Ringling Bridge

Quick stats
Location: John Ringling Causeway (Follow signs for St. Armands circle)
Parking: South of the bridge at Bird Key park
Length: .80 miles










One word for this route - amazing!

What is there not to love about this bridge?  The view is gorgeous (try a sunrise run, you won't be disappointed), you can see dolphins playing in the water, there's a sidewalk and barrier from traffic, you can catch shade underneath the bridge, you can stop into Harts landing to use the bathroom, and you can get in some good hill work.  Since Sarasota is so flat, this was a nice welcome.  Hill work is essential to injury free running.

This doesn't look steep from my picture.  I can assure you though, once you start to climb, it's much more work than you thought it would be.  The downhill ride is worth it though!  Once you come down, you can turn left onto another entrance into a parking area for Hart's Landing.  From there, you can run around to extend your route, or turn around and climb the bridge again.

From Bird Key park, there is also another short trail that runs underneath the bridge, giving you a break from the sun.  There is a grassy lawn area as well, perfect for sprint drills or strength exercises.

Happy Running!

Canopy Road

Quick Stats
Location: Bahia Vista and Honore
Parking: None
Length: Approximately 1 mile










Canopy Road is in the wide open on Honore Rd.  Just passing through, you would probably never notice it.  I only found it a few days ago, on what was supposed to be an easy 4 miler.

I was on the other side of the street, cursing the sun for being so hot and cursing myself for not bringing any water.  I looked across the street, and saw one of the bridges - that's the only clue I had that it was a trail.  Beyond that, it looked like a mess of brush and leaves.  Curiosity piqued, I crossed the street at my turn around point, and was quite pleased.

It's at least 20 degrees cooler, thanks to the canopy shade.  It's a windy trail, crossing over a few man made bridges, with a rather nice view.  I really enjoyed the serenity of it and give thanks to Sarasota county for making this!  Much more interesting than plain sidewalk - I give it two thumbs up.  The only downside, is it's on the shorter side in length, but a nice reprieve from the Florida sun.