Trail Running

Oakville, Milton and Hamilton are a few of the best places to trail run. I have a few different routes I usually do to stay away from wind, cars and to be totally honest people seeing me. I always get asked when I run and I tell them hit the trails and you will find me! My shoes get a bit muddy but I stay injury free and field with energy. A study I read one time in Runners World explained that running on the road around cars and inhaling C02 decreases performances by 10% on the given day. After that article I always hit the trails.

As Runners World Puts it..My RAVE TRAILS

NEYAGAWA TRAIL: Take Dundas and head south on Neyagawa Road in Oakville. Park at the baseball diamond and head across the street into the trail. It is a 8.5 KM loop taking the East to West bank trail. There are 2 major downhills and uphills and rollers all along the run. It gets a bit confusing so focus on the signs when you are doing this loop. If I have a hilly run to do or focusing on strength this is the way to go. I also can leave bottles on the side of trail so I don't have to carry them.

DOG PARK Oakville: Take Dundas to Eighth Line and head South until you see the Dog Park on your left hand side across from the church. It is a 9.5km loop, which is my run I use to train for Boston. It is 5km downhill then 4.5km slightly uphill with usually a headwind the whole way back! I usually do 3 and a bit laps when I got to my peak training. Route: Head from Dog Park across street to church. Take trail left across Glenashton and start heading south. Cross over Upper Middle Rd and head down the big hill. Once you come out along the flood line head East over Eighth Line and follow the pipe line until you enter a trail on your right. Take it up until you shoot across Upper Middle Again and head up Grand Blvd. Keep heading North on Grand, which becomes North Ridge and make a left onto another pipe line, which will take you back to the dog park!

16 MILE CREEK TRAIL: Take Dundas, West just before you cross over the bridge and see Appleby Line you want to park next to the School Bus Depot. The entrance looks like a driveway but when you get in you make a hard left and the run is amazing. Not the best footing but so much fun to run in the mood. I usually do an out and back 12km run.

HILTON FALLS: Little Trick is to enter from the road up Sixth Line Hill...you didn't hear that from me;) Once in the loop is a 9.5km Loop along the Beaver Dam Trail. It is good to do once but I find doing 2 loops puts a lot of strain on my ankles and last thing I need is to roll and ankle. Also during the summer there is a lot of walkers and bugs!!

DUNDAS VALLEY: Located off Roaussex Rd up the Mountain. Take the 403 through Hamilton on your way to Ancaster. This is a great trail for MTB and running. You can find many Kenyan runners and McMaster cross country runners out in these trails. Very Similar to Neyagawa so think twice before making the drive out!

Enjoy the season!