Palos Hills (17 miles)

Palos Hills (24 miles)

Deer Grove Trail (11.2 Miles)

Fourth of July! My favorite weekend - beers, family, grilling, the outdoors, and fireworks. What's not to love? I spent the night at my parent's house and woke up early the next morning to head out to the 5.4 mile loop at the Deer Grove trailhead (download trail map here).

It was 6:30 AM, which meant that I had about 2 hours to complete the run, a little under 11 minute miles. For trails, that's good - not booking it, but a nice training long run pace. I've run the trail once before, but as the middle of a longer run (i.e. run about 5 miles there, do a 7-8 mile loop and run back 5 miles) so I don't remember much. I just knew it was dirt trail in the woods with some mild up-and-down hill action.

When I got there, I noticed that there were some people setting up signs for a race: the Muddy Monk 'Merica 5 Mile run. Signs everywhere, and the logo depicted a monk with a long gown trekking through some mud. I learned later that this is one of Chicago's premier trail running organizations: trail running, friends, Chicagoland, and beer (they're partnered with The Lucky Monk restaurant in Schaumburg). They're next race is the Nearly Sane Trail Half Marathon.

Anyways my knee's been bothering me a bit so I started out slow. I liked how springy the mud was, and there was barely any one out because it was so early on a Saturday (more on that in later posts). About three miles in, I was dragging but I knew I was more than half way finished with the first lap so I stuck with it. In one of the parking lots, there girl's cross country team getting ready to start a run. When I was rounding the corner to complete lap one, they came sprinting towards me in little rows of twos. It is just the way I remember running cross country with everyone's hair matching. 

Feeling gross but whatever. Bathroom break* and then lap two.

Lap two started out like the other lap, but at a little faster pace. At this point, I felt like my breath was settling in but my knee started to have sharp pains. Last time that happened, I kept running but had to cut a 22-mile training run short to 19 miles because the pain kept spreading. This time, the pain faded away (yes!), and I got to keep running. Miracle.

About two or three miles from finishing, my brain turned off. I started to breathe through my nose (lol) and felt my side stitch go away (wow). Then I pretty much sprinted my ass off to the end. Even had enough energy to toe run up a hill. It was crazy amazing. And it reminded me why I love running - one mile you're down but push through cause who knows? The next mile, you're up. Here's a nice picture of Deer Grove at sunset. This photos' from Yelp (I left my phone at home).

Had some fun with the family at the Palatine parade with my baby cousins. Saw my brother for the first time since he got back from college. Was told that I needed to be eighteen or older to volunteer with the Palatine Emergency Management Agency when I asked about opportunities. Then I ate some portabello mushroom burgers with homemade guacamole on a tapioca bun. Also grilled some veggies with cajun spices. Then I was in heaven with some coconut chocolate ice cream.

Thanks for reading and remember that the Chicago Marathon is coming up! I'm running for charity (Chicago Run) and am collecting donations/words of support on Razoo for those interested. 

Catch you later!

Modified Logan Looper (6.1 miles)

After feeling a little icky on the last trail run, I decided to make an acupuncture appointment with Logan Square Acupuncture (who has done wonders for other ailments) and hit the sidewalk for shorter but higher frequency runs. I did this one with all the homemade fireworks going off; it was great to see everyone out in their red, white,  blue, and boom.

www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=519855