Pretty much any small college town will offer decent running and easy car free living. I've lived in State College, PA and Ithaca, NY. Never owned a car in either town and had great running options right out my front door.
Pretty much any small college town will offer decent running and easy car free living. I've lived in State College, PA and Ithaca, NY. Never owned a car in either town and had great running options right out my front door.
Monterey Peninsula in California! 40F to 70F all year long. Bike/running path along Cannery Row etc. Trails and forests in Pebble Beach. Tremendous views of the Monterey Bay, waves, surfers, rocks, and beaches from Monterey, Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach and Carmel without many people, bikes, or cars. PGHS all weather track open to everyone (even when school and PE classes are happening) from about 7:30 am until about 6 pm. Also, Ft. Ord track, Monterey Peninsula JC track.
Traveling Man wrote:
Which US city would make the best training base for someone without a car? Ideally, the location would have soft surfaces, trails, and other training resources within the city limits, so that one could reach them on foot. Training venues that are accessible via public transportation can also factor into consideration.
San Luis Obispo, CA would be a great location. You have beaches, tons of trails and mountains for variety. The best thing is, you don't need a car and the bus system is very reliable.
Forgot to add that the temperature is very mild year round and you can use the track at the local universities and high school. Almost everybody bikes recreationally and traffic is very low (except on the highways and a couple of major arteries linking SLO to the coast). Avila beach is a 7mi run through the Bob Jones trail. SLO is probably the best place to live on the West Coast.
Flagstaff, bike definitely worth it
Yessir, bus routes to/near Montana de Oro State Park miles of trails, Morro Bay Strand (10+ miles out/back on flat sand at lower tide), Chorro Park (across from Cuesta College) miles of trails, Cuesta itself with soccer fields and track to train on, plus ag lands surrounding, trails behind Cal Poly itself, Perfumo Canyon from SLO Town to Avila for a solid climb... I could go on an on...
Central Coast CA wrote:
Forgot to add that the temperature is very mild year round and you can use the track at the local universities and high school. Almost everybody bikes recreationally and traffic is very low (except on the highways and a couple of major arteries linking SLO to the coast). Avila beach is a 7mi run through the Bob Jones trail. SLO is probably the best place to live on the West Coast.
` wrote:
My experience living in Eugene, near campus, spoiled me for any other city, training-wise. I was less than a half-mile from the SEHS track, meaning I was 1km from the Amazon bark trail (mile loop with lights on til 10pm), meaning I was 1.5 miles from the Rexius bark trail (3.5-mile loop), meaning I was 3.5 miles (2.5 of it being bark) from the Ridgeline trail (6+ miles of well-cared-for single-track trail with hills here and there). Not hard to do 20 miles with only 6-7 of those being out-and-back sections--and less than a mile on roads (basically just crossing a few).
Going the other direction it was 1.5 miles to Pre's Trail or the path along the river that has every quarter-mile marked.
Also the running community there means you'll always have a training partner when you need one.
Never needed a car for training. And, contrary to what I'd expect from reading LetsRun, I never had any problems with homeless people, meth-heads, or Alberto Salazar.
Eugene is the best. Never have to run on a road if you don't want to. Homeless people along river front underpasses are great, they'll cheer for you and offer high 5s
hey wrote:
Rockefeller state park is up there. 30 or so miles of trails all connected. You do need a car to get there, so maybe sleepy hollow, ny isn't the best.
That's not really true if you live anywhere near Metro North Hudson Line (including in NYC). The Tarrytown train station is about 1 mile from the trailhead by Sleepy Hollow HS parking lot, and there are plenty of places to eat or buy food/drink along that mile at the end of the run.
re: Eugene
It's also quite easy to bus to many other fine running routes.
Portland OR is great if you live west side near a bus route, what with Forest Park 'n all.
All else being equal, I can't argue with NYC. I'd rather log my miles in Prospect Park than Central Park, though. To change things up a bit, if you want to factor in cost of living, I'd nominate Akron, Ohio, if you happen to live within a warmup jog distance of one of their many nice parks. I used to work for Goodyear and lived across the street from the University of Akron track. Once you figure out where not to run (i.e., the where rednecks will throw sh!t at you), the running is pretty solid.
north wrote:
the best place would be Vancouver, BC
This doesn't answer the OP's question.
If you're single, in your 20's, in grad school mode or have an opportunity at IC or CU--ditto on Ithaca, NY.
I used to love to run Bostwick Road on the west side of town!
Boston. Paved and unpaved protected paths, Flat or hilly if that's what you need. With the ocean so close lot fewer days of snow than just a bit inland. Great running culture.
Cherry Tree wrote:
I've only been there 3 or 4 times for 3-6 days at a time but I've always thought Washington DC would be a cool place to train. The Mall has soft surfaces and long flat areas, along the river is nice, hills in the area. I've never looked for a track but with that great rail system I'm sure it would be quick and easy to get to one in the 'burbs.
Nah, I live in DC and it's fine as far as cities go but definitely not one of the best places in the US.
The Mall is cool for a 5 mile run but not more than that. The C&O canal path is as good as it gets but would get boring doing it multiple times a week. I haven't really been out to Rock Creek Park but it's supposed to be good.
There's also plenty of bike paths along the rivers and in the surrounding towns but that's not going to set you apart.
As far as tracks go - Georgetown only has a 320 meter track. There's a full one at McKinley High School but that's the only one in the city that I'm aware of.
Not US, but North America--ultra-BA Ellie Greenwood has never owned a car...
I haven't really been out to Rock Creek Park but it's supposed to be good.
I'm not saying it's Eugene or Flagstaff, but Rock Creek Park is terrific, with hills galore and many miles of dirt trails and it links to the Zoo and to the Potomac and to Archibald Glover Park and to Hains Point and the mall complex and to hundreds of miles of other trails in the suburbs. No need for a car anywhere.
GG
Boise, Idaho - especially if you live in the downtown or the North End, as there are miles of single track in the Boise Foothills within minutes of your doorstep. The weather is almost always hospitable, even through the winter months. Area H.S. tracks can also be accessed and are seldom crowded.
Just buy a car already ......... sheeesh!
US cities I've lived in. All very good running areas. None Perfect. Didn't need car to run, although I did have one.
Amherst, late 70s (UMass was a Div 1 school. Is it still? Not sure) Endless runs in gorgeous woods, rolling hills. One the other side, farm roads. For all I know, it's all suburbs now. But it was awesome then. 8.5 out of 10.
Eugene, lived there in the early 80s. Darn good. Pre's trails, south High school track, up the hills just past UofO by Pre's rock, bike trails by Willamette. Lots of races. Run open meets at Hayward Field! Draw backs, crossing a few busy streets, sometimes the air gets funky. 7 out of 10.
Portland, Lived up along NE Killingsworth. Very decent neighborhood road and park running, tracks available. Too many busy streets maybe. Tons of races to run. Open track meets too. Great city to live in. 8 out of 10.
San Francisco, lived at Arguello/Fulton near GG Park. Fantastic. Also Presidio nearby. Maybe you get a bit bored of the park. 7 out of 10. Tons of races.
Oakland. Lake Merritt is a great 5K loop, fun for both training and racing. Plenty of killer runs in Oakland hills. Those hills get you fit. Tons of races and open track meets. Air is bad sometimes. Fine town, but intense traffic. 7.5 out of 10.
Now I live in Oaxaca. Not a US city! Fantastic. Run altitude 5 - 6000 feet mountain trails. 8.5 out of 10. Good for a slow geezer like me! Oaxaca running community, superb. Local contingent of Kenyans show up at any race where prize money is to be had.