- "To the lake and back" was a three mile run that started at our apartment in Highwood, IL and headed down a hill and past the Highland Park High School. It then headed past a couple of beautiful mansions and -ended at a spot that overlooked Lake Michigan. It was a staple of our running routine.
- "To the bridge and back" headed the opposite direction and ran along the Metra train tracks past the old Fort Sheridan. It was a six mile route that we ran at least once a week.
- "The 7 1/2 Loop" ran through the streets of Highland Park and then along the converted train tracks back to Highwood. The best feature here was a ravine that funneled the cold air above Lake Michigan inland. Dropping down into that ravine would lower the temperature by 10-15 degrees...a wonderful thing on a hot day.
Today most of my runs start from home. Living out in the country means that most of my runs are "out and back" routes rather than loops. The shortest loop is about 7 1/2 miles. "Around the block" is at least 10. Typically I run "up the Scenic Highway" which takes me past several small lakes and marshes. The shoulders are wide and gravel which is good for my knees. Sometimes I'll run "down the Scenic" which is hillier and has an asphalt shoulder, but I'll only do this when I am desperate for a change of pace.
2 comments:
I really like variety in my routes. I just counted and have 185 different routes saved on gMap-Pedometer in the area where I live, ranging from 3.1-14.1 miles. Some only vary slightly -- the spot where I stop or one street that is different or a doubled loop. I generally run loops or modified loops (first little bit and last little bit are out and back to get me from/to home with the bulk of the run being a loop).
Wow...185 different routes to choose from! I certainly don't have that many options out my front door. Sometimes I wish I did. Fortunately, the scenery here is beautiful and the traffic is almost non-existent. I frequently see more deer than cars on my runs.
Post a Comment