Newbie in Chicago

Welcome to BT! There are quite a few folks in your area. Good luck and keep at it.

Welcome aboard Greg!

I'm in the Chicago area as well. This year was my first year of tris. There are quite a few well run races in the area, you'll definitely not have a problem finding one. Your problem will be picking which ones you want to do!

-Chris

Welcome to the T-Spot!  You should be ready to meet your goal by next year.

Hey, nice to hear from you. Chicago is great, especially the majestic mountains and the beautiful oceanside boardwalks. (ha ha ha)

I think training in Chicago (esp. winter biking and running) creates great mental fortitude...don't you?

welcome! i'm in st. paul, but have family down in rockford and chicago. may be doing a race or two down there next season. have a great time training and racing!

Oh, the windy city. You have my sympathy. I can't imagine running and biking in Chicago.

Welcome to BT. This site is full of info for your first tri. If you need a program then check on the home page. There are lots of options.

Good luck with your training and remember there are no dumb questions. If you need help or can't figure something out then ask.

-Bethany

Welcome to the board!

I'm out in DeKalb, the great vacation spot of the Midwest -insert eyeroll here. But I get into the city a lot. I seriously think that we should have a Chicago get together. But if we ever decide to do a training day together, you guys have to not laugh at me. I'll be bringing up the rear so BAD!

Andrea

A get together is a great idea!

DeKalb? Biking out there would be incredible...

I just moved to the suburbs but still have about a 30-40 min bike ride from my house to get anywhere that is "bike" friendly (i.e. farm roads with few/no traffic lights and no shopping traffic).

Where in the burbs?

I'm out in the N/W Palatine/Barrington/Algonquin area.

The Prarie trail path along the Fox River is nice and long and void of cars.

Also, getting up to Lake Geneva is nice, the oly bike course for the LG Tri is marked, and is the same every year, so that is a good training ride too.

We should have a Chicago - Area BT get together!

-Chris

Brookfield. I have a 60 mile loop that takes me out through Eola Road by the Fermi Lab. I also have another route that takes me out to Wheaton through some "secret hills" that aren't really that secret anymore as I see lots of other bikers on it.

drop me an e-mail. i ride with the Elmhurst Bicycle Club (Dave Polkow's ride) on Sunday mornings. I usually ride outside as long as the streets are clear and it's above 30 degrees.

Next year we should do the midnight buffalo ride at Fermi. It's just a fun ride, not for training, but it's too fabulous. It's a fund raiser for the Girl Scouts or somebody. You ride at midnight on the night of a full moon and you see all the buffalos and just ride at whatever pace seems fun..... It's very cool.

Andrea

Edited to add: there are plenty of farm roads around here. That's practically ALL we have. I'm not doing too many training rides outdoors these days -am in the process of moving indoors to the trainer. (It's harvest time out here in the cornfields, and some of the rural roads become less safe, even though they aren't yet covered with snow!) But come next season, I can certainly show you where some good roads are. But don't despair. There are good trails out by you, too!

Edited by Andrea 2004-10-28 7:06 PM

Welcome to the community. Lost of great people here to keep you on your path.

I live in Rogers Park, so I almost always ride my bike south down the lake front, occassionally going as far south as Hyde Park, then back up. Running, well Ive just started getting into it, treadmill only at bally's and I am doing 3 miles twice a week. Swimming, is the real challenge, since I have always been the proverbial brick in the water. I also nearly drowned once when I was 8, so there is a little nervousness associated with it. I plan to take lessons at the Y starting after the holidays, hopefully when Ive imprvoed my endurance a bit.

Buffalo? I never knew there were buffalo in Illinois. Man, I am WAY out of it.




Yeah, that' would be great. I'm always looking for new routes. Now that I've signed up for my first Ironman race, I'll be spending an inordinate amount of time on the bike and need some "longer" routes with less traffic.

Edited by bzl763 2004-10-29 10:31 AM

Welcome to the site! Best of luck with your training!

Kelly

Well, there are buffalo at FermiLab, anyway. Check it out here: http://www.fnal.gov/directorate/announcements/prairie.html

Andrea

Ha! That's awesome. Now I can brag to my friend who lives in Jackson Hole, WY!

thx.

Hey Greg,

I, too, am in Chicago and willing to attempt my first triathlon. As of now I can do all the requirements of the sprint triathlon so I'm motivated to kick it into high gear for a full-fledged race this summer. Are you new to Chicago as well as to triathlons? Because I'm both!
Good luck with training.

Peace,
Kim

HI Kimmer, thats great! it sounds like youre all set already! I still have a bit of working up to do, especially the swimming! Ive been in Chicago my whole life, but haven't really expolored the trails. How about you, where did you move here from?

Greg,

Welcome and good luck in your training for next year. You'll find some great support and advice here.

We used to live in St. Charles only one block from the bike paths. We were spoiled!! Now in MA there are hardly any bike paths.

Can't wait to read your race reports!
Kathy

I'm all for a get together.... I'm out in the Des Plaines/Mt. Prospect area. 'Cept I'll be joining you guys once my flabbiness is gone, and I'm back in cardio/physical shape.

Half Day Road Forest preserve is a good ride for fatter tires, very scenic.

And, Chicago offers it's residents options for winter motivation... it's called indoor tri's. They're fun....even though I feel like an outsider saying this because i've been away for so long, i'll say it anyways... MAYBE one of the indoor tri's can be a pseudo get together?

Anyhoo Greg... welcome to the site and I hope you're able to narrow down your race choices to at least 5. :0)

Milly