Featured Running Event of the Week - Christmas In July Races

The Christmas In July races held in Lisle, IL is an event consisting of more than 24 hours of running.

The main location is the Lisle Community Park which consists of ample parking for all of the participants from all of the various races.  It sits next to the high school, which also provides even more parking.

The event consists of 7 (yes, seven) total events and the entire event is active for over 26 straight hours.

5 of the 7 events take place in one section of the Community Park, and the other 2 begin and end at the Community Park.  This is an EVENT, not just a race.  There are 2 kids Fun Runs, there is an evening 5k, there is a morning 10k, there is a 24-hour race, a 12-hour race, and a 6-hour race.

The 24-hour race goes from 10pm until 10pm, the 12-hour goes from 11pm until 11am, and the 6-hour is run almost entirely in the dark, with only the final 45 minutes at dawn, from midnight until 6:00am.

Look at this schedule :

Friday

• 7:30 PM - Santa Claus Fun Run to be run in the high school parking lot (1 st 50 kids only 10 and under only)
• 8:00 PM - 5K race to be run on a USATF certified course beginning and ending in the Lisle H.S. parking lot.
• 10:00 PM - 24-Hour event starts on a "1-mile" loop within Lisle Community Park
• 11:00 PM – 12-Hour event starts on the same "1-mile" loop
• 12:00 AM – 6-Hour event starts on the same "1-mile" loop

Saturday

• 6:00 AM – 6-Hour event ends
• 8:00 AM - 10K race to be run as 2 circuits of the 5K loop (same as above) with a 10K turnaround point just south of the 10K starting line.
• 10:00 AM - Santa Claus Fun Run (same as above)
• 11:00 AM – 12-Hour event ends
• 10:00 PM – 24-Hour event ends

There is something going on all the time from 7:30pm on Friday until well after 10:00pm on Saturday.  Even between te conclusion of the 5k race and the start of the 24-hour, there are people getting pictures taken, 5k award ceremonies, runners getting warmed up, people making/eating dinner.  It's something all the time.  For people like me, who enjoy sportscar racing, it's like the 24-hours of Daytona!

So, besides all the races, what else?  Well, like I mentioned about sportscar racing, the 6/12/24 hour races all share the same 1-mile loop.  This means there are runners joining and exiting the race all the time.  This means while some are at their fastest, others are in conserve mode, and so on.  All different agendas - even different agendas within each race.  Some 24-hour people slow in the daylight, some at night, some mix run/walk, some just walk, some just run.  Everybody doing their own thing, sharing the same 1-mile loop.  It is something to see, it is something to experience!!!!

Then, in the morning, the 10k runners actually merge into the course with the 12 and 24 hour runners - just to add some more excitement.  Here are the fresh 10k runners, running at fast fresh paces, merging with those that have been on the trails all night long!!  All of this adds to the exciting dimensions of the event!!

But, wait, there's more!  The theme, Christmas In July - there are Christmas decorations around the entire 1 mile loop, from inflatables, to light-up figures, to Christmas tree lights lighting the path, to decorated base stations for runners, to Christmas trees, and every other Christmas thing you can think of.  And that is what makes the night portion so special - it's lit up like Christmas!!!!

And, then, the "aid station" (aka "food central").  As part of admission, they provide Gatorade, water, various cola products (with or without caffiene), coffee, pizza at midnight (like right at the stroke of midnight and it keeps coming all night long!), pancakes in the morning, BACON in the morning, plus all the standard running treats of bananas and granola bars and such.  You won't go hungry, that's for sure!!  And the volunteers serving it up are TOP NOTCH and polite and friendly and fun!

This is the most festive running event I've ever been to!  And it's open to every single level, from fast runners, to walkers, and every level in between.  It's all about being healthy and having some fun doing it!!!

Here is a link where you can get even more details : http://www.christmasinjuly24hour.com/Lisle/Default.aspx

I highly recommend this event for all runners, timed-runners, 5k-runners, 10k-runners, walkers - you name it.

The timed format allows you to do as much (or as little as you want) - you can push to your limits - or you can walk a Christmas wonderland - or you can do anything in between.

The entire path is paved (concrete in some areas, pavement in others).  Mostly 2-3 wide, larger in other areas.  And there is a hill - and participants have to do the hill every mile.  So, that's a lot of hill when it's all said and done.  But it's still fun!!!  Walk the hill, most do.

It was just as festive as Christmas - except in July!!