A few months ago, our family moved cross-country to start a new adventure. As if moving wasn’t stressful enough, the timing of this big transition came during my peak mileage marathon training cycle. When we arrived in our new town, one of the first things I did was look for new running routes.
Since I don’t own a treadmill or belong to a gym, I do all of my running outside. Finding a running route near me was very important; I didn’t want to drive 45 minutes just to run 45 minutes. I also needed an area that was safe – away from cars and heavy traffic – and that had a nice mix of flat and hilly terrain.
Whether you’re moving to a new area or just starting to run outdoors, you’ll need to find the right route for you.
Here are some of the ways I found my new running routes:
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Use Facebook’s search tool to find local running groups in your area. You can find a variety of running groups including free or relatively inexpensive options. This introduces you not only to other runners in your area but also to new routes and trails.
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Map My Run has a feature where you can find local routes that people near you have inputted with their distance. This is great if you are looking to run a specific distance and do not want to trace the mileage before.
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Use Google and search for local trails. I searched “bike trails” and “hiking trails” near my hometown. Biking trails work especially well as they’re usually paved and flat. These searches yielded so many different options near me that I have yet to explore them all!
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Visit your local running store. These people have a wealth of knowledge about the area. They can fill you in on local races, trails and even running groups (like I mentioned above).
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Go old school and drive around a particular area you want to walk, bike or run! Driving through the neighborhood will give you a good idea of the hills, safety and traffic you will encounter.
I love to run on new trails and explore my town on foot. It is one of my favorite ways to experience physical fitness. You’ll always learn more about a place by walking and running rather than driving.
This article also appeared on the Balance Bar blog.
CARLA says
(I LOVE YOUR ATTITUDE ABOUT THE MOVE)
our move brought us one minute from a running store (small locally owned)
it’s the first time I went STRAIGHT THERE and asked about walking routes and groups!
Coach Henness says
Getting it done! So hard to move in the middle of training. So, a trail runner came in to my store last night and I learned about some great coastal trails. I always love asking other runners where they like to go.
Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner says
You know how much I love my MRTT group have you checked their website to see if there is one near you? It’s the best way to make new friends too!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
I just went on my phone app’s site online and did a quick scan when I ran in DC! I stayed on a straight path so I wouldn’t get lost!
James @ HalfMarathonJames says
I moved to a new town about 18 months ago, and loved going for runs where I didn’t know where I was going. It was a great way to learn the new area. I’d come to a junction and either pick up or down, hills or flat. Just remember the way you came though… I got lost one time and a 6 mile run became much longer…
Sandra Laflamme says
I always love discovering new trails! Finding new trails by finding a local running shop is a great shop. I have done that several times when I was traveling and its always worked out very well!
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat says
Love your positive attitude, Rachel! I also just moved to a new city and totally believe that the best way to learn a new environment is to run it. Like you, I’ve used MapMyRun and Google searches to find recommended routes near me. Vancouver is full of very outdoorsy people, so there are plenty of places to choose from!
Samantha says
Excellent write-up, I’m a regular visitor of your blog.
I love reading your posts.