I’ve been running a little, but only in 30-40 minute increments– more than that is truly impossible. The first time I attempted to run outdoors, I’d puttered around the house until ten-ish, and 15 minutes into the run, somewhere along a shadeless bike path, I literally cried out loud, “What on earth have I done?!”
After that first run, it got a little better. I’ve start to wake up slightly earlier. (The die-hards say that if you finish before 6:30am, it’s truly nice out, but I’ve been settling for the 8-9am window. Before 10, it’s still very hot, but not excruciating). Also, I’ve rerouted myself from my initial route, north and east from my house (which I think I’ll have to return to if I ever again run further than 4 miles), to a route south and west towards the aforementioned Grant Park. Unlike the bike path, which, while it stretches nearly 20 miles, does not have a single tree along the way, Grant Park is slightly shaded, and reminds me a teensy bit of my beloved Prospect Park. The only perplexing thing about Grant Park is that there isn’t a loop road. You can either run around the perimeter of the park, on the sidewalk along the outside, or you can run inside the park along various intersecting and overlapping paths. (A veritable Konigsburg Bridge problem!) It’s really a shame, the lack of a loop road, because if there were, it would be a pretty great place to train…
There are shady trees in the very photo you linked to. Perhaps the only ones?
Comment by Mike — August 26, 2011 @ 6:27 pm
Lies!
Seriously, though. “Park” in Atlanta seems to mean golf-course-green lawn, and maybe a tree or two. If there are trees along the bike path, maybe the start showing up once you get further from town?
Comment by footfootblog — August 26, 2011 @ 6:31 pm
I feel your pain!
Comment by Jenny Davidson — August 26, 2011 @ 2:36 pm