WARNING to those who run LATE on the Chicago Lakefront path

I can't believe how many of you tolerate running paths that earn you a frequent heckling. That's unacceptable to me. Aren't there better places to run? If not, you need to freaking move, because where you live blows.

Look UncleB- You're a b!+ch. You know it. I know it. The entire board knows it. It's what you are, and it's what you do. You've pointed out nothing. If you haven't noticed, most don't agree with you.

Keep on b!+chin, you little b!tch.

Wow - just heard about this whole situation on the LF Path last night - what a mess. Before I write anything else, the racial taunting on here has got to go - it isn't doing anyone any good. I can't remember who wrote "No Blacks on the Beach," but that person is worse than the thugs on the path.

At any rate, I've been on the Lakefront running primarily at night for 7 years. I get on by Grant Park and have run all the way north and all the way south to the very ends. The south side of the path has been my preferred route for some years now, since it tends to be less crowded and I am struggling to remember a time where I was harassesed past a simple stupid comment.

On the north side, I have had my share of problems. North of Montrose there is a shocking decrease in the number of lights illuminating the path. Combined with the dark forest cover and distance from LSD, I always run thru that stretch prepared to break into a sprint. The worst is in the Oak-North-Fullerton area...there is so much biking and rollerblading in addition to general foot traffic it's a nightmare. But it's the people that go there to hang out and drink at Castaways or on the beach that are the real trouble. Just as bad as the people that go down there sober to create trouble.

I'm a decently fast runner, but my slow-twitch fibers are what they are and unless I get a running start or more than 200m into it, I am catchable. Stear clear of underpasses and turn the other way if you sense danger.

And for the record, runner harassment happens everywhere and with all people. It's drunk white kids in jeans and polo shirts wanting to take swings (Chicago Lakefront), it's gangbangers in Kansas City threatening to shoot me from the other side of a street at 5am with the sun already out, cases of booze in hand. I even had a white soccer mom aim her car at me and drive it into a ditch (missing me by 4 feet) when workers blocked her from crossing a construction zone and I suggested she just turn around (Chicago suburb).

Stupid, racist, bigoted, cruel, intoxicated people exist in both genders, across all ages, income levels and ethnic groups. Generally, it's not worth it to cross them (especially when they are in groups). Bite your tongue, remember your life is 10 times as good as theirs is and live for the rare time where you can strike back at your harassers with the George Castanza "Jerk Store" moment: when you have the perfect comeback delivered at the perfect time. Personally, I like to deliver lines (and the occasional lugie) onto cars when they can't turn around, reverse or get out of their car. It makes the rest of the harrassment worth tolerating. Better yet, flag down a police cruiser and tell them you have an easy drug bust or arrest for them. That tends to get their attention.

Geez, this thread has me scared. I am going to be in Chicago next week on business staying at the drake hotel. I thought i would do my tempo run and my 15 miler along the lakeshore path. Is that a good idea? If so, should i go south or north from where i am?

You'll be fine. If I were staying where you are I'd run north on the lake, but either direction is fine. If you do go south, pay attention going by Navy Pier and across the Chicago river - the path isn't all that clearly marked.

Can i run a solid hard 5 mile tempo run north without being interrupted by lights or cars?

Schi-town foolery wrote:

Look UncleB- You're a b!+ch. You know it. I know it. The entire board knows it. It's what you are, and it's what you do. You've pointed out nothing. If you haven't noticed, most don't agree with you.

Keep on b!+chin, you little b!tch.

.

Poor, poor, right wing baby. You read something that didn't agree with your racist world view?

I've lived and run in Chicago for 19 years, and have never had problems running on the lakefront. I've had way more problems biking, dealing with asshole white yuppies with road rage. Now THOSE people are dangerous. I run home from work a few days a week along the lakefront, and it's sometimes crowded, but pleasant.

Every late spring when we have our first bouts of hot weather, and it does get a little crazy. Last year there were a bunch of shootings in Grant Park around this time. It's unfortunate, and if you want to be safe, avoid those areas those couple times a year. With how crazy weather has been, we could easily see another summer that hovers in the 60s/lower 70s like last year.

There's always a diverse crowd at North Avenue beach, with plenty of poor people from every race. Most of them are pretty nice and chill. But on extremely hot days, you're going to have some aggravated testosterone-addled boys in the mix too. In those times, you're probably safer running in Humboldt Park. Bangers seem to leave you be there. I'd certainly rather hang out there than in a room full of half of these Let's Run posters.

Fastnbulbous....do you actually believe you are right?...boy it must be a pleasure trying to talk to someone like you!...always being right type of person

Don't worry, I took care of the Giggler, I can take care of these punks. I just have to get them all bunched together.

don't want to get mugged wrote:

Can i run a solid hard 5 mile tempo run north without being interrupted by lights or cars?

Can someone please advise me on this? I'm heading out to chicago and just want to have a pleasant uninterrupted 5 mile hard tempo session. I've never been there before. I am starting around Navy Pier. 5 miles north gets me to Lincoln Park. Or i can go south to Soldier's Field and then double back. Which will be more pleasant and have a clear cut path for running? Thanks for any tips!

Just go south, young man.

25 shot in 30 hrs. in Chi-town

Lorenzo the Magnificent wrote:

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=7469776

25 shot in 30 hrs. in Chi-town

That's impossible. Daley and the Democratic machine virtually outlawed the private ownership of guns in the city. You must have become confused with the suburbs or downstate, where almost everyone owns a gun.

Just keep people who don't live in the area off the beach make it private like they do in northern suburbs . We all know that the trouble comes from the young blacks and spanish who don't work . And guess what folks i'm black !!!

Here's the latest. They are doing a smart thing. There are only a few places to cross into the area by North Ave and Oak St., so the police are standing by those choke points inspecting coolers and showing everyone their presence.

Of course the ACLU is already making rumbles about the rights of ghetto trash to enter the area unfettered.

Silly Old Fossil wrote:

But Larry, isn't any assault a hate crime? You seem to be implying that black people aren't/can't be capable of a hate crime...only capable of a socio-economic crime....yes?

Great question. Easy answer: no.

Assaults committed without an explicitly racial motive (or one based on religion, sexual orientation, etc etc) are not defined as "hate crimes" by the law.

Obviously, black and white people have both shown themselves as groups to be extremely capable of hate crimes. But, as I stated very clearly, the assailant-victim racial difference does not define a hate crime. Please read more closely next time.

Once again, Uncle Blizzack, you're a b!+ch. Plain and simple.

I'm no right-wing dude either, moron. I do have eyes however, and I can see where problems exist, unlike foolish idealogues that have too much pride to admit where problems lie because it contradicts what they want as their "image" (like you). (...By categorizing people with "agree with me or you're so-and-so" is a CLASSIC case of the hypocritical "ultra-Liberal, and thus not-very-open-to-opposing-views" move by the way...)

Oh, and your post makes no sense because it's perfectly clear how little people agree with you on this thread.

south is towards soldier field.

im getting some mace. i think the fleet feet store on wells sells it.