For runners tired of their regular routes, there are a wide range of routes to be found off campus.
Some of the best routes can be found within the local nature trails, chemical engineering senior and MSU Running Club president Ben Lambert said.
“The most obvious one is the River Trail, which is on campus, but the better part is definitely off campus,” he said.
The trail from Harrison Road and to Potter Park is approximately a 4.5 mile loop, Lambert said.
“There is shade in case it gets hot, and it’s just way more scenic than just buildings,” he said.A run south of campus takes you towards a local sheep farm, he said.
“It’s kind of funny because if you ‘bah’ at them then they’ll ‘bah’ back,” he said.
Good routes can be found when starting at IM Sports-West and heading onto the River Trail, marketing sophomore and club travel coordinator Riley VanPelt said.
“For shorter distances, I prefer Abbot Trail,” VanPelt said. “You run up Abbot Road. I usually start at IM West, so that’s a mile there.”
The trails in East Lansing and the surrounding areas provide water fountains along the routes and continue for several miles, giving many options to runners of all types, he said.
Runners looking for more urban routes can go around neighborhoods in East Lansing, or head west toward Lansing for different scenery, Natalie Whise, history, philosophy, and sociology of science junior and vice president of administration for the club.
“From IM West it’s like an 8-mile loop to go down to the Capitol and loop around that block and back,” Whise said. “I just think that’s kind of cool to see the Capitol and realize that Lansing is right next door to East Lansing.”
Finding new routes is just a matter of being to other runners and finding lots of people to run with, she said. “Running with new people can really shape where you run and introduce you to new places.”
Runners shouldn’t be intimidated by the prospect of venturing onto a new route, VanPelt said. Trying a new direction or length opens them up to new experiences.
“Keep your mind open and explore,” he said. “If you’ve never been there before, make sure you have an idea of where you’re going and just go off.
It’s always fun to explore and see what you can find out there.”
