If you live in the South Bay, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed this bike path pictured below that runs underneath the SCE power lines in North Redondo Beach… probably on your way to a Nordstrom sale at the Galleria or on your way to the 405 on ramp. Heck, I’ve lived relatively close to the path for quite some time now and always wondered about it for running. Not until a week or two ago, did I finally decide to deviate from my usual running routes to explore a little and I am really enjoying it. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting out the door for a workout, or driving to a start spot for a run along the Strand or along the trail in Palos Verdes (unless you are fortunate enough to live close enough to just start there). There are great alternatives in the South Bay near you and this is one to consider!
Pros:
Active area with other people: During the day there are several people walking dogs, jogging, kids playing, etc. I’ve done a couple night time runs and have still encountered people out walking, jogging, cycling and never felt unsafe.
The Path is Lit at Night:
The Path is Sufficiently Lit for Nighttime Runs
There are lights the entire way between Rockefeller Lane and Beland Ave (lights pictured below). The other good thing about running at night is that there are motion sensors along all the little residential streets that you’ll cross so lights flash to alert cars of pedestrians without the need to even push a button. I encountered a couple streets with broken sensors, so the lights didn’t flash, but again, the majority of the time there weren’t any cars approaching when I happened to run across the roads.
Not a lot of cars to contend with: There are several times where you’ll cross streets, but luckily they are small residential streets with the exception of Artesia and Grant, and even then, it’s often a short wait to cross the road.
Water Fountains / bathrooms: There are a couple parks along and near the route so for runners putting in some long miles, there’s access to water refills and pit stops if necessary. There’s even a little market near Beland along the path in case you need a real boost!
There are water fountains and even a market if need be!
Cons:
Short path: It’s a short path, but there are ways to extend the run as outlined below.
Some dark areas: A couple parts of the run are dark, namely near the start of what’s considered a “Class I – Path” near Phelan and Rockefeller. Depending on foot traffic and time of day, I choose to run on the street that’s more lit rather than the path, but otherwise, the rest of the bikeway is sufficiently lit.
Some broken sensors: Some of the motion sensors along the path seem to be broken for now, but I’m sure that will change. Again, that was more of a bonus and not a deal breaker for me.
More North Redondo Beach Bikeway Resources
Link to official map: http://www.redondo.org/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=15259
Links to Garmin workouts for additional mileage workouts along the NRBB:
Night Time Running Safety
Runners training at night should also adhere to other common sense guidelines as highlighted on this active.com article:
- Run against traffic. It’s easier to avoid traffic if you can see it.
- Don’t wear dark colors at night. White running attire is the easiest to see at night, but orange and yellow are also appropriate. Black, brown, dark blue or green are not recommended.
- Run behind vehicles at intersections. Even if a car or truck has stopped at a stop sign, there’s no guarantee the driver has seen you.
- Don’t wear headphones. Wearing headphones diminishes a runner’s ability to hear a car horn, a voice or a potential attacker.
- Wear a billed cap and clear glasses. The bill of a cap will hit an unseen tree branch or another obstacle before the obstacle hits your head. Clear glasses will protect your eyes from bugs and other unseen obstacles.
- Vary your routes. A potential attacker can watch for runners’ patterns and loom in a particularly dark or isolated area.
- Run with a partner. There’s strength in numbers.
- Try to make eye contact and acknowledge a driver. The interaction, however brief, could save your life.
