Happy Tuesday and welcome to another edition of Tuesday Topics!
This week’s Tuesday Topic: What are your favorite running views/places? You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post. Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida! Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier! Remember to come back for later linkers!
I live and run in Chicago. There are so many places to run in the city, but yet I haven’t really ventured out that much. I like to keep it easy and simple. There are a few times where I will drive to a different location but haven’t done so in the past couple of months because of Covid. Now I am just comfortable with my routine. Maybe next year I will get out there.
In no specific order I am going to list a few of my favorite places:
✔️ The Lakefront. From one end to the other it is 18 miles. I’ve run 18 miles a few times while training with CARA for the Chicago Marathon. The actual program is 20 miles so 2 miles are added somewhere at the start (and maybe the end). I used to go there more often but then stopped since I started running more by my house. Then it was closed and it recently opened up again a few weeks ago. Plus the views are great!
✔️ By my house. So easy and convenient. I’ve been doing the same route for a few years but sometimes I go the opposite direction for some variety. My usual route can take me to Midway Airport which is about 1.5 miles from my house. This is perfect for a warm-up. Running around the airport is about 3.25-3.5 miles. There is an area that is closed off so you either have to turn around or use the side streets which would then take you away from the airport. Still it is a great place for running where you’ll get 3 or 6 miles or uninterrupted running (no stop lights). I like to see the planes and think about there the people are coming from or going to.
✔️ The Morton Arboretum. It is located in Lisle, IL and it take me about 45 minutes to get there. You need to be a member in order to get in. The first time I was there was last year during a field trip during summer school. I think I purchased a membership a few months later. I enjoy going there but hate to drive that long. I know, I know. It should not be an excuse. I like that it is very different from my normal route but it has HILLS. Wow!
✔️ Waterfall Glen. It is located in Darien and it is about 30 minutes from my house. I don’t think it is as hilly as the Arboretum but there are some hills. I love going there during the Fall or after it rains. There is a dirt smell that I like. It is weird but I find that smell very comforting.
I love those Lakefront views!
18-20 miles are perfect for training for a marathon. I think I would run there every day!
I understand that you don’t want to drive 30-45 minutes on way to get to a place to run. It takes so much time and it seems weird to DRIVE somewhere to run.
Yeah, I don’t want to drive every single day just to run. My runs are short during the week that I can get it done by my house. However, the longer runs is when I will drive. Now I appreciate the lakefront more than ever since it was closed for a few months and I was “told” I couldn’t run there.
The Lakefront is pretty amazing. I’ve run there on almost every trip I’ve made to Chicago. I’m such an art geek, the architecture always has me enthralled. The Arboretum also sounds like a scenic place. I can relate to the hassle of having to drive a distance to run, and then drive back. That’s something I don’t really do where I live (unless I’m heading out of town for a race).
Did you take the architecture boat tour one one of your trips here? It is pretty cool!
It must have been so hard when the lakefront was closed. I think if I lived in CHI that would be my place. I do most of my runs starting and ending at my front door, which is fine and super convenient, but I really want to start getting out more and exploring.
When the lakefront was closed, I hadn’t been there in months so it did not affect me that much. I think what bothered me the most is that I was told I couldn’t run there. 🙂
I absolutely love the Chicago Lakefront. Such a great place to run, especially when doing a long run for a half marathon or marathon!
Sometimes I do wish I lived closer. I would run there everyday. But for now I am happy that I can run there once a week.
I love that you included the Airport as one of your routes as I did the same, LOL. I also love it for the same reason that it gives you quite an uninterrupted stretch of running. Those Lakefront views are spectacular!
I am glad that I live so close to it. It also helps when traveling too!
The arboretum looks amazing!
I’ve run a lot in my own neighborhood too, for the same reason, but I have a bunch of different routes because I get bored easily. 🙂
I know what you mean. The same route can get boring.
It’s fun to get a peek into other runner’s favorite routes. I have only run in Chicago once but my daughter is moving there soon so hopefully will have more of a chance to explore
How did I miss that your daughter is moving here? That is great. Do you know where she is moving to?
Having the lakefront and the arboretum must be so nice! I love city routes and nature-y routes equally, so I would be bouncing back and forth.
I like that I have several different options to run. But I also like just having to step out my front door. Very convenient.