Of all of the places this woman runner has ventured - from  Savannah to  Sedona, there remains a very special place in my heart for Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Perhaps its because Winston-Salem is the place where I first laced up a pair of running shoes. I think its also because the town is replete with terrific trails and tree-lined streets; well-manicured southern gardens and a kind of modified antebellum architecture that comes off as well, simply charming. Plus – Winston has a terrific running community, safe streets,  a great running specialty store and  tons of local races. What more could a woman runner want?

I’ve been dreaming of the trails and rolling Piedmont neighborhoods I ran for nearly 15 years because Steve and I are planning a trip back there in a few weeks. I haven’t had the pleasure of running Winston in more than four years. The last time I visited I was suffering from that ITB injury that crippled me for more than 8 months. I was so heartbroken. And it was fall too!

Oh Traxees, I know you runners on the east coast have been hammered by cold weather for a long time now– but I have to tell you that I am kind of wishing for a light dusting of snow in which I can run the quiet forest trails of Wake Forest University once more.

Hey, if you are a Traxee living in the Piedmont, go ahead and email me and maybe we can do a trail run together! Here’s a couple of my absolute fave runs in Winston:

Reynolda Gardens:
Originally home estate to the Reynolds family,  this property is now owned and maintained by my alma mater, Wake Forest University, and is accessible to the public. The estate has beautiful formal gardens, upscale restaurants and shops and best of all, a wonderful, 1.8 mile, well maintained cross country trail that winds itself through the property, past a boat house, streams and Lake Katherine. A fave of mine and a great warm-up for a longer run.

Wake Forest University Cross Country Trail:
I have run the cross country trail  (one loop=3 miles) on the campus of Wake Forest in every season and in all kinds of weather, from snow and ice to summer thunderstorms. It is extraordinarily beautiful and peaceful and really lovely in all seasons. Hilly, and densely populated with hardwoods, this trail is a delight in every aspect…and also rarely used when school is out. Great for the runner who loves solitude. Mmmmm…Unfortunately,  the trails will be closed while I’m there to construct a new campus building – so I guess I’ll have to skip this fave this time around.

Hanes Park, Buena Vista: 
If you want to confirm your image of genteel southern living and beautiful traditional architecture, try a route starting at the Central YMCA (where I first started running) at Hanes Park and go from there. There are a number of great runs starting from the park, ranging from relatively flat to very hilly, 3 miles to half marathon in length. My favorite is about 5 miles in length, the “Warwick loop,” as I used to call it in my training log - which winds its way through the beautiful Buena Vista (pronounced "byoona vista") neighborhoods that border one side of the park.

Salem Lake:
  Salem Lake is a favorite of area runners. This 7 mile loop around the lake is packed dirt trail (read: perfect) and is maintained by the Twin City Track Club year-round. There’s water and bathrooms and ev’thing! I am DEFINITELY going to doing Salem while I’m in Winston this go ‘round!

Whoo hoo! I think I'm regaining my excitement and a sense of rejuvenation just thinking about running this area again. Ah, nothing like a vacation to lighten the load, eh ladies? 

Anybody else planning a "running vacation" in the near future? 

 

Image: A home in Buena Vista , neighborhood of Winston-Salem

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Tags: vacation, running while on vacation, winston-salem, north carolina, wake forest university, hanes park, salem lake, buena vista, reynolda gardens