Letters from Indian Lake

A new trail

2011-09-26T19:36:00.000-07:00

The Friends of Indian Lake gather to build a new trail at the park in preparation for ILTR II. Can't wait!!

Clearing underbrush

blazing the trail -- this adds a second access trail for hikers to get to the South trail and will help runners avoid a bottleneck at the beginning of this year's race. It's a very pleasant single-track trail -- up the hill.

the trail takes shape -- yes, it adds more incline.

Found this down by the lake - winter's coming, but before we skate, we run Indian Lake

Dusk closing in on the lake

Did you know there are pirates at Indian Lake?

Fall colors are on their way.

Hello Again - winter running on Mt. Bilgin

2011-02-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

Greetings runners. We hope all of you are doing well and enjoying winter, especially the recent snow! Friends of Indian Lake has been We've been working with Dane County Park to line up projects for this spring. Our focus this year will be on trail maintenance, signage improvement, and prairie restoration. And, we are already working on next year's race. However, mostly, we've been enjoying winter at Indian Lake and other great parks around the county. Remember, you can still run trails in winter (as long as you stay out of the ski tracks)!! This morning we went snow running at Pheasant Branch Conservancy in Middleton. Bilgin Macar ran his first trail run ever at Indian Lake this past October. Last weekend, he went on his first snow trail run. This weekend he went on his first snow trail run after a blizzard. For those of you who run at Pheasant Branch, you know that there is an oak savannah on top of the big hill in the western section of the park. The loop up through savannah is a great hill workout, especially in the snow, and especially when there are 4-5 foot drifts. We named the big hill Mt. Bilgin after he ran up it through the snow last weekend. The roughy 5 mile circuit from Middleton Hills through Pheasant Branch up Mt. Bilgin and back took a little over 70 minutes. Not bad given the 4-5 drifts in the savannah. Good stuff. We'll see you at Indian Lake soon and can't wait for the Indian Lake Trail Run on October 15, 2011.

Bilgin breaking trail at the foot of Mt. Bilgin

Northwest view from the Savannah

Bilgin's first step into a snow drift

Still in the snow drift

Lake Mendota and downtown from the "peak" of Mt. Bilgin

Bilgin doing his best Rocky imitation on top of Mt. Bilgin

Descending Mt. Bilgin

What's next?

2010-10-27T11:34:00.000-07:00

October 16 was a great day for Indian Lake County Park! Now what? We are currently tying up loose ends from the trail run and will meet with Dane County Parks soon to discuss the exciting projects that can now take place at the park thanks to the tremendous response from runners, sponsors, and our fantastic volunteers. Look for updates about those projects on the blog!

Take note! The first meeting for the Friends of Indian Lake County Park will take place on Saturday, November 20, 2010 at the park. Below are some key details about the meeting, which will begin with an optional trail run, followed by a short meet and greet.

New members, those interested in joining the Friends group, or folks just looking for a trail run, are all welcome to come out on November 20. Not a runner? Not a problem. Come join us after the run for the meet and greet and learn about how you can help at Indian Lake County Park.

Saturday, November 20, 2010
Indian Lake County Park

8:00 a.m.: Group trail run, starting from the main shelter area.
9:15 a.m.: Friends of Indian Lake meet and greet, at the main shelter.

Letter to runners

2010-10-12T07:20:00.000-07:00

Hello Runners,

The response to the inaugural Indian Lake Trail Run has been tremendous. Thank you! As of this morning, there are only about 20 spots left. So, if you are waiting to sign up, don't risk missing out! We can’t wait to see you all on the trails this Saturday. Directions to the park and a complete schedule of events for Friday and Saturday can be found at www.friendsofindianlake.org. Some key times to remember include:

• Early packet pickup at Berkeley Running Company from 4-7 p.m. on Friday
• Race day packet pickup starting at 7:00 a.m. at the park
• Kids’ Fun Run begins at 8:30 a.m. (no registration necessary)
• 6K and 12K start at 9:00 a.m.
• Live music at 9:30 a.m.; awards after each race; and the raffle at 11:00 a.m.

To park, use the main entrance and proceed to the parking area. Dane County Parks staff will be on hand to direct you to a parking spot. Please follow their lead so that we can maximize on-site parking capacity. Please carpool if possible.

The main park shelter will serve as race headquarters. Here you’ll pick up your packet, start and finish the race, graze on tasty post-race treats, listen to live music, and collect your awards and raffle prizes. There will also be an art station courtesy of Play in the Mud Studio where everyone (kids especially!) can paint their finishers medal after finishing the run. Finally, you will be able to check out various informational tables about Dane County Parks, the Ice Age Trail Alliance, Friends of Indian Lake County Park, and Montrail.

There will be two aid stations on the course – at the 2.5 and 5.6 mile marks. Each aid station will have water and Gatorade. The second aid station will have some very light snacks in case you need a little push near the end of the 12K. The only mile markers will be at the aid stations.

The bluegrass/folk duo Eleike starts at 9:30 a.m. and will play as you cross the finish line and while you enjoy all of the post-race festivities. We will have a dozen or so picnic tables scattered around for you to sit and enjoy the morning. Feel free to bring a lawn chair or blanket if you like.

Shortly after each race, we’ll interrupt the band to hand out the awards. After all the 12K runners are off the course, we’ll start the big raffle. We’ve got lots of great prizes this year, including Russell Hobbs coffee makers, Black and Decker blenders, Juiceman juicers, gear from the Berkeley Running Company, John L. Parker’s running novels, gift certificates for Hubbard Avenue Diner, and more, including the grand prize, two tickets to Saturday night’s big matchup between the Wisconsin Badgers and the now top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. You could be on hand to witness history as Bucky knocks off the Buckeyes! But you must be present to win a raffle prize, so plan on sticking around for a great post-race fall celebration.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to e-mail us. We will get back to you as quickly as possible. And remember, none of this would be possible without you, our generous sponsors, and fantastic volunteers. On behalf of the park, thanks for joining us on our Run to Restore!

Sincerely,

The Race Directors

10/2/2010 group run

2010-10-01T07:24:00.000-07:00

The race is just around the corner! We'll be out for our normal on the trails tomorrow morning, 10/2, starting at 7:00 a.m. from the main parking area. Feel free to join us if you like. Looking forward to seeing everyone on 10/16!

Event information on the website

2010-09-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

Runners,

Thank you for the great support. Registration has been very strong in the last couple weeks. Be sure to sign up soon so that you and your friends don't miss out on the fun. Also, be sure to check out the website for key information related to raceday events, including packet pick-up, parking, and start times.

We have continued to have great sponsors come on board, such as Ancora Coffee, UW Athletics, Fontana Sports, and more. As a result, the post-race raffle is growing. Here's just a sample of what you could win:

Russell Hobbs coffee maker.
Juiceman Juicer.
Black and Decker blender.
Rayovac headlamp.
Berkeley Running Company gear.
John L. Parker's running books, Once A Runner and Again to Carthage.
Tickets to UW women's hockey, volleyball, or basketball.
Tickets to the UW vs. Ohio State football game on the night of the race.
Outdoor gear from Fontana Sports.
Silly Yak Bread
Pie Certificates to Hubbard Avenue Diner.

Also, be sure to check out the NBC 15 morning show's feature on the race during the October 6 show at 6:10 a.m. and, as always, check back here and the website for more information. We'll be sending e-mails a week before the race with all of the event details.

See you on the trails October 16, 2010!

8:30 a.m. group run in cool weather!

2010-09-03T07:27:00.000-07:00

We'll welcome this crisp, cool weather with a trail run tomorrow morning, September 4, starting in the main parking lot at Indian Lake County Park. After August's heat and humidity, it should be a perfect morning to cruise along the trails. Come on out and join us!

This cooler weather means a number of things, one of which is that the Indian Lake Trail Run is getting closer and closer. Registration is brisk. Be sure to sign up soon!

Badgers Men and Women

2010-09-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

You may have read that the Badgers men's and women's XC teams are ranked 1st and 3rd respectively in the Great Lakes Region this year and that the Badger men are ranked 7th nationally. You can catch both teams running in Madison a number of times this fall, including at the Big Ten Championships, which are being held in Madison on Halloween! Click Here for the Badgers' XC schedule. Go Badgers!

National Trail Running Day - recap

2010-08-24T12:13:00.000-07:00

We had fun showing folks around the 6K and 12K courses this past Saturday, National Trail Running Day. The morning started off warm and foggy and stayed warm and foggy for most of the run. It made for a pretty cool setting as we circled the lake and then ran the hills on the south side of the park. We'll have another big group run toward the end of September, so, keep checking back for details.

In other news, the website and/or blog will soon include video from the course so that if you can't make it out before race day you can take a virtual tour online. Hopefully there won't be too much camera bounce! The website will also soon have an in depth interview with Denny Conner, a longtime resident of the area who spearheads the prairie restoration at the park. Denny's a great guy with tons of knowledge about the park and prairies.

August 21, 2010 is National Trail Running Day!!!

2010-08-07T20:22:00.000-07:00

August 21, 2010 is National Trail Running Day. Information on this new "holiday" can be found here: http://www.trailrunningday.org/ Don't miss out on our local tribute to a wonderful way to run. Come out to Indian Lake County Park on August 21, 2010, at 8:00 a.m. and run the 6K and 12K courses in preparation for the October race. We'll have folks leading runs on each course so you can just sit back and enjoy. Afterward, we'll have some refreshments at the shelter, maps of the race courses, and information about prairie restoration work we are doing at the park. Everyone who come out will receive coupons for discounted gear at the Berkeley Running Company!

Group Trail Run 7/24/10 at 8:00 a.m.

2010-07-23T11:49:00.001-07:00

Join us for a trail run tomorrow morning, 7/24/2010 at 8:00 a.m. We'll meet in the main parking lot and go for an easy 1 hour run on the 6K and part of the 12K course. See you on the trails!

Eleike (el-IKE-uh)

2010-07-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

What could be better than a great trail run in a beautiful valley on a gorgeous Autumn morning in Wisconsin? Well, all that and live music! We are excited to announce that the fantastic duo Eleike will be performing at the Indian Lake Trail Run. This Wisconsin duo features fiddling phenom Eleanor Mayerfield and her father, the mandolinist and guitarist Mike Bell. They play and sing traditional music old and new, from across the world, including their own compositions. You'll hear bluegrass, Celtic, Scandavian, and other great tunes as you cross the finish line and snag that first piece of pumpkin pie. To learn more about them, visit their website at http://eleike.net/index.html More details to follow!

Saturday morning run and a plug for the Kid's Run

2010-07-09T08:17:00.000-07:00

We'll be out there again tomorrow morning for 6 miles or so of easy running. 8:00 a.m. in the main parking lot. Join for all or part if you like. If 6 miles isn't enough, keep going once we're done! After the run, a few of us are going to meet in the shelter to nail down some details on the race.

This is also a a plug to have your kids come out of the 1K Fun Run. We're really excited to offer the Fun Run this year. Among other things, this is the first step in our efforts to establish on-site nature education classes, including "play classes", for kids at Indian Lake. We'd love to see more kids on the trails at Indian Lake, looking for birds, bugs, and toads, and working alongside us as we restore the beautiful prairies and trails that make Indian Lake so special. Hey, did you know that planting prairie flower seeds is actually the perfect job for a 3-year old?

Why are we doing this? Part of the inspiration for the Fun Run and starting the classes is Richard Louv's book Last Child in the Woods. The book talks about the divide that has come between children and the outdoors. Louv discusses recent research that links the lack of outdoor exposure - he calls it Nature Deficit Disorder - to some of the most disturbing childhood trends, including obesity, attention disorders, and depression. He also makes lots of practical suggestions for getting kids outside. It's a good read. And, whether you ultimately agree with his conclusions or not, it still seems like a pretty darn good idea to get your kids out on the trails!! We hope you'll join us!

Nice Run Out There Today

2010-07-03T17:26:00.000-07:00

Nice run at the park today. Saw some great black eyed susans on the trail. Met a woman who runs out there every day. Looking forward to seeing her on race day! Stay tuned for updates on more Saturday group runs on the trails.

Saturday Morning Run

2010-07-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

We're meeting tomorrow morning (Saturday 7/3) at 9:00 a.m. in the park's main parking lot for a run of about 6-8 miles, easy pace. Now that the courses are set, we're back to just running the trails. Feel free to join us.

RUN INDIAN LAKE!

2010-06-30T21:51:00.000-07:00

If you've made it to this blog, then you probably know that online registration for the Inaugural Indian Lake Trail Run 12K, 6K, and 1K Kid's Fun Run is open and ready to go! For race information, including how to register, go to (or go back to) http://www.friendsofindianlake.org/ This blog was created to give you:

1. Updates on the race.
2. Information about group runs on the courses.
3. Information about prairie restoration, trail maintenance, and other projects.
4. Interesting facts about the park.
5. Interesting facts about trail running.
6. And more!

We're excited to create a fun and challenging trail run for you! In the process, we hope to inspire you to explore the trails and prairies at Indian Lake, and to join us in making Indian Lake one of the premier county parks in the Midwest! Whether your a runner, prairie enthusiast, hiker, birder, photographer, or just a kid looking to get your feet dirty, come on out to Indian Lake. It's a great place to be.