20130102

Urban Trail Running

Lately, I haven't been able to take the time to drive to the Issaquah Alps to trail run, and running on pavement is - for me - uninspiring.  PG says its because my ADD-addled brain needs more stimulus to stay engaged - how she can run the two 5k loops she laps around our house has me glassy-eyed.

But I found a new source of inspiration - Seattle Stairs!  This website was pointed out to me by a Seattle Fire Department firefighter (firefighters have a fetish for running stairs) - its an online map of every public stair set in the city, and +30 4-6 mile "hikes" that link stairs, hills and parks into the closest thing to a trail run.  I checked out the Alki Stairs route and found 6 miles of Interesting.

Check it out for yourself - http://seattlestairs.home.comcast.net/~seattlestairs/

Discovered a new trail through a pocket ravine park.

A steep stair down.


Steep climb out of Schmitz park.

Ocean views throughout.

Statistics:  Alki Stairs Trail Run.  6 miles, 760 feet climbed/descended, 729 stairs up, 404 stairs down.  22 December.