Tuesday Trails, Routes, and Races: Creek Park

As promised, this week we will take you on a much flatter route and avoid some of the big hills we looked at in previous posts. This route will start in one park but take you through one of my favorite parks in the area to run through. We only recently started using this route with the high school team but I'm sure many of you already run this beauty! To start park at Parnell Park in Whittier. There are public restrooms there as well as water fountains which makes it a great start and end point.

Start your run heading south on Scott and cross Leffingwell Rd. Keep running south on Scott until you reach Lemon Dr. and turn left. At this point you are in a residential area but stay on the sidewalk to be safe. You will pass you first mile mark at this point and right after turn right on Kibbee. This will take you down to Creek park just 400 meters away. Once at the park turn right on to the pathway and just follow the path. Keep in mind there is a path on the other side of the little creek and even a horse trail. All good to try out but for the sake of this route we will stay to the right of the creek. 

Keep running until you reach the end of the pathway and at this point jump into the horse trail or run on the sidewalk right next to it. As the horse trail ends and dumps into what looks to be the end you will hit the mile 2 marker. Our run isn't over as it now takes you into a tunnel and you will run directly under Imperial Hwy. It's dark in here so please run carefully and if you have a light turn it on. As always run with a partner if at all possible. As you emerge on the other side you will see a whole other section of the park! More creek, more trees and pathways! Keep running until the end of this area another half mile and once again you will go through a tunnel this time under La Mirada Blvd. and will end up at Biola University. 

Continue running on what is now a horse trail until you pop out on La Mirada Blvd and the horse trail turns into sidewalk. We have the run stopped shortly after that at the light Alicante but from here you can cross the street and run in La Mirada Park or just keep running south on La Mirada up to you if you want to make it a longer run! For the sake of this route turn around and head back the way you came, One of the things I like most of this route is the lack of street lights you have to stop at (just 1) and the fact that even in the concrete jungle we all live in you can still find an area with a creek and trees and grass! Hope you enjoy this route and let us know what else you want us to add here! I may do a local race review next week!

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