Gorgeous weather. Wonderful beaches. Enchanting parks. Picturesque landscapes of canyons. A small backpack with a pair of good cross fit trainers. These words describe the running scene in Los Angeles, writes Helen Rogers.
LA is the second most populated city in America and also geographically huge and spectacular. The city also has a huge variety of running paths from the heart of urban LA to the beautiful coast.
Top 10 running trails in LA
Drake Track Stadium
Drake Stadium has a 400m smooth track with nine lanes. It’s a great place to train, especially if you are working on pace and form.
Runyon Canyon Park
Runyon Canyon Park offers of trails that are accessible year-round. This area is a perfect spot for runners because of its ease of access and relatively moderate terrain. You’ll find wide open, manicured fire roads and steep single tracks. This park is only approximately 1.5 miles long, but it allows you to train for any type of race.
Silver Lake Reservoir Path
Silver Lake Reservoir Trail is a cool 2.5-mile loop trail around the reservoir. This trail fits perfectly for short-distance runs and for people who prefer a calming view of the water while jogging.
Elysian Park
Elysian Park is the oldest and the second largest park in Los Angeles. It presents scenic views of Downtown LA and the San Fernando Valley. The 2.8-mile loop trail is great for a quick run or a leisurely walk. By the way, Elysian Park Wildflower Trail also has a small elevation gain of about 200ft. This trail is well-shaded and the trail condition is really good. Since it’s located in the middle of the city, Elysian Park is a convenient place to get in a daily run.
Rose Bowl
Being an international symbol of prosperity, Rose Bowl is a nice place where you can get a pleasant workout if you don’t have a lot of time. Approximately three miles long, the loop around the stadium is flat and well kept all year round. Although this space might seem absolutely flat, there is a slight incline, so bear that mind.
Ocean Trails Reserve
The five miles of scenic trails with different degrees of difficulty are situated on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Ocean Trails Reserve offers various trails from the paved roads to the trailheads with breathtaking views and tidal pools by beaches.
Santa Monica Pier
A 6.4-mile route is one of the best places in Los Angeles for long distance runs, speed workouts or just simple beautiful views. The running path is flat and equipped with water fountains and restrooms. This route can be very busy at the weekend, but for runners who like being in the thick California beach action, this place fits ideally.
Manhattan Beach
Manhattan Beach to Redondo Beach is a 7.4-mile route. It is one of the most popular running paths in Los Angeles. The mostly woodchip path is very close to Ocean Ave and that makes the route more pleasant and efficient as a result. Besides, you can run on the beach as the sand is usually firm enough for running.
San Vicente Boulevard
This shady greenery-lined place is a runner hot spot for locals. The 10-mile round-trip run along San Vicente Boulevard is an ideal area for a single runner and for groups of side-by-side runners as well. It also gives you the option of running on the flat grass space in the middle of the boulevard or on the pavement along the road.
Whether running for exercise or running for races, no matter which running path you choose, just keep moving, you will get your own race medals in your path. When that moment comes, don’t forget to customise a race medal for yourself, your family, and your team on GS-JJ.COM.
Griffith Park
Griffith Park is considered as one of the largest municipal parks with urban wilderness in the United States. There are lots of opportunities for runners in this park as it includes the best trail running trails of the city. By the way, there are 53 miles of trails, fine roads and bridle paths in Griffith Park. Moreover, you can see a lot of L.A.`s the most popular attractions in this park, such as the Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles Zoo, the Greek Theatre, and much more.
