Showing posts with label Places to exercise while trucking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Places to exercise while trucking. Show all posts
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Weekly Update to May 20
Got in the 15 miles that I had set as a goal this week. I need to pick out a training plan that will work on the truck. I still have the schedules I used for the previous two marathons, but my goal is faster this time. A marathon under nine-minute miles would be 3:55:48. Since I want to break four hours, this would be an excellent time to shoot for!
5/15 Fremont IN
Six miles around Lake George. Nice day for a run. People were getting their boats and lake houses ready for summer. Wow, no shoulders or sidewalks at all in the whole run. A lady doing yard work told me that there was a way to make it all the way around the lake, cutting through the woods on the north side. She also mentioned that the route may not be passable if the ground was too wet. After a bit of tramping through the woods in running shorts (trying to remember what poison ivy and poison oak look like) I found a reedy marsh. May is not the dry month here, I guess. 65 minutes, "barefoot" style stride.
5/17 Salt Lake City UT
From the Flying J Truckstop on I-80 and UT-201, there is a great trail just west down W 2100 South. The trail is listed on Google Maps under bicycling. Got in three miles in 28:20.
5/19 Sayre OK
Another hot run, in the mid 80-degree range. Made six miles in 64:15 and had a chance to see town. It was three miles from the Flying J Truckstop up US 283 to where business 40 turns off.
5/15 Fremont IN
Six miles around Lake George. Nice day for a run. People were getting their boats and lake houses ready for summer. Wow, no shoulders or sidewalks at all in the whole run. A lady doing yard work told me that there was a way to make it all the way around the lake, cutting through the woods on the north side. She also mentioned that the route may not be passable if the ground was too wet. After a bit of tramping through the woods in running shorts (trying to remember what poison ivy and poison oak look like) I found a reedy marsh. May is not the dry month here, I guess. 65 minutes, "barefoot" style stride.
5/17 Salt Lake City UT
From the Flying J Truckstop on I-80 and UT-201, there is a great trail just west down W 2100 South. The trail is listed on Google Maps under bicycling. Got in three miles in 28:20.
5/19 Sayre OK
Another hot run, in the mid 80-degree range. Made six miles in 64:15 and had a chance to see town. It was three miles from the Flying J Truckstop up US 283 to where business 40 turns off.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
St George UT Trails
Runners and cyclists are more likely to spot a trail when they are just driving by. Just north of the Pilot, (The truckstop used to be a Flying J. I cannot figure out their branding strategy, but it is a Pilot now.) I have noticed a pedestrian bridge for a few years, and have wanted to check out the trails.
As you leave the Pilot, run north up the frontage road. A good sidewalk runs along the street on one side. Look for a sign that says "Bike path to trails" where the road makes a right turn.
The trails break off from one-another, giving a great chance to explore. The city's website has a PDF of all the trails, and how they connect. All the ones I ran on were six to eight feet wide, asphalt, and great for cycling or running. One trail looks like it goes to the top of the bluff overlooking St George.
I got in seven miles in 68:23 while the sun was coming up.
As you leave the Pilot, run north up the frontage road. A good sidewalk runs along the street on one side. Look for a sign that says "Bike path to trails" where the road makes a right turn.
The trails break off from one-another, giving a great chance to explore. The city's website has a PDF of all the trails, and how they connect. All the ones I ran on were six to eight feet wide, asphalt, and great for cycling or running. One trail looks like it goes to the top of the bluff overlooking St George.
I got in seven miles in 68:23 while the sun was coming up.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Upper Las Vegas Wash Regional Trail
Started the week off with an easy run, 6.5 miles, and found a nice trail near the Pilot in North Las Vegas, NV.
The trail is asphalt, about six feet wide, and runs mostly along the wash, except where there is a detour along sidewalks to get to pedestrian crossings. I did not go to the end of the trail, so I don't know if it is long enough for serious biking.
From the Pilot Truckstop, I-15 exit 48, go northward over the interstate and look for the trailhead on the right, just after the concrete wash.
http://www.cityofnorthlasvegas.com/departments/parksandrecreation/TrailInformation.shtm
The trail is asphalt, about six feet wide, and runs mostly along the wash, except where there is a detour along sidewalks to get to pedestrian crossings. I did not go to the end of the trail, so I don't know if it is long enough for serious biking.
From the Pilot Truckstop, I-15 exit 48, go northward over the interstate and look for the trailhead on the right, just after the concrete wash.
http://www.cityofnorthlasvegas.com/departments/parksandrecreation/TrailInformation.shtm
Friday, June 10, 2011
Platte River Trail
Ever wonder where that trail next to the Sapp Brother's Truckstop in Commerce City CO went?
This is a great multi-use trail, almost 30 miles long, and is scheduled to connect to the Front Range trail system. The picture is near my house, in Henderson CO.
You can access this trail from Sapps, or the Tomahawk Truckstop in Brighton CO (a couple of miles west down 120th Street.) The trail aslo goes to downtown Denver.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Sacramento 49r
Sacramento CA has always been a great place for Cindy and I to exercise.
Many bike trails run along the Sacramento River. The biggest truckstop, the Sacramento 49r, is only a couple of miles from the trails.
Now the city is extending the bike paths across the overpass just south of the truckstop, and is building a pedestrian bridge over I-80 near the canal just east of the truckstop.
Today I ran four miles easy, up El Centro Rd (no sidewalk, 30-inch asphalt shoulder) to eastbound San Juan Rd (wide, concrete sidewalk). I encountered the trail-head at the canal (asphalt, wide) and thought I might be able to run down to westbound El Camino and right back to the truckstop.
The unfinished bridge stopped me, and I backtracked to the truckstop.
Raining and 40 degrees. Average 11:00 miles. Minor heel pain.
Many bike trails run along the Sacramento River. The biggest truckstop, the Sacramento 49r, is only a couple of miles from the trails.
Now the city is extending the bike paths across the overpass just south of the truckstop, and is building a pedestrian bridge over I-80 near the canal just east of the truckstop.
Today I ran four miles easy, up El Centro Rd (no sidewalk, 30-inch asphalt shoulder) to eastbound San Juan Rd (wide, concrete sidewalk). I encountered the trail-head at the canal (asphalt, wide) and thought I might be able to run down to westbound El Camino and right back to the truckstop.
The unfinished bridge stopped me, and I backtracked to the truckstop.
Raining and 40 degrees. Average 11:00 miles. Minor heel pain.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Optimism
Something is just wrong with runners.
We engage in an activity most people avoid or consider punishment from their days in High-School sports. When we encounter an overuse injury we are frustrated at trying to reach levels that we used to easily attain. Maybe we step back for a while, but at the first signs of progress, we push it.
Maybe something is just wrong with me.
After months of pampering my left foot and getting to where three or four miles felt pain-free, I started off on a nice run in Alameda CA, just north of the Oakland airport.
The day was cold and rainy, but I was well-dressed for the weather. My heel felt good, my legs felt good, I had the time to not hurry. I had a great prescription for an easy five-mile tempo run at 10:15 pace. Just trying to build miles and return to a marathon-training program.
I watched the rainclouds boil across the Bay from San Francisco. The concrete sidewalk gave way to an asphalt trail, then a gravel path that ran along the water. The miles went quickly and I had to keep watch on my Garmin and keep telling myself to slow down.
At 2.5 miles I saw my turn-around point glide past, thinking I would not add that many more miles by going clear around the peninsula. On a fine, cool day a faster pace would be OK. Wouldn't it?
Back at the truck I was already starting to feel my calves and heel. I finished with eight miles, one of them under 9:00, another at 9:30. I gave up the next week's running to enjoy my day at the Bay, and risked a flare-up of the plantar faciitis.
I did enjoy the run, though. Something must be wrong with me.
We engage in an activity most people avoid or consider punishment from their days in High-School sports. When we encounter an overuse injury we are frustrated at trying to reach levels that we used to easily attain. Maybe we step back for a while, but at the first signs of progress, we push it.
Maybe something is just wrong with me.
After months of pampering my left foot and getting to where three or four miles felt pain-free, I started off on a nice run in Alameda CA, just north of the Oakland airport.
The day was cold and rainy, but I was well-dressed for the weather. My heel felt good, my legs felt good, I had the time to not hurry. I had a great prescription for an easy five-mile tempo run at 10:15 pace. Just trying to build miles and return to a marathon-training program.
I watched the rainclouds boil across the Bay from San Francisco. The concrete sidewalk gave way to an asphalt trail, then a gravel path that ran along the water. The miles went quickly and I had to keep watch on my Garmin and keep telling myself to slow down.
At 2.5 miles I saw my turn-around point glide past, thinking I would not add that many more miles by going clear around the peninsula. On a fine, cool day a faster pace would be OK. Wouldn't it?
Back at the truck I was already starting to feel my calves and heel. I finished with eight miles, one of them under 9:00, another at 9:30. I gave up the next week's running to enjoy my day at the Bay, and risked a flare-up of the plantar faciitis.
I did enjoy the run, though. Something must be wrong with me.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Post Falls ID
Great trail, either direction, from the Flying J truckstop, or the rest area. Runs on the south side of I-90.
75 degrees and sunny
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Thursday, June 4, 2009
Laredo TX
I aways enjoy my running to be an encouragement to people. I also like to freak other truckers out that one of their kind is actually moving somewhere other than toward a chicken-fried steak, but encouragement is fun. Four people, including the cashier at the T/A engaged me in conversation about my morning. The cashier had lost fifty pounds while boxing at a gym over the last year!
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Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Jubitz Portland
48 degrees and dark
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Sunday, January 25, 2009
Santa Nella CA
Today I ran 3.5 miles at tempo pace just north of the Pilot Truckstop in Santa Nella CA.
The idea has occurred to me that this blog would be a great forum for keeping track of where are good places to exercise around truckstops.
The area just north of the truckstop has a loop that has a continuous sidewalk around the whole block. The area was leveled for development, but only has a Subway and a gas station on one corner. One lap is 0.7 miles. No grade on the run at all.
I may think of other categories later, but for now:
Safety: Good. It is in a wide open area, no running through shrubs or near places criminals can hide in. Little or no traffic on two of the sides. No streets to cross.
Pet factor: good, most of the area is open fields.
Scenery factor: Nice view of the Diablo Range to the west. Flat farmland and Interstate 5 nearby.
52 degrees, mostly cloudy
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