The Holy Grail, My Home Away from Home
Katherine Legge, “The Holy Grail of Cross Country.” It is one of the true cross country courses left. It is not one of those sissy flat-as-a-pancake courses like York, LT, Downers Grove North, and Proviso. It has monstrous hills (including one appropriately named Agony), treacherous footing, and even a creek to jump over. It is a park I have come to loathe with a fiery passion. I have run there so many times that I have lost count. I know every turn of the course, every hill, every tree root, and every blade of grass. It is, unfortunately for me, the home cross country course of the Red Devils. The day of the Hornet Red Devil, our big home meet, I am nervous. But, I go to the line with confidence because this is my course. None of the other teams are prepared for Katherine Legge; they have no idea of the pain in store. Someone trips on a tree root, two or three get soaked in the creek, and on Agony they all die like dogs. There are no surprises on the course for me.
This is my park.
It is Saturday October 11th and I am overjoyed to come to Katherine Legge and not have to run. Today, I am not here for a cross country meet or practice. I have come to take a leisurely stroll and to admire Katherine Legge. I see a couple is sitting at a picnic table talking. A father and son are riding their bikes. In the fields, there is a lacrosse team practicing. They run around the field for a warm-up and set up the nets. They cradle the ball and work on passing. Now, thanks to the Sedgwick developments, this is the closest park to practice in.