Friday's Featured 5k of the Week - Allerton Trails Trail-Glo 5k

Robert Allerton Park
Monticello, IL

To start with, I'm going to say, words do not do this location justice.  I strongly suggest going to the site - Allerton Trails Races Home Page - to really see some of the sights.  And, even then, the webpage doesn't do the location justice either, as it is even more scenic to see in person!!

The Trail-Glo 5k is a nighttime race which is the fun lead-in to the 10k and Half-Marathons which are run the following day - in the daylight.

This night race is truly a night race - no massive overhead lights like at other nighttime races.  There is also nobody throwing neon paint on the runners.  However, runners are all decked out in glowsticks, neon attire, and all things that glow.  In addition, this is run in a park, of which much is tree-lined, therefore headlamps are HIGHLY recommended.  So much so, I doubt it could be run (or walked) without some form of personal lighting.

The course starts off on a paved road and has a gradual uphill climb, then moves to crushed gravel trains, and then to grass and dirt trails for the remainder of the race.  The nice comfy pavement and gravel ends way before 1/2 mile mark (maybe sooner).  The terrain is everything - dirt, wet dirt (not quite mud, but that squishy dirt), flat short grass, tall grassy meadows, stairs (yes, stairs), a sidewalk path, crushed gravel, and some pavement.  If you enjoy elevation changes - this is a good race as well.  It starts with a gradual uphill and then some gradual downhills, then some sudden semi-steep uphills and sudden equally semi-steep downhills.  As mentioned earlier, there are even some stairs - uphill, (sorry no downhill stairs), and the terrain rolls for the entire course.

It's scenic, from streets, to paths, to pondside trails, to deep forest trails, to giant pastures, to sidewalks with plant life on both sides, plus much of the scenery found on the webpage.  However, to be fair, this race begins at 8:30pm - not at dusk - but at nightfall - so some of the cool scenery and statues aren't perfectly visible during the run - and with the terrain being a true trail - runners find themselves looking down more often than up.

But here's the thing, this might sound difficult, and is sorta is - and it sorta isn't.  Friday night's Trail-Glo is the fun run - the warmup.  It is timed, but it also for leisure.  The participants range from very fast trail runners, to first timers, to medium trail runners, to walkers - and every speed in between.  This is a fun night in the woods.

Can you get lost?  Well, you aren't supposed to, but I'll be honest, pay attention to those markings.  There were some incorrect turns by a few runners last year.  But not to worry, plenty of course workers, and even those who made wrong turns, found their way back quite easily.

Some added bonuses to the race.  At a few points along the way there is some entertainment (musicians and such) - and even more of that during the Half and 10k the next day - much more of that.  At the end of the race there is a nice campfire to stand around, s'mores (yes s'mores!!!), hot chocolate, coffee (I think, I went for the hot chocolate), and just general hang out in the spring time night and enjoy the camaraderie and the weather - and an almost full moon this year.

My favorite moment of the race was along the pondside trail - as I was looking across the pond to the runners ahead of me (and then later to the runners behind me) - the trail of headlights was quite a sight - and all of the glowingness.  (is that a word).

Also, for a mere $10.00 there is limited primitive camping not far from the course on Friday night.  You can run on Friday AND Saturday - or you can stick around to watch the Saturday races.  The campsite allows campfires.  I stayed at the campsite last year - and plan to do so again - had a great time.

This is definitely not just a race - it's an event.

Even if you don't run on Saturday - stick around and explore the park - or come early on Friday and check it out in the daylight - it's pretty awesome!!