Time to hit the ground running

By Maggie Beidelman

Run. From school. From the monotony of the treadmill. Embrace the unknown of lonely sidewalks leading rubber-soled adventure-seekers away from it all. To places that lift spirits and heart rates alike.

In a world where exercise is worshipped as a means to kill calories, venturing off the beaten path may lead to something greater, more healthful and infinitely more fulfilling than a leaner waistline -- say, a bit of fun and discovery.

In the Santa Clara area, there are several options within a few miles distance that can be painlessly experienced, and for no cost. And there's enough variety to suit anybody's tastes.

Possibly the second most common route for university runners (number one being a lap around campus) is the "Rose Garden Run."

The San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, a public park complete with a picturesque fountain and 3,500 legally secured rose shrubs, lies about one and a half miles from campus.

This meditation-inducing destination is reachable by traveling down Park Avenue about a mile, making a right on Naglee Avenue and ending at the intersection of Dana and Naglee Avenues.

"I recommend a run to the rose garden because it takes you through one of the most beautiful places in San Jose," said freshman and avid runner Erin Emerson. The 5-and-a-half acre garden is open daily and closes around sunset.

For those who feel the need for tranquility or spiritual rejuvenation amidst the tumult of school and work, jogging aficionados highly recommend the "Monastery Run" through the lush and peaceful grounds over the tedium of the metal-clashing, hospital-white gym.

This veritable Eden of exercise is an easy paradise found: go a half mile down Market Street, make a right on Lincoln, and when you see the pink walls on your left, you have found the Carmelite Monastery.

"The monastery is worth checking out, at least once, because it provides a change in the typical atmosphere of everyday Santa Clara suburbia," said freshman John Fountain.

A light run to the monastery and back can be completed in less than a half hour, including a brief stroll through the grounds.

For the more industrially inclined, there is San Jose International Airport, which is nearly two miles directly northeast of the university's entrance.

Boeing 747s become jogging buddies, racing to take off against runners performing intervals of sprints on Martin Avenue, which runs parallel to the airport's runway.

Keep in mind, this run should only be attempted by people who prefer grass-less city streets and endless black asphalt, and in fact looking for a more austere and urban setting. It is inadvisable to shorten the run by recklessly bounding over the train tracks at the Santa Clara CalTrain station. You can't run when you're dead.

But if you could, you'd probably enjoy the "Santa Clara Mission Cemetery Run," just less than a mile west down Market Street. It can be reached by making a left off of Market onto Lincoln Street.

For many, a run to the dwelling of hundreds of lifeless bodies may sound unpalatable. But don't run by this opportunity (pun intended). The antique atmosphere of the cemetery can actually promote remembrance and reflection upon one's own direction in life.

And at the very least, it might make you want to run away. Fast.

Further down Market, make a right on Winchester Boulevard to arrive at the Mission City Memorial Park Cemetery on the right.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, this is a must-see, as it is rated as one of the "Top 10 things to do in Santa Clara." Admittedly, this doesn't say much for the city.

Whichever excursion you choose, remember above all that it is a run for adventure, for discovery--anything to break everyday routine.

If some unknown street compels you to explore, give in. And bring a buddy -- or a bodyguard, if your buddies are all useless as protectors.

But still, give in. Get off campus. Run away.

Contact Maggie Beidelman at (408) 551-1918 or mbeidelman@scu.edu.