Fancy Nonsense 25k/50k
About the race
This fall, picture single track wrapped in gold, amber, and deep red, crisp air, and just the right amount of crunch underfoot. It's the kind of course that makes you forget you're racing at all.
The course is designed to give you space to return to the joy of running. You will smile, you will laugh, and you will test your mental and physical limits while having a blast.
This is a grassroots race, through and through. No frills, no fuss, just good trails, good people, and a community that shows up for each other. Bring your kids, bring your dog (on a leash), bring your best friend who's never run further than a 5k. Everyone belongs out here.
Aid stations and crews
Aid stations will be stocked with your typical ultra fare, plus a few surprises. They will have water, soda, snacks, doughnuts, and more. Let us know if you have food allergies or specific requests.
Crews
- Crews can touch base with their runner at the aid station only.
- No pacers allowed.
Cut off time for both races is 5pm.
Packet pick-up and race day times
Packet pick-up
- 50k runners: 7:00am to 7:45am
- 25k and 5 Mile runners: 8:05am to 8:45am
- Location: Deer Grove West grove #1 this year
Race day
- 50k runners: 8:00am start
- 25k & 5 Miler runners: 9:00am start
There will be a short pre-race briefing to review course markings.
Register by Oct. 15th for a guaranteed shirt.
Cash prizes
Cash prizes are offered this year for top finishers in the 25k and 50k in the men's, women's, and non-binary divisions.
CUSS Running
Curious Ultrarunner's Secret Society was established to inject a sense of whimsy into training calendars, split times, and fartleks. Our goal is to build a community that creates a space for the individual to fall in love with the magic of running.
Mission
To help others fall in love with ultrarunning.
Vision
To make you & the world slightly better through laughter & pain.
BIPOC and LGBTQ+ entries
One of the things we strive for is to create inclusion and equality in the running community. We have a number of free entries for our races that we would like to extend to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ athletes. These are not need based or scholarships. These entries are an affirmation of belonging in our community.
We are not in any way publicly advertising who accepts an entry, and you do not have to be an out member of the LGBTQ+ community to receive one. We are not questioning or asking for additional information from anyone who asks for a code, they will be handed out as long as we have funding to do so.
If you would like a code, please email us at [email protected]. We have earmarked funds for both BIPOC and LGBTQ+.
Entrance policy for transgender athletes
We will accept each entrant's declared gender at face value, and no additional supporting evidence is required. Athletes may register as the gender they identify with.
Entrance policy for non-binary athletes
Non-binary athletes are people whose gender is not male or female, including but not limited to genderqueer, agender, and bigender. We want to acknowledge and respect them, and provide an opportunity in the registration process to express their desired pronouns.
The course
50K
25K
The course is a 5 mile lollipop loop. Runners complete a loop, come back by the aid station, and run another loop until they reach their distance. It is mostly single track and entirely runnable. Major intersections will be marked, and each runner receives a fully marked course map at packet pickup.
Course safety and conduct
There are lots of random, unmarked trails out there. You won't be running any of them, so don't turn down them.
There will be other people out on the course that day, be friendly and kind.
Location
City insight: Willow Springs
Willow Springs is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, with a small portion extending into DuPage County. It was founded in 1892 and named for the springs along the Des Plaines River, and it had a population of 5,857 in 2020. Summers are hot and winters are cold, so spring and early autumn are the best seasons to race.
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