This 5 mile race is nice whether you're a walker or runner. This year it was held at Montrose…read moreHarbor. They provide stations throughout the race for electrolyte drinks and water. The post race party is cool too with a mechanical bull. The race benefits Gilda's Club. The race course is mostly flat with a few hills (nothing major) however there is one part by the beach where you run through the sand between mile 3 and 4 and they can do without that, especially it was rainy on and off. Otherwise I recommend.

I ran the Cinco De Miler today and had a great time. This year it was at the Melrose Harbor/Beach…read morearea. There was limited parking in the area and so I parked at nearby Weiss Hospital. They had closed off access to the pay parking lot entrance so that was a miss. The vibe was fun, and there was a mariachi band to boot! After running five miles, you are greeted with a finishers medal that also doubled as a bottle opener. The post race party had breakfast tacos and a beer (or Moscow mule) included. You could order additional food and drink, but had to purchase prior online. The packet pickup process was pretty smooth. I was in and out in 10 minutes.

I have done several runs in the series and they are always a good time. It's fun to know and try…read morenew breweries. I've met a lot of great folks. I always say that people who run and drink beer are some great people. They are always friendly, and I often see them later at various races. I have done a few on the northside, Alulu brewing, near pilsen, One Lake brewing in Oak Park. The list goes on. What's cool is they go all over the city of Chicago so you can always find something near you. They are usually pretty inexpensive (which is about 30 bucks) and it includes a free T-shirt and 1 pint. I wore the T-shirt to the Chicago, Marathon to cheer on the runners and people were laughing left and right. It says "I sweat IPA". I think people got a kick out of that.

For frame of reference, this trail isn't far from the IKEA store in Bolingbrook. The trail is about…read morea 10 minute drive from there and is a great trail for biking, running or walking. The trail is saddled by nature on one side and beautiful homes on the other. While we visited this approx. 3 to 4 mile trail during the winter, it still provided all of nature in its glory with a small creek, tall trees and wildlife. One of the best parts about the trail is there's one house that leaves painted rocks with inspirational messages right along the trail for people who pass by. Next to the rocks there's a message that says "Take one, Share one, Leave one." As I bent down to pick one up a fellow walker on the trail yelled out he had five at home. He said the inspirational messages really helped make his day, and we agreed.

We have done swimming classes through the park district and they were fantastic…read more A disappointment has been the parent and tot gymnastics. We paid $120 for 10 sessions. I didn't expect my two year old toddler to learn actual gymnastics but the problem is there is really no instruction. The teacher leads stretches and then says "ok go do the obstacle course" for 30 minutes. I was so confused during our first class that no other parent looked confused and just started doing the obstacle course. However, I learned that most of the parents this was their second time doing gymnastics at the park district. I felt so lost. I wasn't sure how my son should be doing the obstacle course, and I thought there would at least be some sort of instruction when I signed up. This is definitely not a class because no one teaches. This should just be "pre-pay for 10 sessions of open gym time." 10 weeks is way too long to do the same obstacle course every Saturday without instruction. The kids in the ninja class look happy but I'm skeptical now if I'll even sign my child up for this in the future.

I learned about the casket races last year, but didn't attend until this year. It's a soapbox derby…read morewith a Halloween theme and it's a lot of fun. Though it has only been a tradition in Forest Park for 12 years, it is clearly a popular one. Local businesses put together teams to race and it's no joke; there are multiple heats and the racers have to run a couple blocks flat out. There were 19 entries this year I believe, including the public works, police department, library, and several local businesses from Oak Park and Forest Park. They award prizes for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, but the most coveted award is Dead Last. Because this is on Beloit Ave (at Madison) and that's a residential street, they also give an award for Best House Party. A few businesses set up concessions selling coffee, hot cocoa, hot dogs, and alcoholic beverages. Before the last heat they do a costume parade for kids/families/pets, and after the race trick or treating takes place along Madison Street. I will happily attend next year but will probably go earlier to get a better spot and vantage point. Or even better, maybe I'll make friends with someone hosting a house party! We got there only a few minutes before it started and it was a bit difficult to see, though not impossible for me. I'd also bring a camp chair because I didn't realize how long it would be, and standing with a kid on one's hip for a couple hours is not a great time. Parking wasn't bad at all, especially for how close to start we arrived; I found a spot a couple blocks away.

I agree! Great race. Very small, neighboorhood and family oriented! It was my first time this year…read more A cool run down 26th St. in Little Village. The shirt was cool and the whole event, from packet pick-up to the actual race was organized and well executed! I'm a happy camper (or should I say runner?) and I'll be back next year!!

This race continues to grow each year, and with it so has the organization. Much bigger and more…read moreorganized this year. I will continue to support this race as long as I can. Just like other years I thoroughly enjoyed it, plus you get a jarrito with your goodie bag.

You can find me at the DuPage River Sports Complex almost every day of the week riding along the…read moretrails and playing tennis pending the weather. It's a great park because it offers so much and is open to the public at no cost. There are basketball courts, tennis courts, baseball fields and bleachers, multi-purpose fields, an in-line skating rink, restrooms, a picnic shelter, and tons of trails (paved and unpaved). The park district does an excellent job of maintaining the fields and courts, and keeping the trails clean. I am most excited because when my husband and I went for a bike ride today, we saw them working on adding more trails! The paved trails are really great because they are smooth and wide, perfect for runners, walkers, bikers, or skaters. The dirt trails are a little more rough, but a lot of fun because they run along a river and there aren't as many people on them. We rode on a couple today and got quite muddy, but it's great fun!

Cool spot that I didn't realize was in the area. Looking for a good meeting spot to meet friends…read morefor a walk, found Sagawau. On the day of my visit, we saw this black netting/screen. Curious, we stopped to ask staff. It turns out on Sundays they do bird banding. This was very interesting how they catch birds, take data, and release back into the wild. I recommend! The nature center was well kept and had clean bathrooms. They close the area at 4 pm daily. Check it out for a nice walking and educational opportunity.

Sagawau is waaaaaay out in Lemont, so pretty far from me, and it's also bit confusing to find when…read moreyou get there. But I really enjoyed it so I'd say it's worth it, and now I'll know where I'm going in future! Word to the wise: There's the large parking lot, and what looks like a driveway is not. Park in the lot and use the wide paved path to get to the nature center. The purpose of the first preserve system was to both preserve and conserve, but also to provide natural areas in which people could recreate. They also have a nature center here with exhibits, as well as a variety of programming. I came for a program. A land acknowledgement was provided to connect the land to its history, and the people who once called this land home. I came for a hummingbird program, which took place in the hummingbird garden. The garden had quite a few bees and some wasps, but those insects are actually invasive in this area so you may see traps out for them so they don't take over the hummingbird garden. There are hummingbird feeders around to bring the hummers out. But nectar isn't their only source of food; they'll eat insects and invertebrates. Most importantly, they need pesticide-free habitats to survive. It was interesting to learn that hummingbirds live only in North, Central, and South America. When colonizers came into contact with hummingbirds, they thought they had no feet and that is where their scientific name is derived. Hummingbirds are surprisingly loud! The ruby-throated hummingbird is only ruby throated for the males. Juveniles and females have a white throat. But the color only comes out with the light, as it's iridescent, so the males may look black. Ruby throated is the only native one in Illinois. The juveniles are about the weight of a penny. In migratory season, they try to double their weight in order to sustain their migratory most fly over the Gulf of Mexico, which is a single flight of about 600 miles. They can do that flight in 16-24 hours. Hummingbirds fly with a figure eight pattern, which allows them to be one of the few birds that can fly backwards. It also allows them to hover! Migration is hard, so why do they do it? At least in part, it's because there's less competition. Apparently day length is a trigger to let birds know when to begin migrating, and the plants and flower on which they rely for food usually coincides to their migratory season. The nesting behavior of hummingbirds draws a direct line between environmental stewardship and habitat protection. They line the nest's outside with lichen and plant scale, and line them inside with soft things like dandelion fronds. Air pollution won't affect the hummingbird directly, but it will affect lichen and thus the integrity of their nest and subsequently their success in breeding. They will use spider webbing to bind their nest, which makes spider conservation important too. How fascinating how these things all connect! Whilst visiting Sagawau, I learned that this preserve is a licensed bird banding station--not just for hummingbirds. Banding allows us to gather much of the information that we have about birds in general. The information gleaned from banded birds can tell us about their migratory patterns, lifespan, and so on. I believe they have some events during the year where you can observe this process. In addition to their great programs, they have a nature center with exhibits related to the natural history of Sagawau and the region. One of the things that makes Sagawau so unique is it is a dolomite prairie, of which only about 500 acres exist in the world--over 100 of those acres being here. There are several trails to walk, and they have maps showing these to help guide your way. And this site turns into a cross-country ski location in the winter! In that season, walking is not permitted on the trails because they're used for skiers. They have lessons and equipment rental, but you can also bring your own gear--you just need to call first to make sure it's open for skiing, dependent upon the snowfall. I saw more open acknowledgment of snakes here than at some of the other preserves, which may make me nervous to visit very soon--snakes in just about any capacity (cartoon, real, image, etc.) creep me out more than anything. But, Negin is the employee that led the hummingbird chat, and she was really great. Welcoming, inclusive, knowledgeable, and friendly. I'd love to attend more of her programs.

Well maintained and alot of attention lately to overgrowth and making sure corners and curves have…read morefull view of oncoming bikers. Unfortunately, this years (2026) leveling of some pathways has large stone instead of crushed gravel. Dangerous for narrow tired bikes. Was this an oversight, cost savings, or what?

Recently came here to embark on a casual walk. Came to the west entrance to go on the smaller loop…read moreto walk around. Solid shoes are reccomended because it is a muddy, gravel trail. Fair amount of parked vehicles too and various other trails in the area. Clean restrooms on site as well as a scenic overlook area nearby.