Best place in Seattle for a 12 mile run?

Your best bet is the path that is right along the water. It's super close to downtown, paved and flat, and has awesome views of the city and Rainer. Just ask your concierge which streets to take from your hotel. Enjoy!

You can run with me, bro. I just do random routes that go through Greenlake, Ravenna, Laurelhurst, etc.

Portland

Similar to your last poster, options:

1) Run down to the water, then north on the bike path through the sculpture park, and a bit of an industrial area, and around Discovery park (Discovery park is great, but there's a lot of barren industrial stuff to get there/back)

2) Jog to the tip of South Lake Union, then get on a trail there -- either way works, and go across either the University or Fremont bridge and get on the Burke Gilman trail -- flat, paved trail for bikers/runners

3) Maybe my recommended: Run up the west-side of Lake Union, across the fremont bridge, and along the Burke-Gilman / Leary to the Ballard Locks (Hiram Chittenden Locks) -- this is a cool seattle tourist attraction and you'll have to walk through it, but worth seeing -- then come back along the firsherman's terminal bike path side and back along Lake Union. Worth mapping out on GMAPs to understand the route, but this is a good flat option.

4) Just cab across to the Madison Park / Madrona neighborhood and run along Lake Washington down to seward park -- if it's nice out, Mt. Rainier will be looming for a great run.

5) Worst case, a lap around Lake Union (crossing Fremont and University bridges) is ~10K, so two of those does the trick.

Running on the waterfront up to discovery park and back would be ideal if you got a very, very, very rare day when it was sunny and clear enough to see Rainier and the Olympics. If it is the usual overcast, try going up the west side of Lake Union to the old gas works for a nice view of the city and then head over to UW and the arboretum. Follow E. Madison back into town. That would get you well over 12, but would be a nice run. Going around Lake Union is not so great. It is really just a lot of sidewalk through parking lots. But there are real trails on the north side of the lake that head over to UW. Driving up to the arboretum would be the best bet if you wanted to keep it simple and get on trails instead of dealing with the streets.

Sherman Richard wrote:

Going to be staying downtown. Need to get a 12 mile run in on a Thursday or Friday. Can I run from my hotel or am I better off driving somewhere?

I'll be in Seattle this weekend looking to run 13-15 for anyone interested. 7:30ish pace avg starting slower than that and finishing slightly faster than the avg.

Jamin, you interested in running?

Reg Fields wrote:

Sherman Richard wrote:

Going to be staying downtown. Need to get a 12 mile run in on a Thursday or Friday. Can I run from my hotel or am I better off driving somewhere?

I'll be in Seattle this weekend looking to run 13-15 for anyone interested. 7:30ish pace avg starting slower than that and finishing slightly faster than the avg.

Jamin, you interested in running?

For sure. Email me at

really awesome responses here

anyone know of any dirt trails or grass areas good for long runs?

Best ones are outside the city -- Redmond Watershed Preserve on the eastside is awesome, Cougar Mountain is hillier but also nice. Both are ~25-30 minutes from Lake Union, across the bridges (520 for Redmond, I-90 for Cougar)

Between the arboretum and the marshlands behind husky stadium you can piece together some good miles mostly on dirt, in the center of the city.

Discovery park quite good through the trees, but can be a bit tough to get to.

So many great trail systems and runs around Seattle. Check out Burke-Gilman Trail, Interurban Trail, Eastside Rail Trail, or back and forth across I-90 - although these are mostly paved. Might need to go beyond downtown to find dirt/grass. Have you used the TrailLink app? Shows trails where you are with ratings from users. Also check Washington Trails Association and their "hike finder".

I always feel safe and secure no matter where I run in Seattle, so venture out!!!

THE DEMPSEY

Bridal Trails State Park in Kirkland. Amazing soft surface trails in the woods.

jamin wrote:

Reg Fields wrote:

I'll be in Seattle this weekend looking to run 13-15 for anyone interested. 7:30ish pace avg starting slower than that and finishing slightly faster than the avg.

Jamin, you interested in running?

For sure. Email me at

JaminTKing@gmail.com

Emailed you

Reg fields wrote:

Emailed you

Looks like another LETSRUN MEETUP is on tap