The S.I.U.E. trail (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is (predictably) on the college campus of Southern Illinois Univerity in Edwardsville, IL. This puts the trail slightly north and well east of St. Louis, MO. Among its great single track running trails, mountain biking trails and cross-country course, it also showcases a model airplane field. Any given (calm) day you may see miniature airplanes & helicopters taking flight in and around the area - super cool! Oh, and speaking of cross-country, S.I.U.E. hosts the "Mud Mountain 5K Cross Country Classic". While "mountain" is a major misnomer it's a very popular local 5k.
For this episode I brought along my training buddy and good friend, Travis Liles, to give us some commentary & perspective. Travis lives in the area of S.I.U.E. and may well have run more miles on this trail system than just about any one else in the history of planet Earth!
Travis explains some of the terrain and reasons we love to run at S.I.U.E. Welcome to S.I.U.E.!
As Travis mentions, there are TONS of switchbacks and various trails that keep you guessing here. What the trail lacks in elevation change, it more than makes up for it in technical footing and quick turn after quick turn. It can also get pretty muddy if it's been raining, so it's great practice for sloppy conditions when weather allows.
Here, Travis demonstrates the smooth cruising along the rolling and shaded single track - GREAT runnable trail!
There's even a little wildlife out here to be found, if you're not too winded to be paying attention...
There aren't any major hills to manage, so this is a nice respite from some of the more challenging trails in the area that boast more elevation gain/loss:
While there aren't loads of hills - there are LOTS of twists & turns out there, as evidenced by this GPS recording of the course. It can be difficult to "keep a rhythm" while running the trails of S.I.U.E., so don't let it's lack of climbing challenge fool you in to thinking this is a cake-walk. The turns are sharp and many, so it's a different kind of work out...
So many turns, in fact, that I find myself a bit wiped out on occasion on this trail!
This trail isn't the most convenient for me to commute to, but it's definitely worth the trip. If planning a run there be sure to keep in mind there is no access to drinking water - you'll need to bring your own supply. For post run "recovery" nutrition, Chipotle is nearby, so you can indulge in a tasty burrito to refuel!
The S.I.U.E. trail (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is (predictably) on the college campus of 
