"The Beast" obstacle course proved to be a challenge for Connor Quirke, who ran in the kids race, and his mom, Emily, who took part in the adult race of the H-F Racquet & Fitness Club event. (Marilyn Thomas/H-F Chronicle)
Local News

Challengers take to “The Beast” to prove their strength, agility

“This’ll make you break a sweat,” said Walter Myers as he tossed a tire on “The Beast,” an obstacle course and dash presented by the H-F Racquet & Fitness Club.

Walter Myers flips a tire at Obstacle 4 of "The Beast" obstacle course and dash sponsored by the H-F Racquet & Fitness Club. (Marilyn Thomas/H-F Chronicle)
Walter Myers flips a tire at Obstacle 4 of “The Beast” obstacle course and dash sponsored by the H-F Racquet & Fitness Club. (Marilyn Thomas/H-F Chronicle)

The tire toss was Obstacle 4. Myers had six more obstacles and another mile of running to go to complete “The Beast,” a course designed by Kelly Anhalt, group fitness coordinator and personal trainer, and Ashley Bianchi, a personal fitness trainer at the club.

The first-time event drew 33 participants, ages 6 to 77, who took advantage of a beautiful summer’s day on Saturday, June 11, to run the course on a grassy knoll behind the racquet club, 2920 W. 183rd St. in Homewood. 

Kids were up first, starting at 8 a.m. Adults started on the course at 9:30 a.m.

"The Beast" obstacle course proved to be a challenge for Connor Quirke, who ran in the kids race, and his mom, Emily, who took part in the adult race of the H-F Racquet & Fitness Club event. (Marilyn Thomas/H-F Chronicle)
“The Beast” obstacle course proved to be a challenge for Connor Quirke, who ran in the kids race, and his mom, Emily, who took part in the adult race of the H-F Racquet & Fitness Club event. (Marilyn Thomas/H-F Chronicle)

“The Beast” had a cheering section of supporters who gave encouragement as runners ran their laps. The program was designed so kids ran one mile and five obstacles and adults ran two miles and then met the challenge of 10 obstacles – tire toss, balance beam, hay bale climb, etc.

Celestine McGee, right, and Emily Quirke do crunches with weights on the obstacle course of “The Beast” hosted by the H-F Racquet & Fitness Club. (Marilyn Thomas/H-F Chronicle)

Mike Barker of Flossmoor was the first to complete the adult leg of the course in 30 minutes. He said he is a regular runner, so he was able to keep a good pace. He learned about “The Beast” from Bianchi and thought “it sounded really awesome” so he came out for the challenge. 

Linda Dasey of Homewood is a regular at the racquet club, spending more than two hours a day on the treadmill and other equipment. She signed up for “The Beast” to try something different. It proved to be a lot of effort, but she kept at it with short pauses after running the loop. Kids in the cheering section brought her water before she headed off to meet the challenge of another obstacle.

Linda Dasey of Homewood set a comfortable pace for herself as a participant in "The Beast" obstacle course. (Marilyn Thomas/H-F Chronicle)
Linda Dasey of Homewood set a comfortable pace for herself as a participant in “The Beast” obstacle course. (Marilyn Thomas/H-F Chronicle)

Emily Quirke of Flossmoor wore her sentiment on her shirt: “Everything hurts and I’m dying.” Her husband, Joe, and children Connor, soon to be 10, and Katherine, 7, cheered her on with each lap. 

Emily said although she doesn’t have a regular exercise routine, she accepted the challenge of “The Beast.” 

“I’m hoping it inspires me to exercise but it’s not working, but I’m still doing it!” she said.

“I’m proud of my mom and my brother,” Katherine said. Connor completed the kids version of “The Beast,” which he described as his first run. He’d do it again.

Quirke found a buddy runner in Celestine McGee, 60, from Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.

Flossmoor Mayor Michelle Nelson, an avid runner, came to the event with her son Logan.

“I hadn’t planned on this, but I decided to join him,” she said.

After his run, Barker said if the park district sponsors the event again, he’ll recruit people to come out. He’d like to see it become a tradition. Shelley Strasser, a supervisor at the racquet club, was encouraged by his sentiment and said she’d like to see the event return next year.

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