I'll be in Victoria for work next week, any suggestions on good routes - I'll be staying on the waterfront near to Fisherman's Wharf.
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Re: Running routes in downtown Victoria, BC [AdamML]
[ In reply to ]
Head out Dallas Rd/Beach Drive. Turn around when you've run half as much as you want. Run out the big cement breakwater. You'll see that on your right in the first mile after the cruise ship terminal. There's a cool set of 100+ old cement stairs after the steep up and down at King George Terrace. Watch for a little green sign that says something about Walbran Park before you hit Beach Drive
Otherwise go the other way, hug the harbor, go left across the blue bridge (assuming it's still there - it's in the process of being replaced), go left after the bridge and you're on a nice path for a couple of miles into Esquimalt. This is your dead flat run in the area.
You should do the legendary Seven Hills route once. Up Robleda from Richardson, right, down Lotbiniere, left, up St. Charles to Rockland, right, down Gonzales, left on Richmond, left up Oak Shade, right on Rockland, left on Oak Bay, left and up Terrace, left and across on Rockland, quick right and down Oak Shade, retrace to the start and after going down Robleda, go right on Richardson, right on Moss and run up to the Art Gallery. About 5 miles with 7 short sharp hills.
If you can run at noon meet outside the downtown Y at Broughton and Quadra any day M-F for a 5.7 miler with a small to medium-sized group of grizzled campaigners. Drop my name and they might talk to you, otherwise it's iffy with newbies.
Sylvan Smyth | http://www.sportstats.asia | sylvan@sportstats.asia | Starvas
Otherwise go the other way, hug the harbor, go left across the blue bridge (assuming it's still there - it's in the process of being replaced), go left after the bridge and you're on a nice path for a couple of miles into Esquimalt. This is your dead flat run in the area.
You should do the legendary Seven Hills route once. Up Robleda from Richardson, right, down Lotbiniere, left, up St. Charles to Rockland, right, down Gonzales, left on Richmond, left up Oak Shade, right on Rockland, left on Oak Bay, left and up Terrace, left and across on Rockland, quick right and down Oak Shade, retrace to the start and after going down Robleda, go right on Richardson, right on Moss and run up to the Art Gallery. About 5 miles with 7 short sharp hills.
If you can run at noon meet outside the downtown Y at Broughton and Quadra any day M-F for a 5.7 miler with a small to medium-sized group of grizzled campaigners. Drop my name and they might talk to you, otherwise it's iffy with newbies.
Sylvan Smyth | http://www.sportstats.asia | sylvan@sportstats.asia | Starvas
Re: Running routes in downtown Victoria, BC [sylvan]
[ In reply to ]
Thanks Sylvan - that's great info
Re: Running routes in downtown Victoria, BC [AdamML]
[ In reply to ]
Hi Adam,
I live in Victoria, there is tons of good running near downtown!
Further to Sylvans tips (which are good ones), look up the course of the Victoria 10k, or Goodlife half and full marathons. Great courses that start/end at the harbour.
The 7 hills route is a great one. It's relatively short... but don't let that deceive you. With a few km of warm up and cool down its around 9k. A lot of people doing marathon prep run each hill twice. I have it as a strava segment if you want to view the route (it's in a residential area and can be a bit confusing the first time).
Beacon hill park has a perfect mile loop around its ring road. There is also a road that leads up the hill in the centre of the loop (nice view, decent climb!). This spot is a great area for speed work. Alternatively, a nice (but short) run is to run the loop, then run the circumference of the park. The park itself is beautiful and it has some nice roads that go through it, so you can add on some more mileage.
My favourite is simply to run along the water side of Dallas road, heading away from downtown (from Fishermans Wharf). It's stunning, and pretty flat (has some hills further along). Adding in the trip down the breakwater towards the lighthouse is nice (if it's not busy). The only downside is sometimes you're dodging and weaving through a lot of people out walking their dogs, or with baby strollers, etc. but that is a small price to pay for an otherwise awesome run.
If you have any questions feel free to pm me.
Long Chile was a silly place.
I live in Victoria, there is tons of good running near downtown!
Further to Sylvans tips (which are good ones), look up the course of the Victoria 10k, or Goodlife half and full marathons. Great courses that start/end at the harbour.
The 7 hills route is a great one. It's relatively short... but don't let that deceive you. With a few km of warm up and cool down its around 9k. A lot of people doing marathon prep run each hill twice. I have it as a strava segment if you want to view the route (it's in a residential area and can be a bit confusing the first time).
Beacon hill park has a perfect mile loop around its ring road. There is also a road that leads up the hill in the centre of the loop (nice view, decent climb!). This spot is a great area for speed work. Alternatively, a nice (but short) run is to run the loop, then run the circumference of the park. The park itself is beautiful and it has some nice roads that go through it, so you can add on some more mileage.
My favourite is simply to run along the water side of Dallas road, heading away from downtown (from Fishermans Wharf). It's stunning, and pretty flat (has some hills further along). Adding in the trip down the breakwater towards the lighthouse is nice (if it's not busy). The only downside is sometimes you're dodging and weaving through a lot of people out walking their dogs, or with baby strollers, etc. but that is a small price to pay for an otherwise awesome run.
If you have any questions feel free to pm me.
Long Chile was a silly place.
Re: Running routes in downtown Victoria, BC [BCtriguy1]
[ In reply to ]
BCtriguy1 wrote:
Hi Adam, I live in Victoria, there is tons of good running near downtown!
Further to Sylvans tips (which are good ones), look up the course of the Victoria 10k, or Goodlife half and full marathons. Great courses that start/end at the harbour.
The 7 hills route is a great one. It's relatively short... but don't let that deceive you. With a few km of warm up and cool down its around 9k. A lot of people doing marathon prep run each hill twice. I have it as a strava segment if you want to view the route (it's in a residential area and can be a bit confusing the first time).
Beacon hill park has a perfect mile loop around its ring road. There is also a road that leads up the hill in the centre of the loop (nice view, decent climb!). This spot is a great area for speed work. Alternatively, a nice (but short) run is to run the loop, then run the circumference of the park. The park itself is beautiful and it has some nice roads that go through it, so you can add on some more mileage.
My favourite is simply to run along the water side of Dallas road, heading away from downtown (from Fishermans Wharf). It's stunning, and pretty flat (has some hills further along). Adding in the trip down the breakwater towards the lighthouse is nice (if it's not busy). The only downside is sometimes you're dodging and weaving through a lot of people out walking their dogs, or with baby strollers, etc. but that is a small price to pay for an otherwise awesome run.
If you have any questions feel free to pm me.
Thanks - more great info! Sometimes, even with Strava, it's difficult to pick off what the good routes are for a new area.
Re: Running routes in downtown Victoria, BC [AdamML]
[ In reply to ]
++Dallas. You won't find a better running route near downtown. Wave when you can see Washington on the other side. :)
AdamML wrote:
BCtriguy1 wrote:
Hi Adam, I live in Victoria, there is tons of good running near downtown!
Further to Sylvans tips (which are good ones), look up the course of the Victoria 10k, or Goodlife half and full marathons. Great courses that start/end at the harbour.
The 7 hills route is a great one. It's relatively short... but don't let that deceive you. With a few km of warm up and cool down its around 9k. A lot of people doing marathon prep run each hill twice. I have it as a strava segment if you want to view the route (it's in a residential area and can be a bit confusing the first time).
Beacon hill park has a perfect mile loop around its ring road. There is also a road that leads up the hill in the centre of the loop (nice view, decent climb!). This spot is a great area for speed work. Alternatively, a nice (but short) run is to run the loop, then run the circumference of the park. The park itself is beautiful and it has some nice roads that go through it, so you can add on some more mileage.
My favourite is simply to run along the water side of Dallas road, heading away from downtown (from Fishermans Wharf). It's stunning, and pretty flat (has some hills further along). Adding in the trip down the breakwater towards the lighthouse is nice (if it's not busy). The only downside is sometimes you're dodging and weaving through a lot of people out walking their dogs, or with baby strollers, etc. but that is a small price to pay for an otherwise awesome run.
If you have any questions feel free to pm me.
Thanks - more great info! Sometimes, even with Strava, it's difficult to pick off what the good routes are for a new area.
Forgot to mention, there's a store downtown called frontrunners. They have a Wednesday night group run usually doing hills, intervals, etc around 6. Call to confirm. It's part of a running clinic, so you may need to pay a drop in fee, but it's a great group, vary large and diverse skill levels.
Long Chile was a silly place.