McAlpine closing Tuesday morning

Saturday morning during my run the dust began to cover my running shoes with each stride that I took. Funny, how this happens.

But I am going to miss this particular dust.

Especially considering McAlpine was one of the first places that I ran and raced when I first moved Charlotte in the fall of ’89. Since then I have visited many times and have grown love getting in all of those dirt miles

Earlier this week, the word came out from the Park & Rec’s Dept that two mile section of McAlpine from the Old Bell entrance to the first weir would be closing for major upgrades on Tuesday morning. To keep exercise enthusiast like me out they will be erecting barricades.   

Charlotte has several nice greenways spread through the city, but I consider McAlpine special for few reasons.

This is the only place in Charlotte where I can get in more than a mile on dirt. From Old Bell down to and around the Cross Country Course and then back makes about seven miles. Throw in the miles around lower Boyce and there’s another mile or so added on.

Some people refer to McAlpine as a trail but tripping over roots or stepping around rocks doesn’t really occur very often on my McAlpine runs. Really, this greenway is more like a dirt country road. The path is wide enough a car to driven and there is two main ruts worn in by runners and cyclists as they transverse it.

Then, there is the fact that the course is marked in quarter mile increments. When I am looking for a workout and the local school tracks are not available or if I am just looking from something different, McAlpine is the perfect alternative. I can run anything from quarter mile to two miles and know my splits related to my effort. There is no other place like in it in Charlotte.

I am going to miss being coated with dust this summer and maybe next summer too.

 

 

Sharing one thought at time,

The Cool Down Runner