Most underrated training location in the U.S

Asheville/Boone/Blowing Rock, NC

ZAP fitness uses it, I don't know if you call them a major group or not.

Altitude and non altitude close by. Usually good weather. Fair amount of trails.

Hippie chicks galore if that's your thing.

I don't think asheville is underrated. Tons of trails around the city. Everyone knows its the training mecca of the southeast by now. But I'd say western carolina in general is underrated. The answer to this thread is probably Greeneville, SC.

Philly has a ton of assets. Fairmount park is the largest inner city park system in the country. Countless trails and gravel running paths, particularly the Wissahickon. They plow the river loop in the winter, giving you year round access to a 8.4 mile flat asphalt loop with accurate 1/4 mile markings--you can do almost any workout on it.

Franklin field was just redone, it's open to the public during the day and evenings after team practices.

Hills galore.

Ton of running groups for the hobby joggers.

Professional outfit includes Ajee' Wilson and Marielle Hall. Home base for coach Derek Thompson.

Philadelphia Track Club and Bryn Mawr racing offer credible training groups for people somewhere in between those entities.

I have lived all over NYS and Rochester, NY has some of the best parks, paths, and running community around.

Upstate/CNY - Ithaca/FingerLakes, Syracuse, foothills of ADX...

From a psychological standpoint, sometimes challenges in training (related to geography) are what create opportunity to succeed. Yes, it snows a lot. But if you can get a few healthy cycles in that stuff you'll be strong as an ox.

Area was training ground for greats like Pete Pfitzinger. Home to greats like Don Paige, Jen Rhines, Molly Huddle. Cuse & C. Fox are making use of area just fine. Also home to many successful HS programs and a very active running community.

Bellingham wa

I'd vote for Ann Arbor. I loved my time there and the running community isn\'t your normal fun run shuffle fest. The trails, the tracks, the roads - did I mention the trails? There are also a number of really good coaches that have their way of getting to know and helping promising talent develop.

Also, Willis seems to think it\'s pretty alright...

http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/nick-willis-a-man-in-full

Syracuse, N.Y.

Bend, Ore

Fairbanks, AK

Hills all around, "domes", more hills and the winters will toughen you up.

"...other places where no major groups train, but could be awesome if people went there?"

Bisbee, AZ. At 5400ft, considered to have the best year-round climate in the U.S., highschool track at 3000ft for workouts, mountain roads, trails, cheaper to live than Flagstaff.

who would of thought wrote:

Fairbanks, AK

Hills all around, "domes", more hills and the winters will toughen you up.

Good for 6 months, and good for the next 4 or 5 of the next 6 months if you are an XC skier. Nobody half sane wants to be out at -40. That said, half their running club is kind of nuts with club runs at -30 or -40 or whatever.

scanning the country wrote:

We've all heard of Flagstaff, Eugene, Portland, Boulder etc as being some of the best places in the U.S, but what about some of the other places where no major groups train, but could be awesome if people went there? Whether, trails etc...

Las Vegas is one of the worst, I know that... It also might have been that I was still drunk but not sure

WNC wrote:

Asheville/Boone/Blowing Rock, NC

ZAP fitness uses it, I don't know if you call them a major group or not.

Altitude and non altitude close by. Usually good weather. Fair amount of trails.

Hippie chicks galore if that's your thing.

I haven't been there but was thinking of NC. Moderate weather and has both mountains and beaches.

Orange County or San Diego County California. Great weather, hills and trails everywhere you look or long paved paths with no cross-streets if that's more your speed. Also, local talent is deep if you like a challenge.

Gary, Indiana.

Homicides and violent crime are down slightly, well at least compared to forecast, so its rating is lower than it should be. Flat and you need to be able to run fast. And to meet your other criteria, there are definitely no major groups that train there and would be awesome if people went there.

Birmingham AL.

Summers can be rough though. But there are some big hills there. Also nice trails around in some of the parks.

edward teach wrote:

I don't think asheville is underrated. Tons of trails around the city. Everyone knows its the training mecca of the southeast by now. But I'd say western carolina in general is underrated. The answer to this thread is probably Greeneville, SC.

I like Greenville SC, rest of the state, not so much.

As far as training locations go, I would say St. Louis is definitely under rated. I lived in U city when I went to college there and cost of living is incredibly cheap compared to any other decent size city,

forest park has a 6 mile dirt/gravel trail around the perimeter as well as a ton of grass ad dirt trails inside the park,

Grants trail is a 15 mile trail

There is a new riverfront trail that goes from the arch area out to Alton, Ill

Castlewood state park is about a 15 minute drive away for a nice secluded training area with a vast network of backwoods trails.

There are a lot of post collegiate athletes hanging around as well as some fairly competitive training groups for the area.

as far as trails, Eugene is OVERRTAED. It has competitions, people to train with, area support...but unless things have changed in the last 10-15 years, theres not a too many solid trails to run. The Williamette River trails can get old.