As a runner living in Chicago, I’ve done most of my runs along the lakefront. There are so many runners out there that you’re bound to see many familiar faces and/or make new running friends. I love that there are water fountains and bathrooms along the route. Definitely important. Oh, and the view is amazing!
I also run around Midway Airport. Lately, I’ve also been running around my house which sometimes includes a stop at Dunkin’ Donuts.
On Saturday I met up with a few folks from the Western Cook Running Club at Brookfield Woods. I first heard about this group on Kelly’s blog. They host several meetups throughout the week such as Hump Day Hustle and Tuesday Night Tune Ups. On Saturday we met at 7:30am. There were about 8 runners that morning. We all started together but then got separated because everyone ran in different paces. That morning almost everyone ran in pairs. I thought I had to run 6 miles but then realized I had to do 8. The path was not crowded and there was plenty of shade. I saw the usual runners, walkers, and bike riders.
This made me smile!
Overall, I thought it was a great place to run and definitely plan on going back . My only complaint is that there are no water fountains along the way. I knew this so I took my water belt with two small water bottles. It was a hot morning and I finished both of my bottles close to mile 6. I’ve thought about investing in a hydration backpack/vest and now know that if I want to continue running there for long runs then I would need to take more water with me.
Do you have a hydration backpack/vest? Which one? How do you like it?
Yay for running somewhere new to you! I have a Nathan vest and love it. It’s what I use most of the summer, and in the winter for long runs. It holds 2L and that gets me through about 10 miles. I drink A LOT of water.
Thanks Kim!