The Forge: Lemont Quarries Announces 2022 Race Series
Brad Donati
Race Series Offers Diverse, Unique, Adventurous Experiences for All Abilities
The Forge: Lemont Quarries has developed a series of race events that are diverse, unique, fun, challenging, and adventurous experiences for people of all abilities. The series will include bike, trail run, multi-sport and adventure events, along with a partnership with the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA) to conduct races at the Park.
The Series will be conducted at The Forge: Lemont Quarries, an outdoor adventure park in Lemont, Illinois. The races will provide exciting and adventurous experiences for athletes throughout the park and the adjoining trails of the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area and I&M Trails, located adjacent to historic downtown Lemont.
The Forge 2022 Race series includes:
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January 15, 2022: The Forge Fat Tire Bike Race & Tour, in Partnership with The Bike Hub, will be the first Fat Tire race in the Chicagoland area. Winter cycling enthusiasts will experience the wintry trails throughout The Forge and adjoining Heritage Quarries Recreation Area and I&M Canal trails. A Tour option is also being offered as an untimed non-competitive event that allows riders to casually tour the trails at their own pace.
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March 19, 2022: The Forge Trail Half Marathon will be one of the few long-distance trail races in the Chicago area. The race will take place on the gravel/crushed limestone and single track mountain bike trails throughout The Forge: Lemont Quarries Adventure Park and adjoining Heritage Quarries Recreation Area and I&M Canal trails. Athletes will experience a unique long distance trail race with a cool course, awesome scenery and a great venue based at The Mount, the stage and entertainment center of the Forge: Lemont Quarries.
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July 23, 2022: The Forge Off Road Triathlon, in Partnership with Multisport Mastery, will be held for its second year. The Off Road Triathlon is a unique short course multi-sport event that offers an exhilarating experience for triathletes of all abilities, including beginners to professionals. The course takes place in The Forge Quarry for the swim portion, and bikes and runs through the trails within the park and the adjoining trails of the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area and I&M Trails.
Athletes and spectators in all events will enjoy views of the park’s exhilarating attractions and natural ecosystem, which includes the historic I&M Canal and multiple quarry lakes.
Other planned events in the series include an Adventure Race on September 17 and a fun fall themed 4-mile run on November 12. These events are being planned and details will be announced in early January 2022. The Forge is in the early planning stages for several other events and partnering with CARA for their Trail Chase series. CARA will conduct a 10K race at the Park on May 21, and a 5K on August 21, 2022. CARA will announce details on these events soon.
The Fat Tire Race & Tour, Trail Half Marathon and Triathlon are open for registration. More information and registration on the series is found at: https://www.forgeparks.com/
The Forge: Lemont Quarries is a public-private social enterprise offering engaging outdoor recreational activities that exhilarate, educate and entertain adventurers of all ages and abilities. From ropes courses, ziplines and rock-climbing towers, to flatwater paddling, running, mountain biking and hiking trails, our parks seek to provide a community-focused, authentic outdoor experience for urban and suburban audiences. Hours of operation are subject to change seasonally. For more information, please visit forgeparks.com.
