October 8th, 2012 at 7:44AM

Avoiding Shinpocalpyse

The last two posts here were reviews of Peachtree Ridge Park and Rock Springs Park.  Both of which were quite an experience, both of which had some hills.  Peachtree Ridge had fewer hills but those hills were very steep.  I ran Peachtree Ridge on a Saturday and two days later (Monday) I ran Rock Springs which is very hilly throughout the trail.  Later in the afternoon following the Rock Springs fun I noticed some pain in the front of my lower legs.  Though it had been at least 15 years maybe more, I felt the pain of shin splints coming on.
 
What are shin splints?
According to Webmd.com: 
Shin splints aren’t really a single medical condition. Instead, they’re just a symptom of an underlying problem. They might be caused by:
 
  • Irritated and swollen muscles, often caused by overuse
  • Stress fractures, which are tiny, hairline breaks in the lower leg bones
  • Overpronation or ”flat feet” — when the impact of a step causes the arch of your foot to collapse, stretching the muscles and tendons
For my case the condition was a result of overuse and flat feet.  Though this bout was really just the onset, considering my age I didn’t want to take any chances by continuing to run and felt it best to also see my doctor.  The doctor did concur with my self diagnosis and suggested ice, rest and anti-inflammatory medication.  One of the trainers at the gym suggested an exercise to stretch the muscles surrounding the shin bone.  I opted for a combination, continuing my exercise regimen substituting a stationary bike for cardio and including more stretching every day.  I took the anti-inflammatories for a couple of days and skipped the ice (I loathe using ice and only do it when pain and swelling is significant).  There was no running whatsoever for eight days (it sucked but it as necessary). The running return took place at Camp Creek Greenway, which is a flat fast trail and that run as good.  However following the run I examined my shoes and knew that they they were toast and were no good for this flat-footed runner.


I haven’t been inside of an actual running store in forever, but this time wanted to get the fit right and get my running mechanics checked.  The associate at Fleet Feet Sports in Decatur measured my feet in a neutral shoe and had me run on a treadmill and outside.  His diagnosis, mild over-pronation that could be addressed with a stability shoe (which I had been wearing already, again though, they were toast) .  I was thanking God almighty for this recommendation because motion control shoes, which are usually recommended for flat-footed runners are the most uncomfortable shoes (in my opinion of course) on earth.

Having run in Nike, Saucony, Asics, Brooks, Adidas and for the last several years New Balance, I ended up with these:


I broke them in with 5 miles at Bethesda Park on Saturday and they were fantastic.  Also keeping in mind my form, I allowed the hill to carry me down instead of “putting on brakes”  I recall specifically at Peachtree Ridge “braking hard” and letting my feet pound on the pavement, which was especially jarring to my legs and my lower back.  I found a great post on active.com that addresses form for downhill running.  A web search will provide video demos for downhill running form as well.


What I Learned
Ego is a dangerous thing at times and it can lead to all sorts of problems, in this case injury.  The most important thing when it comes to any sort of physical exercise or even going about your daily existence is to listen to the body and give it what it needs. If you’re experiencing chronic pain or a brand new pain, go see your doctor and get a referral if you need to so that you can get on the road to recovery as soon as possible.


Until next time, see you on the road.

#running#injuries#parks#downhill running#shin splints
October 1st, 2012 at 7:50AM

Takes Your Breath Away, Rock Springs Park

After the running FAIL at Peachtree Ridge Park, I didn’t rest until I had an opportunity to try another park.  The destination this time, Rock Springs Park in Lawrenceville, Georgia.
The Park
Per the Gwinnett Parks and Recreation website, Rock Springs Park features the following: 113 acres, football field with lighted walking track, six lighted tennis courts, playground, pavilion, restrooms, 2-mile paved, multi-purpose trail and grill.
One thing of note that I’ve not seen at other parks is that there is a recycling bin in the lot near the pavilion and playground for bottles and cans, which is fantastic and I hope will get implemented in other county parks.

The Trail
Before heading down into the the trail I stopped a couple of ladies and asked them how hard the trail was. Here’s the conversation:

Lady 1: “oh you’ll love it it’s beautiful.” 
Lady 2: “no you didn’t hear her, she said how hard is it?”
Lady 1: “are you walking or running?”
Me: “running”
Lady 1: “oh it’s pretty hard then there are some hills”
Lady 2: “it may be okay for you just hard for somebody who hasn’t worked out in a while”

Lady 2 proceeded to ask me if I wanted to leave a number just in case I had problems. I told her, no thank since my shoe is tagged with emergency information.  I should have known after this conversation that this run would challenging, but the hard-headed runner had a score to settle.  I wasn’t about to let another trail beat me.



So I did my warm up (always a quarter mile walk) and headed straight uphill. Upon reaching the top I ran out of trail but ended up by the football field. Heading back was only a brief respite as the steepness going up meant I would be “putting on brakes” on the way down.  Continuing on the downhill to my original starting point and beyond, was more of a downhill, back towards some water.  There was plenty to view on the trail but not enough to make me forget about how hard it was.  After few rough downhills it was time to make the ascent out. I don’t remember any normal breathing at all during the entire run which ended up at 3.25 miles.  The website indicates the trail is 2 miles, it’s actually 2.25 starting from the football field entrance.



Impressions
Rock Springs Park is a great place for four things, children’s play (they have a really nice playground), tennis, football and of course the trail.  Though this trail is really challenging, it’s a good test of fitness, that I’d recommend in anyone’s running or walking program.  However to prevent entry I wouldn’t recommend it more than once a week.
 


Fore more information on Rock Springs Park or other parks in Gwinnett County Georgia, please be sure to visit the Parks and Recreation website.
Until next time see you on the trail.

#parks#gwinnett county georgia#walking#running#trails
September 22nd, 2012 at 2:17PM

It’s Not You Peachtree Ridge Park, It’s Me

With a week that was packed to the gills with stuff, I decided that a change of scenery would be good for the Saturday outdoor run.  Having checked the Gwinnett Parks website, Peachtree Ridge Park in Suwanee, Georgia looked to be a prime candidate for this week’s run.


The Backstory
I had a number of annoyances occur on Friday during the day job and a few more after leaving job two last night.  Once I finally made it to bed, there was no real sleep, just moments of sleep in between some very bizarre dreams.  By the time morning came I was relieved to see daylight and was looking forward to getting to the park.  Getting there was quick an easy, traffic was on my side.  It was cool out with a bit of dew on the grass, another plus. I thought, this is going to be a good one.


The Park
Peachtree Ridge Park has most of the standard features of the larger parks I’ve been to in Gwinnett.  The parks website lists the following:


Amenities: ∙ 156 acres ∙ Handicap accessible ball field and playground for children with special needs ∙ Three baseball/softball fields ∙ Football field with lighted walking track ∙ Two soccer fields ∙ Outdoor basketball courts ∙ Playground ∙ Pavilion ∙ Restrooms ∙ 1-mile paved multi-purpose trail


On this morning run I managed to see it all, because I didn’t exactly follow the paved trail.


The Trail
The paved trail was clean (goose-poop or trash) only the first few fallen leaves of the season were on the ground.  I started at a pavilion next to a small playground and followed the curve towards what I thought was the back of the park.  What I noticed was how far out some of the brush hovered over the trail, it was clearly in need of some cutting back. I took a trail the left, which made a small loop into a nice wooded area in which there was a small covered picnic area, which was really cute.  During my second pass I saw a lady doing what looked to be Tai Chi with another lady and a dog that started yapping as I passed by (the dog was messing with my chi).  Following the small loop I made another left and immediately regretted it.  There was a steep downhill, on which I “put on brakes” to make sure I didn’t go to fast (yes even I’m fast on a downhill), which followed a manageable climb out.  The trail leads to the football field and the walking track which surrounds it, but it’s not really a track.  It’s a loop around the football field, paved and marked, like the trail.  There was a pee-wee game going on with cheerleaders and everything (didn’t know they had cheerleaders at the little bitty kids games).  As I wound my way through I was uncomfortable and it wasn’t just the brush or that hill, which I would have to climb on the way back.  There was something urgent pressing… my bladder.


I NEVER have to pee when I’m on a run.  Well not never but almost.  I’ve probably had to go twice in the last 15 years or so.  Well today was that day.  I made it around that football field.  Ran up that hill that scared me and going up it I’d say it was at least 45 degrees, I mean I was learning forward so far, I felt nearly horizontal.  Made it back around to the front near the car and high-tailed it to the restroom…

which was clean had toilet paper and soap, thank GOD! I resumed my run, this time running through a small tunnel instead of the loop and followed the trail, again to the left and a funny thing happened, the trail ended in a parking lot, followed by more parking lots.  This was fine because on this portion of the run I got to see a rabbit, the basketball courts, a large playground and the baseball and soccer fields.  I made a loop through the parking lots and headed back to the trail.  I said to myself, pick your feet up and watch the curb and I did , except all of my body went up.  I FELL.

My bracelet flew off and I landed on my tail facing the other direction.  A passerby asked if I was alright and handed me my bracelet.  I had a small cut scrape on my palm that was bleeding, but otherwise I was fine, a bit heated but fine.  I’d planned to run for a certain amount of time, but by then, my mind was made up to run back to the car.  I was out of there.  Stopping 20 minutes short of my scheduled time for today, I decided to cut my losses.

Impressions
Peachtree Ridge Park is a great park for families, as there are numerous fields, play areas and open stretches of land that are conducive to play.  The trail on the back side near the football field is a BEAST!  If you like challenging yourself on steep hills this is a great place to do it.  As for me, I’ve been there and done it.  I won’t be going back to this park, though it’s fairly close, the experience unfortunately soured me on it.


Until next time see you on the trail! (I promise to remain upright.)


For more information on Peachtree Ridge Park, please visit the Gwinnett County Parks website.

#running#parks#trails#gwinnett county ga
September 9th, 2012 at 11:28AM

Rhodes Jordan Park, A Little Something for Everyone

For the last few years, it’s been a tradition to go check out a new park following the Peachtree Road Race.  The purpose of which is two-fold, 1)finding a new spot to enjoy and to run in and 2)to exhale from Peachtree.  This year’s exhale took place at Gwinnett County’s Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Features

Rhodes Jordan Park at 100 East Crogan Street is nestled in downtown Lawrenceville and is built around Lawrenceville City Lake.  At a large 162 acres, nearly any activity you’d like to enjoy can be accommodated there. The park features: a community recreation center, community room with catering kitchen, classrooms, dance/aerobics room, fishing lake, pavilions, playgrounds, seven baseball/softball fields, football field overlay, outdoor leisure play pool, double gym, tennis center with eight lighted courts, outdoor baseball court, outdoor horseshoe court (the first I’ve seen at any of the parks visited thus far in the county) and a 1.9-mile paved multi-purpose trail. 

Aesthetics

The beauty of the park is the lake and how everything is nestled around it. There is a an abundance of water fowl and in the early morning they pretty much have the run of the place, with their numbers decreasing as the morning heats up.  There are several boardwalks bordering and crossing over the lake as well as a secure railing on the low lying areas of the park.  There’s also a variety of wildflowers, and especially lovely to see, butterflies.  I visited the park in July and September and the visuals were spectacular in both cases, which is especially enjoyable while putting in the miles.  

The Trail

According to the park master plan there’s a network of trails totaling 3.8 miles.  What’s actually paved, connecting and usable is closer to the 1.9 miles listed on the website and it is a fairly easy 1.9.  Taking the paved areas around the lake, behind the picnic area and near the horseshoe courts, will give you a nice crossing loop with minimal hills.  The trail is not marked, which is fine.  Those who keep track of such things as mileage (which obsessive runners like me do) can just do a timed run and do the math to arrive at mileage.

The trail is mostly shaded with only small sections bordering the lake open and you’ll feel the heat, only momentarily. The trail is really enjoyable because there’s a lot to look at and keep your mind off of how long you plan to be there, the relative ease of it is also good, for any distance or type of run (repeats, tempo).  In fact yesterday I saw a young man doing hill repeats up a grassy hill to the trail.  With all the beauty there is one drawback of the trail at Rhodes Jordan Park and that is the poop.  Waterfowl, especially the gigantic geese (and there are several varieties) we have here make poop that’s as big as dog poop and it is everywhere on the loop directly surrounding the lake, so watch your step.

Rhodes Jordan Park is a park for everyone, there’s really no outdoor or indoor activity that one could not enjoy.  The easy, breezy trail is great for runners and walkers, and the park’s accessibility and aesthetic appeal make it great for days when you don’t want to do anything at all other than sit under a tree.  If you’re in Lawrenceville, take a little time to enjoy this spot right in the heart of the city.
Until next time, see you on the trail.

#running#parks#trails#gwinnett county ga#lawrenceville ga
March 11th, 2012 at 5:22PM

Camp Creek Greenway, Lilburn GA

I was out riding around looking for something compelling to take a picture of on that Sunday afternoon and ended up near a park that I’d been by before but had ruled out as there was no trail.  Making a u-turn to go back the other way, I came across a sign for a Greenway. My heart started beating fast, because this one, if it was real, was close to where I live.  I couldn’t figure out how to get to it and on the second access attempt, landed somewhere on this mysterious trail. Turns out I’d just located the Camp Creek Greenway.


Camp Creek Greenway runs along Camp Creek through the city of Lilburn Georgia.  A gentleman on the trail informed me that parking for the trail was at Lilburn City Park where I’ve been on numerous occasions, not knowing that a sizeable trail ran right through it.  Where I landed was basically on the short forked end of the trail, where Greenway and Spur Trails meet.  I decided that the next weekend I would come back and check it out.  Last Sunday I parked across from City Park and walked what I’ll call the main/long trail.  Regulars along the route indicated that from the start and back was about 2.6 miles and it was absolutely 2.6 miles of loveliness.  I still wasn’t satisfied because I had not seen all of the trail at once, plus I had yet to run it.
Now for the WHOLE trail (running).

I made it back on Saturday the 10th. The morning was cold, frosty even, but clear with little wind. I started in the City Park parking lot headed towards the fork and bore right on Spur Trail which has a nice boardwalk and a pretty decent incline to Killian Hill Road.  Running back to the fork and then onto Greenway Trail I crossed a short boardwalk that had a bit of ice (the folks on the trail are really friendly and a lady warned me of the ice before my approach). I ran through this trail which ends at Poplar street and turned back.  Running through the park, across Main St onto the main/long portion of the trail, I crossed several short wooden bridges and a longer boardwalk, with bits of ice.  The trail ended at Rockbridge Road.  Turning back and completing the run in the parking marked roughly 4.4 miles.
Lilburn’s Camp Creek Greenway is really a gift for the area.  Some folks may not like the out and back routes to get mileage in, but for me, it’s worth it for the scenery, which is absolutely beautiful and because it is relatively flat and fast.  The few caveats are: ice on bridges and boardwalks; mud on the main trail (about a 4 ft section of it) after major rain and; finally for allergy sufferers, this trail should probably be avoided during peak allergy season in late March and April.  There are signs that indicate that pollination is encouraged and no grass cutting or insecticides are allowed in certain areas.  Still I highly recommend it for those that beautiful scenery, friendly people and a fast route.
See you on the trail.

Photos by Michelle A. Thorns. View the full set here.

1 note #parks#running#lilburn ga#trails#gwinnett county ga
February 5th, 2012 at 9:00AM

Bunten Road Park, Duluth GA

It’s been a very mild winter in Georgia and having a weekend off I had a bit of time to go and look for another park.  Because I didn’t want to drive too far in Gwinnett I turned to one of the city maintained parks in the area that was relatively close by, Bunten Road Park in Duluth.

Bunten Road Park is a 45 acre neighborhood park with baseball, softball and soccer fields and tennis courts.  A nice feature of the park is a fairly sizeable community center with a meeting space, aerobics room and gym which had a basketball game in progress.  I was thankful that it was open considering that nature called and I hate using park bathrooms.  Of course all of this is well and good, but I came here for one thing…
The trail.
The trail loop is a fast 1.08 miles.  The wooded portion of the trail is really curvy but the distance of those curves is really short.  That curvy portion also contains the only hill.  Even with the wind whipping that day I had no problem covering it, in fact this turtle felt pretty fast on this course.
Overall Bunten Road Park is a nice well-maintained park with a trail that is perfect for short (5k) training runs.  If you’re in Duluth I suggest you give it a whirl.
See you on the trail.
For more photos, see the Bunten Road Park Album on Google+.

5 notes #Gwinnett County Georgia#parks#running
November 11th, 2011 at 11:02PM

George Pierce Park/Suwanee Greenway

I knew it was my last one until November (ragweed sucks) but I’m so glad I got this one in. 

Since I was going to be in the area, I came geared up and ready to run in George Pierce Park.  A huge park in the Gwinnett part of Suwanee was a good one to go to.  On this particular Saturday I ran right smack into the Suwanee Fall Festival on the square, but once through the traffic I made it the park. 

George Pierce Park features all the typicals but on a grand scale.  Multiple baseball, football and softball fields, a senior center, basketball court, pavillions and playgrounds.  In fact the park is so big that I didn’t get to see it all and with darkness approaching quickly I had to stop the tour in order to get the run in.


The Trail
Or should I say trails, there are multiple ones.  The main paved trail loops around a couple of football fields and is a little over a mile long and slightly, not overly hilly.  After running the mile loop twice, I made a turn down hill and ran right on to the Suwanee Greenway which was a treat that wasn’t expected.  

Suwanee Greenway runs between two parks, George Pierce in Suwanee and Suwanee Creek in Buford and is a whopping 9.5 miles of basically flat, fast tree covered running/walking/biking excellence.  The trail is concrete and wooden with several diversions along the way that allow great views of the wetlands and wildlife.


George Pierce is a great park for families and sports enthusiasts and families, but is it’s connection to the Suwanee Greenway that puts sends it right to the top of my list for great places to run in Gwinnett.
See you on the trail!
(because fall pollen season is over :-))

For more photos, see the Picasa album (taken the night of the run and the next day).

11 notes #running#parks#Gwinnett County Georgia
September 12th, 2011 at 9:58PM

Jones Bridge Park

In between the 4:00 and 8:30 pm games I ducked out briefly out of curiosity. Having scanned my park map earlier in the day.  I went looking for something close by. Not as close as I thought but worth the trip I headed over to Jones Bridge Park.


The park, is nestled in the Jones Bridge area of Norcross has some different amenities than than some of the others, and some of these amenities were closed. The park is an area in which there are periodic releases of flows from he Chattahoochee River and there is ample signage to let folks know about so that they aren’t swept away when they come.  Here in the metro, every summer there are televised rescues of folks from the different parts of the Chattahoochee where flows are being releases so the signs are definitely appropriate.


Features include, children’s playground, soccer fields (closed), sand lot volleyball, a large pavilion senior center.  The park is also a great place for fishing and family barbecue, and there was plenty of both activities going on even at near dusk.


The trail.  


There is None. There are plenty of natural foot made paths throughout the wooded areas and designated walking paths to get to the fishing areas, but a paved trail is non-existent.  


As always I’ve never been to a park that I didn’t like.  Jones Bridge is no exception. If you want to hangout with friends and family or go fishing, this is a beautiful park to do so.  If you want to do any running or walking for fitness, blaze your own trail if you must.  I’ll be hanging out at the barbecue while you do.


See you on the trail.


For more information on Jones Bridge Park, check it out on the web.
For additional photos. See the set on Google+.

5 notes #parks#Gwinnett County Georgia#running
August 28th, 2011 at 10:51PM

Club Drive Park, Lawrenceville Georgia

After a day in the house feeling a little sluggish and in need of some air and some people.  I headed out to a place I’d passed several times before, Club Drive Park.


Situated on Club Drive in Lawrenceville GA the park features all of the usual park type stuff only on a smaller scale than others I’ve visited and run in Gwinnett County.  Notably absent at Club Drive are tennis courts, and a baseball/softball diamond.  Additionally there is only one basketball court which is divided into two half courts with benches in between for dudes “who got next” and spectators.  

The children’s playground is really one of the highlights of the park, as it is LARGE.  Even in this late summer evening heat, it was packed with  children and parents enjoying themselves. Another highlight is the lake.  Which features wooden walkways and covered and uncovered seating to enjoy the sites and sounds of the park or anything else you might want to do.  



Now for what I go to each of these parks for, the trail.


The trail is paved, flat and fast, however it is SHORT .3 miles. I would only recommend runners come here during off-peak times (late morning, mid-day) and when it is not swelteringly hot outside.  This is great place to do speed work (I don’t do it anymore) but if you do, it’s perfect.  Long runs are not recommended, you’ll simply have to run around too many times to get any miles in.


There’s really no park that I don’t like and Club Drive Park isn’t bucking that trend.  For families, for folks who want to chill and read or watch the ducks and geese and for speed freaks, Club Drive is the place to be.  If you’re in the area, check it out.  Until next time, see you on the trail.

For more photos, go here.

2 notes #parks#running#Gwinnett County Georgia