Laun Park

 I like this park.  A lot.  Randomly located in a nice little suburban community, it has the vibe of the baseball field from The Sandlot and I can imagine more than a few kids have played on the baseball field that the trail surrounds.

Getting to Laun Park is a bit strange, despite the fact that there is signage to get you there.  Somehow, you just feel like you're going into a subdivision and you may have taken a wrong turn.  Once I saw the park though, I was somewhat envious of the kids who have gotten to grow up there over the years.

The park itself is small, about a 1/4 mile loop around the baseball field, but it feels nice to run there.  There are also some decent elevation changes that add to the interest of the run.  Additionally, there is some nice shade which will help out in the hot July Alabama sun.

One other great aspect of this park is that it seems to have something for every kid growing up in the neighborhood.  It has what appears to be a small wading pool that can accommodate small kids, a jungle gym for when they grow a little older, and a baseball field for the rest of those kid years.  Again, I'm a bit envious of those living around this park.

The only negative that I can throw out about the park is that it looks like it hasn't had any investment in it for many years.  The baseball field and basketball court are both in need of some fixing up.  A small complaint, but an observation nonetheless.

I recommend this park heavily for getting in a nice run.  It's a nice place and doesn't get the traffic that Medal of Honor or Langan Park get, so you can be fairly assured plenty of freedom to get your run in.

Public Safety Memorial Park

An unfortunate experience for me on this run, although I suspect it would not be uncommon if I took subsequent trips.  A true shame too, because this is a really nice park that they are upgrading at this very moment.  The location near Midtown inspired me to go ahead and make my trip to Public Safety Park on a day when my wife couldn't join me.  It's a good thing too, as we wouldn't have lasted long enough to get around the whole park once.

Long story short, after seeing a few drug deals once I was asked for money the second time, I went ahead and left the park after only a handful of miles. Finished at another park that I'm consistently pleased with.

Again, it is a shame because the location is in a great spot geographically, despite the few blocks that are sketchy.  Close enough to getting downtown, it would be a great experience to get some miles here and then walk downtown for some tacos at Bicycle Shop.    This being said, I spent the whole time watching my vehicle, which tends to kill the running mojo.

The park is located in a very convenient spot with entrances and parking on both Government and Airport, so wherever you are coming from in Mobile, you can reach the park with ease.  Close to The Loop, it is also convenient to get to other parts of town.  It is also close to a Mellow Mushroom........

The facility is well equipped for families and children, with several pavilions and a playground.  The trail is just under a half mile if you take the entire route around the park.  You can switch up your route as much as you want, which makes it possible to keep a half mile trail interesting on a long run.

For safety, I wouldn't mind running the ironically named Public Safety Memorial Park again, but certainly not in the evening and I won't be inviting my wife to get the miles in with me.  A nice little park, but I won't be rushing to get back.

Well, another week down and a week closer to my 2015 mile goal.

Casino Bridge Run 5K and 10K

I am proud to say that I got 3rd Place in my age group for this race.  First time I've ever placed in a race.

This is the first of its kind for this group and I believe we'll be running this one again.  Gorgeous run over the bridge and through a beautiful neighborhood.  Also gave every runner three free beers after. The organizers definitely got this one right.

The race began outside of the Golden Nugget Casino and moved immediately over a 1.5 mile bridge then onto the beach where the sand was pretty soft and deep.  Got the heart beating a little to hard at that point.  After the beach run, the race was guiding through a residential area with some pretty nice housing.  They were preparing for a Mardi Gras parade, so we got a free cheering section, although I don't think they had any clue what we were doing there.

Rosie ran the 5K and I did the 10K.  She keeps getting faster and faster and she achieved yet another personal record.  After the race, we took a walk to the top of the bridge to take some pictures.

I've been to Biloxi a few times, but mostly to gamble so I've never really paid attention to how pretty the area is.  Very nice around these parts.  Will probably have to stay the night next year and do some gambling.