After a marathon, Richard Fague typically takes a week off from running to let his body heal. But just three days after he ran this year’s Chicago Marathon, the Lockport resident was out on the trails again, staring down the starting line of another feat of endurance.
“I probably should have taken more rest,” Fague admitted. “I just needed motivation going into the winter time to keep me going to reach goals that I want to reach for next year.”
Fague found that motivation in the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Harvest Hustle, which invited runners to choose one of 11 5K routes on various trails, run it on their own and submit their data for the virtual event.
Fague, 44, decided to run all 11 routes in the same amount of days.
He started Oct. 13 at Spring Creek Greenway Trail at Messenger Woods in Homer Glen. It was the only day the weather did not cooperate.
“The first day was thunder and lightning, a little scary out in the woods,” Fague said, noting he still fell in love with the location. “Messenger Woods is a beautiful place to run.”
He concluded Oct. 23 on the Plum Creek Greenway of the Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve in Beecher for a total of 55K, or roughly 34.1 miles. While Fague finds running a 5K on its own relatively easy these days, the endurance gauntlet he created for himself definitely took its toll in the form of some left leg issues near his hip.
“The soreness kicks in,” Fague said, noting he has been trying to avoid aggravating a plantar fasciitis injury he suffered last year. “I’ve been making a comeback, so I’m just being cautious.”
Fague said one of the nicest things about doing all 11 routes in the Harvest Hustle was seeing some new things in Will County. While there are a lot of woods where he used to live in Rhode Island, the state does not have the same kind of preserves he enjoys in Illinois.
“The nature preserves that are here are awesome,” Fague said. “I thought it was a cool idea to get out and learn some of these places I haven’t run, because some of them are amazing. … I’m going to go back and explore them more.”
The virtual 5K program was designed to offer runners an opportunity to get out in the preserves at a time when some people are still not comfortable being in big groups because of the pandemic, while also encouraging them to explore nature. Jen Guest, the forest preserve district’s recreation coordinator, said it was fun to track Fague’s progress through social media.
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“We love that Richard made this program his own unique challenge,” Guest said. “He took it to the next level. … We could see how much fun he was having participating in this program by viewing the pictures. Kudos to him for getting outside and connecting with nature in his own unique way.”
Fague has only been running for 6-7 years but took to it quickly. He enjoys the challenge of longer runs, with hopes of running a 100-miler next year and an aim to qualify for the 2023 Boston Marathon. He has already run seven marathons and a pair of ultramarathons.
“I was with a girl that ran,” he said. “We parted ways, and I kept running.”
When Fague moved to Illinois from Rhode Island almost two years ago for work, one of his first orders of business was to find running groups. He runs today with Tinley Track & Trail as well as the Lockport Run Club.
“It’s nice when you move to a place where you don’t know anybody, being a runner, it’s like: run group, run group, run group,” he said. “When I got out here, I just started joining all the run clubs. It helps me meet people.”
That is not all running has done to help Fague. Two years sober, he said he has struggled with alcohol as well as anxiety and depression. Running has focused his energy elsewhere.
“This is my outlet to keep me on track, doing what I need to do,” Fague said. “I just like being out here. It’s very mind-clearing, relaxing — even though I’m running. It’s a good place to be. Mindset wise, it makes me feel good.”
Fague was named an athlete ambassador for Athletic Brewing Company, which makes nonalcoholic craft beers. He also participates in charity runs, with his involvement in the Chicago Marathon alone raising $1,750 for Mercy Home Heroes. Fague said after initially missing the lottery for the Chicago event, raising money for charity was a way to get into the race, but it turned into something more profound.
“It ended up being a life-changing experience, helping those kids out and raising the money for them,” Fague said. “It definitely made me love what those people do, as far as the charity goes.”
Fague runs every day, sometimes finding places hours away and making early morning drives to run as soon as they open. On Sundays he normally runs 16-20 miles, usually parking at Forty Acre Woods in Palos. He now knows Hadley Valley offers a great 8-mile trail from its Bruce Road access point. He can do 5 miles in the Orland Grassland, depending on his training needs. He plans to keep hitting them all, even this winter.
“Basically, I work and I run,” Fague said. “I’m a guy who likes to be outside. I spend most of my time outside when I’m not working.”
Bill Jones is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.