Overhead ladder exercise is designed for people of varying sizes.

Awareness of the need for proper physical conditioning has been growing throughout the United States for several years. This has been evidenced by the new interest in "lifetime sports": those activities which individuals can pursue regularly throughout their lives. One such sport is jogging which, when combined with calisthenics, provides thorough conditioning.

But in urban and suburban areas, jogging can be an unpleasant or hazardous pursuit, confining one to cramped neighborhood parks or busy thoroughfares. One competes with boredom, repetition and auto fumes in often sterile and unpleasant surroundings.

The Lake County Forest Preserve District recognized it was in a key position to alleviate some of these concerns. The sylvan character of its large land holdings is particularly suited to low-keyed, individualistic forms of recreation. Forest Preserve properties traditionally have been havens for hikers, canoeists, horseback riders and, most recently, joggers.

The scaling wall pictured indicates the variety of exercises provided. Trail was heavily used even in winter.

Accordingly the District designed and built its own jogging and exercise trail. Olympic Decathlon Champion Bruce Jenner, in whose honor it is named, dedicated the course in late 1977. An immediate success, the trail received a special award in March from the Illinois Society of Landscape Architects.

The success of this project lay with careful planning, good construction and, most importantly, cooperation between many different people.

The design problem was complex. Certain basic requirements had to be met: the trail had to be adaptable to the people of various ages and physical conditions, and offer an exercise routine that was most demanding near the center of the course. Special conditions prevailed as well. The course had to respect existing features of this site and surrounding recreational uses, but be flexible enough for future installation in other preserves. Further it had to provide a unique opportunity, offering fitness exercises and equipment not available elsewhere. The signs and apparatus had to be sturdy and durable, withstanding hard use and even abuse.

The District also sought to maximize its own assets. Foremost among these is, of course, the great beauty of the Illinois landscape. As planned the trail led the user through the most pleasant and varied surroundings possible. Construction, too, presented opportunities. The District's own shop and labor force could ensure a handsome and well-crafted course and, as a public body, the District could encourage as much community involvement as possible through such programs as CETA and the Youth Conservation Corps.

The District believed that these many design considerations offered the chance for a truly inviting

Illinois Parks and Recreation 4 September/October, 1978

Olympic Decathalon winner Bruce Jenner at opening ceremonies for the Lake County Forest Preserve District's physical fitness trail.

creation. Further, research of existing trails and commercially available jogging course packages found them lacking in the flexibility or imagination needed for this project.

As constructed, the Bruce Jenner Trail incorporates twenty exercise stations along a one-mile wood chip path winding through a wooded ravine. Signs and apparatus are adjacent to the trail but out of the direct path of the users. The trail forms a double loop, and offers a resting place halfway.

The stations include typical exercises such as jumping jacks, toe touching, leg lifts, push ups, chin ups, arm circles, hurdle bars and balance beams. Some of the stations resemble the components of a playground or obstacle course: the tire run, rope ladder, climbing wall, and overhead ladder. Although the trail is relatively short, the area is hilly and the exercises challenging.

Of the twenty stations, seventeen include apparatus. Several pieces, while unfamiliar in appearance, are designed to facilitate typical exercises such as body curls, hip circles, and leg lifts. The routines and the jogging distances between them are carefully orchestrated for a healthful and enjoyable experience.

The tire hop stresses speed and agility

All equipment is made of wood. Much of the lumber came from trees removed at other District properties and sawn up for general use. Maintenance and repair costs were kept low through simple and sturdy design. The path is covered with wood chips throughout to ensure a soft and smooth running surface.

The sign system includes an introductory map, exercise station instructions, and directional arrows. Station signs show the exercise name and number, illustrated instructions, and the recommended number of repetitions for the athlete and non-athlete. Except for the station number all information is reproduced directly on white aluminum blanks. Vinyl numbers are applied individually and the finished sign installed with a protective plexiglass cover.

The numbers are not a part of the sign art work, so signs can be reproduced only as needed for future trails.

The sequence and numbers of stations can be modified to suit the space and topography on other sites. Signs can be easily prepared, reducing dramatically the staff time and additional expense of art work.

The signs are designed to provide the necessary guiding information in a clear and unobtrusive way. Their brown and white format and wooden posts complement the character of the area. Combined with the warm and natural appearance of the wood apparatus, the gently winding trail, and the quiet beauty of the out-of-doors, they create a course which is a valuable recreational opportunity for both body and soul.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 5 September/October, 1978