#USUhacks: Where to run your butt off in Logan

The beginning of the semester is prime time to get in shape. The easiest way to do that is by lacing up your running shoes and jogging your butt off, figuratively.

Finding the right place to run can either make or break your training experience, whether you are training for a marathon or you are just trying to get in your 30 minutes of cardio.

Luckily Logan’s diverse terrain is the ideal place to run, regardless of skill level. Running around town is great because you have relatively safe roads and a mixture of terrain, and it is a fantastic place for altitude training, if you don’t pass out first.

Fieldhouse Track: novice

Nothing is worse than running in the Fieldhouse, unless you like watching gross sweaty boys lose their dignity as they try to prove their masculinity on the basketball court. Among running around endlessly in circles, dodging crossfitters, the terrible quality of audio and the sauna-like mugginess, it is nearly impossible to have an enjoyable run. I recommend finding an outdoor trail somewhere in Logan that suits you.

Logan Cemetery: novice

Call me macabre, but my favorite place to go for a quick run is in the cemetery. The pros are it is mostly shaded, it is a relatively private place to stretch out and it is a great time to visit the weeping woman. The cons are if you go at night you could easily be haunted forever, not to mention the potential trespass charges if you go for a run after 5 p.m.

Green Canyon: intermediate

My all-time favorite place to run is Green Canyon. It takes a little bit of hard work to get up to the actual canyon, but running through the pristine trees as the chirping birds welcome the rising sun makes the challenge worthwhile. When you feel like turning around, running back down the trail is a blast. Once you reach the mouth of the canyon, take the Bonneville Shoreline Trail on your left, which will eventually take you all of the way back to First Dam. Plus the unpaved roads are perfect for sensitive joints.

Old Main Hill: difficult

Running up Old Main Hill is a killer. To be honest, I get out of breath just walking up it, but it is perfect if you are looking for a place to repeatedly trip while running up the stairs and embarrass yourself in front of everyone. Those who do survive making it to the top say it is a rewarding experience, but I have yet to make it so I’ll just take their word for it.

— Morgan Pratt is print journalism student from the sprawling suburbia they call South Jordan. She has three passions in life (other than her husband): people, radio/podcasts and journalism. Morgan aspires to combine her passions to seek truth and influence the world by becoming a radio journalist. Follow her on twitter @MorganPRobinson or email her at morgan.pratt.robinson@gmail.com.