It's Tuesday, April 16th, 2024 User not logged in Running Group Group Name: Riis Park Striders Manager: Mark Blaszczyk Date / Time Event Date Posted Last Update Viewed Last View Saturday February 2, 2019 10:00 am RPS Superbowl Challenge 2/2/2019 RPS RACE REPORT & Final Results (see this album) After 2 mid-week days of -24 degree temperatures the gods shined down on the Striders with a balmy low 30 degrees day for Mike Fleischhacker's annual Super Bowl Challenge. We had a nice turnout and Mike generously supplied gifts for the runners. Feb 3, 2019 Feb 3, 2019 2038 Fri Apr 5th Monday December 31, 2018 4:00 pm Ken Schuch at Chicago NYE Race 12/31/2018 Strider update from Ken Schuch: "...Today, I represented the Striders in the rainy Chicago NYE 5K with a first place age group finish. Go RPS!" Ken Schuch Feb 3, 2019 Feb 3, 2019 732 Fri Mar 29th Saturday December 22, 2018 10:00 am RESULTS-2018 Christmas Classic and 3rd Annual Mike Bastian Memorial 6 Mi Races RACE RESULTS: 3rd Annual Mike Bastian Christmas Classic. Cold, overcast and windy. James Weissensel (36:31) won his first Christmas Classic Race with the fastest time since 14 time winner Bill Thom ran 36:37 in 2002. Natalia Bobak (43:29) won the women's race with the fastest time since Lara Esko ran 41:13 in 1992. Thanks to everyone who helped put on the race and brought refreshments for th... Dec 23, 2018 Dec 30, 2018 10382 Sat Apr 6th Saturday December 15, 2018 10:00 am December 15th road race at Riis It warmed up for our road race today! We were glad to have some sunshine, and some runners wore shorts! Dec 15, 2018 Dec 15, 2018 1552 Fri Mar 29th Saturday December 8, 2018 10:00 am December 8th Road Race Here are pics from the 12/8 road race at Riis! Dec 15, 2018 Dec 15, 2018 2029 Wed Mar 20th Saturday November 24, 2018 10:00 am Last day of XC Nov 24, 2018 The last day of XC at Riis was muddy and cloudy. Here are some pics! Dec 15, 2018 Dec 15, 2018 3030 Sat Mar 30th Thursday November 22, 2018 10:00 am RPS Thanksgiving 2018 Races (Nov 22) The Riis Park Striders 48th Annual Thanksgiving Races took place on Nov 22, 2018. We thank you, the runners, friends and family for your support--including the volunteers, food sponsors, and track clubs that participated. We especially thank Judith Ragusca, mother of Joe Mittel, for donating prizes for the winners. This marks the 23rd year she has done this in memory of her son and Riis Park St... Dec 15, 2018 Dec 16, 2018 17225 1 hr ago Thursday November 22, 2018 11:00 am Thanksgiving Race Results & Race Report-2018 Fearless Leader's Race Report: Riis Park Striders 48th Annual Thanksgiving Day Race Results--see attached Conditions were overcast, windy and mush. The cold day still saw a record number of finishers in the 1 mile race. The cold temperature and muddy spots on the course made most times slower than in 2017. Big thanks to Judith Ragusca, mother of Joe Mittel, for donating prizes for the winne... Dec 15, 2018 Dec 15, 2018 2620 Fri Mar 29th Saturday November 10, 2018 10:00 am Newest Sculpture at Riis (Nov 3 & 10) Group pic before XC and the road race. Also note, we have a new sculpture in the front garden at the Riis Park Field House. It is by Terry Karpowicz and titled "Pandora's Shepherd." It is a collaboration among the Chicago Park District, Chicago Sculpture International, and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. In the album--Bob C & Mark B are pictured next to t... Nov 11, 2018 Nov 11, 2018 1336 Sat Mar 30th Saturday October 27, 2018 10:00 am Riis Oct 27, 2018-trees are turning golden The trees are turning golden at Riis. Here's a pic of Felix near the Stone Monument. The day was overcast, but we had a comfortable XC run today. Oct 28, 2018 Oct 28, 2018 4315 Tue 6:26 pm Saturday October 13, 2018 10:00 am Blue skies at Riis for XC We had a beautiful, crisp fall day for XC at Riis today! The leaves are starting to turn gold and the sky was blue. Here are our pics of today's meet. Oct 14, 2018 Oct 14, 2018 2611 Fri Mar 29th Sunday September 30, 2018 9:00 am Portage Park 5K Fall Into Fitness We had Striders medalists among the group of finishers at the September 30, 2018 Portage Park 5K Fall Into Fitness race! I'm attaching photos courtesy of Agnes Burkevic and stats sourced by Sylvia and Paul A. A nice brunch followed at Brian Sheridan's home. Oct 7, 2018 Oct 7, 2018 2062 Wed Mar 20th Saturday September 29, 2018 10:00 am XC at Riis on a beautiful fall day We enjoyed XC on one beautiful day at Riis! Many runners have been utilizing our meets for warm-up and continued training for their various upcoming events. The good thing is XC on soft grass is great for our joints and knees! Adrian G is pictured here. Sep 30, 2018 Sep 30, 2018 1443 Sat Mar 30th Saturday September 22, 2018 10:00 am Beautiful Fall Day for XC at Riis! We enjoyed a beautiful, bright fall day for XC at Riis! Following our meet, Sylvia A visited us with granddaughter, Nayla to see granddad, Paul A. We also toasted Fearless Leader on his bday with some Moon Pies. Sep 23, 2018 Sep 23, 2018 2769 Mon Apr 8th Saturday September 15, 2018 10:00 am Riis 9/15/2018 Meet My first time back at Riis in more than a month! It was great seeing the Striders! Note: A few pics are courtesy of Ken D--including this cover pic. Thanks, Ken! A big Happy Birthday to our Fearless Leader!! Sep 16, 2018 Sep 16, 2018 1901 Fri Mar 29th Saturday September 8, 2018 10:00 am Riis 9/8/2018 meet 9/8/2018 XC start pic at Riis courtesy of Mark B. Thanks, Mark! Sep 16, 2018 Sep 16, 2018 406 Fri Mar 29th Wednesday August 29, 2018 6:00 pm RPS 8/29/2018 Norwood Park Track Meet Beautiful race start pic courtesy of Mark B from the Norwood Park Track Meet on 8/29/2018. Thanks, Mark! Sep 16, 2018 Sep 16, 2018 250 Mon Apr 1st Saturday August 18, 2018 10:00 am Riis 8/18/2018 Here's a pic courtesy of Mark B of the 8/18 meet at Riis. Thanks, Mark! Sep 16, 2018 Sep 16, 2018 349 Fri Apr 5th Saturday July 21, 2018 10:00 am Beautiful day for XC at Riis! The weather was nice for XC at Riis today. The Park lawn was mowed and there wasn't too much moisture in the air. Aw, shoes and socks definitely were soaked. A little discomfort doesn't matter anyway to us crusty Striders. Jul 22, 2018 Jul 22, 2018 1135 Fri Mar 29th Saturday July 7, 2018 10:00 am Bright, Clear Day at Riis We enjoyed a beautiful, clear day for our meet. The lawn was perfect for XC! We noticed some graffiti on the sign by our finish. That was the only mar on the day. Mike F brought donuts for the finish! Thanks, Mike! Jul 8, 2018 Jul 8, 2018 1118 Fri Apr 5th Wednesday July 4, 2018 10:00 am RPS July 4, 2018 Track Meet & Party at Norwood Park We enjoyed our annual July 4th track meet and had a BBQ picnic at Norwood Park. Glad we had a nice day, while the grills smoked during our races, javelin and shot put toss. The big tree was shady, and we had a nice breeze during the day. The Red Pandas participated at our meet. They brought some delicious cherries. Several of us brought food, refreshments and treats. Jul 7, 2018 Jul 8, 2018 16589 Sun Mar 31st Wednesday July 4, 2018 10:00 am July 4, 2000 (Fearless Leader's Archive--the 1st Independence Day RPS Track Meet at Ridgewood High School) Fearless Leader presented the very first archive Independence Day RPS Track Meet Results from July 4, 2000 at Ridgewood High School. Yup--18 years ago--the very first 7/4 meet. He noted, the Blaszczyks' ruled the field that day. These results stand on their own! Jul 8, 2018 Jul 22, 2018 536 Tue 3:33 pm Saturday June 23, 2018 10:00 am Nice day for a meet at Riis! We ran a road race vs XC at Riis. At least the weather was great! Here's Ken S running his miles. Jun 24, 2018 Jun 24, 2018 1807 Sat Mar 30th Saturday June 16, 2018 10:00 am Ran our meet in the heat at Riis That's right. Our meet was definitely in the heat. At least the skies were clear. Happy Birthday to Mark B. He brought delicious bakery donuts to celebrate. Howie brought a RPS historical framed set of pics to our meet and presented to Fearless Leader and the group for viewing. Jun 17, 2018 Jun 17, 2018 2190 Sat Mar 30th Saturday May 26, 2018 10:00 am Bright hot sun and the carnival arrived at Riis We had a very hot meet at Riis. The hot bright sun did feel great. It was a little weird to experience this kind of day in May. More like mid-summer weather! Also, the carnival arrived at the park and the grounds a bit soggy and grass a bit high for XC. May 28, 2018 May 28, 2018 1370 Sun Mar 31st Saturday May 19, 2018 10:00 am Happy Bday to Howie! These pics are courtesy of Renee showing Howie's bday celebration during the meet. Howie brought treats and party gear for the celebration. That's Howie on the left. Happy bday, Howie! May 28, 2018 May 28, 2018 876 Fri Mar 22nd Saturday April 28, 2018 10:00 am Bright spring day at Riis! We enjoyed a beautiful bright spring day for our meet. A little chilly, but great weather for our XC run. Luckily, no soggy spots on the course. Fearless Leader reminded us of our past results which us in a high-low feeling. Here's Syle looking at the past results list. We had some really fast days in our younger days and Fearless Leader had the evidence. Apr 29, 2018 Apr 29, 2018 1773 Fri Mar 29th Saturday April 21, 2018 10:00 am Striders participate in Chicago-wide Clean & Green Earth day events at Riis Some of the Striders participated in the Chicago-wide annual Clean & Green Earth day events at Riis Park. The event at Riis was supported by the community and our park's 30th Ward Alderman Ariel Reboyras and 36th Ward Alderman Gilbert Villegas. We also had our XC and road race today in our beautiful park. Apr 22, 2018 Apr 22, 2018 2741 Fri Mar 29th Saturday March 31, 2018 10:00 am Riis Park Striders enjoyed the Loyola Ramblers winning season to Final Four! The Striders seem to fly through the air running their miles at Riis. We've enjoyed watching the Loyola Ramblers winning season to the Final Four! Here's some pics that show Striders flying Rambler-air! Apr 1, 2018 Apr 1, 2018 2076 Fri Mar 29th Saturday March 17, 2018 10:00 am St Patrick's Day at Riis--we have our pot-o'gold in--ourselves! St. Patrick' Day is a big day in Chicago! We found some shamrocks running around Riis! They are our own Riis Park Striders. Is there a real "pot-o'-gold"? Yes, it's in our own being and awareness of our power to keep running strong. Mar 18, 2018 Mar 18, 2018 2836 Fri Mar 29th Saturday March 3, 2018 10:00 am Woman Power and Sunny Skies at Riis! The sun was shining at our Riis meet 3/3! Wow, we enjoyed a cool, but sunny day. Just cool enough for sweatshirts and light windbreakers. No rain, snow--a nice early spring day. We celebrate Woman Power at Riis! Here's Agnes B and plenty of group pics. Mar 4, 2018 Mar 4, 2018 4320 Sat Mar 30th Saturday February 17, 2018 10:00 am Snow, sun and enjoyable meet Feb 17! We had an enjoyable meet at Riis on Feb 17th! The air was fresh, chilly; sidewalks were clear--some Striders were pictured running in mid-air! I guess we're light-footed. Great seeing many of the Striders today--we are looking forward to spring. Feb 18, 2018 Feb 18, 2018 2348 Fri Mar 29th Saturday February 10, 2018 10:00 am 2018 Super Bowl Challenge at Riis Feb 10 The RPS Super Bowl Challenge took place Feb 10, 2018. Ken D provided his photos for this report of the meet. Thanks, Ken! "It was snowing again at race time, adding to the heavy amount that fell the previous two days. Unfortunately that held down attendance. Fortunately for those who came the sidewalks were plowed but it still left parts of the course slick. Michael Fleischhacker held his an... Feb 18, 2018 Feb 18, 2018 1575 Fri Mar 29th Saturday February 3, 2018 10:00 am Spring-like meet at Riis with NO SNOW! We enjoyed a pretty nice day for our meet. Ken pointed out tulip buds were popping out of the Riis front garden--in February! Luckily, we didn't have to skid our way during the road race or see the usual blockade of snow and ice during the same time in past years. Plus, we celebrated Agnes' birthday with delicious pink donuts and refreshments she brought in to share with us! Happy Birthday, Ag... Feb 4, 2018 Feb 4, 2018 1201 Fri Mar 29th Saturday January 13, 2018 10:00 am Group pic January 13, 2018 (RPS celebrates MLK Day) Strider, Brian Sheridan shared this great pic of the RPS before the road race on January 13. Everyone looks great--including Felix! Jan 17, 2018 Jan 17, 2018 389 Tue 5:16 pm Saturday January 6, 2018 10:00 am Sunny day at Riis! Brian Sheridan shared the group pic from the road race on Jan 6! Glad to see the sun out! Jan 17, 2018 Jan 17, 2018 350 Sun Mar 31st Saturday December 30, 2017 10:00 am Freezing at Riis today! We ran anyway. Whew, was it freezing at our meet today. No matter, most of the group ran and a couple of us walked. Here's some pics and how we geared-up for the bitter cold. Dec 30, 2017 Dec 30, 2017 1175 Fri Mar 29th Saturday December 23, 2017 10:00 am 2017 RPS Christmas Classic & Mike Bastian Memorial 6 Mile Races 12/23 Official Results from Fearless Leader attached. We thank all runners, volunteers, family members; including the Red Panda Raiders TC, for joining the Riis Park Striders at our races featuring our Christmas Classic and the 2nd Annual Mike Bastian Memorial 6 Mile Races on 12/23/2017. We also thank the Chicago Park District for their continuous support to our Strider races by opening the Field House... Dec 24, 2017 Dec 30, 2017 11439 Mon Apr 8th Saturday December 16, 2017 10:00 am Nice day for Dec 16 meet! Photo by Brian Sheridan. The day looked nice and sunny for DECEMBER! Hoping we have a few more of these before icy conditions slow us down. Dec 18, 2017 Dec 18, 2017 325 Sun Mar 31st Saturday December 2, 2017 10:00 am RPS meet on Dec 2 These pics were sent to me by Mark B. Glad to see so many runners enjoying the first road race of the season! Dec 10, 2017 Dec 10, 2017 610 Fri Mar 29th Thursday November 30, 2017 10:00 am Results-2017 RPS Thanksgiving Races Nov. 23 Attached are Fearless Leader's Official Results and Race Report for the Riis Park Striders' 47th Annual Thanksgiving Day Races on Nov. 23, 2017. Dec 10, 2017 Dec 10, 2017 951 Fri 5:41 am Saturday November 25, 2017 10:00 am RPS Nov 25 meet on beautiful fall day I enjoyed going to the meet to see the Striders. Unfortunately, I couldn't run this day--but took a few pics. The day was beautiful! Dec 10, 2017 Dec 10, 2017 606 Mon Apr 1st Thursday November 23, 2017 9:45 am Riis Park Striders 2017 Thanksgiving Races (47th Annual) The Riis Park Striders sponsored their 47 Annual Thanksgiving Races on Nov 23, 2017. We had a large group of individual runners and local running track clubs including: the RED PANDA RAIDERS; the DON AMIDEI TC; the SHAMROCK TC; and the WARSAW TC. The races included the 22nd Annual Joe Mittel Mile; and the Dick King Memorial 5,000 Meter race. The Official Race Results are attached. The Team Cha... Nov 25, 2017 Dec 10, 2017 11665 6 hrs ago Saturday November 11, 2017 10:00 am RPS meet on Nov 11 I got a team shout-out on social media on this date with this beautiful start line meet pic! Mr. or Ms. Photographer--thanks for sending this to me and photographing the team. Dec 10, 2017 Dec 10, 2017 276 Thu Mar 28th Saturday October 7, 2017 10:00 am Welcome Nettelhorst Track Team at our Meet! We welcomed the Nettelhorst Track Team at our meet today! They came over from Broadway at Belmont. We enjoyed XC on a warm day. Brian brought Riley to run XC also. We wish everyone running the best at this year's 40th Anniversary Chicago Marathon on 10/8. Thank you to all sponsors and volunteers and family members who help the runners make the 26.2 mile quest possible. Oct 7, 2017 Oct 7, 2017 1445 Fri Mar 29th Saturday September 30, 2017 10:00 am Beautiful day at Riis Here are some pics of our Saturday meet. It was a beautiful day! Striders are running fast. Everyone looks great! Oct 1, 2017 Oct 1, 2017 858 Sat Mar 30th Saturday September 9, 2017 7:30 am Terra Sans Pave Trail Races-9/9/2017 Eileen and I enjoyed running the Thom's Terra Sans Pave Trail Races Sept 9! Striders-Paul and Sarah H. volunteered at the event. The day was beautiful The races consisted of an Ultra (over 26.2 miles), 4K, 8K and 10 mile. We enjoyed a delicious BBQ after completing our races. Fearless Leader came over after the Riis meet to see us complete the races. Thanks, Bill & Michelle and volunteers! Sep 10, 2017 Sep 10, 2017 1606 Mon Mar 25th Saturday September 2, 2017 10:00 am Group pic Sept 2 Group pic before XC (submitted by Mark B-thanks!). Notice Fearless Leader's decades-old moustache is gone! Looks good! Sep 8, 2017 Sep 8, 2017 290 Mon Apr 1st Wednesday August 9, 2017 7:30 pm Chicago Full Moon Run-Aug 9, 2017 Several Striders volunteered or ran the Chicago Full Moon Run on August 9th (Weds) evening. What a beautiful evening! We had a moment of silence in memory of our friend and Strider, Mike Bastian. RIP, Mike. Race Directors are Striders, Erin Bastian, Bill & Michelle Thom. They did a wonderful job on the race. We were glad to participate! Thanks! Here's a pic of Erin and son, Andy. Aug 10, 2017 Aug 10, 2017 1356 Fri Mar 29th Friday July 28, 2017 10:00 am Riis meet on July 29 (construction begins on track upgrades) We had a nice meet on 7/29! Here's a pic of Bob C running after going up the BIG HILL. During the meet, we got to see construction on portions of the Riis Park track--I've attached pics of the view from the west side looking north. The tennis courts are closed and will also be upgraded. Jul 30, 2017 Jul 30, 2017 727 Fri Mar 29th Saturday July 8, 2017 10:00 am "Keep Going" yes, we will! We had a nice meet on July 8th. Beautiful day, great day to do our miles. Saw this hand-written series of sidewalk chalk signs: "Keep Going." Yes. We. Will. Jul 9, 2017 Jul 9, 2017 373 Fri Mar 29th Tuesday July 4, 2017 10:00 am July 4th Track Meet & Party The Striders had a nice turnout at Norwood Park for our annual July 4th Track Meet. The Red Panda Raiders, along with Striders and various family members enjoyed these activities: running the mile, javelin toss, shot-put and relay. Following, was the party at Mark & Diane's. Jul 8, 2017 Jul 8, 2017 9720 Mon Apr 8th Saturday June 24, 2017 10:00 am Pics from June 10 & 24 at Riis Meets Here's a combo of pics taken on June 10 & 24 at Riis. We have our new 2017 XC shirts! The weather is great for running. Be sure and hydrate for the hot days ahead. Jun 25, 2017 Jun 25, 2017 1142 Fri Mar 29th Saturday June 3, 2017 10:00 am Warm day for XC We had a good showing for our XC on the first Saturday of June! The only obstacle was parking in either lot due to the carnival at the park. It was a beautiful day to be out and about! Jun 4, 2017 Jun 4, 2017 891 Fri Mar 29th Saturday May 13, 2017 10:00 am Boots at Riis (for injuries!) Went to Riis today. Had my "boot" on. Broke an ankle bone a few weeks ago. Saw Luis there with his "boot" also! He has a very bad sprain. Can't wait to get moving again. Jay has some foot injuries also. Here's some pics of Striders on XC today. May 13, 2017 May 13, 2017 1466 Fri Mar 29th Saturday April 22, 2017 9:00 am Earth Day Cleanup at Riis Nine Striders were active participants in the Riis Park Earth Day grounds cleanup. The day was perfect for this opportunity to assist in keeping our park beautiful. Alderman Ariel Reboyras (Chicago 30th Ward) sponsored the event along with the Chicago Park District and many local community leaders. The event was well-organized. We look forward to helping out next year! Apr 23, 2017 Apr 23, 2017 1419 Fri Mar 29th Saturday April 8, 2017 10:00 am Spring meet at Riis Our April 8th meet was spectacular. What a beautiful day. We are looking forward to a great season! Neil brought Sadie to the park. Happy birthday to Mike V! Congrats to Fabian and his family on the birth of their new baby! Looking forward to the new improvements at Riis, including the new track, roof and tennis courts. We thank Mayor Emanuel, Alderman 30th Ward Reboyras and Chicago Park Dis... Apr 9, 2017 Apr 9, 2017 1254 Thu Mar 28th Saturday March 25, 2017 9:00 am Press Conference (Mayor, Alderman, Chicago Park Dist CEO, RPS President) Pictures from the Press Conference at the Riis Park Field House on 3/25/2017. The press conference included our RPS President, Chris Precht, City of Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Alderman (30th Ward) Ariel Reboyras, Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners General Superintendent & CEO, Michael P. Kelly. We are thrilled with the upcoming improvements/updates of a new track and tennis courts! We... Mar 26, 2017 Mar 26, 2017 1932 Sun Mar 31st Saturday March 18, 2017 10:00 am Roadrace at Riis, any shamrocks out there? No rain, no snow at our meet. At least the grass is turning green. Brian wore his shamrock green today! Mar 19, 2017 Mar 19, 2017 862 Fri Mar 29th Saturday March 11, 2017 10:00 am Group pic March 11 Group pic from March 11th before our road race. The day was cold and sunny! Mar 19, 2017 Mar 19, 2017 268 Fri Mar 29th Saturday February 25, 2017 10:00 am Back to the cold at Riis! What a change in temperature this week! It went from a shorts day last Sat to a snow/flurries day this Sat! Feb 26, 2017 Feb 26, 2017 540 Thu Mar 28th Saturday February 18, 2017 10:00 am Shorts in mid-February! Yup, it was a shorts day in Chicago. Mid-February--in the 60's! While running, you really broke out in a summer sweat! Here are some pics from our nice hiatus in Chicago. Feb 19, 2017 Feb 19, 2017 760 Thu Mar 28th Saturday February 18, 2017 10:30 am Chris' Archive-RPS in the News June 21, 1981--"Hit the Bricks" Fearless Leader brought some valuable newspaper clippings. From June 24, 1981: The Brickyard race--"Hit the Bricks for Children's Memorial Hospital," 6.2 miles on Sunday, June 21, 1981. 200 runners ran this race, including Striders winning awards: Mike Bastian, 4th Place, 33:19. Karen Morris, 1st Place, 41:26, Gail Varner, 2nd Place, 41:38, Barbara DeWolfe, 3rd Place, 41:43, Heidi Christiansen... Feb 19, 2017 Feb 19, 2017 326 Wed Mar 27th Saturday February 18, 2017 10:30 am Chris' Archive-RPS in the News-Distance Running, June 1981 Fearless Leader brought an important news clipping from June, 1981. Two races: Half Marathon on June 14, 1981. Over 400 runners compete in this CARA race. Riis had 5 members running. Gail Varner won the women's 19-29 age division with a time of 1:43:29. She received a trophy. There was a DesPlaines 10,000 meter race on June 7, 1981. Karen Morris was 2nd in 41:33 and Gail Varner was 3rd in ... Feb 19, 2017 Feb 19, 2017 229 Fri Mar 29th Saturday February 4, 2017 10:00 am RPS Superbowl Challenge 2017 Quote from Fearless Leader's Race Report for our Annual Superbowl Challenge Feb 4, 2017: "Cold, Windy and RAW. Another cold Saturday didn't stop these runners from coming out and competing in Michael F's Annual Super Bowl Challenge. Thanks to Michael for supplying all the prizes and the donuts." Check out these photos courtesy of Renee! Feb 6, 2017 Feb 6, 2017 1619 Thu Mar 28th Saturday January 28, 2017 10:00 am Brisk, cold day at Riis We had a nice turnout at our meet at Riis. The weather was cold and a bit windy. After all, it IS January! No ice, no snow-YET. We can't complain too much! Jan 29, 2017 Jan 29, 2017 417 Thu Mar 28th Saturday January 28, 2017 11:00 am From the RPS archive: Nov 1977 - Lakefront Turkey Run (Joe Mittel) I'm attaching an article dated November 1977--courtesy of Ken from our RPS archives. It is from the 6th Annual Lakefront Turkey Run. Pictured on the lower right corner is Strider, Joe Mittel (bib #1612). I understand another Strider is in the picture--Kurt. Jan 29, 2017 Jan 29, 2017 298 Sat 1:26 pm Saturday January 7, 2017 10:00 am 2017-1st Run of the Year (cold!!) We enjoyed some fresh, cold air for our meet today! Jan 8, 2017 Jan 8, 2017 491 Tue 12:23 pm Saturday December 17, 2016 10:00 am Mike Bastian Memorial 6 Mile & Christmas Classic Races The Riis Park Striders sponsored our 1st Annual Mike Bastian Memorial 6 Mile Run & Christmas Classic. We also included 2 other races in our Classic. The top winners (man/woman) are grandchildren of Hank Caldwell. We are proud of the heritage this memorial race represents--the legacy of our friend and fellow Strider, distance runner, Mike Bastian. We are honored to have had Erin and Joe join us... Dec 18, 2016 Jan 8, 2017 5212 Sat 10:06 am Thursday November 24, 2016 9:30 am Riis Park Striders 2016 Thanksgiving Races (Nov. 24, 2016) Thanks to all participants who joined us in our 46th Annual Riis Park Striders Thanksgiving XC Races: The 21st Annual Joe Mittel Memorial Mile (9:45AM); and the Dick King 5,000 Meter Championship Race (10AM). Team Challenge Winners: 1st Place, Riis Park Striders. 2nd Place, Shamrock TC. Overall Winner-Men: John Craig. Overall Winner-Women: Teresa Meija. Participant Teams: Red Panda Raider... Nov 26, 2016 Nov 26, 2016 20147 Fri Apr 5th Thursday November 24, 2016 11:00 am UPDATED RESULTS-RPS Thanksgiving Races Nov. 24, 2016 Please see the Updated Official Race Report for the Riis Park Striders 46th Annual Thanksgiving Day Race Results (3 pages). "The clear course saw a record number of finishers in the 1 mile race. The Red Panda Raiders again came out en masse and won a lot of ribbons. Thanks once again to Judith Ragusca, mother of Joe Mittel, for donating prizes for the winners. This is the 20th year she has do... Dec 4, 2016 Dec 7, 2016 492 Thu Mar 28th Saturday November 19, 2016 10:00 am Meet Nov. 19 with leaves scattered in the wind Remember, we are a windy city--well, for sure that's true. Leaves were blowing and some trees are already bare. We had a tiny bit of snow prior to our meet. Nov 19, 2016 Nov 19, 2016 422 Thu Mar 28th Saturday November 19, 2016 11:00 am Riis Park Striders announce 1st Annual "Mike Bastian Memorial 6 Mile Christmas Classic" Cheryl and Mark wearing our upcoming race shirts for the newly renamed "Mike Bastian Memorial 6 Mile Christmas Classic." This race (formerly called the Christmas Classic) will be held on Dec. 17th (Sat). The shirts, have been donated to the Strider membership by our friend, Pete Block--in memory of Mike Bastian. The race trophies, ribbons and medals have also been underwritten by Pete for those c... Nov 19, 2016 Nov 19, 2016 792 Thu Mar 28th Saturday November 12, 2016 10:00 am Neil & Sadie run XC with the Striders today! Neil brought Sadie to our RPS meet today! We enjoyed running on a bright, beautiful day. The flock of geese took off when they saw Sadie. Nov 12, 2016 Nov 12, 2016 600 Wed Mar 27th Saturday November 5, 2016 10:00 am Riis Park Striders proud of 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series Championship Excited for our Chicago Cubs' 2016 World Series Championship WIN! The day was beautiful to reflect on the win and what it means for Chicago sports. GO CUBS GO!! Nov 6, 2016 Nov 6, 2016 472 Thu Mar 28th Saturday October 29, 2016 10:00 am XC at Riis beautiful fall leaves Beautiful fall day at for XC at Riis today! Ruben, of the Chicago Park District, opened the Field House and kindly assisted Felix. Mike F brought some "W" donuts in celebration of his sister's new baby. GO CUBS!! CONGRATS to Mike, his sister & family!! Bob C wore his "Team Chadwick" teeshirt. What a great motto: "We believe mental toughness is not letting anything break you." Oct 30, 2016 Oct 30, 2016 1913 Tue Apr 2nd Saturday October 22, 2016 10:00 am Beautiful fall meet at Riis We enjoyed a beautiful fall meet day at Riis. Leaves are turning color, the grass is brilliant green, skies are blue. The weather is excellent for XC and road racing. We welcomed a guest runner, Artie--ultra marathoner. Hope to see him again at Riis soon! Oct 23, 2016 Oct 23, 2016 1367 Fri Mar 29th Monday October 17, 2016 10:00 am Strider News--Ian Cameron's running season was successful! The Striders received a running update from Dave Cameron regarding son, Ian on Oct 17th: "Ian's season effectively ends on Thursday. His key race was the Mid-Suburban League race last Saturday - a 3-mile effort at Busse Woods with a couple hundred other Freshmen and Sophomores from 12 schools in the Northwest suburbs. I'm pleased to say I've watched him improve from - well... this summer he r... Oct 23, 2016 Oct 23, 2016 308 Thu Apr 4th Monday October 10, 2016 10:00 am Strider News-Chris Hita finished 5 marathons for 2016 with PR's! The Striders received a note from our friend, Chris Hita (Vanessa's brother): "I ran the Chicago Marathon and P.R again! My time was 3:40:52 I also ran the Mexico Marathon* on August 28 and my time was 4:05 and some change. In May, I ran the Rockford Marathon for a 4:15 I also ran Starved Rock Marathon, did that one in 3:55:41. In April, I ran Champagne--The Christie Clinic Marathon I think my t... Oct 23, 2016 Oct 23, 2016 309 Thu Mar 28th Sunday October 9, 2016 10:00 am Mike Bastian-our friend and Strider We remember our friend and fellow Strider, Mike Bastian. He passed away on October 9, 2016. We are deeply saddened by his passing. Our thoughts and prayers to the Erin and the entire Bastian family. Attached is an article by Chicago Athlete (Jan, 2016). We will never forget his determination, love for his family, and desire to share his love of running with young runners and the community. Oct 23, 2016 Oct 23, 2016 320 Fri Mar 29th Saturday October 1, 2016 10:00 am ANOTHER dreary at at Riis Rainy and dreary at Riis. Yet, we did enjoy the fresh air and ran XC laps around the park. Road racers did well also. Oct 2, 2016 Oct 2, 2016 586 Thu Mar 28th Saturday September 24, 2016 10:00 am Dreary day at Riis These days seem to melt into the other. Rainy and cloudy at Riis-we paused to take a group pic. Eileen wore her vintage '92 RPS shirt! Stopped by the Stone Monument and saw a sad sight nearby. Oct 2, 2016 Oct 2, 2016 793 Fri Mar 29th Saturday September 17, 2016 10:00 am Congrats to "Makin' Tracks 5K" Striders CONGRATS to Striders who ran the “Makin’ Tracks 5K” at River Forest/Concordia University on 9/17! Bob Chadwick came to our meet right after the race to let show us his medal—he won 1st in his age group and confirmed Striders were tops in their age groups. Mike Fleischhacker: 6th overall & 1st—age group (M 50-59) Bob Chadwick: 73rd overall & 1st —age group (M 70-79) Cheryl Benson: 164th ov... Sep 18, 2016 Sep 18, 2016 383 Thu Mar 28th Saturday September 17, 2016 10:00 am Fall meet 9/17 at Riis We enjoyed our XC & road race meet. Great weather these days! Bob C brought his 5K medal after running the "Makin' Tracks 5K" at River Forest/Concordia Univ (see separate post). Very odd to see the south end of Riis on Fullerton closed for roadwork. Local traffic and the south lot was open. Sep 18, 2016 Sep 18, 2016 868 59 mins ago Wednesday August 31, 2016 6:30 pm RPS Norwood Park Track Meet & BBQ at Thoms' We celebrated the end of the summer season by running a casual track meet at Norwood Park followed by a lovely evening BBQ at Bill & Michelle's. Joining the Striders were three members of the Niles West / Oakton Runners Club--Stuart G, Bill F, Rose R. We had a nice turnout of Striders, friends & family. The weather was fantastic, as was the company. Thank you, Bill & Michelle, for sponsoring the... Sep 1, 2016 Sep 1, 2016 2330 Thu Apr 4th Friday August 19, 2016 10:30 am Pauline & Anne at Riis (Aug 19, 2016) Pauline (center) made the trek all the way from Colorado to visit and also run with the Striders! Picture courtesy of Mark B who also attended. Pictured are Fearless Leader & Olga, Cheryl, Pauline, Bob C, Anne, Jay & Ken. Aug 22, 2016 Aug 22, 2016 425 Tue Apr 2nd Saturday July 30, 2016 10:00 am RPS meet with guests from Raritan Valley Road Runners Photo courtesy of Mark B. Group pic with our 2 guest runners from the Raritan Valley Road Runners of New Jersey! They ran XC with the Striders. Hope to see them again soon! We welcome runners of all ages, all distances and abilities. Aug 3, 2016 Aug 3, 2016 291 Thu Mar 28th Saturday July 16, 2016 10:00 am RPS utilizing the outside gym at our meet Before and after XC, some us of tried utilizing the outside gym near our XC meet! Climbing is good for working all your muscles. Jul 17, 2016 Jul 17, 2016 883 Mon Apr 1st Saturday July 9, 2016 10:00 am RPS 2-Person XC Relay Perfect day for our 2-person relay! We also noticed a brand new American flag on the flag pole at Riis Park. Jul 10, 2016 Jul 10, 2016 1518 Fri Mar 29th Monday July 4, 2016 1:00 pm Mark & Diane's RPS 4th of July Party 2016 Enjoyed a beautiful afternoon at Mark & Diane's 4th of July Party! Diane's BBQ was fired up with burgers and sausages. The sides, desserts & beverages were outstanding. Ken brought a traditional favorite--Schlitz! Mark had a turtle feeding and hen house viewing. Their block party was going on, so we enjoyed some music and a bit of dancing out front. Thank you, Mark & Diane!! Jul 4, 2016 Jul 4, 2016 5953 14 hrs ago Saturday June 25, 2016 10:00 am RPS-40th Anniversary Meet & Lunch 6/25/2016 We've celebrated our 40th Anniversary of the Riis Park Striders at the Saturday morning meet on June 25, 2016. The Club's start began on June 29, 1976. We honored Fearless Leader with gifts that many of you have contributed toward--organized expertly by Ken. Through Fearless Leader, we kept a consistency and dedication with running that will continue in years to come. We enjoyed seeing friends,... Jun 26, 2016 Jun 26, 2016 2466 Fri 3:54 am Saturday June 11, 2016 10:00 am Hot day at Riis & RPS pic display at Field House Very hot day at Riis! In weather like this, slow down. Joe cleared a glass case at the Field House for us to place our photos celebrating our 40th Anniversary. Ken was helped load up on our pics. Jun 12, 2016 Jun 12, 2016 798 Thu Mar 28th Saturday June 4, 2016 10:00 am XC during carnival set up at Riis Lost my parking place at Riis on the south lot. The carnival was setting up in the park. We deviated just a bit on our XC. Didn't affect the road racers today. Beat rain showers also! Happy Birthday, Felix! Jun 4, 2016 Jun 4, 2016 648 Thu Mar 28th Saturday May 28, 2016 10:00 am Kurt Lauer runs with the Striders today! We had a nice meet today. Kurt Lauer visited the Striders! He did well at our meet. No XC due to the soggy grass, the road race was just fine! Saw Jay and his walk/run group. The park is beautiful. May 28, 2016 May 28, 2016 1696 Sat Mar 30th Wednesday May 18, 2016 9:00 am RPS Honored at City Hall & Council mtg by Mayor Rahm Emanuel & 30th Ward Alderman Reboyras We were delighted and honored to be photographed with Mayor Rahm Emanuel. This was organized through the 30th Ward Alderman Ariel Reboyras and his staff, notably-Lucy! The Alderman proposed "Riis Park Strider Day" on our upcoming 40th Anniversary of June 29, 2016. We've been running for 40 Years! Many thanks to the Alderman, Lucy, and the City of Chicago's Mayor's Office for this memorable eve... May 28, 2016 May 28, 2016 1747 Thu Mar 28th Saturday May 14, 2016 10:00 am Saturday Meet at Riis We enjoyed a lovely day to run at Riis. Here is one of our newest members, Teresa! May 28, 2016 May 28, 2016 396 Thu Mar 28th Saturday May 7, 2016 10:00 am XC at Riis & New Shirts! Combo event--got our new teeshirts. 40th Anniversary: Riis Park Striders Club Established on June 29, 1976! We also ran our first XC route today! It was a bit breezy, but no rain & mud to contend with. The lilacs and trees were in-bloom. Very enjoyable! May 7, 2016 May 7, 2016 1860 Thu Mar 28th Saturday April 30, 2016 10:00 am Rainy meet at Riis Sprinkles turned to raindrops. Glad to have brought the jacket with the hoodie. The park lawn was fresh-mowed. Still, the fresh air felt great! Here's a starting line up for our meet. Apr 30, 2016 Apr 30, 2016 544 Thu Mar 28th Saturday April 23, 2016 10:00 am ALMOST Summer at Riis! Loved running on this beautiful, spring day at Riis. No coat, no waterproof shoes, no worries. Group pic at the Riis Field House by the front garden. Apr 23, 2016 Apr 23, 2016 1025 Tue 5:28 pm Saturday April 16, 2016 10:00 am Springtime arrives at Riis Beautiful, sunny, warm day! Yeah! Flowers and trees are budding. We've earned a day like this! Riis Park is looking bright. We're ready for summer! Apr 16, 2016 Apr 16, 2016 1103 Thu Mar 28th Saturday April 2, 2016 10:00 am Running against the wind at Riis today (snow, too) We were running against the wind. Just like Seger's song. Bob C ran backward some of the time. We saw snow amongst the flowers. Winter wants to roar back in. It melted fast. At least we know there's sunny days ahead. Apr 2, 2016 Apr 2, 2016 1133 Fri Mar 29th Saturday March 19, 2016 10:00 am Springtime for Striders at Riis! That's right. Springtime is for Striders. Nice group today. The buds in the trees are going to bloom soon. We're ready for great running days ahead! Mar 19, 2016 Mar 19, 2016 676 Fri 5:05 pm Saturday March 12, 2016 10:00 am Shamrocks found at Riis! We really did see shamrocks at Riis today. A member of the Shamrocks TC raced with the Striders today. What luck! Great to see the turnout today. The lawn is brightening up with green. Can't wait for XC. Mar 12, 2016 Mar 12, 2016 1252 Tue Mar 19th Saturday March 5, 2016 10:00 am Chilly, but action-packed meet at Riis What a meet! Luis brought some terrific, fast runners; and new family also joined our Club. There was a pick-up truck that literally caught fire, which brought a CFD fire engine and the CPD police near the Field House. As in Mark's words--"see what you miss if you don't show up for the races at Riis." Mar 5, 2016 Mar 5, 2016 1301 Mon Apr 1st Saturday February 20, 2016 10:00 am February sunshine & shorts at Riis! Wow, enjoyed very nice day of sunshine, warm breezes at Riis. We had a nice group at our starting line up, including this young miler runner! Feb 21, 2016 Feb 21, 2016 548 Mon Mar 25th Saturday February 13, 2016 10:00 am Yeah, it's cold--so what? It's February, and we've got to get some outside-air and a bit of exercise. That's why. At least the skies were clear, and the sidewalks weren't too slippery. Here's a pic of Mike F, enjoying his run today. Feb 13, 2016 Feb 13, 2016 745 Thu Mar 28th Saturday February 6, 2016 10:00 am RPS Superbowl Races 2016 We enjoy wearing our NFL team regalia. Especially, when we're together running our Annual RPS Superbowl Races. Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders were NFL teams rep'd by our gear. A chilly start, but nice enough to not have to encounter snowbanks, ice and flurries made our day. Thanks to Mike F, as RD, for a nice awards presentation. Shout out to Tracy F, who again donated some o... Feb 6, 2016 Feb 6, 2016 1045 Thu Mar 28th Saturday January 16, 2016 10:00 am Felix Coleman's MLK Speech 2016 Another year is rolling forward. We took a few minutes before our meet to listen to Felix Coleman's annual speech on what Martin Luther King, Jr. has meant to Felix and his family. This is a special anniversary, as this speech is within Felix's 30th year with the Riis Park Striders. We look forward to celebrating MLK Day on January 18, 2016. His legacy is still meaningful in this day and age. Jan 17, 2016 Jan 17, 2016 573 Fri Apr 5th Saturday December 19, 2015 10:00 am RPS Christmas Classic (Dec. 19, 2015) Beautiful, sky-blue day for our Christmas Classic. No snow, no ice, no puddles. Slightly breezy, and cold. 1.2 miles or 6 miles. Enjoyed seeing friends who've returned to run this last race of the year. Goodies were terrific, and seeing the smiles made the race even funner. Is that a real word? "More fun" is more like it! Dec 19, 2015 Dec 19, 2015 1999 Fri Mar 29th Saturday December 12, 2015 10:00 am Shorts day at Riis in December! Wow, can you believe it? Shorts at our Saturday meet in mid-December. The grass is still green. It is refreshing having such good weather. Hope it lasts a while longer. Dec 12, 2015 Dec 12, 2015 934 Thu Mar 28th Saturday November 28, 2015 10:00 am Brandon visits the Striders Nov 28 Jay brought Brandon to Riis today. He ran very well!! I am posting pics from his visit and pics from our first November snowfall Nov. 21. What a difference since those pics--snow, warm days and muddy rain--all in a week. Nov 28, 2015 Nov 28, 2015 1005 Fri Mar 29th Thursday November 26, 2015 9:30 am 45th Annual RPS Thanksgiving Races on Nov. 27, 2015 We we proud to hold 45th Annual Riis Park Striders Thanksgiving Races: the 20th Annual Joe Mittel Memorial Mile and the 5,000 Meter Dick King Championship Race. Many teams and individuals came out to "run & enjoy" this Thanksgiving day at Riis Park! In addition to our home team, the Riis Park Striders and their families, we welcomed members of the Don Amidei TC, the Shamrock TC, the Red Panda TC... Nov 27, 2015 Nov 27, 2015 23971 Sun 8:07 am Saturday November 14, 2015 10:00 am Pauline & Anne visit Riis Enjoyed seeing Pauline and Anne today! Here are some pics from our visit. Nov 15, 2015 Nov 15, 2015 1224 Thu Mar 28th Saturday November 7, 2015 10:00 am Golden day at Riis A beautiful day at Riis. At last, no rain! The crunch of dry leaves on the green grass. The park had some freshly-planted trees along our route. Bob C wore his new 2015 Tour de France cap. It was Felix's 29th year with the RPS. What a day to celebrate. Nov 8, 2015 Nov 8, 2015 1778 Sun Apr 7th Saturday October 24, 2015 10:00 am Striders nice start, then drenched in rain at meet today The park was beautiful, yet seemed to have more than 3 climates today. Cloudy, sprinkles on meet start, then drenching rain. Neil completed all his 3+ miles today--despite all the rain. Period. Here we are at the start. Oct 24, 2015 Oct 24, 2015 821 Mon Apr 8th Saturday October 17, 2015 10:00 am Smiles at Strider Meet Beautiful, fall day for XC and road racing at Riis Park. I brought my marathon medal and we took some pics. [Jay finished the marathon at 5:57:47. My time was 7:33:53 (watch time).] Oct 18, 2015 Oct 18, 2015 1268 5 hrs ago Sunday October 11, 2015 8:00 am Chicago Marathon Oct. 11, 2015 In so many words-a very long day for me this year. I did enjoy running with Eileen who ran some of these miles with me. Here are some pics from this year's race. Oct 18, 2015 Oct 18, 2015 1401 Thu Mar 28th Friday October 9, 2015 11:00 am Chicago Marathon Expo 2015 Enjoyed packet pick up! Saw Joan Benoit Samuelson during a Q&A at the Expo. Here's a few photos. Oct 18, 2015 Oct 18, 2015 898 Fri Apr 5th Saturday September 26, 2015 10:00 am Fall colors begin at Riis Park Enjoyed a lovely day at our meet at Riis Park. Pics of some of the sights seen at the park and Riis Field House. Oct 18, 2015 Oct 18, 2015 701 Thu Mar 28th Saturday September 19, 2015 9:00 am Terra Sans Pave Trail Races, Glenview (nice choice for runners, Striders) In spite of torrential rains the evening/morning before, the weather cleared up just in time. Good location choice this year-along the North Branch Trail (Glenview). Road runners got a nice bit of trail with some crushed gravel, wide pathways. Some large puddles were there, yet manageable to get around on a relatively dry course. The pig roast was interesting to those loving BBQ. The sandwiches & ... Sep 19, 2015 Sep 19, 2015 44333 Sun 4:25 am Saturday September 12, 2015 10:00 am Eileen wins an race award at Makin'Tracks 5K, then runs at Riis on the same day! We're proud of Eileen's achievement. She just ran the Makin' Tracks 5K at Concordia, won an award, then came to Riis to run a road race with the Striders. Whew! We hear other Striders ran and did well also! Starting line for XC included an angelic rainbow sized "person" next to Paul A. Sep 13, 2015 Sep 13, 2015 1161 Mon Mar 25th Monday September 7, 2015 7:00 am Oak brook Half Marathon-Labor Day Wow, this was a super hot day. Humid, with a heat index in the 90s. Really nice race and had some help along with the way. These 2 ladies were the Race End closers, and great company along the way. Oct 18, 2015 Oct 18, 2015 449 Mon Apr 1st Monday August 10, 2015 12:00 pm Strider, Dan Berry in Chicago for brief visit Mark B sent this beautiful pic to the Striders. Dan Berry was in Chicago for a brief visit with Mark, Diane & Fearless Leader! He even got to go to Riis. Nice, that Dan shared that pic. I'm adding their two pics to this blog. Aug 16, 2015 Aug 16, 2015 576 Thu Mar 28th Wednesday July 29, 2015 7:30 pm RPS at Chicago Full Moon Run Beautiful evening for this race: Chicago Full Moon Run. Many Striders signed up as runners, volunteers and supporters. We're proud to have shown strong support for this important cause--MS. Somehow, someday, we'll grow closer to a cure. Many thanks to Race Directors, Mike Bastian, Bill & Michelle Thom for providing a nice way to end an evening, under a full moon. Picture: Mike & Erin Bastian. Jul 29, 2015 Jul 29, 2015 5408 Fri 8:31 am Saturday July 25, 2015 10:00 am Striders endure heat-keep going strong. Yes, it was a hot day. We kept on going by XC, road race. Lately, the field house hasn't been open before 10AM. TiP: If you don't want to use the messy porta-potties, do your business before arriving at Riis for our meet. We still had a terrific meet. See you the first Saturday in September. We're on hiatus the month of August! Jul 25, 2015 Jul 25, 2015 1200 Thu Mar 28th Saturday July 11, 2015 10:00 am XC & Road Race at Riis w Natalia, Rick, Brad & Hank! Great to see Rick at Riis! He brought some young XC runners today from his XC Team: Brad and Natalia. Outstanding to see these young competitors. Nadia, Riis Park Staff-- loaded the Riis Club Car with T-Ball Awards for the club next to our meet. Hank was there with his pet, walking the road race course. Bob C discussed the benefits of using different foam rollers, and utilizing PhysioRecover choc... Jul 11, 2015 Jul 11, 2015 6535 Thu Mar 28th Saturday July 4, 2015 10:00 am RPS 7/4/2015 Track Meet at Norwood Park Great turnout at our July 4th Track Meet at Norwood Park. We were glad to have a competitive and successful meet. Eduardo and his family, along with many of the Striders, friends and family enjoyed the track and field events. Jul 5, 2015 Jul 5, 2015 7911 Thu Mar 28th Saturday July 4, 2015 12:00 pm July 4th Mark & Diane's Party Beautiful day for Mark & Diane's Party following the RPS track meet. Good food, family, refreshments, plenty of shade was enjoyed by all. Thank you, Mark & Diane for hosting the July 4th Party! Jul 5, 2015 Jul 5, 2015 6890 Fri Mar 29th Saturday June 27, 2015 10:00 am Riis Meet on June 27 Beautiful day for a meet! XC runners experienced some muddy spots due to the rainy days. At least the grass and sod was soft as shag rug. Mark brought donuts to celebrate his b-day last week. Sy's Marines tee shirt was cool. Semper Fi. Jun 27, 2015 Jun 27, 2015 790 Thu Mar 28th Saturday June 13, 2015 10:00 am Sunny day at Riis Warm and sunny day for our meet. We enjoyed the beauty of the park. Ducks in the ponds, clover and blooming trees and flowers made our miles worth it, and took a pic with Paul A next to the Park District Club Car. Jun 14, 2015 Jun 14, 2015 942 Wed Mar 27th Saturday June 6, 2015 10:00 am XC Riis Park Striders New Course, near Carnival. Yup, ran passed one of two carnivals at Riis today. We utilized the new route Ken had carved out for the Striders. It differed slightly. Today, it was at the beginning of a carnival in both parking lots, so we had to street-park. Bob C's running buddy, Jerry M, spoke about his upcoming Pleasant Prairie Triathlon this month. Good luck to Jerry! Jun 6, 2015 Jun 6, 2015 1676 Thu Mar 28th Saturday May 30, 2015 10:00 am Rainy day at Riis, doesn't get us down Spring rain and clouds didn't keep us from doing some miles at Riis today. The park was beautiful, irises were colorful, along with our cool shirts. We noted a Grand Award presented to the Chicago Park District for Park and Recreation Administration enclosed in a new case at the Field House. Congrats to our friends at Riis Park and the Chicago Park District! Glad to see Dave & Ian Cameron running... May 30, 2015 May 30, 2015 1314 Thu Mar 28th Saturday May 16, 2015 7:00 am Striders ROCKED the Starved Rock County Marathon Wow! What a race. Three Striders ROCKED the Starved Rock County Marathon! Eileen and I ran the Half Marathon: Eileen at 2:59:40 (1st in age group), Karen at 3:31.21. Chris Hita ran the Full Marathon (5:07:32). The fans, volunteers, city and race officials were fantastic. The road was etched with the scent of wild honeysuckle and blooming lilacs. The start was in historic Washington Park in Ottawa... May 19, 2015 May 19, 2015 2405 Thu Mar 28th Saturday May 2, 2015 10:00 am XC and 2015 Strider Tees at Riis Park Wow. 1st day of XC at Riis, couldn't be brighter and enjoyable. Plus, the 2015 RPS Tee Shirts arrived! Women: Lime Green vneck slim cut. Men: Orange Chili Pepper crew. Lettering is Navy blue--like Illini colors. All tees are wicking/technical. Child sizes available. See Fearless Leader for your shirt, with paid dues. May 2, 2015 May 2, 2015 3078 Thu Mar 28th Saturday April 18, 2015 10:00 am Brightening up for great weather at Riis Beautiful morning for our meet. Many of us wore the 2014 teeshirts as seen here! Apr 18, 2015 Apr 18, 2015 1496 Thu Mar 28th Saturday April 11, 2015 10:00 am Spring into action at Riis! What a great day for miles. The day was clear, not windy. Grass green. Jay found a softball. Interestingly, Paul H brought a book on Baseball to Riis. Bob C brought his weights also. He is great source for tips and advice for runners. Luckily, we can find him at Riis! Apr 11, 2015 Apr 11, 2015 823 Fri 6:32 pm Saturday April 4, 2015 10:00 am Happy Bday, Mike V! Group pic to celebrate our friend, Mike V's bday! Sunny skies and more bright days ahead at Riis. Flowers are starting to bloom, the air is clean and fresh! Apr 4, 2015 Apr 4, 2015 619 Thu Mar 28th Saturday March 28, 2015 10:00 am Spring to action at Riis Spring has sprung. We ran, walked and enjoyed the brisk morning at Riis. Lucky for us, no snow, no rain! Plus, it was Earth Day! Fearless Leader announced this year's summer hiatus will be the month of August 2015 instead of September. Mar 29, 2015 Mar 29, 2015 596 19 hrs ago Saturday March 21, 2015 10:00 am Welcome back, Dave! We were glad to see Dave C return to Riis today! He was walking the course with Felix following some injuries. Dave, an ultra marathoner, is going to get back in condition for some races. Group pic taken to celebrate Dave's return. Missing from the group pic is Renee P & Mike F. Mar 21, 2015 Mar 21, 2015 1130 Thu Mar 28th Saturday March 14, 2015 10:00 am Hey, Shamrocks at Riis What a day for our meet! We're looking for shamrocks-in-the-park, found one! Also, Cheryl brought flyers for the OPRC Race That's Good for Life (Sun, Apr 12). Watch out for debris, Jay tripped on a hoop. Sy with his new car. Nice day for a joy ride! Mar 14, 2015 Mar 14, 2015 1072 Fri Mar 22nd Saturday March 7, 2015 10:00 am Signs of Spring at Riis We're getting closer to Spring 2015! Almost everyone was at Riis today. We celebrated the return of Neil to the Park with a group photo. Sidewalks were clean, bright skies, warm enough for Jay to wear shorts. Ladybug landed on Bob C's handouts. Gonna wish for more warm days ahead. Mar 7, 2015 Mar 7, 2015 1662 Thu Mar 28th Saturday February 7, 2015 10:00 am Striders run despite snow piles Renee kindly texted this beautiful picture of the Striders at the Sat. meet. Looking forward to snowless days ahead. Our best to Neil who has been under the weather-and we hear--doing well. Feb 8, 2015 Feb 8, 2015 645 Tue 6:25 pm Saturday January 31, 2015 10:00 am RPS Superbowl Races 2015 We enjoyed running our Annual RPS Superbowl Races today. It was sunny, some ice patches. Nice turn out also. Mike F is RD with Fearless Leader as Official Timer. The goodies are SUPER! Thanks, Mike F & Fearless Leader! Jan 31, 2015 Jan 31, 2015 6237 Sat Mar 23rd Saturday January 17, 2015 10:00 am Age Group Awards to Dan & Bridget I'm posting this as a separate event highlighting our RPS Age Group Awards to Dan & Bridget on their outstanding racing performances at our Road Races on Jan 17th. Pictured with Fearless Leader and Race Director, Chris Precht. Hope to see you at Riis again next week? Jan 18, 2015 Jan 18, 2015 1089 Thu Mar 28th Saturday January 17, 2015 10:00 am RPS, Felix remembers MLK at our Meet Felix presented his 25th MLK Speech prior to our road races, Jan 17. Here are pictures from the event and our road races. My previous event celebrated Dan & Bridget's Age Group Awards. Jan 18, 2015 Jan 18, 2015 2476 Thu Mar 28th Saturday January 10, 2015 10:00 am Snow & Sun at Riis--really! Nice, sunny day for our road races at Riis today! Winter subsided for us. Here's a few cool down photos as we walked toward the Stone Monument. Jan 11, 2015 Jan 11, 2015 1414 Fri Mar 29th Saturday December 20, 2014 10:00 am RPS Christmas Classic Pictures Dec 20 Attached are pictures from our Christmas Classic held on Dec 20! Nice to see returning racers to our event--including Carl H (his 80th race this year). Lots of prizes and action today! Dec 21, 2014 Dec 21, 2014 6065 Fri Mar 29th Saturday December 20, 2014 11:00 am Results-RPS Christmas Classic 12/20 Fearless Leader's Race Report and Results are attached. "The weather was not quite as good as last year and there were two small patches of ice on the course, but the Striders can handle any weather conditions. Mike Fleischhacker won the race for the 3rd time putting him back in a tie for 2nd with Paul Gerlach for over-all victories. Bill Thom remains as the all-time champion with 14 wins. 81 ye... Dec 27, 2014 Dec 27, 2014 413 Thu Mar 28th Saturday December 13, 2014 10:00 am Pictures from Dec 13 at Riis Pictures from our Dec 13th Meet! The weather was warm enough for Mark to wear shorts--in mid-December! Great to see Vanessa at the Park. Go Riis! Dec 21, 2014 Dec 21, 2014 1470 Mon Mar 25th Saturday December 6, 2014 9:30 am Universal Sole Trail Challenge (Schiller Park) Enjoyed running this Universal Sole Trail race for the 2nd year at Schiller Park (Forest Preserve). Eileen joined me at the start and finish. Great chili, beer, and awards. Really liked the race sweat pants with the Universal Sole logo. The price of the race at $20 was very affordable. Here's some pictures of the terrific volunteers and race. Here we are with our muddy shoes. Dec 21, 2014 Dec 21, 2014 2555 Mon Mar 25th Thursday November 27, 2014 9:45 am 44th Annual Riis Park Striders Thanksgiving Day Races Yup, we were out there running races. Our own 44th Annual RPS Thanksgiving Day Races! 19th Annual Joe Mittel Memorial Mile, and the 5,000 Meter Dick King Championship Race. Top Team scores: 1st=Don Amidei TC (19) pictured here, 2nd=Riis Park Striders (73), 3rd=Team Kittaka (97). Top info for The Mile= Andrew Pfeiffer (Men 5:18), Laura Jayne (Women 11:09). Top info for the 5,000 Meter race/Men: 1st... Nov 28, 2014 Nov 30, 2014 27796 3 hrs ago Saturday November 22, 2014 10:00 am Striders really do stride at Riis Park Gray day at Riis. Actually, it's perfect weather before the approaching winter winds. Paul A strides very well in these pictures. Hey, striding is part of our Club name. Riis Park Striders. Nov 23, 2014 Nov 23, 2014 593 Thu Mar 28th Saturday November 15, 2014 10:00 am Our friend Pauline, visits the Striders We welcomed our friend, Pauline (4th from left)--visiting us from the Rockies! She looks great! Here are some pictures from our meet on this beautiful day. Nov 15, 2014 Nov 15, 2014 3543 Thu Mar 28th Saturday November 1, 2014 8:30 am Chicago Ultra 50K/50mi We're called bad asses--Ultra runners who've managed to run the Chicago Ultra 50K/50Mi races on Nov. 1st. The day after a blast of wind, lake surf that rained debris on the course. Nice to see fellow Strider Jay on his bike during the race. Luckily, I finished the 50K. Nov 5, 2014 Nov 5, 2014 1456 Wed Apr 3rd Saturday October 25, 2014 10:00 am Colorful day for Riis Fall Meet Beautiful day for a Fall meet at Riis today. Cobalt skies, blazing colors of the Fall leaves over green grass. Lot's of pictures. Ken brought his lovely granddaughter to the Club. Glad to see youth runners at Riis! I brought my Chicago Marathon medal and posed with Jay to share our achievement as Finishers. Mark wore his new shoes to match his RPS shirt. Love colors! PS-the Riis Field House got r... Oct 25, 2014 Oct 25, 2014 3597 Thu Mar 28th Sunday October 12, 2014 8:00 am Chicago Marathon-Oct 12, 2014 Beautiful, but chilly start of the Chicago Marathon 2014. Several Striders were toeing the start in the various corrals. I was glad to spend some time with Vanessa prior to the start, and with Eileen who ran our traditional miles on the course--she posed with Elvis at the Fleet Feet Chicago platform on North Ave/Old Town. Yes, I did finish the race (7:11). Here's the evidence. Oct 13, 2014 Oct 13, 2014 2288 Thu Mar 28th Saturday October 11, 2014 10:00 am October at Riis Park Got the pre-marathon jitters. Good way to get over that is to head over to Riis for our group meet. Great to see Vanessa (pictured) with her daughter and Mom at the Chicago Marathon Expo. Good luck to our RPS runners, friends and family who are participating or volunteering for the Marathon. Thank you for supporting our efforts. Oct 11, 2014 Oct 11, 2014 2021 Fri 10:47 pm Saturday September 13, 2014 9:00 am Striders at Terra Sans Pave 8K/4K Linne Woods-Morton Grove Enjoyed Bill & Michelle's newest inaugural race: Terra Sans Pave 8K & 4K at Linne Woods (Morton Grove). Many Striders signed up. Yes, we won many awards. Beautiful cool weather, trails pretty clear and a bonus of no pesky skeeters. Beer & BBQ followed. Here are some pictures. GO RIIS! Sep 13, 2014 Sep 13, 2014 24220 Wed 8:47 pm Tuesday August 26, 2014 7:00 pm Striders at Norwood Park Track Meet & BBQ (dusk) Striders met at Norwood Park at dusk for the Final Summer Track Meet. What a beautiful evening. We celebrated with a One Mile Run on the track, and a Javelin Toss. Followed by a BBQ at Bill & Michelle's. Thanks, Bill & Michelle! Aug 27, 2014 Aug 27, 2014 8563 2 hrs ago Saturday August 9, 2014 10:00 am Summertime at Riis We love summertime at Riis. The beauty of the Park, trees and greenery. Here's some pictures from the last 2 Saturday meets. I was glad to bring my Eugene Half Marathon medal and various Oregon items to the Strider meet. Also, note the potholes were filled in the south parking lot. Aug 10, 2014 Aug 10, 2014 1381 Fri Mar 29th Sunday July 27, 2014 6:00 am Eugene Marathon/Half Marathon The timing to run this event was made in the stars. I happened to be in the NW area of the country, and signed up for the Eugene, Oregon Half Marathon. It was a fantastic, and well-run event. Exciting to run in the same hills as outstanding athletes, such as Steve Prefontaine. The IAAF World Junior Championships were held this week also. Aug 11, 2014 Aug 11, 2014 2513 Fri Apr 5th Friday July 4, 2014 12:00 pm RPS July 4, 2014 Party at Mark & Diane's Beautiful day for the RPS July 4th Party hosted by Mark & Diane! Food, beer, desserts & side dishes were plentiful. I'm going to separate the Javelin event from the party pix--I didn't make it to the track event, but heard it was terrific! Thanks, Mark & Diane & family! Jul 5, 2014 Jul 5, 2014 10045 Wed 9:02 am Friday July 4, 2014 12:00 pm RPS Javelin Event-July 4, 2014 at Mark & Diane's Whew, what a great day for the Javelin event at Mark & Diane's. Renee shown here. The Striders and family members and friends were fantastic on the throws. "The Neighbor" also showcased his expertise at the sport--as he has done the last few years..Brought my special photo "camera bag." A Chicago Fire Engine and Firemen were there for a demo. Jul 5, 2014 Jul 5, 2014 21538 Fri Mar 29th Saturday June 21, 2014 10:00 am Great 'Dea' at Riis t was a great 'Dea' to welcome longtime Strider, Mike O'Dea at our meet. He is visiting from out of town--and looking great. Here's a group picture with Mike. Jun 22, 2014 Jun 22, 2014 2817 Thu Mar 28th Saturday June 14, 2014 10:00 am Father's Day in the air at Riis Ah. Beautiful day. I was told to check out and photograph the baby goslings in the lagoon during our meet. Also seen, were baby Mallards! Dave C brought his son, Ian for our races. Happy Father's Day! Jun 16, 2014 Jun 16, 2014 1452 Tue Apr 2nd Saturday June 14, 2014 7:00 pm Retirement Party for Paul A We celebrated a beautiful evening at Moretti's with Paul A and his family, friends and former coworkers. Paul retired as a Metra conductor. I'm sure many riders will miss him on the NCL. We'll see him each Sat at Riis! Congrats to Paul & his family. More time to run now. Jun 16, 2014 Jun 16, 2014 15376 Tue 2:10 pm Saturday June 7, 2014 10:00 am Rick Reed Returns to Riis Great turn out at Riis, check out the attached pictures! Here's Rick Reed, former Elmwood Park High track star from the days of Championship meets. Always a Champion. Jun 8, 2014 Jun 8, 2014 1543 Wed Mar 27th Saturday May 31, 2014 8:00 am The Original 5K Chicago Really enjoyed running this race sponsored by Fleet Feet Chicago. It was the inaugural The Original 5K. The 70's were highlighted--the decade of many of us running & jogging. I've got dual membership--Oregon Track Club and the Riis Park Striders. Found "Pre" on the course! He was kind enough to pose for this picture with me. Jun 8, 2014 Jun 8, 2014 432 Mon Apr 1st Saturday May 17, 2014 10:00 am "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" at Riis Fluffy clouds, sun, soft turf and a breathtaking beautiful morning. These were great conditions for running our meet at Riis. Some of the Striders ran with their new 2014 tee shirts. May 18, 2014 May 18, 2014 1946 Fri Mar 22nd Saturday May 10, 2014 10:00 am XC at Riis on beautiful Spring Day We've been lucky to have 2 beautiful spring Saturday meet days in a row. Here's Jay running part of the XC course. Club tee shirts arrived also. Swing over to renew your membership while shirts are available. May 11, 2014 May 11, 2014 2438 Mon Apr 1st Saturday May 3, 2014 10:00 am First XC Race of the Year at Riis At last. We ran our first cross country race of the year at Riis. Here's Mike V drawing out the start line. Soft turf, no mud, no rain, no snow, no wind. The BIG HILL seemed to melt beneath our feet as we transversed the climb. We're definitely ready for XC. Mark brought some beautiful eggs from the flock also. May 4, 2014 May 4, 2014 2373 Wed Mar 27th Saturday April 5, 2014 10:00 am Riis-Paul H and his chain of race bib pins Paul H brought his chain of race bib pins. Many year's worth of pins, to lots of races and bibs. We celebrate all those races with a group picture. Check out the rest of the pictures. Apr 5, 2014 Apr 5, 2014 1609 Wed Apr 3rd Saturday March 29, 2014 10:00 am Vintage RPS Tee Shirts Photo of vintage RPS tee shirts brought to Riis by Renee. I just had to document this event. According to Renee, this is a sampling of Strider shirts over the years. Mar 29, 2014 Mar 29, 2014 616 Sun Mar 31st Saturday March 22, 2014 10:00 am Ken brings his Elmhurst Lucky 5K Medal to Riis Meet Ken is pictured with his Elmhurst Lucky 5K Medal. He placed First in his Age Group. We are proud to have viewed his medal. Spring is here, according to the calendar-so we're glad to do our Meet today in preparation for many upcoming races. Mar 23, 2014 Mar 23, 2014 1092 Mon Apr 1st Saturday March 15, 2014 10:00 am Shamrocks found at Riis We are seriously looking for shamrocks and the Irish green at Riis. Check out these pictures including Chris with the book "Growing Old is Not for Sissies"--Neil's favorite quote. Mark, Diane & Ethan enjoyed the sunshine. Age doesn't matter when you can move forward. Especially, at Riis. Mar 16, 2014 Mar 16, 2014 1724 Wed Mar 27th Saturday February 22, 2014 Chris' Race Report (Feb 22, 2014) "As usual, the course had ice on it. This time there were icy patches on all 4 sides. The Striders again ran an out-and-back leg to do each 1.2 mile leg." Mar 16, 2014 Mar 16, 2014 467 Mon Apr 1st Saturday February 22, 2014 Chris' Race Reports (Jan & Feb 2014) Short quotes from each: "January was the worst month in Riis Park running history due to the combination of snow AND freezing temperatures." "February surpassed January…The course was never clear of snow & ice. Several times there was not even one leg of the course without patches of ice. Despite the icy ground and freezing weather, some Striders managed to run every race so far this year with o... Mar 16, 2014 Mar 16, 2014 622 Mon Apr 1st Saturday February 22, 2014 10:00 am Go for the Gold-at Riis! Oh yeah. We're tough athletes. Even if we're not at Sochi. We're gritty, streetwise runners. Many of marathoners and 5 star track veterans. Don't need skis or skates. We run on pieces of ice and messy snow & road. Some ice is just like Sochi. We even run with cars. Here's Chris Hita-ready to run with the pack at Riis. Feb 22, 2014 Feb 22, 2014 3583 Mon Apr 1st Saturday February 1, 2014 10:00 am Super Bowl Challenge at Riis Small group of Striders at the Annual Super Bowl Challenge today. Powder snow kept falling on unplowed sidewalks. Luis ran a portion in the street. Mike F. generously provided the prizes and refreshments for the runners. The park looked beautiful, almost like a beach. Just joking. Feb 1, 2014 Feb 1, 2014 4449 Mon Mar 18th Saturday February 1, 2014 10:00 am Race Report-Super Bowl Challenge (by Fleischhacker) Attached is Mike's Race Report for the Super Bowl Challenge on the Feb 1 (Sat) Meet. Noted: "As Minnesota Vikings Hall of Fame Head Coach Bud Grant would say, you have to play "in the elements." The Striders had to run in about 4 to 5 inches of snow. The park district did not plow the sidewalk at the time of the race. There is still a big ice block and ice spots by the swimming pool and ice rin... Feb 3, 2014 Feb 3, 2014 692 Wed Mar 13th Saturday January 25, 2014 10:00 am Chris' Race Report (Jan 25, 2014) Attached is Chris' Race Report for Jan 25, 2014. "For the 4th week of the New Year, the weather was bad and the course was worse. 2 legs of the course were buried in snow, so the Striders had to run out & back again just to get 1 lap in. The forecast is bad for the Superbowl Challenge Race on Feb 1, but this will not stop the Striders." Feb 9, 2014 Feb 9, 2014 509 Mon Apr 1st Saturday January 18, 2014 10:00 am MLK remembered at Riis by Felix Icy, cold day at Riis. Felix's Annual MLK speech brightened up our Saturday meet. Yes, there was ice at Fullerton by the pool. Our route changed to swing around it and pass the hockey rink. Here's Felix maneuvering his way on the alt route. Jan 18, 2014 Jan 18, 2014 2677 Sun Mar 17th Saturday January 18, 2014 10:00 am Chris' Race Report (Jan 18, 2014) Attached is Chris' Race Report for the Jan. 18, 2014 Meet at Riis. "For the 3rd week in a row, the course was icy and the weather was cold, but nothing stops the Striders. Paul A. ran his 1st race in the 60+ age group." Take a look at the Trivia Questions to prep for the Feb 1st Meet. Jan 30, 2014 Jan 30, 2014 472 Thu Mar 14th Saturday January 18, 2014 3:00 pm Chris' Archive-Guerin May 20, 2001 From Chris' archive, I'm attaching photo and race report from the 8th Annual Mother Guerin 5,000 race May 20, 2001. "Another nice day for the Mother Guerin race, but the Striders are getting farther away from the front runners. Bill Thom was our standard bearer despite having run a 50 mile race the week before. Renee Phillips had a house warming party after the race which the Striders liven up w... Jan 18, 2014 Jan 18, 2014 625 Mon Mar 18th Saturday January 11, 2014 10:00 am Striders bypass 'bergs at Riis What a weather week in Chicagoland. Didn't stop the RPS from showing up at Jan 4 & Jan 11 meets. Below zero temp drop, massive snowstorms, rain, mini 'bergs shortened by rain. All in the last week. Here's some pictures from Jan 11. Happy New Year 2014! Jan 12, 2014 Jan 12, 2014 4371 Sun Apr 7th Saturday January 11, 2014 10:00 am Chris' race reports (Dec 2013 & Jan 11, 2014) Attaching Chris' race report & commentary for Dec. 2013 & Jan 11, 2014. Jan 18, 2014 Jan 18, 2014 620 Mon Mar 18th Saturday December 21, 2013 10:00 am RPS Christmas Classic Races 1.2 mi & 6 mi The day was gloomy, but we enjoyed running our Christmas Classic races 1.2 mi & 6 mi. We shared miles with recruits on a training run for entry in the Marines. Dec 21, 2013 Dec 21, 2013 3341 Thu Mar 21st Saturday December 21, 2013 10:00 am Results-Christmas Classic 2013 I'm attaching Chris' Official Results and Race Comments regarding the Christmas Classic. "The Striders got good weather for the last race of 2013. The course was clear and the wind was nil. Paul Gerlach won the race for the 3rd time breaking a tie with Mike Bastian, Mike Fleischhacker, and Matt McCormick who all have won twice. Bill Thom remains as the all-time champion with 14 wins. Karen Dav... Dec 30, 2013 Dec 30, 2013 580 Thu Feb 22nd Saturday December 21, 2013 10:00 am Riis-Mike V's Photos of Christmas Classic Mike V generously shared these beautiful photos with the Striders. They are from his personal collection taken during the RPS Christmas Classic on Dec 21, 2013. Thanks, Mike!! Feb 22, 2014 Feb 22, 2014 980 Mon Apr 1st Sunday December 15, 2013 10:00 am Universal Sole 5 Mile Trail Challenge Did the Universal Sole 5 Mile Trail Challenge today. It certainly was a challenge. Snow, branches covered by snow. It was great. Cell phone went dead several times. Great race, chili, beer. Thanks to Universal Sole, sponsors & volunteers. Saw RP Strider Bob Chadwick. He ran some miles with me. Thanks, Bob! Dec 15, 2013 Dec 15, 2013 6358 Sat Mar 16th Saturday December 7, 2013 10:00 am RPS-mixed bag of pix Well, here's a few pictures missed getting posted. Jan 12, 2014 Jan 12, 2014 1159 Sun Mar 3rd Thursday November 28, 2013 10:00 am RPS Thanksgiving Races 2013 photos Photos from the RPS Thanksgiving Races. The day was cold, but the runners were ready for their races! Amidei TC won the Team Challenge shown here with their trophies. Our RPS Team was 2nd place. Nov 29, 2013 Nov 29, 2013 53969 Sun 2:53 pm Thursday November 28, 2013 11:00 am RPS Race Report/Results-Thanksgiving Day, Nov 28, 2013 Here are Chris' Race Report/Results for the Riis Park Striders 43rd Annual Thanksgiving Races! Dec 7, 2013 Dec 7, 2013 796 Fri Mar 15th Saturday November 23, 2013 10:00 am Striders + jazz hands See those jazz hands? Pretty chilly on Nov 23, warranted runner gloves--for us cool, jazzy runners who dig running at Riis. Jan 12, 2014 Jan 12, 2014 596 Thu Mar 28th Saturday November 2, 2013 10:00 am Striders run through misty, fall morning The morning was crisp, misty and Fall-like. Beautiful colors of Fall and soft rain-mist didn't stop us Striders from a great day for our meet. Nov 2, 2013 Nov 2, 2013 3182 Sun 10:50 am Saturday October 26, 2013 10:00 am On-the-Run at Riis So much to do, so little time. Can't waste of minute of good weather. Today's the day. Here's Mike F showing us how it's done at Riis. Oct 27, 2013 Oct 27, 2013 1873 Fri Mar 15th Saturday October 19, 2013 9:00 am Des Plaines River Trail Races 2013 Beautiful day to run the Des Plaines River Trail Race (Half Marathon for me). Saw Bill & Michelle (RPS). It's always great seeing a familiar person at these events. Magical forests, small bridges, and meadows on a Fall day. Nice follow up race to the Chicago marathon. Oct 20, 2013 Oct 20, 2013 7487 17 hrs ago Sunday October 13, 2013 7:45 am Chicago Marathon-Oct 13, 2013 Beautiful day for a marathon. 45,000 signed up for this event. I was literally at the back of the start of the race. Business in the front, party in the back. We got to see Elvis, drink 312 beer, enjoy WXRT prep-talking us up. Not in that order. Saw a kid on TOP of the Orleans St bridge cheering us. We're a wild bunch. Oct 14, 2013 Oct 14, 2013 6794 Tue Mar 5th Friday October 11, 2013 4:00 pm Chicago Marathon Expo 2013 Took off work early to go to the Chicago Marathon Expo for packet pick up. The best part was to meet Scott Jurek. He is the world-famous ultra marathoner. He is vegan and wrote a cookbook. He signed my bib "Dig Deep" upside down so I could read it running. I've attached pictures of the Expo. Oct 14, 2013 Oct 14, 2013 1170 Thu Mar 14th Thursday October 10, 2013 5:30 pm Race Week-Chicago Marathon 2013 Here's some banners and including a look at LaSalle Street as we anticipated the Chicago Marathon. Oct 14, 2013 Oct 14, 2013 1155 Fri Mar 15th Saturday September 14, 2013 8:00 am Riis Park Striders Makin' Tracks 5K Mike V presented his picture of Riis Park Strider members, Chris Precht, Mike Fleischhacker, Bob Chadwick, Paul Angarone, Mike Vlasak at Makin' Tracks 5K in River Forest. Not pictured is Cheryl Benson, Hank Caldwell. Chris's Race Report on this race attached. Congrats! Nov 2, 2013 Nov 3, 2013 652 Wed Mar 13th Saturday September 14, 2013 6:00 pm Chris' Celebration Sept 2013 I'm a bit late on presenting this pictures taken at Chris' celebration event at Riggio's last Sept. Chris listened to a song written & performed by Pete Block (via digital sound). Several of us went to a local alehouse to further continue our celebration. Best wishes from the Striders to our Fearless Leader and Olga! Dec 4, 2013 Dec 4, 2013 14096 Tue Mar 26th Sunday September 1, 2013 10:00 am Chris' Album, Striders July 27, 1985 CARA Championship Team Riis Park Striders win CARA Championship on July 27, 1985 at the Hanson Stadium CARA Track Meet. Chris Precht's results and pictures. Thank you, Chris, for sharing these great memories with us. Sep 1, 2013 Sep 1, 2013 18113 4 hrs ago Sunday August 25, 2013 7:00 pm Recovery List 8/25/2013-Riis Road Warriors Update 8/25/2013... Mark Blaszczyk is striding again, gaining strength after his serious bike accident.. Our best to good health in the days ahead for all our Striders. Mar 4, 2012 Aug 25, 2013 1461 Thu Mar 14th Saturday August 24, 2013 10:00 am Striders running on nice August morning Beautiful August morning at Riis. The park (and track) was filled with avid soccer players & spectators, food carts, etc. The Striders strode through the usual racing and finishing area. One more Saturday, and we're on hiatus through September. Aug 25, 2013 Aug 25, 2013 1213 Wed Mar 20th Saturday August 3, 2013 7:00 am Eileen w Medal from the Red, White & Blue John Kurtz 5K in Bensenville RPS Strider, Eileen Ferguson won First Place in her division at the Aug 3, 2013 Red, White & Blue John Kurtz 5K in Bensenville today. She came to celebrate her achievement with the Striders meet. Great shirt & Award. Congrats, Eileen! Aug 3, 2013 Aug 3, 2013 1180 Sun Mar 31st Saturday August 3, 2013 10:00 am Riis Meet on Aug 3, 2013 It was great to bring my sis, Eve to our meet today. She comes from a great running town, Eugene, Oregon. Eve was presented a 2013 RPS Team shirt by Chris, and wore it right away. Eve plans to join the Oregon Track Club on her return to Oregon. Also, the Cuban Festival was on per the pictures. Congrats to Eileen on celebrating her Division Win at the Red, White & Blue John Kurtz 5K in Bensenville... Aug 3, 2013 Aug 3, 2013 6374 Mon Mar 25th Saturday July 6, 2013 10:00 am Humid day at Riis Here's Ken with his vintage 1983 Riis shirt. Summertime in the city. Yup, it sure came on strong at Riis. Humidity was draining on us all. Great seeing Si. He has fresh scar stitches on his knee. Mark ran the mile. He did really great! Jul 8, 2013 Jul 8, 2013 1464 Mon Mar 18th Thursday July 4, 2013 12:00 pm Mark & Diane's RPS 4th of July Party 2013 Beautiful day for Mark & Diane's RPS party on the 4th of July. Some of the Striders enjoyed the pre-party activities, including the track run and javelin. We also were heartened to see Mark's post-surgery recovery after his accident. Food & drink were plentiful. Thank you, Mark & Diane! Jul 5, 2013 Jul 5, 2013 20375 Fri 8:47 pm Saturday June 8, 2013 10:00 am Riis Meet & Jay's 2012 Weekend Road Warrior Awards Warm summer day at Riis. Jay presented his 2012 Weekend Road Warrior Awards today! The Awards were presented by Jay while we munched on donuts he brought to celebrate these achievements. Miles Men: Felix Coleman (1st) at 157.2, Mike Fleischhacker (2nd) at 148, Jay Hughston (3rd) at 57. Miles Women: Eileen Ferguson (1st) at 60.6, Karen Davis (2nd) at 25.2, Cheryl Benson (3rd) at 18.8. Jun 9, 2013 Jun 9, 2013 964 Sat Mar 16th Sunday June 2, 2013 8:00 am FOP 5K Charity Race-River Grove Striders, Bob Chadwick & Mike Vlasak ran the June 2, 2013 FOP 5K Charity Race in River Grove. Bob came in 1st in his age group with a time of 26.12. Mike was 2nd in his age group at 28.15. Here's some pictures of Bob taken at Riis on 6/8 with his finisher medal and FOP race shirt. Congrats, Bob & Mike! Jun 9, 2013 Jun 9, 2013 1154 Mon Mar 18th Saturday May 25, 2013 10:00 am Blaszczyk Family at Riis Great turnout at Riis Park today. We ran with Mark on our minds. His family joined us for the Meet. Young Lt Mark, Lisa and the twins, along with Diane and family members enjoyed this Meet. Mike Fleischhacker wrote Mark's name on the starting line. The young twins are the youngest Milers at Riis, beating their Uncle Matt who had that title since July 9, 1989. He was 3 years old. Our best to Mark. May 25, 2013 May 25, 2013 20345 9 hrs ago Saturday May 11, 2013 10:00 am Riis Spring XC Meet Enjoyed a beautiful Spring time Meet at Riis Park today. Check out today's winners. A great day for cross-country at the Park. Trees in bloom. Fresh cut grass. We're ready for more great days at Riis. May 11, 2013 May 11, 2013 3929 Mon Mar 18th Saturday May 4, 2013 7:00 am Wisconsin Marathon & Half Marathon 2013 Eileen & I ran the official Half Marathon on Saturday, May 4. There was a combo race of both full and half marathons on the board. Eileen's finish was 3:06:53 (placed 3rd in her division). My time was 3:19:42. It was a perfect day for this race in Kenosha, Wisconsin. We celebrated with a full color medals, brats and a cold beer/pop. There were 4,000 people signed up. May 5, 2013 May 5, 2013 1489 Thu Feb 29th Sunday April 28, 2013 2:00 pm Track Town USA - Eugene, Oregon My daughter and I traveled to Eugene, Oregon for family business. On arrival we spotted the Oregon Track Team display at the airport! We were fortunate & thrilled to be given a tour of the University of Oregon's Track Town & Hayward Field by my family. The Eugene Marathon had just concluded when we arrived, and we saw runners with their medals at EUG. Here's a runner at Hayward that came over to c... May 5, 2013 May 5, 2013 4629 Thu Mar 28th Saturday April 27, 2013 10:00 am Sunny skies at Riis today, finally Sunny day at Riis today, with the return of RPS road warriors running strong, and the distribution of our new RPS shirts. Pay those dues to receive your shirt. We had a great turn-out for a nice Meet today! Apr 27, 2013 Apr 27, 2013 2750 Wed Mar 13th Wednesday April 24, 2013 6:00 pm Alderman Ariel Reboyras with RPS card The 30th Ward Alderman, Ariel Reboyras hosted a Town Hall at Riis Park. Here he is with the RPS business card that he received from Chris. We look forward to a new track at the end of 2013. Apr 27, 2013 Apr 27, 2013 887 Thu Feb 22nd Saturday April 20, 2013 9:00 am Riis Park Striders 2013 Team Shirts The 2013 Riis Park Striders shirts are in production. Please pay your Club dues in order to receive the new shirt. Here's a picture depicting the new design of the back of the shirt. Thanks. Apr 20, 2013 Apr 20, 2013 714 Thu Mar 28th Saturday April 20, 2013 10:00 am 30th Ward Alderman Ariel Reboyras visits Riis Park today 30th Ward Alderman Ariel Reboyras visited with some of the Striders today. He told the group that a new track and Field House upgrade are in the works. The Alderman said he remembered the Striders during his days with his Youth baseball team at Riis. There's a Q&A session scheduled at 6PM, April 24 (Weds) at the Park. We really need those upgrades! Apr 20, 2013 Apr 20, 2013 830 Wed Mar 13th Saturday April 13, 2013 10:00 am Is it Spring at Riis yet? The signs of Spring are there-yellow daffys, greening lawn. Yet, streaks of snow and bone chilling wind didn't deter us from doing miles around the Park today. There's another river around and over the track. Ducks were swimming in it. We still enjoyed our Meet. Apr 13, 2013 Apr 13, 2013 3032 Wed Mar 13th Saturday April 6, 2013 10:00 am Riis Spring Day with Friends Slightly breezy and dry at Riis today. We had a visit from Paul H! It was great to see him. We also saw Mike F running with us. He's still really fast, even with a flexible cast. Wishing Mike V a Happy Birthday Apr 8. All the best to RPS friends on life's road ahead. Apr 6, 2013 Apr 6, 2013 1179 Fri Mar 29th Saturday March 30, 2013 10:00 am Sun Shines at Riis Park We were glad to do our miles with Mike Fleischhacker and Renee Phillips today. Here's a picture of Mike with Bob Chadwick. Mike now has his flexible cast. Renee and I walked/jogged around Riis. It was great visiting with everyone. Mar 30, 2013 Mar 30, 2013 1567 Thu Mar 28th Saturday March 23, 2013 10:00 am Spring Break Sat at Riis We love Spring at Riis. The beauty of the park, seeing the wildlife and color return after what seems, an endless Winter. Mark got his haircut-a difference from the Joe Perry/Aerosmith look. Mark donated his Samson locks to charity. He's still a rockstar at Riis. Mar 23, 2013 Mar 23, 2013 3400 Fri Mar 29th Sunday March 17, 2013 10:00 am UPDATE: Chris' RPS Album Circa 1971 onward This is an updated album as of today, March 23. These are articles and pictures selected from Chris' personal collection that he saved and wanted to share with the Striders. Thank you, Chris & Olga! This album may be updated for additional pictures. Mar 17, 2013 Mar 23, 2013 121313 3 hrs ago Saturday March 16, 2013 10:00 am A River Runs Through It, at Riis Yep. The track was washed out with melted snow and rain. Overflowed on the sidewalk in portions north on the sidewalk. Glenn Kuck walked his beautiful Golden Retriever around the park and visited with the Striders. Saw the Turn sign down. Glad that wasn't a person. Mar 16, 2013 Mar 16, 2013 2569 Thu 8:57 pm Saturday March 16, 2013 11:00 am RIP Randy-The-Rooster and Hens We were horrified to hear from Mark & Diane about their loss of Randy-The-Rooster and some hens. They were attacked by a fox. I'm going to post a picture of Randy and some of the flock from last Summer. RIP to these creatures. Mar 16, 2013 Mar 16, 2013 563 Thu Mar 28th Saturday March 2, 2013 10:00 am Riis Stone Monument & Rooster Yes, you read that right. Pulled into the Riis parking lot and almost crashed the car seeing an adult rooster roaming the lot. It was looking for food, along with the squirrel population. Luckily, didn't see any coyotes over there. The Riis Stone Monument was scrubbed clean of graffiti due to Ken's efforts in having the city remove it. Thanks, Ken! P.S. Mark B had no interest in the rooster. He h... Mar 2, 2013 Mar 2, 2013 2108 Thu Feb 22nd Saturday February 2, 2013 10:00 am Striders Superbowl Races 2013 Team picture at our annual Superbowl races today. There was fresh powder snow over some slick ice. Mike F. had a fall, had to ice up his wrist. Hope he's ok. The awards and post-race food was terrific. Among them, we look to eating the Kraft Velveeta "Football Edition" donated by Tracy Fleischhacker. Thanks! Feb 2, 2013 Feb 2, 2013 9006 Tue Apr 2nd Saturday January 26, 2013 10:00 am Striders see snow today Wow, an inch of snow fell on the Friday before our meet today, Saturday. A few blades of green grass poked through. The sky was blue and we enjoyed the fresh air. Jan 26, 2013 Jan 26, 2013 2807 Thu Feb 22nd Saturday January 19, 2013 10:00 am Riis Park Striders Celebrate MLK Day Picture of Felix Coleman presenting his annual "What MLK Means to Me" speech at Riis Park today. His speech was thoughtful and dignified as a American, pre-MLK and in our present era. Striders also enjoyed a great day of 45 degree weather. Neil and I did a cool-down walking the western part of Riis. It is a living monument built & developed by Danish Americans in 1929. Too bad the official dedicat... Jan 19, 2013 Jan 19, 2013 4759 Mon Mar 18th Saturday January 5, 2013 10:00 am Riis Park Striders-Jan 5, 2013 Winter Eric pictured on the south end of Riis--running fast. Started our first races of the year at Riis Park today. Grass is somewhat green, but not enough to mow--in January! Great to be back after 3 weeks + more of feasting on holiday food & drink. Gotta prep for races by actually training, running and eating a more balanced diet, right? Jan 5, 2013 Jan 5, 2013 2219 Fri Mar 15th Saturday December 15, 2012 10:00 am Riis Park Striders Christmas Classic and see Green Grass not Snow! Yep, it's the middle of December, the 15th to be exact. We had our Christmas Classic races today at Riis Park--viewing the park's GREEN grass! It was raining instead of snowing. Like a spring run. We still had fun in soggy shoes, socks, hats, etc as we raced around the park sidewalk. Here's the evidence! Dec 15, 2012 Dec 15, 2012 8729 Sun 11:10 am Sunday December 9, 2012 3:00 pm RPS Video of Bruce Jayne Photos (Thanksgiving Races 2012) Riis Park Striders-Bruce Jayne Race Photos-Thanksgiving 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMUlrMILJ1Q Fantastic photography, slide show of the runners at the Strider Thanksgiving Races, Nov 22, 2012. Thank you, Bruce! Photo of the Jayne family--Laura, Bruce, Si. Dec 9, 2012 Dec 9, 2012 690 Tue Mar 19th Saturday December 8, 2012 10:00 am Great 'Dea' at Striders Races Gloomy start for our races, but the day turned into a GREAT 'DEA' seeing our friend Mike O'Dea! Dec 9, 2012 Dec 9, 2012 1312 Mon Mar 4th Saturday November 24, 2012 10:00 am Striders Run 'Round Riis Like I said, will miss cross-country...that came true today. Striders met and ran around Riis Park (on the sidewalk). But, that didn't deter us from having fun along with way. Spotted a loose tire "obstacle" on the sideway start line. We had fun with that. Saw the historical display about Jacob Riis. Took some pictures. What a history. Thank you Jacob Riis, for your ideals of enjoying the park ... Nov 24, 2012 Nov 24, 2012 3858 Mon Mar 25th Thursday November 22, 2012 9:45 am Riis Park Striders Thanksgiving Races 2012 Great turnout for the RPS Thanksgiving Races. We couldn't have had a better day for running. Enjoyed seeing the teams out there: Amidei Track Club-1st Place (seen with Northwestern University logos), RP Striders Team-2nd place. Cross-country is fantastic at Riis Park, especially before savoring our Thanksgiving dinners the same day! Nov 23, 2012 Nov 29, 2012 31521 Mon 3:50 am Thursday November 22, 2012 10:00 am Riis Park Striders-Thanksgiving Races (Bruce Jayne Pictures) Following the Thanksgiving races, the Striders were thrilled to have access to these great action-packed pictures from Bruce Jayne! Thank you, Bruce! What a wonderful batch of memories of running at Riis Park, and the Thanksgiving races 2012. Thanks to participants, volunteers, and Striders who made this race possible. Race Management led by Race Director, Chris Precht. Our thanks to the venera... Nov 28, 2012 Nov 28, 2012 36373 Mon 2:29 am Thursday November 22, 2012 11:00 am RPS Thanksgiving Races 2012-Results I'm attaching photos of the race results and comments as received from Race Director, Chris Precht--for the 42nd Annual Riis Park Striders Thanksgiving Races on Nov 22, 2012. For those who've participated, thank you! Nov 30, 2012 Nov 30, 2012 1480 Thu Mar 28th Saturday November 17, 2012 10:00 am Striders "Run & Enjoy"...our motto! Yes, we really live up to our Strider motto: "Run & Enjoy." That's for sure, whether it's eating, drinking and running. With all that, we stay active. Today, especially. Gorgeous at Riis Park today. Hardly any wind, warm enough not to wear gloves. We are looking forward to Thanksgiving--to live up to our motto, and our Annual 42nd Thanksgiving races at Riis. Nov 17, 2012 Nov 17, 2012 3547 Fri Mar 29th Saturday November 10, 2012 7:47 am Chicago's Perfect 10Mile, 10K at Navy Pier I'm a 10. Actually a 10 Miler finisher following Chicago's Perfect 10 Mile & 10K at Navy Pier. It was a nice race, but started late, saw no Gatorade or Poweraide as advertised. The drawbridge went up, and set back a few of our finishes-at the last mile. Saw spectacular views of Chicago, including the horse sculptures at the museum campus, stained glass at Navy Pier, AND rode the ferris wheel ($6).... Nov 11, 2012 Nov 11, 2012 4364 19 hrs ago Saturday November 3, 2012 10:00 am Striders celebrate milestones Here's Cheryl, with the golden leaves. Riis was chilly, yet warm with news from the Striders. Felix celebrates 26 years with the Club. Mike Fleischhacker provided Road Warrior updates, including news of his folks' 50th anniversary, and sister's new baby. The leaves were crisp and the air--pure. I'll miss cross-country during the winter months. I'll upload a video in the next day. Oh yes, Chris rem... Nov 3, 2012 Nov 3, 2012 2257 Mon Mar 11th Friday November 2, 2012 7:40 am Paul & Sylvia at Metra station I often see Sylvia at the train station for our morning Metra commute downtown. Today, she was dropped off by Paul! Pictures here-the fast train-without Paul today. Nov 3, 2012 Nov 3, 2012 761 Tue Apr 9th Saturday October 27, 2012 9:00 am Striders at Circle 5K (Bill's race) Five Striders ran the Circle 5K this crisp, fall morning--and some medals won shown here. Mike Fleischhacker, Medalist 1st Place M-40-49 at 21:10., Neil Gerlach, Medalist 1st Place M 70-Over at 44:14. Mike Vlasak at 29:37, Mark Blaszczyk at 30:15. Ah, my time..if you insist-36:59. GO RIIS PARK STRIDERS! Thanks, Bill & Michelle Thom and your team for a great race and tradition for the Striders. Oct 27, 2012 Oct 27, 2012 5674 Fri Mar 29th Saturday October 27, 2012 10:00 am Strider Brunch at Mark & Diane's (post-Circle 5K race) Wow-breathless after an great Circle 5K race, we met at Mark & Diane's for a terrific brunch. Celebration champagne, mimosas, Paula Deen waffles, crisp bacon and more enjoyed by us foodie Striders. Dan brought the new baby also. Thanks, Mark & Diane for a wonderful brunch! Oct 27, 2012 Oct 27, 2012 3553 Thu Mar 21st Saturday October 20, 2012 8:00 am O'Hare 5K Race (NEW Runway 9L-27R & UA 747) The weather and visibility were ideal for take-off on Chicago O'Hare's newest runway 9L-27R (out and back). Topping off this unique 5K race experience, was to circle around a United Airlines 747-built for worldwide international travel. Runners couldn't resist massive photo opts..on a scale like a 747. Flying buffs, this is your tarmac--including giant rubber skid marks! I would definitely run thi... Oct 20, 2012 Oct 20, 2012 5734 Fri 7:51 am Friday October 12, 2012 7:30 pm Medal Received! Thanks, Chicago Marathon. Got home this evening to be totally delighted to receive my hard-earned Chicago Marathon medal arrive in today's mail! It came engraved with my name and time, and nice little card from Carey Pinkowski, Exec Race Director of the BOA Chicago Marathon. Have a sense of closure on finishing the race. Oct 12, 2012 Oct 13, 2012 1077 Wed Mar 13th Sunday October 7, 2012 8:00 am Chicago Marathon 2012 Very good day for the mega Chicago Marathon. Temperatures were fantastic. Striders, Jay and I finished. Unfortunately, there were no finisher medals for 1,300 runners that completed the 26.2 mile course that BOA says they will investigate. Now, I'm convinced that means I'll have to run faster. Hope to get my medal in the mail soon. Oct 8, 2012 Oct 9, 2012 2697 Sat 8:14 pm Sunday October 7, 2012 8:00 am Jay finishes his 25th consecutive Chicago Marathon! Strider, Jay Hughston finished his 25th consecutive Chicago Marathon in 5:22!! He sent the Striders his PROOF. It takes a lot of courage, determination, and focus to get through these distance events. Jay has once again PROVED he's got the right stuff. Rest up, Jay, and CONGRATS!!! Oct 13, 2012 Oct 13, 2012 575 Mon Mar 4th Saturday October 6, 2012 10:00 am Riis Viking Days-Mayor Rahm Emanuel there, too! What a day for the Vikings at Riis. Mayor Rahm Emanuel even showed up at the Riis Gym with his entourage. Shook Ken's hand. Yup, Vikings-cold enough for 'em too! Chilly run today. YOUTH VIKING football team on the in-field. Mike Fleischhacker's fave NFL team, by name--check out the pictures. Took advantage of the Viking Team Flag...Erik, I mean Eric--had his Viking shirt! Oct 6, 2012 Oct 6, 2012 2930 Sun Mar 17th Saturday October 6, 2012 12:00 pm Chris Hita, 4:20 Marathon Finish at Prairie State Marathon-Libertyville, IL I just received an email and photo from Strider, Chris Hita.."JUST FINISHED MY RUN. I RAN 4:20 IN LIBERTYVILLE :)"...That is the Prairie State Marathon today in Libertyville!! Great finish!!! GO CHRIS!! GO RIIS!! Oct 6, 2012 Oct 6, 2012 1002 Sat Mar 16th Friday October 5, 2012 12:30 pm Chicago Marathon Expo Packet Pickup 2012 Went to the Chicago Marathon Expo to for Packet Pickup. Lot's of stuff to see, taste, experience. The race poster is especially cool this year. It is a match to the spectacular Bank of America Marathon mural along the Kennedy expressway. The NewBalance booth had great shirt designs. Check out the Brooks Running booth. It's a "bowl" of pasta! Got hungry, too! Missed Ultramarathon Man, Dean Karna... Oct 6, 2012 Oct 6, 2012 3674 Thu Mar 28th Friday October 5, 2012 8:00 pm Jay to start at his 25th consecutive Chicago Marathon Best wishes to Strider, Jay Hughston as he starts his 25th consecutive Chicago Marathon on Oct 7, 2012. He's run and finished every one since 1988 (including '88). Copy the link to view Jay's interview about the upcoming race on YouTube, titled "ChiMarathon #25 for Jay-Oct, 2012" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3io1eFql-Mg Oct 6, 2012 Oct 6, 2012 585 Wed Mar 13th Thursday October 4, 2012 8:00 pm Striders race week advice, featuring Bob Chadwick on YouTube Striders are good humored and have plenty of race advice to offer if asked. They are very experienced and accomplished runners at every level. Copy the link to view on your browser to YouTube to view my interviews. Bob Chadwick is featured with marathon race week tips. It is titled "ChiMarathon-RPStriders-Oct 2012" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1uNuAuwhUI Oct 6, 2012 Oct 6, 2012 610 Tue Apr 2nd Saturday September 29, 2012 10:00 am Golden Time at Riis-It's Fall! Jay & Chris pictured against a backdrop of gold. It's back to Riis to start the new season after a scheduled hiatus. The hues of Fall and the air is clean. Kids playing organized football (as in helmets and shoulder padded jersey) were on the in-field. We enjoyed gathering for this golden time at Riis. The rest did us good. Oct 1, 2012 Oct 1, 2012 4210 Fri Mar 29th Saturday September 15, 2012 9:00 am Foundation 5K Run, Franklin Park, Strong Finish by Mike V & Chris P This terrific picture was emailed to me courtesy of Strider, Mike Vlasak shown here with Chris Precht (RPS Fearless Leader). The photo was taken post-race at the Franklin Park, Illinois Foundation 5K Run on Sept 15.. Medals have surrounded our Mike V over the past several races as seen here. GO RIIS!! GO MIKE! GO CHRIS! Sep 20, 2012 Sep 20, 2012 612 Sun Mar 17th Sunday September 9, 2012 7:00 am Chicago Half Marathon 9/9/2012 This is a race that I enjoy doing each year. Unfortunately, my sign-up came via a trip to Navy Pier on packet pick-up the Friday before the Sunday start. The weather was great--better than it's been in years. Feel vindicated by finishing. Hey, I'm slow like a turtle. But, finishing at all was extremely rewarding. The red shirt with the city skyline & U.S. flag is very cool. The medal-ribboned with... Sep 11, 2012 Sep 12, 2012 927 Wed Mar 20th Saturday September 1, 2012 10:00 am Striders out ran threat of hurricane rains Yeah, this time the rains didn't crash our Meet today. For once.. But, I had a panic seeing a possible delay in finding a parking spot. There were several soccer meets, along with a bunch of food carts, kids, etc. Each Meet is seen as a fresh experience--some road pictures are attached. Sep 1, 2012 Sep 1, 2012 6958 Sat Mar 16th Thursday August 30, 2012 7:45 am Sylvia with goodie basket Saw Sylvia at the Metra station this morning carrying this beautiful pie basket. It even has the recipe for Pumpkin Pie on the lid. There's a close-up of the recipe in the attached pictures. Paul has made pies in his youth, as mentioned by Syl. Pie and wine sound like a pretty good combo. Aug 30, 2012 Aug 30, 2012 705 Sun Mar 17th Saturday August 25, 2012 10:00 am The Race Quilt Chris Precht gave me a couple of pictures taken at the August 25th and 28th Meets. I've scanned them here. Pictured is an original work of art, a Race Quilt--stitched with great care and affection by Chris' niece for him. It's themed by races ran, and of the person who's determination and heart completed those miles. Thanks, Chris, for inspiring us with seeing the Race Quilt. Sep 1, 2012 Sep 1, 2012 661 Fri Mar 22nd Saturday August 18, 2012 10:00 am Beautiful Summer Day at Riis Went to Riis today. GORGEOUS DAY! First day back in activity-mode since surgery. Whew. Couldn't have done it without support and best wishes from the Striders. Baby steppin' is just a renewed start. Everyone looked great!! Here's Mike F changing his footwear. Aug 18, 2012 Aug 18, 2012 4002 Tue Mar 19th Wednesday August 15, 2012 7:49 am Liz & Sylvia at Metra Mont Clare Station Picture of Liz and Sylvia while waiting for the morning weekday Metra train to downtown. Paul's train is racing by! It's the FAST train. Look, Watch & Listen for the FAST train. Aug 18, 2012 Aug 18, 2012 605 Fri Mar 29th Wednesday August 1, 2012 7:30 pm Striders at the Chicago Full Moon Run Chris Precht gave me this picture of Andy Bastian and Mike Bastian taken during the Premier August 1st Chicago Full Moon Run sponsored by Striders Bill & Michelle Thom. Striders, Eileen, Mike V, Mike F, Mark B, Andy B ran and did very well. Congrats on completing a successful race. Take a look at Bill Thom's pictures on this website. Sep 1, 2012 Sep 1, 2012 608 Fri Mar 15th Friday July 27, 2012 3:30 pm Striders looking forward to the Aug 1, Chicago Full Moon Run Be sure to sign up for the Chicago Full Moon Run on Wednesday August 1st. Strider, Bill Thom is Race Director on this race. Several Striders are already signed up. It is a great community event, and the price is a great deal. Info can be found on the Home page of RunRace.net.....Psst...it may be fun to howl at the moon while running! Jul 28, 2012 Jul 28, 2012 386 Thu Feb 22nd Wednesday July 4, 2012 1:00 pm Mark & Diane's 4th of July Party Today's temp was 102 degrees, and was a record for Chicagoland. That didn't stop Striders from track events near Mark & Diane's home. This writer opted out due to the heat. The pool was open, potluck buffet and grill food was 5-stars. I'll feature the Javelin event separately, and post a video in the coming days. Thank you, Mark & Diane for a great party! Pictured in the pool are Ian & Diane. It w... Jul 5, 2012 Jul 5, 2012 10782 Sat 6:22 am Wednesday July 4, 2012 1:00 pm Javelin Event at the July 4th Party Here's pictures from the Javelin Event at Mark & Diane's party on July 4th. We're in warrior-mode. Check out Mark's Dad, Mr. B. Don't mess with no vet. He's ready for action. Jul 5, 2012 Jul 5, 2012 12598 Mon Apr 1st Saturday June 30, 2012 10:00 am Renee looking good at Riis! Ran at Riis today. I jogged alongside Renee. She is still in recovery mode from her foot surgeries. Renee mentioned she did a bootcamp with low impact activities. She looks great! Jun 30, 2012 Jun 30, 2012 3484 Tue Mar 12th Saturday June 23, 2012 8:00 am Striders at Insanity 5K Obstacle Course in Brookfield Striders are American Ninjas! Mark & son, Dan, along with Eileen and I completed the 5K Insanity Obstacle course at Brookfield. Not the Zoo! We ran-over-and-under-and-climbed-and-got-splashed. The ending was the best. Sponsored by the Irish Times bar, we had drink tickets for Guinness--and as predicted, drinking at 10AM! The food provided--Irish Stew, creamy pasta, soda bread were great also. Thi... Jun 23, 2012 Aug 19, 2012 4188 Mon 12:17 am Saturday June 16, 2012 10:00 am Striders ran on donuts and heat today...Happy Birthday, Mark! Happy Birthday, Mark! Thanks for the pastries and donuts post-run. There's an art photo with a jelly bismarck and Mark & Eric in the background. NO, not that kind of photo. Yikes. Hope to see some Striders at Brookfield Insanity Run 5K & Obstacle Course next Saturday, June 23, 2012 8:00 AM. Some of us will be there to join the action. There's Guinness afterwards. Jun 16, 2012 Jun 16, 2012 1199 Fri Mar 29th Saturday June 2, 2012 10:00 am Eric, Born to Run...at Riis! What a beautiful day at Riis today! Here's Eric with his Born to Run shirt. Just try spelling pychcadelic. Forgot how. Shucks. We had a nice time chatting and running on dry grass, crystal-clean air. Wore our new cool 2012 RPS tshirts. Jun 2, 2012 Jun 2, 2012 3075 Mon Mar 18th Tuesday May 29, 2012 5:00 pm YouTube by Jay "Felix's Advice Column Vol 1." Jay sent this update to us: "Great Job Felix...Great advice column!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWiATaF0pLs&feature=youtu.be That's the link to click...enjoy!"....jbird TERRIFIC! THANKS, JAY! Jun 2, 2012 Jun 2, 2012 624 Thu Mar 14th Saturday May 26, 2012 10:00 am Fleet Week at Riis Park! Fleet Week at Riis today! Mark & Diane, along with daughter-in-law, Lisa Blaszcyzk with the twins came to RP today. Also, the 2012 RPS shirts are in. Thank You, to those serving our country, past and present. May 27, 2012 May 27, 2012 4134 Sat Mar 16th Sunday May 20, 2012 7:00 am Chris Hita-Marathoner in 90 degree heat! Chris Hita (Vanessa's brother) ran the Schaumburg Marathon today! Chris sent me a picture with his medal. His message: "I just finished my marathon. Here is a pic of my medal. I just got in Schaumburg :)" I can't believe I ran in 90 degree weather!! I finished injury free for the first time!:)" CONGRATS, CHRIS!!! May 20, 2012 May 20, 2012 666 Thu Mar 28th Sunday May 20, 2012 7:30 am Bob Chadwick-5K "Tiger Tear" Elmwood Pk-(drinking water is the key!) Bob had some valuable tips regarding hydrating before, during and after racing: "The major key to this run was drinking water all nite and early morning...Ran the 5k in 31min. Walked at 2mile for 1/2 block. Everthing went OK. because a drank about 1/2 gallon of cold water starting at 5PM into the night and as soon as I got up at 6:30AM. I felt great at the start and throught the race. No awards f... May 20, 2012 May 27, 2012 568 Sun Mar 17th Saturday May 19, 2012 10:00 am Jay's Roadwarrior Awards, updates HOT day at Riis, and the grass was cut, no mud. Jay presented the Roadwarrior Awards. Some of the winners are not pictured here, among them-Linda (Vanessa's friend) and Eileen. Chris says the new RPS teeshirts will be out in about 2 weeks with the design a secret. Congrats to Mark & Diane on a new grandchild, Ethan Joseph--born on Mother's day weekend. Chris Hita ran the Schaumburg Marathon thi... May 20, 2012 May 20, 2012 1732 Tue Mar 26th Saturday May 19, 2012 11:00 am Warrior Awards 2012 on YouTube I've uploaded my video of Jay's Weekend Warrior 2012 Awards presentation on YouTube. RPS-Weekend Warriors-May 19,2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbTRfUQgzS4 May 27, 2012 May 27, 2012 405 Mon Mar 4th Saturday May 5, 2012 10:00 am Striders Run in Riis Wetlands Wet grass, muddy shoes, and of course, the BIG SLIPPERY HILL. That sums up today's meet. It was great seeing everyone. Oh yeah, our red RPS shirts matched Sammy Hagar's book, "Red." That was cool. Jay's Road Warrior Awards likely next Saturday. May 5, 2012 May 5, 2012 2420 Fri Mar 29th Saturday May 5, 2012 10:00 am Eileen-Door County Half Marathon! Eileen sent me a note about her participation in the May 5th Door County Half Marathon. "...The Door County race is on scenic roads through Peninsula Park. It's hilly and there are nice views of Green Bay (the bay, not the city) I took a shuttle to the starting area. In Springfield we started in front of the Lincoln Library and toured historic areas -- Lincoln's house, law office, and tomb,... May 20, 2012 Jun 2, 2012 637 Wed Mar 13th Tuesday May 1, 2012 8:30 pm Vintage Images from Ken (YouTube) Ken Dietz sent me this YouTube video. It is fantastic! Many images of our famous NW side of Chicago. Great memories. I added a vintage treatment to a photo I took of Ken last St. Pat's. He has his 1994 Riis Shirt! Take a look at this video from Ken... http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=DqmKqk_Xno4&vq=medium Thanks, Ken! May 1, 2012 May 1, 2012 550 Thu Mar 7th Saturday March 31, 2012 8:30 am Chicago Ultra Spring 50K Ran this one. Was really chancing the odds by running such a long distance so early in in the season--there was an early start option, which worked for me. I'm really soooorre!! Saw spectacular views of the city drenched in some fog, but the weather was perfect. Here are some sights...This couple pictured, were so cute as bride and groom. Apr 2, 2012 Apr 2, 2012 1661 Thu Mar 28th Saturday March 17, 2012 10:00 am St. Patrick's Day at Riis Park Warm, summer-like day at Riis Park. It's St. Patrick's day. Lucky for us, the weather was great to go 'round the park in the sun versus the typical Chicago mid-March weather. Hey, we're all Irish today! Attached are pictures from today. Check out Mark's shoes in the pix attached. So cool. Ah, this is Bill and me, goin' green. Mar 17, 2012 Mar 17, 2012 3148 Sun Mar 31st Friday March 9, 2012 6:00 pm Wine & Rock Pairing at The Signature Room Here are a few pictures from the Wine & Rock Pairing at the Signature Room. It was a beautiful evening, with clear skies, great music, wines/food. Paul, Sylvia, Greg and I enjoyed wine tasting in our fair city of Chicago on the 95th. The Drive 97.1FM was the sponsor, with celebrity DJ, Bob Stroud hosting and introducing the songs to go with the wines. We heard songs by Neil Young, Bob Dylan, The ... Mar 17, 2012 Mar 17, 2012 1508 Sat Apr 6th Saturday February 18, 2012 6:30 pm Olga Precht's Surprise 70th Birthday Party Happy 70th Birthday to Olga Precht! We enjoyed a beautiful family-style meal at Riggio's in Niles at the surprise celebration. Many, many best wishes to Olga on her special day! A big thank you to the Precht family for the invite to this important event. Please view YouTube for portions of the celebration: Olga's 70th Bday Party-Feb 18, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1tRb1mjSTs Feb 19, 2012 Feb 20, 2012 10604 Thu 8:53 am Friday February 10, 2012 7:49 am Sylvia Angarone, fellow Metra Rider & Strider I see Sylvia most weekdays at our Metra stop. Here's a picture of her this morning as our train was pulling alongside. Happy Friday! Speaking of an upcoming Happy Friday, there's a Wine & Rock pairing at the Signature Room/Hancock 95th on Friday, Mar 9 from 6PM-9PM. Details on the "Messages" section if you care to join us wine drinkers. Feb 10, 2012 Feb 10, 2012 850 Fri Mar 22nd Saturday February 4, 2012 10:00 am Superbowl Challenge Race 2012 We ran in the annual Superbowl Challenge Race today. The weather wasn't bad for February--and then there was "the Obstacle" (picture also). We missed Mark today. Our condolences to Mark and Diane on the loss of Diane's mom-RIP. We're also sad about Renee's brother, Tree RIP. I've uploaded a 2:00 video on YouTube: Riis Park Striders-Superbowl Challenge Race Feb 4, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watc... Feb 4, 2012 Feb 4, 2012 3549 Mon Mar 25th Saturday February 4, 2012 10:15 am Jay's Video of Awards at the Superbowl Challenge 2012 Here is Jay's video of the awards presentation following the Superbowl Challenge. We love our devices! Jay has a flip camera that is HD, my friends. Jay's message: http://www.youtube.com/user/jayishskateman?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/CyRTJbeKYjY "This is a raw unedited video..ha ha." Thanks, Jay! Mar 4, 2012 Mar 4, 2012 918 Thu Mar 28th Saturday January 14, 2012 10:00 am Striders Meet on Snowy day Along with listening to Felix's inspiring MLK speech, we did some miles on a snowy day at Riis. It was cold, but, it's winter at last... Updating this post with Jay's YouTube w/ Mike F.'s video Superbowl announcement for Feb 4th: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YvssUvmwSY&feature=channel_video_title Mike's promo :) Thanks, Jay! Jan 15, 2012 Jan 17, 2012 1533 Tue Feb 27th Saturday January 14, 2012 10:15 am Felix Coleman's MLK speech & pictures Felix Coleman proudly presented his annual MLK speech. This RPS production is on YouTube and found as Felix Coleman, MLK Speech-Jan 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQUAz-ls16Q Thanks to Mark for your help on the Flip camera! Jan 15, 2012 Jan 16, 2012 958 Sat Apr 6th Saturday January 14, 2012 10:15 am Felix Coleman's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Speech (JBird's) Here's Jay's video link for Felix's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speech he posted on YouTube with his message to us. Thanks, Jay! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbIgWdYlhIs&feature=channel_video_title Felix giving his annual M.L.K. Jr. Speech :) Felix is the greatest! Jbird Jan 16, 2012 Jan 16, 2012 667 Fri Feb 23rd Sunday January 1, 2012 11:00 am Jay Hughston at the 27th Annual New Years' Day 5K 2012 Jay sent us some pictures of the 2012 New Years' Day 5K in Lincoln Park, Chicago. He ran the 5K at 29:39 (9:33.87). Here's more from Jay: "It was about 25 degrees (real feel temp) 25 mph winds. Nice way to start the year! Hope you all are having a Happy New Year! jBIRD" Happy New Year, Jay! Here's the pictures you sent us. Thanks! Jan 1, 2012 Jan 1, 2012 1027 Fri Mar 1st Thursday November 24, 2011 9:45 am Joe Mittel Memorial Mile & Dick King 5,000 Meter Races Riis Park Striders-Thanksgiving Races Nov 24-2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlOfEuwY3IA The 14th Annual Joe Mittel Memorial Mile and Dick King 5,000 Meter Races were held at Riis Park Chicago. I've uploaded a YouTube video featuring Laura Jayne, Si's granddaughter. Laura ran her first 5K. She joins her family in a strong running tradition. An accomplished martial arts competitor, Laura di... Nov 26, 2011 Nov 27, 2011 1397 7 hrs ago Saturday November 5, 2011 10:00 am Striders Enjoy the Cool Fall days at Riis What a day for a run! Paul brought me a bottle of the Angarones' private vinter productions, ALA-KA-ZIN 2009 pictured here with Mark. We runners enjoy many libations other than Gatorade and water--including beer, wine, liquor, and of course champagne. Along with those fun drinks we eat plenty of food besides Powerbars and Clif bars. That's why we run! Ah, the joy of running. Nov 6, 2011 Nov 6, 2011 654 Tue Mar 12th Saturday October 29, 2011 9:00 am Striders at Going in Circles 5K (Bill's Race) Striders enjoyed the great weather on Oct 29th via running Bill's race, Going in Circles 5K. We were glad to support the Thoms. Neil & Paul Gerlach, Paul Angarone, and yours truly were among the medalists. Great goodie bag also! Saw Bob Chadwick offering support to Striders, and Renee Philips helped with race set up. Later, we enjoyed a fabulous brunch at Diane & Mark's home. UPDATE: I added 2 gro... Oct 30, 2011 Nov 6, 2011 3083 Wed Mar 13th Saturday October 29, 2011 10:00 am Brunch at Diane & Mark's post-Circle 5K (Bill's race) Striders enjoyed a great post Circle 5K race at Diane & Mark's home. Among with menu items were freshly laid eggs from the flock, bacon, french toast, Mark's sweet kale bread, brownies, cupcakes. Champagne mimosas and orange juice refreshed us also. We were introduced to Rooster Randy and saw the flock of 20 hens. Diane proudly modeled her gift of earrings crafted by Mark. They are very special! I... Oct 30, 2011 Oct 30, 2011 2511 Wed Mar 13th Saturday October 15, 2011 10:00 am Beautiful Fall Day at Riis Falling leaves and the golden, crisp feel of a new season. Riis is beautiful. I'm going to attach a few pictures and a link to the newest video--Marathon edition, October 2011. My thanks to Bob Chadwick, Eileen Ferguson, and Chris Hita for their commentary on what it takes to finish the Marathon. Congratulations to Chris Hita = 5:26:35! http://www.gdmoxie.com/striders10-2011.htm Oct 17, 2011 Oct 17, 2011 1102 Tue Mar 5th Sunday October 9, 2011 7:30 am Chicago Marathon, Oct 9th Finished the Chicago Marathon at 7:07:51. Warm day. Fellow Strider, Eileen did at least a half marathon by jumping in with me at Belmont and departing at Chinatown (13 miles). Jay Hughston finished at 5:03:54. I will add a link in the coming days for video. Thanks, Eileen for your support! Oct 10, 2011 Oct 10, 2011 3435 Sun Mar 31st Saturday October 8, 2011 10:00 am Striders on a clear October Saturday Beautiful, Indian summer at Riis Park. Had great advice for the Chicago Marathon from the Striders-including Bob Chadwick pictured here. I will add a video link in the coming days. Click to see more group pix. Oct 10, 2011 Oct 10, 2011 1160 Fri Mar 15th Friday October 7, 2011 1:00 pm Packet Pickup-Chicago Marathon Expo Here are some pictures of packet pick up at the Chicago Marathon Expo at McCormick place. Noted are Strider James Hughston on the runner names. Picture of the Trophy also. Oct 10, 2011 Oct 10, 2011 3002 Thu Mar 28th Sunday September 11, 2011 7:00 am Chicago Half Marathon 9/11/2011 I ran the Chicago Half Marathon on a historical date: 9/11/2011. Exactly ten years after the World Trade Center tragedies. The day started out cool, but transitioned to a very hot race in the 80's. It was great running into RP Strider, Jay Hughston on the way back. His time was 2:17:12. My finish was 3:16:41. A very inspiring moment before the race, was the National Anthem--sung by members of the... Sep 12, 2011 Sep 12, 2011 3994 Fri Mar 29th Saturday July 9, 2011 10:00 am RPS Mini Reunion July 9th was a special date. We had a visits from RPS alumni, Mike & Pauline Barnai, Anne Jarocki, and Glen Kuck. Chris Precht sent me a few group pictures, I've scanned for viewing and credited appropriately. Sep 12, 2011 Sep 12, 2011 2925 Fri 8:39 pm Saturday July 9, 2011 12:00 pm Happy Anniversary to Dan & Mar Berry-7-9-2011 Dan Berry emailed the RPS a beautiful anniversary picture of himself & Mar on the original site of their wedding. Happy Anniversary July 9, 2011!!! Sep 12, 2011 Sep 12, 2011 512 Thu Feb 22nd Saturday July 2, 2011 10:00 am Renee's Announcement-Foot Surgery Renee announced her upcoming foot surgery. She is on the road to recovery! Here are some pictures from this hot summer day. The link below is where you'll see the announcement by Renee and Chris. http://www.gdmoxie.com/striders-renee.htm Sep 12, 2011 Sep 12, 2011 2360 Tue Mar 12th Saturday June 4, 2011 10:00 am Striders breeze through one hot day + Happy B-day Felix! Striders ran on a very hot day Saturday. Seems like a bit too early for this heat and humidity in early June. Many best wishes to Felix as he celebrates his 52nd birthday this week. Striders went to Old Country Buffet to celebrate. Here's a picture of Ken. Jun 7, 2011 Jun 7, 2011 635 Mon Apr 1st Saturday May 21, 2011 10:00 am Striders Run May 21, 2011 (End of World, they say?) Riis Park was beautiful and crowded Saturday, May 21, 2011. Yup, certain folks are saying the world is "supposed to end" this day. Nope, we lace up the shoes and proceed to run. Renee provided race direction in lieu of Chris prepping for a 5K. Riis Park was loaded with soccer players and budding dandelions. The air was balmy and just right for a comfortable run. Here are some snapshots. May 21, 2011 May 21, 2011 1422 Mon Apr 1st Saturday January 15, 2011 10:00 am Riis Park Strider Felix's MLK speech and Pictures Many Striders surrounded Felix as he gave his annual MLK speech. I shot the video on my cell phone. It is also linked here on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX4PootW-z4 Felix continues to inspire the Striders with persistence and desire for excellence in his running, in defiance of his near-blindness. GO FELIX! Jan 15, 2011 Jan 15, 2011 3602 Tue Apr 2nd Saturday December 11, 2010 7:00 pm Riis Park Striders see Eileen act in the play "To Kill A Mockingbird" We enjoyed seeing Eileen's performance in the locally produced play, "To Kill A Mockingbird." Directed by Karen Fort at the Chase Park Theater at Ashland and Leland, Chicago. The actors' performances and staging were terrific and inspiring to see. Afterwards, we celebrated at Brauhaus in Lincoln Square. We drank good German beer and ate hearty food on this cold winter night. BRAVO, Eileen!... Dec 12, 2010 Dec 12, 2010 1835 Sat Mar 30th Thursday November 25, 2010 10:00 am Striders Thanksgiving-Dick King 5K and Joe Mittel Memorial Mile Striders-sponsored event at Riis Park, the annual RPS Thanksgiving Dick King 5K and Joe Mittel Memorial Mile races. I'm told our Thanksgiving races (known these days generically, as "Turkey Trots") is one of the oldest in Chicagoland. Gray skies and muddy conditions didn't deter these runners. Note the cover image of Neil going vertical on the BIG HILL climb. Nov 25, 2010 Nov 25, 2010 7638 Tue 1:47 pm Saturday October 23, 2010 9:00 am Running in Circles 5K + Brunch at Mark & Diane's home Had a fun time at Running in Circles 5K this morning. Brunch was delicious at Mark & Diane's home near the race location. We had fresh eggs from their hens in the backyard, along with bacon, potatoes and champagne Mimosas and a variety of other great things. Eileen's devils food cake with pumpkin icing was fabulous. The race was fun and the weather couldn't be better with a slight breezy cool... Oct 23, 2010 Oct 24, 2010 3989 Tue Apr 2nd Sunday October 10, 2010 7:30 am Bank of America Marathon/Chicago 26.2 miles. Yup, it was a pretty warm day for this time of year, guess it is the global warming impacting our races these days. Riis Park Strider finishers: Jay Hughston (5:34:31), Kelly Block (3:47:45) , Sheila Fleischhacker (4:11:31). Eileen joined me for many miles! ...Karen (7:07:22 slow!) Oct 31, 2010 Oct 31, 2010 1142 Sat Mar 30th Saturday September 25, 2010 10:00 am Riis Park Strider meets Sept 25 & Oct 9 Pictures from both meets. Eileen won her age group in a the Whoop It Up 10K in Necedah, Wisconsin. Oct 24, 2010 Oct 24, 2010 2171 Fri Mar 29th Saturday June 19, 2010 10:00 am Riis Park Striders June 19, 2010 Here are some pictures taken on June 19 at Riis Park after our meet. Mark & Diane brought candy cigars to celebrate the birth of new twin grand babies! Karen Oct 24, 2010 Oct 24, 2010 1298 Sat Mar 30th Saturday May 22, 2010 Des Plaines River Trail Races (Ultra/Marathon/Half Marathon) Great race in the Lake Forest area. Terrific trails, even after heavy rains blanketed these areas. Sunny skies and nature was all around us. Looking forward to doing this race again! Jay, Dave, Bill, Michelle did wonderful. It was great to see Eric--he ran with all of us! I shuffled to just enjoy the view. I'm going to upload some pictures. Karen Oct 23, 2010 Oct 23, 2010 4156 Sat 6:38 am Saturday April 10, 2010 9:00 am Riis Striders Spring 2010 Here are some pictures from Riis this Spring 2010. Pictured in the group are Ken, Paul, Mike O., Chris, Mike F., & Hector. Nina and I ran the Oak Park Runners that weekend "Race For Life." We saw Bill Chadwick there also who ran, and Cheryl Benson at the Race Help desk. Karen Oct 24, 2010 Oct 24, 2010 1145 Fri Mar 29th Thursday November 26, 2009 9:45 am 39th Annual Riis Park Turkey Trot It's the 39th annual Riis Park Turkey Trot with traditional races of 1 Mile and 5,000 Meters. These photos have been optimized for viewing through the internet... if you'd like a high-resolution copy of a photo let me know its 'Image Id' and I'll email you the original(s). Billy: bill@bill@runrace.net Nov 26, 2009 Nov 27, 2009 29844 Sun 11:19 pm Tuesday August 25, 2009 8:00 pm Final Track Meet of the Season and Post Track Party It was another cool and pleasant evening for the final Track Meet at Luther North High School. Nice to see the winning time in the Mile Run back (well) under 5:00 minutes! Afterward... many Striders gathered for the annual End of the Track Season party as hosted by Michelle & Bill. Aug 26, 2009 Sep 24, 2009 5983 Sat 10:59 am Tuesday August 18, 2009 11:00 am Leadville Training near Turquoise Lake Went for an easy seven miles today starting at May Queen (LT100 Aid Station at 13.5 and 86.5 miles)... headed up the Colorado Trail to Hagerman Pass Road... turned around & retraced those steps to Turquoise Lake Trail for an extra look at the lake. Today's elevation range was easy & comfortable with Turquoise Lake at 9,875' and Hagerman Pass Road at 10,400'. Back in civilization I treated my... Aug 18, 2009 Sep 24, 2009 21881 Fri 8:52 am Monday August 17, 2009 10:30 am Leadville Training on Mt. Elbert Been looking for a guide or sherpa to help me up to the top of Mt. Elbert with no luck. Today's weather was so ideal that I decided to just go for it, by myself... low expectations... if I got lost, altitude-fatigued, ran out of liquids, or the weather turned nasty I would just pirouette and head back down the trail. At 14,443 feet Mt. Elbert is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains of North ... Aug 17, 2009 Sep 24, 2009 23981 3 hrs ago Sunday August 16, 2009 11:15 am Leadville Training on Hope Pass Today's training run called for a double trip over Hope Pass - the highest point of the Leadville Trail 100 Mile Endurance Run. Starting at the trail head of Sheep Gulch, elevation 9,860 feet I went solo -but- not alone. In the parking area I met a couple from Aspen, CO who were training for the TransRockies Run... a six-day stage race (August 23-28) where teams must start and finish togeth... Aug 16, 2009 Sep 24, 2009 24962 6 hrs ago Saturday August 15, 2009 6:30 am Leadville 100 Mile Mountain Bike Race with Lance Armstrong These photos were taken near Fish Hatchery & along the Powerline Trail which crests at Sugarloaf Pass at 11,130 feet above sea level. I ran up to Sugarloaf Pass and waited for about 50 minutes to capture photos of the leaders. Lance Armstrong shot around a bend and was going so fast that I was able to get just one picture. 20 minutes later perennial champ, Dave Wiens zipped by. Lance went on... Aug 15, 2009 Sep 24, 2009 61629 Fri 8:53 am Sunday August 2, 2009 6:30 am Chicago Rock N Roll Half Marathon Check out photos of RP Striders and friends who took part in the inaugural running of the Rock N Roll Half Marathon. This new race has taken over for the popular Chicago Distance Classic. Aug 3, 2009 Sep 24, 2009 19571 15 hrs ago Sunday July 19, 2009 7:30 am Fleet Feet : Women's Festival 5K / 10K Michelle laced up and toed the line with some 3,000 other chicks all taking part in the annual Fleet Feet Women's Festival 5K & 10K. Cool and dry conditions with temperatures in the low 60's ruled the morning lakefront course near Montrose Harbor. The races started concurrently at 7:30 am, and followed the same general course until the 5K runners diverged and headed for the common finish chute. ... Jul 19, 2009 Sep 24, 2009 11536 Fri Mar 29th Saturday July 4, 2009 9:00 am Riis Park Annual 4th of July Track Meet & Post Track Party Check out this year's photo gallery of the annual Riis Park 4th of July track meet held at Luther North High School. Jul 4, 2009 Sep 24, 2009 46539 Sun 9:01 am Saturday May 2, 2009 9:30 am May 2nd was supposed to be a Saturday cross country race but due to the supersaturation of the course Fearless Leader switched it to another road race around the park. These photos were taken after the race. Great to have Tom Victorine back out at the park for a visit! Aug 28, 2009 Aug 28, 2009 3206 Fri Mar 15th Group Created: May 1st, 2009 11:54 am Members: 7 Viewed: 1428456 Last View: April 16th, 2024 3:59 am ©2004-2024 : All rights reserved Terms and Conditions