If you’re new to the area or new to running in the area, here’s a little guide to some of the best places to run in and around Belleville.
Parks, schools, roads, etc
Here is the list of the more common places that we tend to run.
Parks (in Belleville)
Richland Creek Greenway/Metrolink Trail
– Approximately 6.4 miles from Southside Park to SWIC
– Also known as MetroBikeLink
– MEPRD maintains a trail map
– BRC responsible for cleaning between Southside Park and Hough Park per “adopt a trail”
– BRC 3 & 5 mile loop (see Group Runs)
Laderman Park
– 1 mile asphalt loop
Bellevue Park
– 1 mile loop (with steps!)
Schools
BLV West High School
– Crushed limestone path
BLV East High School
– Crushed limestone path
Parks (around Belleville)
LongAcre (Moody) Park
– 1-1/2 mile path
St Ellen Mine
– 1.2 mile path
Shiloh Three Springs
– 1/2 mile path
Forest Park (St Louis)
– Path length depends on which portions of the “heels” and “wheels” path you take
Other
Law Day Run Course
– 3.1 miles in downtown Belleville
Local Races
Please check out our calendar for a listing of local races. Our calendar is focused on races in Illinois and those which our members are involved.
The most complete race calendar for the entire St Louis area is the St Louis Track Club’s calendar.
Local Running Clubs
There are several other running clubs in the area. Here are a few:
- St. Louis Track Club (St. Louis, MO)
- Road Warriors (Scott AFB, IL)
- Metro Milers (Edwardsville, IL)
- Alton Road Runners (Alton, IL)
- YMCA Run Club (Maryville, IL)
- Mile Markers (Centralia, IL)
- Fleet Feet Runners (St. Charles, MO)
- St. Louis Ultrarunners Group (St Louis, MO)
Local Walking Clubs
Local Cycling / Triathlon Clubs
There are also quite a few cycling and triathlon clubs in the area. Here are a few:
4 Comments
We would like to extend a group discount to the Belleville Run Club if they would like to participate in the USO Country Music Run being held at Union Station on April 25th.
Regards,
Gary Wendt
314-229-7132
Gary – Send me an e-mail direct to brc@bellevillerunningclub.com with the details and we’ll send out to our members. Thanks.
Are the paths at the local schools open for everyone? Or is it people who go to the school only? I am trying to find a nice place to run around here some places look nice but then it will turn into a sketchy looking area but then nice again. It’s weird to me.
We are holding an event with cross country champion Craig Virgin in our Fairview Heights Barnes & Noble store and thought you may be interested in sharing the info with your team. Craig Virgin is an American distance runner who is the only American male to be on three Olympic teams in the 10,000 meters (1976, 1980, 1984), and the only American male to win the IAAF World Cross Country Championships…and did it twice. His victories came in Paris, France (1980) and Madrid, Spain (1981).
Born August 2, 1955 in Belleville, Illinois with a life threatening congenital urological disease and raised on a family farm near Lebanon, Illinois. Through many years of surgeries and doctors, Craig’s childhood was far from normal where he endured tremendous pain fighting the disease. In the 8th grade a doctor performed reconstructive surgery which gave him the ability to start normal physically functioning. He began his running career his freshman year of high school but soon realized that running was not as fun as playing basketball but quickly discovered sitting on the bench was not fun so returned to running. From there Craig realized that he was talented and wanted to be the best.
In 1997, Virgin survived a near fatal head-on car collision with a wrong way driver, which prematurely ended his competitive masters career.
The event is Saturday, December 2nd at 1pm. Craig will be answering questions and signing copies of his new book Virgin Territory.
Facebook Event Link:
https://www.facebook.com/events/371109103300851/