Run 138 - More of the Heights

October 30, 2023

I wanted to get in a longer run today ahead of the 10-miler I will be doing next weekend in Pittsburgh, PA so I mapped out another course in Billings Heights.

I parked next to the pond that I ran past a week ago when the weather was warmer, the pond that really stunk.  Right after I parked, 2 city vehicles pulled up behind me.  I chatted with them for a moment and the 3 of them are in the public works department and were there to look at the pond. Cool.  They asked if I was just out for a run and showed them my map for they day and they thought that was cool.  Since they were in Public Works I asked if they knew how many miles of streets are in the city and they said 500 but those were lane miles or something like that.  It’s a number that I still don’t know but I do know that I’ve run over 700 miles for the project so far.

I got on my way and was only a block or two into it when I realized I’d over-dressed.  I shed my sweatshirt, tying it around me, and over the course of the run I took my gloves on and off several times.  It seemed like it would get cold and then warm up and then back to cold.  I think that the air temp was about 40 when I got there but there was some wind.

Almost the entire run was on residential streets and most of the snow was gone so it was just a matter of covering the distance.  I really can’t say that there were lots of exciting or fun things to see or comment on with most of the homes of the snout house type with the same 80s architectural style.

I ran past this place the other day without the snow.

South Hills isn’t paved.

They were honking as they went over.

I was at the end of Venus and see that there is a shortcut out to Wicks but I didn’t take it.

On Winks, looking into the dried BBWA canal.

Looking north on Wicks

Looking south on Wicks.  This was the only busy street I covered.

No one golfing today.

A friend used to live here.

This little guy was guarding the end of Glenhaven.  He never made a sound but looked like he was ready to go with me.

These two shots are on Wentworth.

Looking across a field I saw these folks hanging out.

There’s a nice city park here.  It’s Frances Park - Hidden Park on my map and is on Burning Tree Drive.

A big house.

Flood control.

Dead end streets usually have a fire hydrant and this one has a friend.

The north end of the Heights from Lake Heights Drive.

This from the north end of Ditton.

That was it.  It felt pretty good and I didn’t start getting tired until mile 7.  At the of the 8.3 I asked myself if I could squeeze out another mile and a half to get a 10.  Yep, no problem.