If you live within a reasonable driving distance to the Morton Arboretum in Lisle and you like putting in the miles, you should consider becoming a member.
It is an endurance athlete’s paradise with great trails, beautiful scenery, and other perks runners love like indoor bathrooms and a cafe for post-run meals and gathering.
They also put on very well run races. This weekend, they put on the Champion of Trees 10k, which, while a little hilly, is a great, mid-spring race that allows you to push yourself and gives you a good measuring stick if you are doing some longer races towards the end of the season.
The 10k is a two loop course on the east side of the Arboretum. This actually helps to make the race seem a little shorter than it actually is because after the first two mile loop, you can talk yourself into believing that you only have four miles to go after that. It breaks the race up nicely.
Other benefits include post-race entertainment and the ability to check out the grounds for free, which, for non-members can make for a fun, enjoyable few hours after the race ends.
If you are interested in checking out their other race, the Fall Color 5k takes place in the October.
