Fayette County

As early as last year, I had targetted June 14 to run the Steamboat Classic 15K in Peoria County. I've never done it but I consider it one of the three premier races in central Illinois, along with the Shoreline Classic 15K in Decatur and Abe's Amble 10K in Springfield.
However, I was only able to participate in one race this month and it was this June 14 week-end. As much as I wanted to do the Steamboat, it is a race that will always be there, so hopefully I'll do it next year or the year after that. On the other hand, races in Fayette County are hard to find, with this Saturday's Race to Downtown 5K in Vandalia the only one I've seen. It is a small race and only in its second year, so it may not be around forever. As such, I felt that to do a race in Fayette County required that I do this race now.

The emphasis for this race was small. It was a 5K run and walk and there were approximately 25 runners and less than 50 particpants overall. There were no directions to the starting point, just "meet at the Wal-Mart," with no address given. It was an ok race, with some hills and little shade. Not a lot of scenery though, until the end at the Old State Capitol. It was truly a "race to downtown" (where a festival was setting up on the Old State Capitol lawn), which meant that you had to take a shuttle back to the starting point or find your own way. I jogged back. My time was 26:32.

Fayette County is my 17th county in Illinois and sixth new county this year. I hope to knock out two counties in July.