Whatever your pace, these trails will take your breath away

Sweat is trickling down your brow now, your thighs and calves are warm and working as they're intended, your mind wandering with your eye; a green and white ferry leaves Coleman Dock, a red and white Coast Guard cutter steams into Elliott Bay, seagulls squawk. A friendly female jogger smiles as she passes coming the other way, you wipe your forehead with your wrist and begin to round Duwamish Head, breathing rhythmically, feeling the sun's glow, smelling salt air. Into full view strides the Olympics, the twin peaks of The Brothers most prominent, their shoulders cloaked in fading snow.

It's a good day to be alive. It's a good day to be running. It's a good day to be alive and running in Seattle.

Could there be any better place to run than Alki? Maybe Seward Park and then north along Lake Washington Boulevard, or even Green Lake, busy Green Lake, the heart and soul of running in Seattle.

"Seattle, of all the places in the world, is the easiest place to run," says Chet James, co-owner of the running store Super Jock 'n Jill. "There's so many things in Seattle for runners to do. In Seattle, you run everything, you run grass, track, trails, pavement."

True, that. Without being parochial about it, Seattle is a great place to run. The scenery is fabulous. Have you seen Mount Rainier on a clear day from Seward Park? The variety is great: hills, flats, forest, shore. The climate is temperate -- wet yes, but rarely too cold and rarely too hot.

In fact, Runner's World magazine recently ranked Seattle 12th in its top 25 running cities in America.

Seems a natural place for a natural activity, an activity that promotes fitness, cardiovascular health and provides the mental benefits of getting outside and off your duff.

"Running is great," says Scott Jurek, the Seattle physical therapist who on Saturday will defend his seven straight titles in the Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile trail race that starts in Squaw Valley, Calif. "Hiking, running and walking -- they are the basic means of transportation our bodies were made to do, regardless of your background genetics."

SCOTT EKLUND / P-I

Janelle Tuttle trots through the trees along Lake Washington Boulevard South near Seward Park.

That's a good point: Walking briskly and hiking provide the same benefits with less impact stress, and any place good for running won't lose its charm if you walk.

So now it's summer, your bathing suit is lurking in your dresser, and it's time to get back on the path to get in shape for that seven-day backpack through the Olympics you're planning for August. Where to go? What are the best places to run in Seattle?

Well, first, that's a subjective evaluation. Some runners prefer dirt trails, some a flat path, some hills, some the smells of the forest, some the sights of the shore. So let's not call any of these the best, but rather simply great places to run in the Seattle area, depending on your predilections.

Green Lake Surrounded by a city park, this lake is the epicenter of running in Seattle, maybe the most happening spot to stride in the entire Northwest. As the running craze reached a sprint in the 1970s, Green Lake was the first spot to get really popular. Many runners avoid it because it is so popular; others find the company motivating.

The main track is an 18-foot-wide -- wheels on one side, feet on the other -- asphalt surface, and what makes it interesting is that it circles the lake. The scenery is constantly changing: birds in the trees, paddlers on the lake, dudes shooting hoops, hackysackers, sunbathers, anglers. It's 2.8 miles long, and there's a dirt path that defines a larger circle around the park that will give you a bit longer run, a softer surface and a chance to escape most of the crowd.

Those seeking a longer run have plenty of options.

"If you want to get away from the crowd at Green Lake, Woodland Park has a nice wood-chip path around it," notes Jurek.

The two parks meet near Green Lake's southwest shore.

Seward Park

SCOTT EKLUND / P-I

Runners in Seward Park enjoy a bounty of visual delights, including old-growth forests and spectacular views of Lake Washington and Mount Rainier.

You don't have to drive an hour east to run through classic Northwest old-growth forest. This is one of the finest parks in Seattle and embraces the last substantial ancient forest in the city, almost a mile long and a jungle of big Douglas fir, red cedar, western hemlock and what might be the city's last stand of native Gary oak.

It has an old asphalt road (now closed to vehicles) that in 2.4 miles circles the Bailey Peninsula, and a sketchy dirt path adjacent to it that soon will be widened and improved with a softer surface. And there are several more miles of trails up into the forest, presenting any number of loop possibilities.

The favored running route probably is the one circling the peninsula -- keep your eyes open because eagles nest here -- and then heading north along the asphalt path that follows Lake Washington Boulevard past a string of city beaches, all offering the opportunity on a hot day to cool off with a dip. If you run all the way north to Colman Park, you've put in about six miles.

You can keep going all the way north past the Interstate 90 floating bridge to the Washington Park Arboretum and the Foster Island Trail -- another prime running spot in Seattle.

Harbor and Alki avenues

SCOTT EKLUND / P-I

The Seattle skyline accompanies Carolyn Agloro on her run along Harbor Avenue Southwest near Alki.

More than four miles of wide asphalt path follow the Elliott Bay shoreline around Duwamish Head and then along Alki Beach, and the views rank right up there with the best-of-Seattle category.

On the Harbor Avenue side along inner Elliott Bay, the views back to the downtown waterfront are the best by land in the city. On the Alki side along the outer bay, the views of the Olympic Mountains -- most prominently Washington, The Brothers, Jupiter and Constance -- are matched maybe only by those from Discovery Park (see below). They're best on a clear winter day after a fresh mountain snowfall, but good anytime.

In summer, the people-watching along Alki Beach is terrific, and you always have those quintessential Seattle maritime views of tugs, freighters, ferries, cutters and such.

Discovery Park One of Seattle's biggest parks at 534 acres, Discovery offers 11.8 miles of trails with an interesting mix of terrain, including beach, sea bluff, forest and meadow. If you prefer running on trails, this is your best bet inside the city, and there's room to really let it out.

"I love up-and-down trails where I really have to lay it on to get up, and the views at Discovery are beautiful on top of those cliffs," says Kristin Engen, an avid runner from Kirkland. "It's beautiful and kind of like grassland on top."

The 2.8-mile Loop Trail circles the uplands of the park, with the South and North Bluff trails dropping down to the sound. You can do all manner of loops.

Saint Edward State Park On the Eastside along and above Lake Washington, eight or more miles of well-maintained trails lace this 316-acre park, and the maturing second-growth forest here makes it feel like you're somewhere closer to the Cascades, with plenty of ups and downs.

"If I'm looking for kind of an adventure, I really like Saint Eddy for a good challenging trail," says Engen. "That's one heck of a trail to run. It feels much longer. It's so Northwest. It's kind of knotty, rooty."

About half the trails at Saint Ed, a former Catholic seminary, are open to mountain biking, mostly on the east side of the park, and especially on weekends they get busy. Stay on the trails closer to the lake and you'll be fine.

Plenty of people hike these trails, too; please demonstrate courtesy regardless of your pace. A loop that combines the North Canyon and South Bluff trails, linked by the half-mile-plus trail along the shore, is about 2.3 miles, and two separate trails through the heart of the loop can be used to lengthen the run.

Honorable mentions How can you leave out the Burke-Gilman, you ask? Too darn busy with bikes. Same with the Sammamish River Trail. When I've run them, I've been frustrated by frequent "on your lefts," or worse, startled by fast passers.

Other runners tell me the Tolt Pipeline Trail, which intersects the Sammamish Trail, is an excellent run, and I also hear raves about Redmond's Watershed Park -- big trees and soft paths.

Other good ones are Bellevue's Mercer Slough Park and, although it bores me, Tiger Mountain outside Issaquah. Tiger is popular for those who want a hard workout, with lots of elevation.

Finally, another very popular lakeshore run is Lake Washington Boulevard in Kirkland, from downtown south to Carillon Point.

If you're just beginning to run or resuming running after a layoff, Seattle sports medicine physician Ken Robertson says:

• "No pain, no gain" is a myth. Start slowly and progress gradually. Run until you feel fatigued or muscle soreness, then walk until the pain goes away. When you can handle 20 minutes of continuous running, gradually increase time as your fitness level improves.

• Don't run with worn-out shoes. You don't have to buy expensive running shoes, but when your shoes lose their cushion, get new ones.

• Try to run on softer surfaces, especially as you age and if you're carrying extra weight. Cinder tracks, well-groomed dirt or gravel trails, grass or packed sand are good options. Those who must run on pavement or asphalt can combine running with walking to reduce stress on the joints.

• If you're injury-prone or feel pain when you run despite these precautions, get a professional assessment from a sports medicine physician or physical therapist. The Seattle area also has several specialty running stores that will analyze your stride and help you select the best shoe for your body mechanics.

  Links

• For details on the parks in the city, see www.cityofseattle.net/parks/ For details on Saint Edward State Park, see www.parks.wa.gov/.

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