Are you competing in the Chastain Park TriPATHlon? Starting at the Chastain Park Pool, the race consists of a 400 yard pool swim, 15 mile bike ride and 5K run. To help you get prepared, take a look at a roundup of some PATHs -- off-road trails in and around Atlanta for runners, walkers and cyclists -- by AJC staffers done in preparation for 2012's Peachtree Road Race.
Southtowne Trail
Location: Southeast of downtown Atlanta, three short trails that travel around Browns Mill Golf Course, the old Lakewood Fairgrounds and Swann Nature Preserve.
Parking: There's a PATH parking lot off of Browns Mill Road, and one near Lakewood Avenue at the other end of the trail. You can also find parking on side streets.
About the PATH: The Southtowne Trail is short — the longest chunk, about 1.5 miles, is around the Browns Mill Golf Course. The other two sections are less than a mile each. Although the three sections aren't connected, you can easily walk between them.
The area/what you'll see: I stuck to the section around the golf course, doing two round trips for a six-mile total. The course itself is beautiful — well-manicured and lush, and it's surrounded by the back sides of nice homes and apartment complexes. It was kind of fun to peer into people's backyards as I ran past, until a little overzealous beagle with a big bark behind one yard fence made me regret my wandering eye.
Hills: The golf course part of the Southtowne Trail is almost entirely flat, making it ideal for beginning runners or those who are planning to walk the PRR course. However, that same flatness can also be a hindrance for more serious runners — the back and forth to get a 10k is nice the first time, but can be a little monotonous the second time.
Where to eat post-run: There's a lot of fast food spots in the immediate area (Chick-fil-A, Checkers), but if you're looking for something more substantial, there's Sweet Potato Eatery on Jonesboro Road and Walter's Express Soul Food on Cleveland.
My take: I hadn't been to this area of Atlanta before, so I didn't know what to expect, but the Southtowne Trail was a very pleasant surprise. It's probably not the right trail if you're looking to increase your speed or work on your hills, but it's perfect for a slow, easy run or a twilight or dusk walk. It's clean, quiet and pretty — and everyone I passed on the trail smiled and said hello, which is a nice bonus on any run.
--Yvonne Zusel
Silver Comet Trail
Location: Silver Comet Trail, from New Macland Road to Hiram (MAP)
Parking: Parking lots on various access points throughout the trail, including one at Florence Road (with horse trailer parking, restrooms and a water fountain); New Macland; South Cobb Drive; and Floyd Road
About the PATH: The trail begins at the intersection of South Cobb Drive and the East-West Connector in Smyrna, Georgia and runs all the way to the Alabama border. There it meets the Chief Ladiga trail in Alabama. The portion I did – about a 4-mile loop — starts at Florence Road and ends near the New Macland parking lot.
The area/what you'll see: The Silver Comet Trail is a wonder to behold. Canopied by trees and bolstered with the loud tweet of birds and soft din of traffic, it's nature at its best. Awaiting you on this portion of the trail: Two bridges that provide a great view of the streets below and sneak peeks into small neighborhoods that border the trail.
Runners should make sure to stay to the right as bikers definitely dominate the trail, whizzing by in pairs or alone. Occasional in-line skaters also appear but the paths lanes are wide enough to accommodate everyone.
Hills: Lots of hills throughout the course, with a steep one right near the Florence Road parking lot traveling east.
Where to eat post-run: This portion of the trail provides access to downtown Powder Springs where a plethora of food awaits you.
Practice your post-AJC Peachtree celebrations with margaritas from La Parrilla Mexican Restaurant
My take: This is an awesome trail if you're tired of running on your typical PATHS. With nature on each side of you and enough room to watch bikers and skaters ride by, you might even lose track of your mileage –13.2 anyone?
-- Cynthia DuBose
Stone Mountain Trail
Location: Freedom Parkway through Candler Park (MAP)
Parking: Parking lots on various access points throughout the trail, including one at Martin Luther King, Jr. Center off of Jackson Parkway; Carter Center off of Freedom Parkway; City of Decatur parking lot off of Sycamore Street between Mile 7 and Mile 8; and Stone Mountain Park.
There is also often parking on side streets close to the trail — I found parking for this chunk of the path on John Wesley Dobbs Avenue, one block south of Freedom Parkway.
About the PATH: The 19 mile-long Stone Mountain Trail begins at Piedmont Ave in downtown Atlanta and ends at Stone Mountain affording access to Stone Mountain Park.
The portion I did — about a 6-mile loop — starts at Boulevard and Freedom Park, goes south on Freedom Parkway to Moreland Avenue, runs through Freedom Park, past the Candler Park Golf Course, past Veritas Church, onto Ponce De Leon NE, onto S Ponce De Leon NE and back past the church.
The area/what you'll see: The Freedom Parkway is a nice blend of greenery and grittiness. If you're a city mouse, you'll like the first and last quarters of the run down the Freedom Parkway, complete with views of the traffic, a funky mural just south of Highland and some questionable characters hanging out under underpasses (don't worry, they're harmless).
The middle half of the run will give you a brief reprieve from urban-ness, with the nicely manicured green spaces of Freedom Park and flowers planted along the golf course.
Hills: Lots of rolling hills throughout the course, with some rough ones coming back north through Freedom Park. Not for the beginning runner.
Where to eat post-run: Lots of good spots along the route you can use to motivate yourself to get the run over with so you can dig into something tasty. In addition to Condesa Coffee on Boulevard, which is great for post-run coffee and sandwiches, there's a cluster of delicious options on Highland, inlcluding Highland Bakery, Across the Street, Jack's Pizza and Wings and P'Cheen.
My take: This is one of my favorite 10K routes in Atlanta for its mix of grass and concrete, and the variation in the scenery. It can get crowded on the weekend, and you'll have to share the trail with cyclists, but dodging people can actually prepare you for the AJC Peachtree Road Race.
--Yvonne Zusel
Nancy Creek Trail
Location: Between Dunwoody, Chamblee and Brookhaven, the PATH runs from Murphy Candler Park through Blackburn Park to Durden Drive (MAP)
Parking: At Murphy Candler Park, the closest lot to the trail is at the corner of West Nancy Creek Drive and Candler Lake West, and there are other lots at the park including near the pool. Be warned that the parking can be very busy when youth sports games are taking place. At the other end of the trail, parking is available in Blackburn Park off both Ashford Dunwoody Road and Donaldson Drive. Blackburn Park also hosts a variety of activities that might draw crowds.
About the PATH: It's an approximately two-mile long point-to-point trail that travels along neighborhood roads, a busy Ashford Dunwoody for a stretch and through Blackburn Park by the fields, tennis center and a small wooded area.
The area/what you'll see: Starting from Nancy Creek, the PATH is a sidewalk along the road, including for about two-thirds of a mile along a busy stretch of Ashford Dunwoody Road. Once in Blackburn Park, the sidewalk travels by the park's fields, tennis center and through some wooded areas. Once through the park, the turn-around is in a half-built development. The real fun is in Blackburn Park. Depending on the day, you might see a tennis match, a kickball game or league softball. Maybe, there will be a cricket tournament. Or people will be hanging from trees. I've been told on some weekends, the park hosts LARPing – that's Live Action Role Playing. Where else can you run and have the potential to see all of that?
Hills: Ashford Dunwoody is one big hill – primarily going up as you travel south from Nancy Creek to Blackburn. The rest of the trail isn't too bad, and if you go out-and-back starting at Murphy Candler, the long downhill is nice as you are about to finish up.
AJC Peachtree Road Race practice: To get to six miles, start at Murphy Candler and run the PATH to Durden Drive and then turn right to reach Johnson Ferry Road (this will add about a quarter-mile to the trail. When you get back to Murphy Candler, run one lap on the dirt/sidewalk trail around the lake (it begins in the lot at the corner of West Nancy Creek Drive and Candler Lake West), which should get you to about 10K. (Each loop around the lake and through the woods is between 1.5-1.6 miles).
Things around the trail: At Murphy Candler Park: A lake with a trail around it, a pool, tennis courts, playground, picnic areas and grills and many youth sports fields. At Blackburn Park: A tennis center, covered pavilion, open and softball fields. The Cowart Family/Ashford Dunwoody YMCA is along the PATH on Ashford Dunwoody.
Where to eat post-run: You can go around the world at Old Five Points near Blackburn Park where Johnson Ferry and Ashford Dunwoody meet. On Thursday's there is a farmers' market in the Old Five Points parking lot. To cool off, there is a Rita's Italian Ice on Ashford Dunwoody. And Corner Pizza has one of my all-time favorite drink specials – the bucket of Champaign for $10. That's a 6-pack of tall boy Miller High Lifes (Plug: A sister beer, Miller 64 is a race sponsor) to go along with some pretty good pizza and salads. It's hot now, so if you need a gallon of chocolate milk or want a sub, there is also a Publix at the corner. If you're near Murphy Candler, head north on Ashford Dunwoody, and there's just about anything you could ever want to eat near Perimeter Mall.
Events: Movement Towards A Cure for Brain Tumors 5K and 2.5K untimed run/walk at Blackburn Park.
My take: After driving the Ashford Dunwoody stretch of the trail every day to work, I didn't think I would like this PATH. All I knew was that it contained a big hill and ran along a busy street. I was wrong. After running it for the first time, I went back for another go at it. The portion through Blackburn Park is very nice, the uphill segments are good for you, and if you start at Murphy Candler, you can run a very nice negative split taking advantage of the downhills. My last time on the PATH, my fourth mile was quicker than my first and my third mile bested my second. According to my Garmin, the high point of the run is near the turnaround at Durden Drive. I also enjoy the Murphy Candler Lake loop when I am in the mood for something different. But be careful – see here and here.
--Matthew Borenstein
Chastain Park
Location: Chastain Park near Buckhead (MAP)
Parking: Chastain Park red lot on Powers Ferry Road near the amphitheater. A large map of the trails is at the parking lot entrance.
About the PATH: Two 3.1 mile mostly concrete loops with some of the trail covering an asphalt side street. The two big loops are mostly the same, with a slight diversion plus there is a 1.6 mile loop that shares portions of both longer loops.
The area/what you'll see: The loop mostly follows the outside of the golf course bordering Powers Ferry Road and Lake Forest Drive. The loops also pass other park amenities and a portion is separated from the road by trees.
Hills: Some big ones. Being Atlanta, the area is rolling with some fairly long ups-and-downs. There isn't much that is flat. Be ready to go up and down.
AJC Peachtree Road Race Practice: Run each of the 5K loops once, for a 10K – 6.2 mile tuneup.
Things around the trail: All the amenities of Chastain Park – benches along the route, water fountains, pool, golf course, horse park, tennis courts, baseball and softball fields, arts center, gym, playgrounds, green space and amphitheater. More information here.
Where to eat post-run: Horseradish Grill is on the trail and good, but might be a little nice and too much for a post-run meal. There are many restaurants and coffee shops in the neighborhood along Roswell Road including both Arden's Garden and Jujubees if you want a smoothie. If you want just about anything else, you'll too be able to find it including a Waffle House for a big glass of ice cold chocolate milk. I'm partial to Ringside Franks and Shakes, a new hotdog stand about a mile from the park.
Events: Atlanta Track Club August 5K, Ryan P. Means 9/11 Memorial Run, TriPATHlon
My take: It's a tough 5K course that runs along a couple pretty busy streets, but the sidewalk is nice, and the PATH is well utilized. The golf course and other park amenities add a nice touch, as does the fact that it's a complete loop with a big parking lot. Don't be fooled like I was when a friend told me the loop wasn't hilly. It was including some steep downhills. And make sure you don't miss the turn into the off of Powers Ferry in to the park. And I would recommend the blue trail finish, taking you along a shaded Park Drive.
--Matthew Borenstein
