Featured Running Event of the Week - "One Last Race" at Danada

Yes, there is a story behind the name of the race.  But first, a pronunciation lesson, which I also learned at the event.  Not "duh na duh" - but rather "Dan Ada".  As it is the combination of names of Dan and Ada Rice, who used to own the property, and even trained a Kentucky Derby winner on the property - Lucky Debonair who won it in 1965.

Now, the name of the race.  "One Last Race".  One Last Race is a charitable organization which works with another funding charity called "After The Finish Line".  Back in the not-too-distant past, when a race horse was no longer valuable to the owners, whether it be due to injury, old age, or just not that fast anymore, they were "sent to the glue factory" - or in real terms, usually slaughtered, and often sent overseas as food additive.  One Last Race and After The Finish Line work to put an end to this practice, and instead recognize that these wonderful animals still have lots to give during their retirement years.  They are used at riding stables, they are used to help kids with disabilities, or just adoption by horse lovers.  The money raised helps provide shelter and surgery if necessary and to fund various programs using the horses in their best ways.  All of that makes this a good 5k.

The race itself starts on the Danada Race Track, now used strictly for leisurely riding, which is an all turf track.  Runners start on the track, then head the opposite way up the starting chute and off into the DuPage County Forest Preserve trails.  The trails are crushed gravel, so the bulk of the course is gravel with only about 50 yards of grass.  The Track itself has a nice bunch of trees off to one side of the infield, which provides much needed shade pre-and-post race.  The course is primarily an out-and-back course - so the runners re-enter through the starting chute, and this time run the correct direction down the chute and onto the track through the finish line.

Simultaneous is also a family walk, which takes walkers the full circumference of the Track, led by one of the rescue horses.

A fun race for a great charity.  Kind of funny to think that people are running to help horses that used to run. I wonder what the horses think of that?  Think they placed any wagers?