Mixed results…

I’ve written posts on running while travelling and it’s often a pleasant way to see an area. It’s also the case that not all places are suitable for running and there have been times on the road where I’ve stuck to a treadmill or rolled off laps in a hotel parking lot. 

On a recent road trip, we stayed in the Los Angeles area and after looking at the immediate surroundings and knowing that city blocks are not ideal for logging miles, my first thought was to go to the fitness center in the basement.

However, I checked a map and found a promising spot located about a mile from our hotel, Runyun Canyon Park. There were multiple access points and trails labeled on it so once I got off the main road, I figured it would be a good urban path. 

On the way to the park, the road I used to go in led straight up a steep hill and this was my first clue that this place might not be exactly what I had expected. The gate for the park was on the hill and when I went through it, the road ended, the dirt trail started, and simply kept climbing.

This trail leveled out at one point into a wide dirt area and from there, I got an excellent view of the Los Angeles area. In the distance, through the late afternoon glare and haze, I could just barely see the Pacific. The trail continued to climb and in theory would have afforded a better view further up but I could tell that if I went that way, I would not enjoy navigating it back down (think height exposure) so I turned back.

At the bottom, I found another path, this one paved, that went up into the hills via a different route. Similar to the other one, it only climbed up; there was no roll or change in the terrain. This was not a run I’d expected nor one I would normally choose, at least in terms of elevation gain and loss. The one thing I had as an advantage is that I was at sea level which helped with the steady climbing.

Was it a dud of a run? Not with the view, even if the nature of the rest of the run was not my first choice. When running in unfamiliar areas, sometimes it’s a mixed bag. It’s a good reminder to mix up training runs and routes. You may get surprises, but you’ll be better acclimated for them.

On a random side note, we visited the new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures while we were there and it’s very worth the time to explore it. The exhibits are engaging and cover a range of film technology and history. Good stuff.