Monday, October 24, 2011

Cary (WakeMed) Soccer Park Trail Review

Cary (WakeMed) Soccer Park trails are the nicest I found so far for beginning barefoot running. I have been thinking of trying the William B. Umstead State Park bridle trails, but haven't gotten out there yet.

The surface is mostly packed dust with small rocks (quarter inch or so). Section of the trail that runs North of the parking lot used to be grass, but has been worn down to clay, sand and gravel. It can be easily avoided by running on adjacent grassy section. Otherwise, gravel is limited to small sections of trail where it is sparse enough to be avoided by careful foot placement.

The trail has a few short and not very steep hills. It tends to get washed out after heavy rain fall, but it seems that it gets filled in and repaired within a couple of days by whoever maintains it.

The large grassy area on the East side where the start (blue) and finish (yellow) markers are is very nice for drills or just to get off a hard surface.

Looking at the map shown below, the start is at the blue marker. It matches up with a light pole with all the electrical transformers under it. The first mile is marked by a blue trail, the second mile by a red one and the third miles by a green one. The finish, at 3 miles, is the yellow marker.

Follow the trail into the woods and hang a right at the first split following the blue line on the map. Loop around the trail, and as you come to T in the trail, take a left to head back to the grassy field. At the field hug the grassy outside. Follow the trail around the edges of the park. The finish is marked by a sign saying "3 miles."

Cary Soccer Park Trail Map

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