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My wife and I will be staying in Durham in mid-April for her Duke reunion. We're very much looking forward to returning to the area and seeing how it has changed.
I'll be in training for a half-marathon and would like to incorporate an 11-mile run into our visit. Where would you recommend that I run for that distance?
We'll be staying at the La Quinta Inn on Durham/CH Blvd but will have access to a car.
We live in Baltimore and I usually run through some neighborhoods that are, in all candor, quite unpleasant: invariably dirty and often run-down. (The whole city isn't this way, but the neighborhoods I can run through are.) I run mostly on sidewalks, too, which is tough on the knees. A low- or no-traffic, knee-friendly trail would be a very welcome change of pace. Running through asphalt in a suburban neighborhood would be fine, too.
I suspect my best bet will be the American Tobacco Trail, and I'd certainly be interested in reading ideas for how best to take advantage of that trail, but I would gratefully consider any suggestions.
There is a great loop around the duke golf course. Main loop is 3 miles, and you can add on an extra 1 mile side loop. Pretty hilly, very easy on the knees (smooth gravel), heavily wooded, real pretty. You wouldn't get bored doing 3 laps.
It's called Al Buehler Cross Country Trail. More info here
There is a great loop around the duke golf course. Main loop is 3 miles, and you can add on an extra 1 mile side loop. Pretty hilly, very easy on the knees (smooth gravel), heavily wooded, real pretty. You wouldn't get bored doing 3 laps.
It's called Al Buehler Cross Country Trail. More info here
This was going to be my suggestion as well! I have done a few 5K races on it. Is very close to where you'd be staying and would fit the bill well if you don't mind circling around it a few times to get your distance in.
There are also lots of options for long runs on the trails of Eno River State Park. Mind you, this is pure trail running, with some rocks & roots and steep sections, but if you're up for a change of pace from your more urban runs, I'd strongly recommend it. You could do a couple of "laps" on the Pump Station/Laurel Bluffs trail for some good distance, or link together some loops around the Cox Mountain Trail.
I do marathons and only use the Al Buehler for short runs. It's only 5 miles and extremely hilly. If I were you, I'd run on the Tobacco Trail south of I-40. You can start on Massey Chapel Rd. or Fayetteville Rd. The surface is nice, soft, and flat! I'd also recommend running in Duke Forest starting at Gate #3, but I'm afraid you'd get lost!
http://www.triangletrails.org/images/ATT3-4%205-09.pdf (broken link)
Take a short drive to Umstead State Park in Cary off I 40 for an excellent mix of single track and bridle trails (fire roads). It's an amazing resource. I do my long runs there - nice hills!
Little River State Park in North Durham on Guess Rd has some beautiful rolling single track as well. I ran a race there earlier this year, it's a blast.
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