Traffic IS bad in seattle, but great trails such as Cougar mountain (50+ miles of trails). Near Issaquah there is Tiger mountain, you could easily get a 20 mile long run there and in my opinion are some of the most fun trails to run on. On the Sammamish Plateau there is the Beaver Lake Preserve, it's small, but it's a nice place to run. The Issaquah Highlands also have great trails and paths. These are about a 15-30 minute drive from Seattle, but they are worth it if you want a more secluded, far less urban environment to train in.
iunon9uunjhnm wrote:
Ralphy wrote:Seattle, WA- very active city with an oceanfront paved path and you can always drive out to trails since traffic's not too bad
Chicago, IL- has much to offer in terms of employment, culture, entertainment, etc...for a young bachelor, a paved lakefront path, training groups, established marathon, road racing tradition, only drawback is soft surfaces
Both places are terrible. Seattle is paved as far as the eye can see, and has ONE paved path to run on. Asshole cyclists abound on it and will cut you off without notice. Drivers don't give a rip and will run you off the road if necessary. Traffic IS bad in Seattle. And not to mention the cold, windy, rainy weather 4 months out of the year.
Chicago is likewise paved as far as the eye can see, and not a good park for miles to hit the trails on. You can run along the PAVED lakeside trail...if you're looking to get mugged/raped/shot.
Want to find the best (sea level) cities to train in? Go to small Midwestern college towns. TONS of dirt trails, gravel roads, track facilities, cheap housing, cheap living expenses, great weather. And most are within a few hours of a major metropolitan area to race in. Few cars to run you over. No crap in the air.