I was playing around with Google Earth a little yesterday (due to boredom) and decided to map out my running route after I discovered the “Measure” tool. It’s pretty neat, and hopefully not too inaccurate. (Unfortunately the overhead image map data for Kingston is pretty lacking, so you don’t really get an idea of what’s along the path. However, it’s still nice to plot out paths.

I’ve been running ever since high school, so moving to Kingston for school didn’t change that. However, the route hasn’t always been the same, but I think I’ve settled on this one for a while. Yes, I do run this same route most of the time, and while many would find this unbearably boring, I actually do not. It’s actually useful for me as I can get an idea of how I’m improving.

I like the route because it isn’t all flat nor is it too hilly. I start off going down Albert St. (along the west edge of the Queen’s main campus) until it ends at King St.; this part is all slighly downhill and thus it’s ease is part of my warmup. Then I turn west and head down King St. until it intersects Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd. This part is probably the most uphill part so it’s good to get it out of the way at the start. Then I head north up Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd. until it hits Johnson St.; this part is a little uphill but not as much as before.

Then it’s east down Johnston St. for a bit until I turn off on to Earl St. and head all the way down until it intersects King St. This part is almost all flat except for a downhill section at the end. After that, it’s just going west again down King St. until I turn and head back up Albert St., the same way I started out, except this time I’m going uphill, which is a nice finish that makes you “push hard” at the end.

Google Earth says the path length is 4.55 miles but I think that’s an overestimate or at the very least an upper bound. I actually think it’s only 4 miles or so. I usually run it three times a week, and it’s a nice way to burn off any stress or get my mind thinking about anything creative.