Running in the City

One city runner.

“Be careful – there’s a deer ahead.”

What? I wasn’t running in some distant rural town. It was around 6 or 7 in the morning in downtown Milwaukee. That’s right – downtown Milwaukee. And some stranger just told me a deer was ahead. Maybe he was wrong – I was in the city, after all, you never know who might come up to you and shout gibberish. But, sure enough, as I ventured up the park along Lake Michigan, there was a deer standing right there.

As an experienced runner who’s run in both urban and rural environments, I know the different challenges, and I know that unexpected situations can always happen like the one mentioned above. If you haven’t gone on some longer distance runs – like 10K runs, for example – then you might not have a respect for the unexpected situations that come up in the city.

Here’s how to prepare for them – especially if you don’t view yourself as another hamster on the treadmill.

-Plan your route ahead of time.

You want to avoid traffic lights as much as possible, and you want to head somewhere out of the city – like a lakeside park – as soon as possible. So do a quick Google Maps search, and even check out your route beforehand with the GPS in your car if you want to know exactly where you’ll be going. If you’re truly dedicated to getting involved with running, this will seem like a minor chore.

-Don’t mind the strangers.

Depending on what kind of city you’re in, the amount of people who aren’t as physically active as you might be a bit stunning at first. Some cities are full of runners, bikers, and other exercisers, but others are not. Don’t be afraid to buck the couch potato trend and march to the beat of your own drummer – even if you get some funny looks for the runner’s clothes you wear sometimes. It’s more important to get healthy than it is to win the affection of strangers you’ll never see again.

-When it really gets cold, know where to go.

Most of us are happy leaving the treadmill for the outdoors, but on cold days, that can change in a hurry. If your apartment has a fitness center, by all means, use the treadmill, but if it doesn’t, find some gyms that are open in the mornings. Why the mornings? You’ll want to avoid the rush hour after work in which people flock to the gyms for some post-work-working out. Just be sure not to give up, to be flexible, and keep your running up.

Photo Credits: Ed Yourdon

Originally posted 2009-03-20 05:12:51.

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