Fancy Nonsense 25K/50K

OCT
24
2026
Fancy Nonsense is a looped trail race at Red Gate Woods near Willow Springs and Lemont, Illinois, with 50K, 25K and 5 mile options on runnable singletrack. Expect repeated 5.5 mile loops, plentiful aid and classic ultra snacks.
Sat 24 Oct 2026
50 kilometers 25 kilometers 5 miles

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Event

Fancy Nonsense is an organized trail race held in the Palos Trail System at Red Gate Woods near Willow Springs / Lemont, Illinois. The event offers multiple race distances and runs on repeated loops of the marked course. Registration closes on Sat, Oct 10 (deadline listed). The cutoff time for both races is 5pm.

Distances

  • 50K
  • 25K
  • 5 Miler

Course and race services

The course is a 5.5 mile loop, mostly single track and described as entirely runnable. Runners pass the main aid station between loops. Aid station support includes water, soda, snacks, doughnuts, and similar ultra fare. The 25K field is served by two aid stations; the 50K field is served by five aid stations. Major intersections will be marked and each runner receives a fully marked course map at packet pickup. There are additional unmarked trails in the area that are not part of the course.

Race policies and logistics

Crews may meet runners at Red Gate Woods. Pacers are not allowed. The event organizer provides a limited number of free entries for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ athletes as an inclusion initiative. The organizer accepts entrants’ declared gender for registration and offers a process to record preferred pronouns for non-binary athletes. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.