With the New Year in full swing and many resolutions wavering, I thought I would share some of the fun long runs and brunches that the Bay Area Track Club athletes have been enjoying.
This Sunday we had a group of 10 athletes running in Golden Gate Park, including Treniere Clement who is now with Team Cook and is visiting from Knoxville, TN. Our usual meet up location in Golden Gate Park is at the Polo Fields parking lot located on the Southwest end of the Polo Fields. Running in Golden Gate Park is usually a case of choose-your-own-adventure, since there are many dirt trails criss-crossing all over the place. For this run, we let Bolota set the course. I have mapped out our route on USATF running routes (link below). All of it was on dirt trails, some of which were small, some wide, and in the case of the Great Highway section, some shouldering a bike path.
Although San Francisco is a big city, if you venture out to the Southwest quadrant of it, there are miles of dirt trails to choose from. While the routes may not be as wild or adventurous as those in Marin (North of SF) or Huddard Park (South), there are some beautiful ocean views and some areas where you really can feel removed from it all. The other thing I like about running in Golden Gate Park is that I am never too far from a water fountain, a bathroom, or, if I am running alone, from safety.
Here is our sunday long run route.
Polo Fields Long Run Bolota Version: http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=343620
After running, we always treat ourself to brunch. It's a nice reward after a hard effort and a great way to continue conversations started on the trails. Today we discussed recent developments in the BATC, including our team logo and photo ideas for a club calendar. We did all this at Cafe for All Seasons, located on West Portal Ave. West Portal is where the Muni comes out of the tunnel and has many great restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops, as well as a music store, movie theater, and even a shoe cobbler. The other great part about this area is that it is never too hard to find parking.
The food at Cafe for All Seasons is great. I called them as soon as we finished our run, and they were able to set up a table for 10 by the time we got to the restaurant 20 minutes later. They do Sunday Brunch very well and it is my favorite time to go there. The ingredients are always very fresh, the flavor combinations are delicious, and on Sundays they server complimentary muffins when you sit down (so of course I love it)! This time around I had a "hash" consisting of salmon, shiitake mushrooms, and asparagus, topped with poached eggs. It was a little pricey, but I was very pleased.
The restaurant doesn't have a website, but you can call for more info.
Cafe for All Season
150 West Portal Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94127
(415) 665-0900