2024 marks 15 YEARS of Afterglow! 

From our friends at the “other” CCC… the Chicago Cuttin’ Crew and Friends of Big Marsh have come together to bring you a few warmup laps before the races begin.

Afterglow has always been about lifting each other up and empowering our community to THRIVE. It started as just a cyclocross race and has evolved into a bike-run-dance-party. We’re offering events for the whole family!

We’ve partnered with the Chicago Park District to bring the ‘Glow to Big Marsh Park for the second year in a row. Our best people are on the job of taking over the bike park, the Big Hill, and bits of flowing singletrack. Details on the courses… aww it’ll be awesome, just show up!

Registration is free on Bikereg, however, we highly recommend kicking over a donation to FBM’s MightyCause so we can keep Chicago’s only dedicated bike park accessible to everyone. Donate enough, and you’ll get a shirt and/or poster 😎

Donations will also go towards supporting our young friends from Boxing Out Negativity and Lost Boyz who will be rolling deep at Afterglow.

We cannot wait to celebrate bikes with you! 

• Happy New Year! We hope everyone had a great holiday and got some time off to spend with their family and friends.
• The cyclo-cross season rolls on, at least in Europe during the Kerstperiode. If you haven’t been watching the racing action has been great and the team names have been amazing!
• This Saturday starting at 6:30pm at Specialized Fulton Market we’ll host the CCC series awards party. See below. Please RSVP on this form so we know how many people to expect.
• Like last year we’ll have a raffle for tons of great prizes as well as awarding the series overall winners’ jerseys provided by Pactimo and cowbells as well as a few surprises. There is no cost to attend but the raffles do require a few cash dollars. We look forward to seeing you all there!
• Also at the party, Half Acre will have a few Montrose Beach posters, stickers and buttons for sale, as well as items paid for but not picked up at the race on 12/3/2023.
• And finally… remember the Specialized Crux raffle is still live. We’ll sell Crux raffle tickets during the party too but will close things down no later than 8pm to prepare for the drawing.

• Thanks to everyone who came out to race, cheer, eat donuts and tacos, and enjoy themselves at Montrose Beach. And thanks to Half Acre Cycling and Chicago United for hosting the event! What a way to end the series in the city, on the beach, in the rain, sand, and mud. Montrose once again proved itself worthy of being the Illinois State Cyclocross Championships. Links to all results are here.
• For all the series overall winners, please check your inbox as we’ve sent you an email.
• The CCC series may be over, but cyclocross is far from over this season. Good luck to everyone headed to Louisville, KY this week to race at USA Cycling National Cyclocross Championships!
• And while CX may be over after this coming weekend in the United States, there’s still plenty of European cyclocross between now and the beginning of February when CX World Championships will be held in Tabor, Czech Republic.
• Speaking of 2024… please join us at the end of season awards party on Saturday January 6th 2024 at Specialized Chicago‘s Fulton Market location. Will have swag and once again more product raffles than you can shake a mud-filled drive-train at.
• And finally… the end of season raffle will remain open for a chance to win one of TWO Specialized Crux bicycles provided by Specialized Chicago. Entries are $5 and there is no limit to how many you can purchase. Winners will be drawn at the awards party.

• The Half Acre Cycling and Chicago United clubs are excited to bring you Montrose Beach CX — the CCC series finale AND the Illinois State Championship. Please read all of the info below for some important notes (yeah, we know, it’s a lot). Also more here.
• Preliminary Staging will be posted here Saturday morning. Please email us if there are issues.
• Since this is both the Illinois State Championship AND CCC series finale, podiums are a little complicated. Please help the best announcer a race series could ask for — if you are top three in the race or the series overall, report to the podium ASAP following your race. See here for how state champs will be awarded.
• The weather looks to be … not terrible? But as always, the wind coming off the lake can be strong; please make sure to secure your tents.
• Here’s your friendly reminder that Montrose Beach is a large city park where people who have no idea what us weirdos are doing WILL be wandering through on their usual Sunday strolls (the lakefront path cuts through the course). Yes, we’ll be celebrating the local finale of cyclocross with drinks** and food and more dranks**, but please be on your best behavior and show the city what a classy bunch we are, and always race with your head up.
• ** And now let us pause for the annual message from the fun police … this is Chicago Park District property and alcohol is not permitted.
• Big thanks to our generous sponsors for helping make the 46 Ward Ald. Angela Clay Illinois State CX Championship presented by SRAM & Specialized Chicago possible:

• SRAM
• Specialized Chicago
• The Spoke & Bird Cafe
• Ellie Thompson + Co.

• Speaking of Specialized Chicago, pre-reg riders can head to the Fulton Street location on Saturday, December 2 from 11:00 to 3:00 p.m. to get your bib number early. Pin your number from the comfort of your own home! While there, you can pick-up the limited edition poster you already ordered on BikeReg when you registered early. If you didn’t, there might still be some available for purchase.
• Speaking of numbers, it goes on your left side and you’ll use the same number for as many races as you do all day!
• Spoke & Bird Cafe is sponsoring a special designated HAND-UP ZONE on the course, as an alternative line to the wood planks. Skip the bunny hops and see what yummy treats are on offer. And if you have hand-ups to give out, bring ‘em here and make it a party!
• Thanks to Ellie Thompson + Co. the women’s categories will also be racing a sweet custom belt buckle!
• We have FOUR food truck options this year with Firecake Donuts arriving bright and early with coffee/donuts; and for lunch Gilty Pig is returning, along with the Tacomotora Tacos truck you may have tasted at Quarry Cross, as well as Soul & Smoke BBQ.
• Simonds Drive is closed to thru-traffic and parking within the barricades is restricted to officials, food trucks, sponsors, porta-potties and the like. Regular parking is along Simonds Drive and Montrose Drive either to the north or south, entering and exiting the way you came in. Per the Chicago Park District, NO DRIVING ON THE GRASS OR PAVED PATHS, ANYWHERE! We cannot emphasize this point enough and yet still had vehicles break this rule. Please adhere to marshals regarding your vehicle parking and movements.
• Speaking of parking, if you are a big team with a lot of everything (or just want to ensure you are close to the action) a few parking spots within the barricades are available with a donation on BikeReg to help defray the overall event costs. Entry for this is from the NORTH END of Simonds drive — check in with the nice volunteers and show your receipt. (If you have a trailer please count that as a second space).
• On Sunday, teams may drop off tents/equipment at the turn-around on the south-end of Simonds Drive near the staging grid. The driver must remain with the vehicle to expedite unloading and keep traffic flowing, just like at the airport. It’s usually a high-volume operation with everyone coming at the same time, so help your teammates.
• Speaking of team tent placement, please see the map with areas designated for tent placement. We have reasons for this, some of which are specific Park District requests. Please help us in keeping this venue and stay within designated team tent areas.
• All are welcome, nay encouraged, to drop/place tents and other large items on Saturday afternoon! There is hired security for overnight watch (though of course HAC, CU, USAC, CPD, et al. cannot take responsibility for what the weather/acts of gods could do to items left overnight, so make sure it’s secured/laid down/tied down). And hey, stick around to lend a helping hand with course setup.
• Speaking of helping hands, every race could use a few more hands, especially for course marshaling spots required of the lakefront path crossings. Volunteers get free coffee & lunch! Check the sign-up sheet.
• Onto the course: We are returning to the tradition of alternating between Cricket Hill and sand first, with the hill having the honors this year. Once again we have a UCI-style pavement start and finish, with those who are heading to Nationals the following week in mind. Note the right-to-left shimmy onto a ramp transition after the first turn. We have made the angle here less severe than in the past which will allow for higher speeds, but please stay friendly on the starts; remembering that you can’t win the race there, but you can lose it. (First aid is located next to the start grid.)
• A full-size pit with race and change lanes, and neutral service provided by Ben and Steven from Tailwind Cycles. Bring cash for tips if they help/save your race!
• While there is a double planks alternate line, there is also a railroad tie located on the final uphill before the finish that you gotta do!

• We hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Back to racing this coming weekend… one more to go on Sunday 12/3/2023 for the series finale and Illinois State Championship at Montrose Beach presented by SRAM and Specialized Chicago, hosted by Half Acre Cycling and Chicago United. The local event at noon will be an Adaptive Sport Demonstration p/b Shirley Ryan Ability Lab.
• Please avoid riding on the course or what you think is the course this week ahead of the race. Thanks!
• Half Acre and Chicago United could use a few more volunteers, sign-up here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1g5IhmxWkjKv9qg2WwnkDDkaiy5mdmRJVhfDv0MvFP8Y/edit?usp=sharing
• Please check your email inbox and make sure you have signed the online waiver via BikeReg to make everyone’s life easier on Sunday at sign-in.
• Anyone can race but remember you must have a valid and unexpired USAC annual license as well as be an official Illinois State Resident (on your drivers license or ID card) and US Citizen to win a state championship. Here’s State Championship category breakdown:

• Thanks to our local photographers Ned Bowen and Tim Radcliff we’ve added a bunch of new header photos to all the Race Pages. Check them out and make sure to thank Ned and Tim next time you see them! Hint: When on the individual race pages, hit refresh a few times to see all the photos.
• And finally… the end of season raffle is still open for a chance to win one of TWO Specialized Crux bicycles provided by Specialized Chicago. Entries are $5 and there is no limit to how many you can purchase… now through the end of season awards party on Saturday January 6th at Specialized Chicago‘s Fulton Market location. Good Luck!

• Thanks again to EMC2 / Elmhurst Masters for a great day at Quarry Cross at The Forge. A new venue always brings not only new challenges but also new opportunities, and Jostein and the gang knocked it out of the park. We had our largest number of racers of the series which we don’t normally see at this point in the season. Links to all results are here.
• The last five weeks flew by in a flash, so now its time to take a quick break. We wish everyone a great weekend off and hope you are able to spend time with family and friends and enjoy a great Thanksgiving!
• The CCC returns the following week on Sunday 12/3/2023 for the series finale and Illinois State Championship at Montrose Beach presented by SRAM and Specialized Chicago, hosted by Half Acre Cycling and Chicago United. The local event at noon will be an Adaptive Sport Demonstration p/b Shirley Ryan Ability Lab.
• We tried our best this year to come up with a new overall series scoring schedule that would make as many categories as possible not be decided until the last race of the year. But try as we did, many riders have already mathematically sewn up their category overall titles after Quarry Cross. Riders highlighted in yellow on the overall series standings are >=40 points ahead of second place and no matter what happens at Montrose Beach have already won their overall category. So congratulations to those riders, and for everyone else… get ready and stay sharp for Montrose.
• Speaking of staying sharp… USA Cycling National Cyclocross Championships are again in Louisville, Kentucky this year the week after Montrose. Good luck to everyone heading South to race at Nationals!
• And finally… as we head into the end of the CCC season, we’ll still have one more event to put a bow on the series and celebrate everyone’s accomplishments. We’re speaking of course of the End of Season Awards Party on Saturday January 6, 2024 at Specialized Chicago’s Fulton Market location. The event is free for everyone but we ask that you please RSVP through this form so we know how many people to expect. And while you’re filling out forms, fill out the one here and purchase a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of two Specialized Crux CX bikes. The proceeds go towards series operations (i.e. buying more plastic stakes to replace all the ones broken this year) that benefit everyone.

FOR THIS RACE ONLY if you’re racing more than once you’ll wear the same bib number for all categories. However you still need to check in for ALL categories at the Reg desk. Thanks!

• The first new venue in the CCC in a while, Quarry Cross at The Forge is hosted by EMC2 / Elmhurst Masters and the DuPage Cycling Foundation.
• Race flyer and website at elmhurstcyclingclassic.com
• Venue provided by The Forge  forgeparks.com
• Online pre-registration on BikeReg is open until midnight tomorrow (Friday).
• Preliminary Staging will be posted here Saturday morning.
• The Forge Zip Line Park will be open for normal operations. The Kids Adventure Zone adjacent to the race is $20 for an all-day pass.
• Team tents are welcomed on The Lawn in front of the stage. The Forge has two large community tents permanently set up, so not bringing your team tent can be an option.
• Directions: Please use 227 Heritage Quarries Drive in your GPS. Follow signs from there to the main parking lots. Please obey the 10mph speed limit on the mile plus drive in. 
• Parking: There is plenty of parking, please park in designated lots and do not block entry/exit roadways.
  
• Prizes:
  – All podium finishers will receive park vouchers compliments of The Forge.
  – Age Group and Category Winners will receive THE GOLDEN CROWN OF CHAMPIONS provided by Walden Florist of Downers Grove.
  – Juniors that make it to the Candy Podium will receive a “Lemonsters” t-shirt compliments of Lemont Downtown.
  – A variety of podium prizes compliments of the DuPage Cycling Foundation.
  
• There will be a special first lap Reaper Prime for the  first racer over the Lemontstairs for each field.
• The winner of the Cat 5 race will win the first ever Golden Turkey Trophy sponsored by honeyacrewoods.info.
• All racers 21 and older will get a ticket for a free beer provided by Pollyanna Brewing of Lemont. The tap is in The Foundry on site, where they also sell beer, pop, wine hot coffee and hot chocolate all day.
• Food: Big Ed’s Shed BBQ & Grilling of Lemont. Award winning Texas Red Chili and All Hallows Eve Pumpkin Soup (Vegetarian).
• Tacomotora of Chicago. The best Mexican Tacos. “Full Stop!”.
• Racer will have access to a hospitality tent for stretching/massage before or after races courtesy of Rehabitconciergephysicaltherapy.com
  
• The Course: Runs counter clockwise. Brand new venue = new for everyone course with six distinct features.
  – The Runway = a long gravel start
  – The Bedrock Pond = a long off camber challenge
  – The Range = a series of tunes on loose mulch
  – The Arena = A run-up followed by tree slalom. 
  – The North Shore = A & B line singletrack choices ending with three wood plank banked turns.
  – The Hoogerheide = our version of the famous Dutch course with a hay bale run up “The Lemontstairs”

• Thanks to Sasquatch Squadron powered by Main Street Bicycles and the Northbrook Garner Bicycle Club.for hosting another great Wheeling Heritage Park CX. We had our largest number of racers this past weekend. The great weather probably helped. Links to all results are here.
• Next up the series heads to Lemont for Quarry Cross at The Forge hosted by EMC2 / Elmhurst Masters. Looks for the course preview at the regular time on Thursday.
• If you haven’t been checking the comments, Ned Bowen and Tim Radcliff have been taking lots of great photos at all the race. Check them out and give them credit if using a photo online.
• And finally… we’ve very happy to announce the CCC’s newest series sponsor Specialized Chicago! They’re not new to the series as they hosted our 2022 season Series Awards and 2023 Town Hall at the Fulton Market location, and we’ll be back for the 2023 Series Awards party. But besides being great people and wonderful hosts, Specialized Chicago is donating not one, but TWO Specialized Crux CX bicycles to the series for a raffle. See our post here on how to enter. Winners will be selected at random at the CCC Series Awards Party at the Fulton Market location on January 6, 2024.

Enter to win one of TWO Specialized Crux bicycles provided by Specialized Chicago!

Fill out this Form first: https://forms.office.com/r/GGdm572mt5

Purchase $5 raffle tickets via:

• Cash –> In person at CCC events only
• Venmo –> Hannah-Miller-95
• Zelle –> [email protected]
• PayPal –> [email protected] or scan below

If you’ll be attending the awards party on 1/6/2024 at 6:30pm please let us know by filling out this form.

• The Wheeling Park District welcomes us back for another day of cyclocross racing at Heritage Park cohosted by the Sasquatch Squadron powered by Main Street Bicycles and the Northbrook Garner Bicycle Club.
• Preregistration on BikeReg closes at 11:59 pm Friday. Race day entries will be available only through BikeReg for an additional $10 upcharge. Registration closes 30 minutes before the scheduled race time. 
• Preliminary Staging will be posted here on Saturday.
• All are invited to attend a free Health Fair in the Community Center from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Check out the presentations, class demos like spin, activities for kids’, screenings, and more. The Center also has public rest rooms with hot showers available. The park hosts activities throughout the year, so get on their e-mail list. 
• Please park in the North Parking lot east of the course to be closest to registration and the start. Please do not park in the lot adjacent to the Community Center to keep spaces open for folks heading indoors.  
• The Cart will be put before the course once again with Mario’s Cart providing midday Mexican food. 
• Lots of open grass and paved pathway for warming up, but as always, be mindful of pedestrians and other patrons of the park. Please refrain from riding on the playground surface and don’t set up tents in the pavilion grass due to underground electrical. No drones are allowed to take flight within the park due to the proximity of the Chicago Executive Airport. PWK for those of you booking last minute arrivals.  
• Weather looks great, but its cold out there. Please plan and dress accordingly.
• Staging is in the northeast corner nearest the North Parking lot access road. The finish line and registration are to the south of staging. The two-way pit is just east of the aquatic center.  
• Bring your hops at “high” noon. Our local event is a bunny hopping contest. Sign up for free in BikeReg. The course runs anti-gravity. Go higher than everyone else and receive some high-calorie fare to make future hop contests fairer. 
• The course runs clockwise. Flat at the start and finish, but in between you’ll ride the camber along the pool embankment until you hit the course elevation; enjoy the views of the lake and surrounding area from the top before heading back. The finish will be extra CX. Remember to look through the corners.