Running Chattanooga

Sunrise over the Tennessee River

Every year my family and I take a trip to Chattanooga Tennessee. The city is very outdoor friendly and the downtown area is beautiful. The Tennessee River runs directly through the downtown area and both sides are park like settings that offer different kinds if outdoor activities all year long.
It is a safe assumption to say that the city is very runner friendly.
Having just started running in June I had never ran the city before but I was so excited this trip to be able to run the three bridges that cross the river downtown.
Three times during the week I had the pleasure of watching the sun come up over the mountains and flood the valley with its beautiful morning haze and blue and pink skies. They were some of the most gorgeous sunrises I have ever seen.
The first morning I woke up early and drove downtown and then discovered the ire of being right on a time zone change line. I was so excited to run but I was waiting for the sun to come up so I didn't get kidnapped or trip on a curb etc.. After what seemed like and hour (15 minutes in reality) the sun finally started to come up and it was worth every second waited.

My first run was amazing. I ran over two of the three downtown bridges. My starting point was a bridge that is strictly for pedestrian traffic and I happened to be the only pedestrian on it that morning and that in itself was pretty astounding.
A couple miles into my run I was joined by other runners. I ran the city streets for the first time and just fell more in love with the city than I already had been. However, those moments of stillness and peacefulness all alone before the city woke up will always be one of my favorite running memories.

For my second run that week I ran the North Shore area. This area is considered the art district with small shops and an eclectic atmosphere. This area also includes Coolidge Park, a beautiful area with wide lit paths, great for running and a marshland project where I saw about a million turtles. After my run I decided the North Shore was the perfect yoga spot. My view of the Art Museum on the other side of the perfectly still water was breathtaking.

Yoga was going great, I was completely relaxed and flexible until I felt something on my foot only to look down and discover that I had indeed set up my mat right on an ant hill.

For my final run I decided that I needed to run the three bridges and finish at the Art Museum. What a fantastic run with a huge winding challenge at the end. I loved every single second of running Chattanooga. It is so scenic and relaxing.
When a city is built around embracing the outdoors and recreation everywhere you turn I don't think you could go wrong visiting there.
I cannot wait to head back for some more.