Featured Running Event of the Week - Kilbride Family Classic 5k

The Kilbride Family Classic 5k starts and ends along the banks of the Kankakee River, in Kankakee.  A pleasant, Midwestern, picturesque start/finish location right out of some book or Norman Rockwell print.

During the summer, after an all-night rain, this can lead to some added humidity, however that is countered by the fact that at least 95% of the course is in the shade.

The course starts by the river, at a park, and proceeds into the nearby neighborhood, returns to the park briefly, and then heads back into the neighborhood.  This is a long-established neighborhood with big houses, and even bigger trees.  The majority of the streets are tree-lined and tree-covered.  The areas that are not in the shade are few and far between.  So, even on a hot and humid day, at 8:00am, it's really not as noticeable as it could be.

Because the houses are older and bigger, it does provide some scenery for the runners, in addition, many of the residents sit outside in their front yards and cheer runners on and hold up signs or blow noise makers.  Something that 99.9999% of runners thoroughly enjoy and participate.

The course is primarily flat, with a slight incline during the first mile and that same decline during the final mile.  Basically as the runners leave the riverbanks and return to the riverbanks.

Starting in a park, along the river, and going through older neighborhoods, the best adjective for this race is "peaceful".  And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Also, at the start and again shortly after the start, runners can catch a peak at Frank Lloyd Wright's Bradley House.  It's not on the course, but parts of it can be seen right after the start along the riverbanks and again within the first mile, if one remembers to glance down the right street at the right time.  Of course, being so close - runners could also walk over before or after the race to take a look, and still be close to the event.