Travel Guide: California

CALIFORNIA

Los Angeles, CA
Clubs/organizations: Los Feliz Flyers Running and Adventure Club (626) 794-3307; Flyer Hotline (562) 493-4944; For club info: Gardena Reebok (310) 324-7285; Cacique (626) 961-3399 x381; LA Leggers, (310) 577-8000; Track Club Los Angeles, (310) 824-4671; Trailrunners Club (Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles).
Local publications: Los Angeles Sports & Fitness Magazine
Where to run: Boardwalk from El Segundo south to Redondo Beach (8 miles); Palos Verdes; Griffith Park; San Vicente Boulevard in Santa Monica; Santa Monica Mountains (Mulholland); Rose Bowl and Arroyo Trails; Angeles Crest Mountains; Chino Hills.
Shops: Phidippides in Encino; Future Track in Agoura Hills; Village Runner in Redondo Beach; A Snail's Pace in Pasadena; and The Starting Line in Marina del Rey.
Check out: Desconso Gardens in La Canada or the new Getty Museum in West L.A.
Don't Miss: The Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon. This race is the largest relay marathon in the U.S. (about 20,000 are on hand). It's an incredibly fun event with teams of 5 competing in many different divisions. Location is Griffith Park, the most popular place in LA for a running event.

Orange County, CA
Running Away: Orange County, CA
Clubs/organizations: Cal Coast Track Club, (949) 476-7076,  info@calcoasttrack.com
Where to run:
Balboa Peninsula (Newport Beach) to Seal Beach
Distance: 12 Miles one way.
Description: Boardwalk along the beach. You never need to get on the road.
El Moro/Crystal Cove State Park
Distance: Various. You can get up to a 10 mile loop in El Moro Canyon.
Description: Asphalt trail along the beach and numerous dirt trails in El
Moro Canyon.
Back Bay (Newport Beach)
Distance: 10 mile loop around the bay
Description: Asphalt Trail and some streets.
Upper Newport Bay past UCI, and through Irvine.
Distance: 9+ Miles one way.
Description: Asphalt Trail.

Palo Alto, CA
Club/organizations: Palo Alto Lightning, contact Coach Willie Young (650) 323-7632 (youth and open); Palo Alto Running Club; Stanford Running Club; Angel Field Ancients.
Running/race info: The Schedule: (800) 998-7904; Pacific USATF; Los Altos Town Crier; Palo Alto Weekly; Palo Alto Daily News.
Where to run: Stanford’s old track in the football stadium; "The Dish" and Cow Hill, a 3-4 mile loop; Stanford University campus; the "wetlands" by the municipal course (flat and sometimes windy, but there are trails and roads and no cars); Rancho San Antonio County Park (trails, hills, and beautiful!), a short drive from Palo Alto.
Stars: Patty Sue Plumer, Nancy Ditz
Don’t miss: The 4th of July fireworks at the top of Cow Hill. Downtown Palo Alto.

San Diego, CA
Clubs/organizations: San Diego Track Club; Rift Valley Events 
Local publication/Race info: "San Diego Running" (SDTC’s newsletter); Race Place; Competitor Magazine
Where to run: Mission Bay; Penasquitos Canyon; Balboa Park; Coronado
Shops: Movin Shoes; Urban Athletes; Fleet Feet; Road Runner Sports
What’s hot: Wild Animal Park, SeaWorld or visit www.sandiego.org.
Running Forum: San Diego Running Forum - New forum for runners in the San Diego area.

If you are looking for a room in San Francisco, you may want to consider treating yourself to a stay at the Argent Hotel. There you will find Noreen Barrington and Charysse Wiley, members of the sales and marketing staff, leading morning runs for the hotel’s patrons from Monday through Friday.

Barrington came up with the idea in the early ’90s, and was leading these running tours every day until a knee injury slowed her four months ago and Wiley began helping out.

The groups that meet at 6:30 a.m. vary in size from 2 to 15, and the guides alternate the routes for their repeat visitors. A run from the front door may involve such San Francisco landmarks as the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown and even a trip up and down Coit Tower.

“For first time visitors, I love seeing the city through their eyes. We really try to get the full flavor of San Francisco—and they are amazed at how much they can see in a four to seven mile run,” says Wiley. “Afterwards they say ‘I can’t believe that you live here!’”

San Luis Obispo, CA
Club/organization: San Luis Distance Club, Brian Waterbury (805) 543-9320.
Running/race info: SLDC newsletter
Where to run: Trails behind Cal Poly (Poly Canyon); beaches; Montana de Oro State Park; country roads around SLO.
Don’t miss: Mozart festival, farmer’s market every Thursday; blues festival.

Santa Barbara, CA
Dubbed the "American Riveria," Santa Barbara is a small city of 200,000  nestled between Los Padres National forest and peaks of about 4000 feet and the Santa Barbara Channel. Beaches face south.
Clubs/organizations: The Montecito Trails Foundation (maintains hiking and running trails through volunteers; Club West and the Santa Barbara
Athletic Association cater to "the serious" runners. Santa Barbara Athletic Association holds formal speed workouts at the local SB Community College every Tuesday evening. 
Events: Run Santa Barbara organizes 21 events each year ranging from the Pier to Peak Half Marathon, an endurance event that starts at Stearns Wharf at the foot of the main drag, State Street, and finishes at La Cumbre Peak at an elevation of 3996 feet, to the 18-week long Wednesday evening Nite Moves series (local restaurants provide the hot post-race evening fare & live entertainment tops off each Wednesdays sunset at the beach). The Nite Moves series to family and introducing the 5K distance to novices and also provides the competitive local elite an outlet from May through August.
Where to run: Ocean front running from Hope ranch at the north end of the community to the world class Biltmore Hotel to the south of the city. 
Don't Miss: Run Santa Barbara organizes 21 events each year ranging from the Pier to Peak Half Marathon, an endurance event that starts at Stearns Wharf at the foot of the main drag, State Street, and finishes at La Cumbre Peak at an elevation of 3996 feet, to the 18- week long Wednesday evening Nite Moves series ( local restaurants provide the hot post- race evening fare & live entertainment tops off each Wednesdays sunset at the beach). The Nite Moves series caters to family and introducing the 5K distance to novices and also provides the competitive local elite an outlet from May through August. The SBAA hosts a half marathon the first Saturday in November, and RSB hosts the Chardonnay 10 Mile (includes wine sampling during the post-race buffet) the 3rd Saturday in April. 
Publications: RunSantaBarbara.com offers a message board for making contact with locals and hooking up with running partners. 
Shops: Frank DeJohn's OUTFOOTERS is the best local running shoe store and strongly supports the local scene with direct support and regular discounts to all local club members.