A Run to Reminisce On.....

I'm down here in Champaign-Urbana, during week 2 of my two-week hiatus from work, since the girls' summer program ended and school has yet to start. I'm still working, but working from home...and never a full day (except yesterday.)

Anyway, so the girls and I rode down to Champaign-Urbana with my mother-in-law to visit my siter-in-law and her hubby and baby. They went to school here at the University of Illinois, as did I and my husband. So anyway, I never mind coming down here. It's less than two hours south of Chicago, and every trip conjures up many, MANY memories.

So for those of you who also went to the University of Illinois, this ones for you:

I left the house for a late run, after 7am. Headed out to the intersection of Florida Ave and Philo Rd, which always seemed WAYYYY off campus back in the day. I ran west towards Florida and Lincoln, which is sorta the SE'ern most point of the campus. As I was running, I was a little annoyed by the slight hills that I didn't notice when driving this same stretch the night before.Approaching campus, I passed Orchard Downs (Family housing area--I think), the president's mansion where we protested one cold wintery night.)

At Florida and Lincoln, in came the memories. FAR and PAR residence halls (Florida Avenue Residence, Pennsylvannia Avenue....you get the picture.) I ran past the Illini Grove, thinking about those picnics after Quad Day and other events. I continued north to Nevada Street, and turned west heading towards the Quad. This stretch looks a lot different. There seem to be a lot of new university buildings, like an Early CHildhood Education center (with a daycare.) I passed by Busey Evans Residence Hall, BKA Borgeouise-Evans because it was so nice and ALL of the dorm rooms are singles. With central air. SWEET! I stayed there my last year, and it was like a hotel compared to any other dorm.

So I moved on towards the Quad, passing "The Black House," La Casa Cultural Latina and other student group buildings and arrived at the Quad. Running north, I saw students racing to make their 8am class. I remember those foolish days I took 8am classes. A class on the other side of the Quad can make all the difference whether you will arrive on time or not. (Now 8am doesn't seem so early, but it sure did.)

This post is boring...let me speed it up.

So I took a pitstop in the Union to get some water, came back out, passed Allen Hall and headed back south to the PAR/FAR area, then took a more residential street back east. I would have made 6 miles, but I stopped my run short and stopped at Walgreen's to pick up shower gel, lotion and toothpaste that, as I was running, I realized I'd forgotten at home.

Anyhoo....that is all. Sorry if my post is boring, I'm not feeling especially creative today.



"To thy happy children of the future, those of the past send greetings."