By Andy Ver Steegh

I have never been one to exercise indoors. However, I understand that a great many Mac students do enjoy such things, as evidenced by the popularity of the Turck exercise room and the cardio equipment in the athletic center. Come this winter, the athletic center will be demolished, and the indoor exercise crowd will be faced with a choice: Cram even more people into the aforementioned exercise room, or- gasp- spend time outside.

In order to help people make the right decision, I present some tried and true running/jogging routes around Macalester and St. Paul. Hopefully, this list will make the transition to the great outdoors a little easier, and highlight the natural beauty that surrounds us (it’s called the Mississippi River).
All distances are round trip.

River and Back
The Route: Head west on Summit Avenue until you reach the river. Turn around. Run Back
Why You Should Go: Nice and simple, very scenic.

Why You Should Stay Home: You’re up to two packs a day and using the Dupre elevator counts as a form of exercise.

Distance: 2.6 miles
River Run
The Route: Go west on Summit (tired of this yet?). Go RIGHT on Mississippi River Blvd. Follow the path until you hit the Lake Street Bridge. I did some performance art at this bridge last year, courtesy of Macalester’s distribution requirements. Go across the bridge and take a left onto West River Parkway. Run along the river until you get to Ford Parkway. Go left across the bridge. Look at the view to your right, but don’t get hit by a car. Take yet another left onto Mississippi River Blvd (you should be heading north at this point) until you get to Summit. Go right on Summit and run back to the ol’ Collegium Macalestri.

Why You Should Go: Good view of the top of downtown Minneapolis, the U of M, and a bunch of other bridges across the Mississippi. Overall, a very scenic route located almost completely on the river.

Why You Should Stay Home: You hate the Mississippi River. Seriously, what’s the deal, hater?
Distance: 7.3 miles
Minnehaha Falls
The Route: West on Summit. Left on Mississippi River Blvd. Go until you reach Ford Parkway. Go right, across the bridge. You are now in Minneapolis, where things stay open much later. Take a left into Minnehaha Park. Feel free to run around and explore the park, the falls are in there somewhere.

Why You Should Go: The last time I did this run, I saw a man walking his pet goat.

Why You Should Stay Home: Seeing a domesticated goat breaks your heart. Run free, goat, run free!
Distance: 6.8 miles
St. Clair
The Route: West on Summit until you hit the river. Left onto Mississippi River Blvd. Left onto St. Clair. Stay on St. Clair until you reach the southern end of Mac’s campus.

Why You Should Go: Nice run along the river, and through a placid residential neighborhood.

Why You Should Stay Home: Placid residential neighborhoods aren’t really your thing.

Distance: 3.4 miles
Grand Ole’ Creamery
The Route: Go east on Grand until you get to the Grand Ole’ Creamery
Why You Should Go: Read the title again. This should be pretty self-explanatory.

Why You Should Stay Home: There is no reason not to do this.

Distance: If you still care at this point, 3.4 miles
High Bridge Run
The Route: Head east on Grand. Keep going. You will go down a hill. Keep going. Grand jogs right and crosses 94. You will see a Burger King. Go right on Smith Avenue. Go across the Bridge. Look at the view. Keep going, it’s a long bridge. Take a left on Cherokee Ave. Go until Ohio Street. Take a left on Ohio and go all the way down the hill. Ohio intersects with Plato Blvd. Make a snobbish comment about philosophy and take a right. Go until Wabasha Street (there is a stoplight) and take a left. Go across the bridge. Take the first left onto Kellogg Blvd. Run on Kellogg until you get to W 7th Street. Take a left. Notice the various restaurants. I assume most of them are delicious. Continue until Grand. Take a right onto Grand and go across 94. Continue straight, Grand will turn into Ramsey Street. Go up the very, very steep hill. If you are still alive, take a quick left onto Summit. Run west on Summit until you see Dupre. I’m not kidding about the hill.

Why You Should Go: Amazing views of downtown St. Paul, bragging rights, the opportunity to pass out from dehydration on some of the finest lawns in the Twin Cities.

Why You Should Stay Home: See distance.

Distance: 12 miles