Okay so my husband's brother is coming in for Thanksgiving, and he's one of those marathon people. He's training for something in December (I stopped asking, I just nod) and apparently a 15 mile long run is non-negotiable even though it's a holiday week. I will be busy smoking a turkey and a brisket at 5am like a normal person, so I am not the one to ask about running.
We're staying a few blocks off the Square. He keeps saying 'just somewhere flat' and I keep telling him this is Fayetteville, there is no such thing as flat, there's just varying degrees of regret. He's coming from Tulsa-ish flat land so I think he's in for a surprise.
So what I'm hoping you all can help with:
- The Razorback Greenway seems like the obvious answer? Is there a stretch that's mostly flat where he can get 15 without doing 40 laps of the same mile? Out and back is fine with him.
- What do I warn him about avoiding? I already told him Mount Sequoyah is a no, and anything near campus/Dickson heading up toward the hill is probably going to humble him around mile 4.
- He'll want to go early, like before the family wakes up, which means dark. Sunrise is going to be what, almost 7 by then? Are the trails lit enough or is he better off on streets with a headlamp and some faith? I'm not thrilled about a stranger running in the dark on roads with early morning traffic, and I'd rather not explain to my mother-in-law that we lost him to a pickup on Thanksgiving weekend.
Any runners out here who've done a long run in town this time of year, I'd love real routes, not 'oh just go explore'. He's a planner, he'll want mile markers. Thank you in advance, and if he complains about the hills I'm blaming all of you.