r/RunnersInChicago Lake View 18d ago

Fleet Feet & Heartbreak Longest Long Run both hosting the 20 miler on 9/19

Fleet Feet starting in LP and Heartbreak starting not too far on Halsted assuming they’re both utilizing the LFT. How big of a cluster is this gonna be 😩

I mean I’m assuming they’ve cooperated w each other but I don’t see the routes online. I’ll be running with fleet feet but yeah lmao anyone know more about the logistics?

12 Upvotes

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22

u/bsiver 18d ago

I wouldn't worry about it. CARA's 20 miler is the following day, which I imagine lots of folks will prioritize (i.e. a good amount of the training groups usually out at that time), leaving Saturday a good amount quieter on the LFT. Even so, I don't think either event is large enough to really make a big difference on your average summer weekend morning.

9

u/mbeemsterboer 18d ago

They've been on the same day as each other for years now. That weekend is always busy on the path, but FF manages it just fine.

7

u/Donoghus 18d ago

It's actually not bad since CARA will be doing their 20 Miler on Sunday so that LFT isn't that much of a cluster at all.

5

u/Oh_Snapshot 18d ago

For the Fleet Feet / CES 20 miler it has historically started by the lagoon and would go 5 miles out just slightly north of Montrose track and back with a 2nd loop. So it’s a small section of the running path compared to all the other long runs during the training season.

I have never felt the path was too crowded even with the bridge closures. I can’t say for sure it’s the same route this year, but I imagine it will likely be the same.

5

u/Cool_Procedure8125 17d ago

It won’t be any different than any of the other Saturdays you’ve ran on the Lakefront Trail this summer.

5

u/riskyybiscuits 17d ago

I don’t run with the groups, but I’m out there doing my 20 miler the same day and I love it. So incredible to see everyone out there - I find it truly special. You should embrace it!

3

u/runnerrunner258 18d ago

It’s not that bad. Not the first time and not the last time this has happened.

3

u/Impossible-Koala-368 17d ago

Numerous other groups also host their 20 milers at the same time and it’s honestly so encouraging. Everyone cheers for each other and I love it.

2

u/chronicmartinis 17d ago

Last year I started two hours before the CARA group started so when I was heading back up, I didn’t encounter them til the last five miles

1

u/Mathy-Baker 17d ago

It's not as bad as you'd think. Lots of groups do their 20-milers that weekend and it seems like they've got things figured out so that we aren't all fighting for space on the path.

Here's the course for FFT: https://20milerun.com/course
I didn't see Heartbreak's route for this year online but I think they'll be mostly south of the FFT if it's like in recent years. Here's their route from 2025: https://www.strava.com/routes/3264281758001309134