Focus on running routes in Houston: Memorial Park

April 14, 4:38 PMHouston Running Fitness ExaminerKelly Smith

Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Houston Running Fitness Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

When people not familiar with Houston think of the running scene here, chances are that they just think of the Houston Marathon. It's grown from humble beginnings to being one of the top marathons in the country. But the truth is that Houston has some of the best running anywhere. Sure, it gets a bit hot and humid in the summer, but there's not chance of doing a face-plant due to ice in the winter. There are great routes all over. Take Memorial Park, for instance. This is where the Houston Marathon was hosted for the first time, as a matter of fact.

Memorial Park is arguably the most popular route in the city. One reason for this is its location; since it's situated just inside the west side of the 610 Loop and south of I-10, it is very accessible from anywhere in the city. This makes it a convenient meeting place for groups training for the marathon or just getting together on the weekend to share a long run.

It's basically a crushed granite trail, a loop that's officially 2.88 miles long (for those who worship the running log) and has water fountains at several spots. This means you can leave the water bottles at home if you like. The best parking is at or near the tennis center. That's where the bathrooms and showers are located. There's generally a pile of entry forms for upcoming races there as well. Just outside and to the left of the tennis center is an area used for stretching. And again, for those who keep their running log as accurate as a Bulova watch, this is where the distance markers begin.

As with any popular running route, there are a few things to look out for. There are inevitably groups of walkers three abreast too busy gossiping to respond to, “On your left!” And there are numerous dog-walkers who are great for the most part. Every now and then, though, some unsuspecting runner will encounter a mid-trail “gift” left by Fido. This usually occurs during the fifteenth mile of a seventeenth mile training run when you're on autopilot. We've all been there, right?

Do you want another benefit? Shade. The whole loop isn't shaded but a good part of it is, especially at the end of the day when the sun is on the trek down to the horizon. This is a great benefit indeed, when the mid-summer temperatures are in the upper 90s and the humidity closes the door on any chance of cooling by evaporation.

Speaking of shade, if you look across Memorial next to the baseball fiels, you'll see one of the entrances to the Ho Chi Mihn trails where you can do some trail running, right in the heart of the city.

If the loop just gets too boring, it's easy to hang a left off the trail on Memorial Drive (if you're running the loop clockwise) and meander down to Buffalo Bayou. The Bayou is another loop, though about twice as long, and offers many opportunities to get some hillwork in, which is a rare commodity for Houston runners.

And it's easy to get to; coming west on Memorial Drive from inside the 610 Loop, you'll run right into it. Just take a right when you get there. From I-10, go south on Washington Avenue, and then right on Memorial. If you're coming north on the 610 Loop West, hang a right on Memorial.

So whether you live in Houston and are looking for another route to try of if you find yourself here on a business trip, be sure to visit Memorial Park and log some soft miles on the gravel trail.