So you’ve cruised right through those 6.2 miles feeling like you could
have kept right on going if it wasn’t for the fact that you’ve reached
the Point and don’t feel like swimming the Ohio. Or, you’re like most,
and feel absolutely exhausted afterwards but feel that sweet spot of
pride that comes with the accomplishment of having trained and finished
a race and are eager to experience it again. Or you ran in high school
and are wondering how you’re going to satisfy the addiction of
endorphins now that you’re in college. No matter what your situation,
you’ll be satisfied to know that it’s easy to be or become a runner in
Pittsburgh.
In addition to Pittsburgh being ranked
the 20th healthiest city in the country by Natural Health
magazine, going to school here provides ample opportunities to get
outside and hit the track, trail, or pavement. There are many close-by
neighborhoods like Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, and Bloomfield providing
plenty of meandering roads to explore. Carnegie Mellon has a very nice
track for those days when one feels like running in circles. One of the
greatest assets of the Oakland area is the proximity to some great
parks; both Schenley and Frick parks are close to Oakland and provide
plenty of recreational trails. These are especially recommended if you
happen to be here in the summer and need some shade in order to escape
the scorching sun. There’s also the city itself, most easily accessed
by the newly constructed Eliza Furnace trail starting in Schenley Park
and running alongside 376 to downtown. Plans exist to have the trail
loop around the point and head back along the Allegheny to the north,
making for a nice 7 to 8 mile course. No matter where you run,
certainly no one complains about not finding enough hilly terrain here
in western Pennsylvania.
So now that you know that there are
places to run, how does someone new to the sport get started? It’s
basically just putting one foot in front of the other. Well, there may
be more to it than that but not much. It all starts with getting the
appropriate shoes. It’s fine to just grab any pair of sneakers when
just starting, but once the number of miles start to increase it’s good
to invest the time and money in having an athletic store trainer find
the right type of shoe for your running style. Other than that, the key
is consistency. Set a weekly schedule that matches your goals and other
commitments, whether it is to be physically fit or to enter an upcoming
race. Three things to keep in mind are to increase mileage slowly so as
not to over-train, work in appropriate stretching to prevent injuries,
and take days off to rest. Check out
www.runnersworld.com and
www.jeffgalloway.com for good running tips.
So throw on the shoes and head out the door and pretty soon
you may find yourself at the starting line of the annual Pittsburgh
marathon eager to start running a distance that most would consider a
lengthy car trip.
