I have a confession to make.
I'm afraid of my neighborhood.
For those of you who don't know, I live in the 19th ward in Rochester, NY. It is one of the largest neighborhoods in Rochester and has a bad reputation due to the poverty and violence in the area. Even with high profile arrests and gang crackdowns in the 80s and 90s, it is not an area where you would want to go outside alone at night.
As a runner who loves to sleep in, this does not bode well for me. Last semester, I had classes and meetings in the mornings and activities that lasted until dusk, so I was usually on campus the full day. As a result I wouldn't get back home until late, when it was already dark. I started avoiding runs in the area, preferring to run instead on the RIT loop or in the Student Life Center (SLC) upper track.
However, now that it's break and RIT has some unusual hours, I've had to tell myself to suck it up and run in my neighborhood. Fortunately, my address is slightly outside the 19th ward. My house is between the pedestrian bridge to the University of Rochester and the abandoned/converted railroad bridge. Between these bridges lies a part of the Genesee River Trail. I've taken to running on this trail, across the railroad bridge, and continuing on the trail alongside the University before crossing the pedestrian bridge and heading back to my house. This loop is about 2.2 miles. It's less scary than the "Scary run through the ghetto" run that I mapped a few months ago (If you're curious - Plymouth Ave to Genesee St to Magnolia St) and then ran in the dusk.
I've been noticing that lately, if I have ap roblem or a complaint, I tell myself to suck it up, and then, ya know.... I do. And then I do whatever I had a problem with. And it usually turns out okay.
Guys, I think I'm growing up.
I'm afraid of my neighborhood.
For those of you who don't know, I live in the 19th ward in Rochester, NY. It is one of the largest neighborhoods in Rochester and has a bad reputation due to the poverty and violence in the area. Even with high profile arrests and gang crackdowns in the 80s and 90s, it is not an area where you would want to go outside alone at night.
As a runner who loves to sleep in, this does not bode well for me. Last semester, I had classes and meetings in the mornings and activities that lasted until dusk, so I was usually on campus the full day. As a result I wouldn't get back home until late, when it was already dark. I started avoiding runs in the area, preferring to run instead on the RIT loop or in the Student Life Center (SLC) upper track.
However, now that it's break and RIT has some unusual hours, I've had to tell myself to suck it up and run in my neighborhood. Fortunately, my address is slightly outside the 19th ward. My house is between the pedestrian bridge to the University of Rochester and the abandoned/converted railroad bridge. Between these bridges lies a part of the Genesee River Trail. I've taken to running on this trail, across the railroad bridge, and continuing on the trail alongside the University before crossing the pedestrian bridge and heading back to my house. This loop is about 2.2 miles. It's less scary than the "Scary run through the ghetto" run that I mapped a few months ago (If you're curious - Plymouth Ave to Genesee St to Magnolia St) and then ran in the dusk.
I've been noticing that lately, if I have ap roblem or a complaint, I tell myself to suck it up, and then, ya know.... I do. And then I do whatever I had a problem with. And it usually turns out okay.
Guys, I think I'm growing up.
Yikes! Careful out there!
ReplyDeleteDaddy
Ummm. Be careful. Maybe you can drive a bit further and get into a suburban area....maybe Scottsville and then visit Ringo. :-) The run through the ghetto route should definitely be off your list!
ReplyDelete