You're a busy woman. You've got work to consider, maintaining your home, and spending time with your family and friends, driving kids to dentist appointments (like Trinity Family Dental at 185 Thickson Road in Whitby) or hip hop dance lessons. Many women find it easier to live in a location that makes for good running, as it leaves them fewer excuses not to go and more time to spend alone with their endorphins. Real estate in a busy city is a popular choice for many, as the rural parts of town have excellent waterways and parks that are perfect for running. Here are some more spots to consider if you want to live close to a running spot.
For Urbanites
Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to run on the busy and dangerous roadways if you live downtown. In fact, living in a condo probably gives you better access to well maintained and well lit public parkland than your comrades in smaller towns. Some condo dwellers are lucky to have a big park like the huge High Park, with its lakes and trails, right next door. If you're more of a sand runner, check out the beaches nearby.
For Suburbanites
The farther away from downtown you get, the better the roads become for joggers. Buying real estate or a house in a traffic calmed neighborhood makes it possible for you to do your morning run in your own neighborhood, enjoying the landscaped lawns and waves from friendly neighbors. Within Toronto for instance, some good jogging neighborhoods to buy into include: Stonegate, Moore Park, Don Mills, Rosedale, Lawrence Park, Englemount, and Humber Heights.
Commuter Havens
Living in a commuter suburb, which often combines elements of urban and suburban, can give you the most options as a jogger if you're willing to put up with longer transit times to work. Suburbs like Port Credit, Bramalea, Woodbridge, Richmond Hill, and Scarborough offer a balance of maintained parks, relatively untouched conservation land, and quiet residential streets with minimal danger to joggers. If you're in the market for a home, don't discount Brampton townhouses from the list until you've walked the neighborhood with an eye for jogging spots.
University Students
Major schools like the University of Western Ontario and the University of Toronto have huge sprawling athletic complexes centrally located for student convenience. If you're an indoor runner, living in a dorm will get you closest to the action. Outdoor runners should follow the above advice if they're in Toronto. Western students who would rather rent should consider the neighborhoods nearest Victoria Park, which is convenient to downtown, or Springbank Park, which follows the river Thames and has over 30 km of trails.
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