) http://www.kettle100.com/
Blue Mound Trail (6/6) 15+k, 6+k TBC http://www.wisconsintrailruns.com/index.html
Dances With Dirt 50k 50m (7/11) http://www.dwddevilslake.com/
Devil Lake's Lake Half marathon (10/24) http://run.greatlakesendurance.com/
Glacial Trail 50k 50m (10/11) http://www.badgerlandstriders.org/GT50/index.html
North Face Kettle Moraine (10/24) http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/

Indiana near Chicago:
Foot Pursuit 5k (3/7) Valparsio http://www.portercountysheriff.com/footpursuit/
Xtreme 12k (5/27) Portage all dirt mountain bike trails with river and creek crossing 2008 info: http://groups.google.com/group/xyz-series-participants/web/trail-run-xtreme-12k
Cedar Creek 5k (6/21) http://www.run4trails.com/ Fort Wayne IN surface - no idea
No 2009 details but in 2008 http://mysite.verizon.net/xyztrailseries/

2009

Below is my thoughts for races to do in 2009. As they say all subject to change. Number of dates/weekends have a few events to choice from - not doing all these!!!

March 21st Rock Cut Trail 20k http://rockfordroadrunners.org/Races/2009.html

April 4th one of these as a training run, both multi loop so not worried if no finish
Lakefront 50k http://www.chicagoultra.org/ or
Madison Madicty 50k http://www.madcity100k.com/home.php

April 26th Lakefront 10 mile http://www.cararuns.org/ race now 25th - can't do so
April 26th Bear Trax 20k http://www.nancysellars.com/

May 3rd EC Trail half or marathon http://equestrianconnection.org/

May mid one of these 3
May 16th Berryman trail marathon http://www.stlouisultrarunnersgroup.net/index.html
May 17th Rockford marathon http://www.rockfordmarathon.com/
May 24th Madison marathon http://www.madisonfestivals.com/marathon/index.html

June 27th Running w/Devil marathon http://calicoracing.squarespace.com/ unless
July 13-14 Badwater crewing http://www.badwater.com/

July 11-12 Keweenaw Trail Festival http://run.greatlakesendurance.com/ if no Badwater

August and September not yet decided - maybe HOBO trail

October/November one of the following
Glacial Trail 50M http://www.badgerlandstriders.org/GT50/index.html
Heartland 50M http://www.ksultrarunners.org/
Door County 50M http://www.fall50.com/
Lakefront 50M http://www.chicagoultra.org/