Contributed photo, xoxo, blog post by John HoffRunning is good therapy. It doesn't matter if you aren't going to break any records, it's still good therapy, especially if your body has taken a few bangs and dents and you need to exercise to keep from stiffening up when you get old...which, thankfully, is still about two decades down the line for me.
So far, I've discovered three great places to run in North Minneapolis (NoMi). These are...
The North High school track, Jordan Pond, and Victory Drive.
The track for North High is not located at North High itself, but quite a distance away. It's behind Shiloh Temple. So if you were on West Broadway, and you saw Shiloh Temple...it would be south of Shiloh Temple. This is a perfect track, and surprisingly underutilized. Of course, one reason it's underutilized is because it's usually locked up. You go there and it's kind of a crapshoot whether the track will be locked or unlocked at the metal turnstile. So I tend to go there first, but when it's locked up, I go somewhere else.
There's kind of a tie between my second and third choices. Both are nice in their own way based on scenery and running conditions. Pictured above is the Jordan Pond. It's a little more than a mile around the pond, and the fact there is a path AROUND the pond gives the illusion of a running track. However, it's a bit more than a mile around...which is discouraging, if you're timing laps...and there are hills. Also, the path is a sidewalk, not a track. It's not really made for running.
But the beauty of the pond can't be beat, and there are nice grassy areas for other exercises. When I run, my son likes to run along for short distances and pretend he's a drill sergeant, telling me I'm not doing good enough. HE REALLY LIKES THIS ACTIVITY, A LITTLE TOO MUCH IF YOU ASK ME. I tell Alex he can be anything in the world he wants to be, EXCEPT an enlisted man in the army. Two generations of eating enlisted dust is enough, I tell him, if he goes into the military he MUST be an officer or--though I've never beat him in my life--I will have to start, even if he's 18 years old. I'm not sure if he GETS IT how serious I am about this.
Anyway...Jordan Pond is a real runner's jewel, but it's hard to beat Victory Drive.
This area--which is in the swanky, more affluent part of North Minneapolis--features humble but moving cross memorials on the ground every several yards, recognizing soldiers from the Twin Cities who gave their lives in defense of our nation. There are many miles of long, continuous track...so many miles, in fact, that it's necessary to measure with the odometer of a vehicle to figure out a good two mile run. I use an area just before the flagpole, then run to 36th and back. That works.
Recently, road construction was taking place nearby, and a port-a-john was conveniently left unlocked. Better a port-a-john on our streets than johns, I say!
If you like running and you are considering a move to NoMi, check out these three places I've listed as possible running locations. And then GET TO NoMi!
great post! also, of course, for those of us a little further south, there is Theodore Wirth Parkway--but be prepared for some hills.
ReplyDeleteI hate to be the one to break it to your running log, but you'd have to run around Jordan pond approximately 4 times to hit that mile mark.
ReplyDeleteIt's about time we get to see John with his shirt off. Are you still taking in renters? If I knew you'd be running like that i'd have submitted an application of my own. My girlfriends think i'm crazy but there's something about a renegade who isn't afraid to speak his mind. Go JNS!
ReplyDeleteYou must be runnign REALLY slow if that kid can be walking next to you at an even pace. Was this photo staged or something?
ReplyDeleteI love those running shoes. You know if you could just deal with the butt glass you could get some proper running shoes and maybe even a shirt.
ReplyDeleteIt does look like you are running r-e-a-l-l-y sssllllooowww.
ReplyDeleteNorth is great for running. Plenty of things to check out, an occasional dog charging a fence as you pass by, and more hills than South.
ReplyDeleteI've done a few runs through North. So far, I've run every Avenue from Xerxes to Queen, along with Aldrich, Bryant, and 3rd.
Anybody up for a run on any of the streets between Colfax & Penn?
I used to wear the same shoes for running before I got kicked out of the army. There were some things I just couldn't keep to myself.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who thinks it's a mile around Jordan Pond has never run a mile.
ReplyDelete@Ed - the residential streets between colfax and Penn and between WBro and Lowry are my stomping grounds, I'd be glad to bike with you on your run.
ReplyDeleteAnd as one commenter pointed out, John, you misspoke about the pond being a little more than a mile around. What you meant was one lap around the pond is a little bit more than one lap around the (North High) track. We figure 4 laps around track = one mile and three laps around pond = one mile.
The running has jarred John's brain. :-)
That's correct. I meant it's more than a lap--that is to say, a quarter mile--to run around the pond one time.
ReplyDeleteThis comment can stand in the place of a correction until I get around to correcting the post, maybe tomorrow.