Featured Running Event of the Week : Fox Valley Winter Challenge Trail Race #1

Wow, that's a long name. 

Basically, it's the first race in a 3-race "winter" series near/around the Fox Valley region in Illinois.  The first race, this one is a 5k and is held in January.  The 2nd is an 8k in February, and the 3rd is a 10k in March.  Each is held at a different location - and each has different terrain and unique courses.

This is supposed to be a winter trail race - but it was 57 degrees at start-time and had been warming up all week and raining.  This meant challenging conditions.  As one runner put it "It was like running in 6 inches of peanut butter."   I think that summed it up perfectly.  The uphills were slippery and thus quite an upper leg workout.  The downhills were almost like skiing, with keeping balance being the key to the downhills (as some were steep).  The flats, well those just wanted to rip the shoes right off of the runners.  This course would have been a leg workout anyhow, with nearly 100 feet of incline, with the majority of the 5k working it's way up to the water tower on the top of the hill. 

The course was made up of about a quarter mile of asphalt, then to dirt (mud) and grass trails.  Some spots were single wide, most were double or triple wide (but made narrower due to finding a good path).  There were some roots to contend with, but not many.  There was also a small wooden bridge.  The final quarter mile was run on flat grass making sort of a square as the runners exited the wooded trails and headed to the finish line.

So, although these conditions were muddy and slippery and challenging - they were fun.  Runners were laughing and joking with each other the entire route - and afterwards.  This is what trail running is all about - conquering whatever conditions might be out there.

The ending was quite unique - about 20 yards from the finish line - runners have to cross over a fence.  One of those wooden fences with two vertical pieces of wood.  Runners could go over or "through" the fence.  But what a unique ending - definitely slowing the finish line kick for a few seconds.  But definitely a unique, and very cool feature of the finish.

The course was at Hickory Knolls in St. Charles.  A nice park with some excellent paths and scenery.  Definitely worth even a walk - in less challenging conditions.