9 Great Places to Train in Atlanta - #7 Running in Piedmont Park!

There are so many reasons why Piedmont Park is a great place to train in Atlanta!  I won't bore you with all the crazy workouts I’ve done at the park and just highlight one location in particular: The Gravel Track surrounding The Active Oval! 

The Active Oval is host to lots of activities for those who live in Atlanta including softball and kickball, however I prefer to stick to the track.  It’s not that I’m not a team player, I just lean toward individual sports.

The surface of the track is packed gravel which gives your legs a break from the pounding of concrete and asphalt.  The distance around the track is .52 miles which is marked by the marble obelisque, donated by The Atlanta Track Club in 2006.  Each 200 meters is marked with a marble plate on the ground.  It’s always nice to find a place to run that is measured.

Over the past few years, I’ve been diligent about adding interval workouts to my training routine.  Also, these types of workouts are often prescribed to the athletes I coach.  The gravel track is a great place to knock out this type of training.  The track is twice the size of a regulation track of 400 meters and I believe it is less intimidating than a regulation track.  As a Coach, it is fun to practice and share different workouts that aren’t as strict with the intervals.  For example, here is one of my favorite workouts:

Warm-Up: 2 Loops at a Comfortable Pace

Set: 6 x 1 Loop Builds with 2 minute and 30 second recovery jog between each Loop Build.

Loop Builds: For each loop, start off easy and progressively get faster at each of the quarter loop marks around the track where the last quarter loop is a sprint.

Cool-Down: 1 Loop at a Comfortable Pace

The gravel track is an excellent location for beginners to run, not to mention those who are coming back from an injury or illness.  All levels of runners and walkers can be found on the track on any given day.    

Another fantastic reason to visit the track is the scenery!  Right now, the fall leaves are beautiful!  It is so picturesque to see the backdrop of Midtown and Downtown against the bright blue sky! 

Check out the gravel track at Piedmont Park for you next workout!  You will enjoy the forgiving surface, the scenery and the variety athletes around you!

If you enjoy Piedmont Park, consider joining the Piedmont Park Conservancy.  They are the nonprofit organization, working with the City of Atlanta for the preservation of historic Piedmont Park.  Over the past 20 years, the Conservancy has successfully transformed the once dilapidated Park into the most visited in green space in Atlanta. 

9 Great Places to Train in Atlanta - #6 Swimming at MLK Natatorium!

“This is no time for apathy and complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

I started coming to the Martin Luther King Jr. Natatorium back in 2008 when I was coaching a group of athletes who wanted help with their swimming. It was a great place to swim because they had recently remodeled the facility, it was open to the public and it was only $2 per visit. Things have changed a bit over the years. They no longer allow me to provide swimming lessons (they have their own instructors), they are closed on Fridays and they now charge $4 per visit. Regardless, it is still a great place to swim in Atlanta! I especially enjoy swimming at MLK in the morning. The floor-to-ceiling windows give a wonderful view of the sunrise!

The pool is located at 70 Boulevard NE near Auburn Ave. The parking lot at the natatorium is closed. Parking is free and the lot is located on John Wesley Dobbs Ave NE off of Boulevard near Jackson St. NE. It is always a pleasure walking from the parking lot to the natatorium and reading the plaques on the sidewalk with the names of the “soldiers of justice” who promoted equality for all. This is known as the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame and includes names such as Rosa Parks, President Jimmy Carter, Justice Thurgood Marshall, President Lyndon B. Johnson and Mayor Maynard Jackson, just to name a few.

The natatorium is open for lap swimming Monday through Thursday, starting at 6:00am and goes until 5:00pm. They are also open in the evening, starting at 6:30pm until 8:00pm. There are several activities happening on Saturdays, however I have usually been able to swim between 10:00 – 11:00am. The pool is closed on Fridays and Sundays. Be sure to call the folks at MLK at 404-658-7330 if you have any doubt about when they are open for lap swimming.

The indoor pool has six 25-yard lanes. The temperature of pool varies, however it is usually set around 80 degrees. There are locker rooms and showers on the bottom level, along with a workout room that is also open to the public.

I would definitely recommend purchasing a City of Atlanta Office of Recreation Aquatic annual pass for $110. This pass will allow you to swim at all the city pools, including Chastain Park and Grant Park. All you need is documentation that you are a resident of the City of Atlanta and a money order. Take these two items to MLK and they will provide you with the pass after you finish your swim workout!

I will be heading to the pool at MLK more often now that summer is winding down and the outdoor pools will be closing. I hope you all keep up your training over the Fall and Winter! The Spring races will be here before you know it!

9 Great Places to Train in Atlanta - #5 Trail Running at East Palisades Indian Trail!

After spending this past weekend in the mountains with my husband, I was reminded how much I love trail running after hiking at the Black Rock Mountain State Park in Clayton, Georgia! After arriving home on Sunday, I woke up Monday morning, laced up my La Sportivas and headed to East Palisades Indian Trail, the group of trails that are part of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Most people don’t realize these trails are ITP (Inside the Perimeter)!

The entrance to the park is just off of Northside Drive and Indian Trail in Northwest Atlanta. There is a short drive to the end of Indian Trail where you are greeted by the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area sign leading you along a gravel road to the parking lot. The park is open from dawn to dusk. Parking is $3 unless you have an annual pass which is $25. Annual passes can be purchased online. Mark your calendar for National Public Lands Day which is September 24th. The parking fee is waived for visitors in observance of this day!

The main trail is easily located from the parking lot. Once on the trail, runners will follow the blue blazes as they are led down to the river. Be careful! The trail is rather steep in a few areas. At the bottom, the trail levels out as runners approach the Chattahoochee River. Since the trail follows beside the river, runners are treated to beautiful views of the river through the trees. After following the river, the trail turns to head back up. There are spots along the trail that wind around trees and there are several hairpin turns. Again, there are many steep sections as runners head up this part of the trail. At the top of the trail, runners are lead to the gravel road. Make a right turn to head back to the parking lot. The trail is approximately 2.4 miles. This past Monday morning I decided to do the loop two times for a nice 5.8 mile run. I encountered three other hikers on the trail, two of which had their dogs on a leash. The times I have visited this trail, there have been just a few others along the way, however I have encountered runners and hikers who do not leash their dogs. Be sure to stay alert and keep your eyes open for any obstacles.

All runners are encouraged to check out East Palisades Indian Trail as a place to train in Atlanta! If you are new to trail running, this is a great place to get started due to the fact that the trail is short! If you are planning on participating in Vision Trek 10K Trail Run benefitting Georgia Eye Bank, scheduled for Saturday, March 3, 2012, this is a wonderful location to practice your hill climbing skills! If you want to beat the Atlanta heat, you will stay a lot cooler running on this trail since the trees offer a ton of shade.

I hope to see you on the trail! Enjoy your training!

9 Great Places to Train in Atlanta - #4 Swimming at Chastain Park Pool!

As the dog days of summer are winding down, I am taking every opportunity to swim outdoors. One of my favorite places to swim has always been the Chastain Park Pool. The pool is clean, refreshing and open to the public!

The pool is run by the Chastain Park Athletic Club (CPAC). CPAC was founded in 2002 as a Georgia 501c3 non-profit corporation and was organized and at all times shall be operated exclusively for public charitable and educational uses and purposes.

Chastain Park Pool is located at the intersection of West Wieuca Road and Elliott Galloway Way (formerly Pool Road). There is free parking on both West Wieuca Road and Elliott Galloway Way. The pool boasts (8) 25 yard lanes, which are only crowded during the hours of swim team practice. The hours are as follows:

Monday – Friday: 10:00 AM - 12:30 PM free public swim time, 12:30 - 5:00 PM paid public swim time $1/children (5 yrs and under), $2/child (6 yrs - 16), $4/adult (17 yrs - 64), $2/senior (65 yrs and up) and 5:00 - 8:00 PM Chastain Pool members only (Fridays till 9:00 PM).

Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM $1/children (5 yrs and under), $2/child (6 yrs - 16) , $4/adult (17 yrs - 64), $2/senior (65 yrs and up) and 5:00 - 8:00 PM Chastain Pool members only.

Chastain Park Pool is a wonderful, outdoor pool to use for “getting your swim on”. You better hurry! The gate to the pool will close at the end of the day on Sunday, September 11th.

9 Great Places to Train in Atlanta - #3 Running in Virginia Highlands/Emory/Morningside!

Matt Cole, CEO and Founder of Podium Multisport, introduced me to running in the Virginia Highlands/Emory/Morningside area, which is conveniently located to his store on Zonolite Place. I instantly fell in love with this area. Why? Three reasons: 1.) The beauty of the homes in the area, 2.) The hills, and 3.) The hospitality provided by everyone at Podium Multisport!

The homes around Virginia Highlands, Emory and Morningside are old, quaint and well maintained. Many of the homes show off their well manicured lawns, lush trees, bushes and flowers. It is so much fun to pick a new “favorite home” during each run!

The hills on this course are nothing to sneeze at! They are large and plentiful. A good workout will be had by all. Enough said!

Every Thursday Podium Multisport hosts a Group Run of 5.5 miles, starting at 7:00pm. Not only do they provide maps, they also provide ice-cold Ironman Perform sports drink by PowerBar for everyone to enjoy before and after the run! After dreaming about living in one of the homes in the neighborhood and sweating up and down all the hills, I’m usually ready for a cold beverage!

Anyone who lives in the area is encouraged to check out the Group Run on Thursday evenings. All runners and triathletes are welcome! I hope you enjoy the neighborhoods, the hills and the hospitality as much as I do!

9 Great Places to Train in Atlanta - #2 Riding in Buckhead!

I have been encouraging fellow triathletes to ride in Buckhead for their triathlon training for years! I’m not talking about the busy streets of Peachtree Road and Northside Drive, I’m talking about the neighborhoods surrounding these streets. The scenery is beautiful with all the lovely old homes and their pristine landscaping. The terrain is challenging with plenty of hills, stop signs and stop lights.

This past Saturday, a group of us from Peachtree Tri Club rode a 40 mile route through Buckhead, affectionately known as the “Buckhead Butt Buster Ride”. I’ll admit it was a tough ride. In fact, it took us a little over four hours to complete the course! We took some rest breaks along the way to refuel and catch our breath. It was worth spending the time that morning because I felt great after that workout and I got a chance to know one of the club members better because we rode the course together!

In addition to the 40 mile route, there are routes for 24 miles, 21 miles and 13 miles. The 24 and 13 mile routes are known as the “Buckhead Bellyache” and the route is marked on the road with a white “B” and an arrow pointing at each of the turns. The 21 mile route is marked with a yellow lightning bolt pointed at each of the turns. The 40 mile route was previously marked with two orange beakers pointing at each of the turns. Some of the marks are faded and a few have disappeared with the recent paving of the roads. Click here for a cue sheet that has turn-by-turn instructions along with notes about the route.

If you live near Buckhead, Midtown, Sandy Springs or anywhere in town, check out one of the Buckhead bike routes! It is a nice change of pace from the flats of Columns Drive and the Silver Comet Trail. You won’t have to drive for an extended period of time like you would to get to Cartersville and Silk Sheets. In my opinion, the scenery is much better than Stone Mountain.

Enjoy your bike training this summer!

9 Great Places to Train in Atlanta - #1 Grant Park Swimming Pool!

I truly love the city of Atlanta, especially in the summer! Yes. It is hot and humid. Yes. Our air quality is not good. Yes. Traffic can be annoying at times. Yes. Gas prices are high. Regardless of the negatives, I am glad to be an Atlantan! Furthermore, I am glad to be an athlete and a coach living in Atlanta. There are so many fantastic places for me and my athletes to train! I will spend the next several weeks highlighting these places for you!

Attention Triathletes and Swimmers: If you are looking for a 50 meter pool in which to swim, look no further than the Grant Park Swimming Pool!

I arrived at the pool this morning at 10am to meet one of my swimmers from Vizsla Swim Team. We were pleased to find no one in the two lanes they had roped off for lap swimming. The water temperature was a refreshing 78 degrees. We jumped in and started our workout!

Since it has been quite awhile since I have practiced in a 50 meter pool, it took some time to get my rhythm. After I got used to the longer lane, I was as happy as a clam only having to encounter the wall half the number of times as usual. A few other swimmers arrived as the morning went on. By the time we left, there were five folks swimming in the lap area.

Please note, this is not a typical lap swimming pool. There are no clocks at each end, nor are there flags hanging overhead to indicate when you are getting close to the wall. The lane lines at the bottom of the pool are a bit confusing. In my opinion, these factors are not a big deal. The staff is helpful. The locker rooms and pool area are very clean. The pool is very family friendly, which was evident when kids, parents and babysitters trickled in throughout the morning. Overall, it is a great place to get in a good workout!

The Grant Park Swimming pool is a City of Atlanta facility. The Friends of Grant Park Pool is a sub-committee of the Grant Park Neighborhood Association Parks & Recreation committee. They are a group of local residents volunteering their time to help make the pool a better place for everyone.

The Grant Park Swimming Pool is located in Grant Park at 625 Park Avenue SE, Atlanta, Georgia 30312 at the intersection of Berne and Park Avenue, one block west of Boulevard. There is free parking on the streets. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for kids and seniors and $1 for kids under the age of five. Admission is FREE from 1:30pm – 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. My suggestion is to buy an annual pass for $110 which provides admission to all the pools that are a part of the City of Atlanta including Chastain Park, Garden Hills and the Martin Luther King Jr. Natatorium. The pool is open Saturday and Sunday from 12pm - 8:00pm and Monday - Friday from 10am - 7:30pm. Their phone number is 404.622.3044. The pool will close for the season after Labor Day (September 5, 2011).

I will definitely be back to the Grant Park Swimming Pool as much as possible this summer! It was so wonderful to be able to swim outside in a 50 meter pool with the blue sky and sun shining down on us! I would encourage anyone who is a triathlete or swimmer to visit the pool for a workout.