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.

Dauphin Island, 10 Miles, and 200 on the Month

To hit my 200 miles in the quest of 2,015 in 2015, I wanted to hit the mark in a different spot.  I figured at the beach in the middle of winter was far too appropriate.

Dauphin Island is the barrier between the Gulf of Mexico and Mobile Bay.  A very small island at 166 square miles and a population of just under 1,500 it is hard to believe that this place plays a huge role in determining the climate of the entire southern part of the state.

The smaller picture under the map of Mobile is the GPS of my run on the beach.  5  miles out west, 5 miles back.  After the first two miles, the beach becomes uninhabited with jetties on one side and sand on the other.  As you can tell, there is a ton more beach to go and as it can only be reached on foot, I'm sure that even in the summertime it is a desolate area to get a run in and hang on the beach.

There are a ton of shells on the sand, but it is perfectly compact to run on where the high tide sits and if you hit the beach at low tide, I can't imagine a better place in the area to run, both for comfort and for beauty.

The weather on this run was cold as all get out. The wind was insane and made it even worse.  I had on some long pants, long shirts, a buff, gloves, the whole nine.  Still wasn't enough and my nose was running as much as I was.

Either way, crossing 200 miles is a big deal.  I was hoping to hit 20 by the end of the month.  To hit it with a few days to spare is very encouraging.  Every day is a day closer.

I definitely recommend adding Dauphin Island to any running list, no matter where you are in the Mobile area.  At least once a month I'll be out here to log in a long run.

Herndon Park

Today takes me to a new park located in a fairly central location in Mobile, Herndon Park (also known as Sage Park).

Not too far off I-65 and intersecting with Dauphin Street, this is a park that is pretty easy to get to from wherever you are in town.  Although it is a bit sparse, the layout is nice for running and I don't imagine the park is ever crowded.  The park itself looks like they put as few designs and extras in it as they could in order to fit as much play space as possible.  Containing baseball, softball, soccer, and football fields, the paved track is moreso for people-moving than running.  Despite this fact it is still a nice track to run around, again because it is so empty.  

The outer circle of the track at Herndon Park is nearly 3/4 mile, so for long distance running, you find yourself trouncing the same ground over and over again.  I find this a comfort though, because at 3/4 mile I know I can push myself to do "just one more lap" much easier than a course that is continuous or just much larger.

Safety didn't seem to be an issue here, although I may hesitate to run around the park at night as the perimeter of the park goes out near several areas of woods and broken down fences.  In the daytime, it looks perfectly safe.  I also would not recommend any mid-afternoon summertime running at Herndon Park as there is very little shade if any at all.  In the Mobile sun, you may find yourself crawling to the water fountain.

There are a few pavilions in the central portion of the park and there are bathrooms for both ladies and men.  There are also refreshment stands that are presumably open during league play at the park.  Despite its sparse nature, I'll definately be back to this park and enjoy its paths again.

Another great benefit of the park is that it is across the street from Foosackley's.  If you're feeling especially good about your distance and can handle some fried chicken, that'a not a bad spot to pick some up.

My run at Herndon Park was pretty simple.  10.3 miles down on a cool and beautiful Mobile day.  This takes me to just under 140 miles for the year, so I am creating a good pace.  Will most ikely take my first day off this year tomorrow to let the legs rest.  Been in some pretty decent pain for a while, so I'll probably shut it down for a day.

Lavretta Park

A new park that sits on Old Shell Road is in order today.  This park is especially important to me, as it sits between Spring Hill College and my favorite hookah bar in town, which is across from the University of South Alabama (USA).  The run from Spring Hill College to Lavretta Park is very nice, with wide open sidewalks, easy crosswalks, and some gorgeous houses to look at.  This is one of those where just getting there is a brilliant part of the journey.

Lavretta Park itself is rather small, but very well kept.  It also sits within an old neighborhood of small but really pretty houses that look like the inhabitants take really good care of.  It is apparent that this neighborhood appeals to young folks who take pride in their lives.  You can see lots of couples with very young kids playing in the park, parents running with strollers, and people out enjoying nature itself.  It reminds me of the small neighborhood that I grew up in in Central Ohio where everything you'd need is right there within a few blocks.

My wife had mentioned while we were at a different park in town that Mobile likes to spend money on its playgrounds for kids.  We don't have kids, so it's really of no immediate consequence to us, but I personally feel good living in a town that apparently feels that it's important to give kids some fun outside activity.  This one even had a water sprayer (presumably only operational in the summer) for the kids to play in, which I imagine is a huge hit when the temperatures hit the highs.

Another thing that makes this park really cool is that there is a studio for budding artists to learn their trade right in the middle of the park.  I'll have to look a little further into it, but it looks like something I'd like to see if my wife would like to take classes at as it looks like there are classes for all ages.

The loop around the park is only a half mile or so, so it is a bit of a hamster wheel if you're looking to do a lot of miles, but it's a nice run and it appears you'll never have to worry about it being packed.  At most, you may see a few youngsters playing ball on the baseball diamond and some smaller kids in the playground.

 Safety doesn't appear to be an issue and I get the feeling this is a neighborhood that takes care of each other.  I don't think I'd bat an eye at running here at night.  It appears to have lights, although I am not sure how well or often they operate.

 My run itself on this trip was not great.  Slow going between Spring Hill College and the park, then once in I ran and walked the path alternatively.  Not a great pace, but I was looking at hitting a 9 mile mark, so distance was more important than speed.  Next time I hit this park, it'll be a better trip.   Nonetheless, the experience was great and I would highly recommend the mile or so between Lavretta Park and Spring Hill College.  A beautiful and safe trip between the two,