Place to Jog Slap Bang in the middle of Town

Kintarō Hattori

Hey Folks,

Where's a good place to go jogging right in the middle of the city? I was thinking about the phoenix park, but coming into winter would that be a safe place? Is there main route there lit at night?
Has anyone any suggestions on a good place/route/park fairly close to town?

Many thanks.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

rainglow

Given that the OP mentioned the Phoenix Park, I don't think I'd be going out on too much of a limb to assume he means Dublin

Where in the city do you live? I live on Pearse St, and my preference for walking/jogging would be down Pearse St, through Ringsend, and down to Sandymount Strand. The beach is too dark at night but the path above it is lit. You could also jog along the canal, but there are a huge amount of roads to cross. There's also the athletics track in Trinity.

I lived beside the Phoenix Park, and while it is really dark at night a lot of people still walk and run in it. Just invest some reflective gear, and run on the grass verge closer to the road if you'd be more comfortable there.

daveirl

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mountainyman

Not living in Dublin, I feel for you dude.

MM

case_sensitive

I live in Mountjoy Sq D1, and I have a few main city centre running routes:

1 (8.6/9.5km):
Gardiner St to Beresford Place and to the quays, and along the boardwalk west on the North side until it runs out, then on the path beside it until Heuston station, thereafter crossing to the right path to the Phoenix park gates near Cunningham road. 8.6km to the gate, 9.3 to the first corner inside the park.
It's lit, it's not too crowded, and if you don't mind the attention from the occassional pedestrian it's fine.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/view_route.php?r=a8acac6db18421876c283612b5b0aa0e

2. (10km on the button):
Cycle through the North Circular road gate of Phoenix park, past the garda place. Run from here back to Cunningham road entrance, up through the centre of the park to the Castleknock gate, and back.
3. (15.6Km) same run, but running the north circular road bit
http://www.mapmyrun.com/view_route.php?r=5c41f4f68afb96469b9a26ceb99fa546

4. (8.5km)
Gardiner st to the quays, turn left up at the Custom's house along a lovely empty stretch of custom house quays to north wall bridge, follow up to the port, Sean Moore Road, run back through Irishtown, Pearse St, then over Tara St bridge and back.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/view_route.php?r=c3ce4c23d1ce0de92bbebe81313d6b0e

Phoenix park is iffy after about 7 in winter, not least because they don't light it properly on account of it being the Deer's bedtime. I almost ran into another jogger one night at about 9, visibility is about 2m unless there's a car behind you with it's lights on. Also, I ran right past a buck trying to shag a doe on the cycle path at the Cunningham road gate, no kidding, he didn't look impressed with me messing up his mojo.

Oh, and Mapmyrun.com is sweeeet, tied into Google Earth and it's even better. You can even calculate work rate etc.

Static M.e.

(Random Ideas)

How about in some of the colleges UCD, Trinity etc they are open quite late and are flood lit also quite close to town.

Herbert park (Ballsbridge) is also large enough for a good run around, plenty of parking too and quite a nice area too.

For a smaller park thats not very well known, I know one up on Harcourt street, very nice in the summer for walks/relaxing, its not that large I suppose for long runs but you could lap it maybe

GL

case_sensitive

In Trinity I know that College Park is closed until spring, you'll get shouted at for running around it on the grass verge, I know it's stupid, but I was actually kicked off it last year.
The Iveagh Gardens (Harcourt st) close pretty early I think, 6 or 7pm, and are rammed at lunchtime.

Up by DCU if you're northside there's Albert College park, and down the other end of Mobhi road, there's the fields around Na Fianna, done a fair few laps of that.
There's both canals if you're not jumpy about urban scumbags, my dog and I run the Whitworth road section of the Royal Canal.