Hitting the pavement...

A few times a week, I emerge into the early morning darkness, hitting the pavement to run before work. I discovered early on that I was not a treadmill runner, nor an "after work" runner, so early mornings it is. Yes, Queen Anne is a hilly place to run. It took me a few too many miles to figure out the perfect combination of hills, flats, and amazing views. The greatest thing about this route below is that you can tack on an extra mile or so by going further west or east, which also increases your hill workout.

My Route (roughly 5 miles):
-Begin at the corner of Highland and Queen Anne Ave N. Head west on Highland, make sure to check out Kerry Park.
-Continue right onto 8th Place W, to your left you'll see great views of Magnolia and the ferries.
-As you're running down 8th you'll see a staircase that takes you down to 9th Ave W, take this until you reach 10th Ave W and make a right.
-10 Ave W has your first decline and then gradual hill. Once you reach the top you're amidst a sleepy neighborhood that is brightly lit.
-Take 10th Ave W until you veer right around Mt. Pleasant Cemetery. (I've never had a spooky moment while running by the cemetery. Luckily the streets are brighly lit!) Eventually you'll reach 8th Ave W again until you make a left on W Raye St for a couple blocks.
-Make a right onto 5th Ave W. until you reach W Smith St and take a left for another hill set.
-Cross over 3rd until you reach 1st Ave W and take a right until you reach W McGraw St which leads you back to Queen Anne Ave N.
-Take Queen Anne Ave N. one block to Boston and make a left. (Don't be tempted by Starbucks, Cafe Ladro, or Noahs - they smell amazing at 5:00am! Do be sure to check out the window displays at Distpatch...)
-Head down Boston for 7 blocks until you reach Bigelow Ave N. A small decline/incline makes Boston a great street.
-Once you've reached Bigelow, you're on the homestretch. It's a flat street, so you can pick up your pace.
-Make a slight right onto Highland drive and slight climb up to your starting point.

A few key tips for running in the morning in Queen Anne:
1. Wear your reflective gear - check out Runner's World for more info.
2. Watch out for puddles and slippery stairs. While this might be obvious, when it's dark out it's not always easy to spot where it's wet.
3. Be aware of your surroundings. I don't listen to my iPod when I'm running in the morning so I can hear cars (or raccoons.)
4. Between 4:30-6:30am there isn't a ton of foot traffic or cars. Don't be startled when you come across another runner.
5. Stretch and H20 upon your return.