Lockport man runs 11 5K races in 11 days

It’s a little early for New Year’s goals, but Richard Fague, 44, of Lockport has set his: run a 50K race as well as a 50-miler and 100-miler, too. All in 2022.

But then, Fague just completed 11 5K races in 11 days through participating in the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Harvest Hustle, a virtual 5K race on any one of the forest preserve’s 11 trails – runner’s choice.

He is also an athlete ambassador for Athletic Brewing Co., a firm that produces craft nonalcoholic beers. Athletic Brewing Co. ambassadors are “people who try to stay active and healthy all the time,” he said.

Fague’s ultimate goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon, he said. But he still needs to run a marathon in about 3 hours and 10 minutes to qualify in his age group, according to a news release from the forest preserve.

So why the Harvest Hustle? Two reasons.

One, Fague needed additional motivation to keep running after completing the Chicago marathon, through which he donated $1,750 for Mercy Home Heroes, a charity running team for the marathon.

“I had been slacking and I was coming off a plantar fasciitis injury, which brought me down at the end of last year,” Fague said in the release.

But running also keeps Fague healthy and occupied since he stopped drinking alcohol two years ago, he said.

Two, Fague moved from Rhode Island only two years ago, so participating in the Harvest Hustle gave him an opportunity to explore the forest preserves – and he can’t wait to return and explore them some more, he said.

“I’m really starting to fall in love with it here,” Fague said. “In Rhode Island, I have two boys that I go back and see; they live with their mom. I can’t wait for them to come out here and do some hiking with me.”

In fact, Fague hopes to return soon and explore “the little side trails” and other “cool stuff” he sees while running, such as the wild mushrooms and various forms of wildlife.

“I just like nature, you know?” Fague said. “I don’t watch TV. I spend most of my time outside, whether it’s hiking, camping or fishing.”

For the Harvest Hustle, Fugue decided not to pick one trail but run on all 11. He snapped a photo of a “Harvest Hustle” announcement that was posted at Hadley Valley Preserve as a reminder to sign up. Fague’s first virtual race was Oct. 13 and his last was Oct. 23, one week before the program ended Oct. 31.

He ran the trails in this order: Messenger Woods Nature Trail in Homer Glen; DuPage River Trail at Whalon Lake in Naperville; Wauponsee Glacial Trail, which starts in Joliet; Lake Renwick Bikeway in Plainfield; Old Plank Road Trail; Hickory Creek Bikeway in Mokena; Rock Run Greenway Trail in Crest Hill and Joliet; I&M Canal Trail; Prairie Bluff Trail in Crest Hill; Spring Creek Greenway Trail, with access points in Joliet and Homer Glen; and Plum Creek Greenway Trail in Crete.

Fague said a woman in a previous relationship was a runner, so he “just picked it up along the way.” He tries to run every day, year-round, but the length of the run depends on how he feels that day.

“Sometimes it can be 20 miles,” Fague said.

Fague runs in all kinds of weather. He’s run in the woods with thunder and lightning. “That was definitely an experience,” he said, but Fague tries to avoid running during extremes in temperature.

However, Fague ran one race last January when the temperature was 9 below zero, he said.

“That was a little too cold for me,” he said.