Fall in Mammoth

Champion-Building Running Routes Inyo Craters Loop
Both Deena Kastor and 2009 New York Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi can be found pounding the pavement here. "The area reveals the splendor of the geological activity we are surrounded by," Kastor says. Keflezighi also enjoys the solitude of this loop run as well as the fall foliage combined with the challenge of running on all dirt.

Lakes Basin
Kastor and Keflezighi also enjoy the challenge of running in the Lakes Basin at 9,000 feet above sea level. "Such a challenge in training makes racing at sea level much easier," says Keflezighi.

Shady Rest Park to Mammoth Rock Trail
Josh Cox, who recently set the U.S. 50k record, likes to train on the loop through Shady Rest Park, down to Highway 395 and up the bike path along Highway 203 to a loop around Lake Mary. He then heads back down the Mammoth Rock Trail for a finish near the creek, where he stretches then hops into the water to cool off his legs."This loop showcases all of Mammoth's beauty and the constant change of scenery keeps my mind off my burning lungs," Cox says.

Sherwin Creek Road/Antelope Valley
"Simply being able to step out your back door and run down a road as rural as Sherwin Creek road is something unique to Mammoth," said Alistair Cragg. Except for where the route intersects with Highway 395, you're more likely to see a bald eagle than another human being. The dirt road offers a number of challenging hills to conquer.

Lake Mary
Cox trains for courses with long downhills by running a hard 20 miler up at Lake Mary and finishing off by traveling down Highway 203 to the access road adjacent to Highway 395. Professional Mike McKeeman also gets the most training bang for his buck by doing an interval workout around the road at Lake Mary, a combination of 2-mile, mile, and ½-mile repeats, concluding with a few hill sprints up the road toward Lake George. "Running hard at 9,000 feet (in limited doses) always seems to help prepare me for a marathon," McKeeman said. "If I can run hard up there then mile 20 of a marathon will be no problem."

Lookout Mountain Loop
This route, which combines scenic views, rolling hills, one good climb, and soft footing in a pine forest, is a favorite of Jon Pierce. "It's a great place to get in the miles during base training or for easy runs," he said.

Laurel Pond
Olympian Jen Rhines likes to run around Laurel Pond, a relatively flat 2-mile loop around the pond, which is tucked in by the mountains. "Since I am a track runner," she said, "I enjoy running multiple loops. It puts me in the track mentality while enjoying the Mammoth scenery."

Benton Crossing Road
Patrick Smyth, a seven-time collegiate All American, tests his race-ready fitness by maintaining a hard, 10-15 mile tempo on Benton Crossing Road (aka "Green Church Road"). "It's always provided an honest assessment of where I'm at with training and how fast I can expect to go in a big race," he explained.

Paper Route
Both middle distance runner Morgan Uceny and Anna Pierce, one of the top milers in the world, enjoy running this narrow, single-track mountain bike trail that twists and rolls along the side of Mammoth Mountain. According to Uceny, "Despite the high altitude, it is a run that distracts you with its surroundings. This is one of the few runs in Mammoth that I never want to end and where time flies with the ground beneath my feet!" Pierce just does recovery runs here because the terrain varies. She accomplishes most of her hard sessions on the road, but enjoys the scenic views of Mammoth from the Paper Route trail.