Course Guide
So what do you do when you get that irresistable urge to get out and run? Luckily for you, Saratoga is just loaded with awesome courses that can be reached from pretty much anywhere. Thanks to Derek, whose last name I won't spell for fear of butchering it, we now have clearly illustrated maps that tell you exactly what road to take and how many miles your route is. We hope that eventually we will be able to add special markers that will indicate Oasis houses.
Town Loop *
1.7 miles
Our shortest run is a good choice for beginners, and a good course to add on for veterans. By the end of the season, everyone will be coasting through this.
Douglass *
2.0 miles
The Douglas route takes you past Redwood. You get a nice incline about midway, but the rest is smooth sailing.
Springer *
2.1 miles
Springer's usually taken with a town loop added on to get about three miles. There's a slight climb, but you run the worst of it downhill. Occasionally some deer try to come out to run as well. They are even civilized enough to use the sidewalk.
Farwell **
Short - 3.4 Long - 4.1
The Farwell was one of the toughest courses for me when I started out. I've grown to like it (as a matter of fact, my usual run includes most of it). If you continue down Fruitvale to Highway 9, you can add about a mile. I like to add a Springer to that to get a nice 9 mile run. You get a nice climb up Fruitvale, but you get to cruise down Highway 9 afterwards. On a sadder note, Coach Clark fell two years ago by the side of Highway 9 while coaching athletes returning from the run. So please, stay off the paved part of Highway 9.
Marshall Clark 4 Miler ***
see above
It's a lot tougher to race this course than to just run it for fun. You don't get a real idea of how nasty the second half of the race is until you've blazed through the first half. This is a good course to run during the weekend.
Golden Triangle ***
5.0 miles
The Golden Triangle is a tough one for beginners because it's so long. There's not a whole lot of variety either, so you've got nothing to keep your mind on while you are running it. The Golden Triangle starts with a nice decline until Cox, where it flattens out. You get a bit of a dip on Saratoga Ave. before it climbs up again. It's a good
weekend run.
Jordan Triangle ***
5.0 miles
Coach's route follows pretty much the same path on the Golden, except you continue until you reach the railroad tracks. It's for the offroader in you.
Platinum Triangle ***
7.0
The Platinum Triangle is quite tedious. The good news is, even though it's long, there are no hills at all. This adds to the monotony, however. It's good if you need to get your miles up, but there are other courses to choose from. It's bearable from school though.
Lookout ****
7.0
This is a fun jaunt through the hills. It's a classic and one of my favorites, because of the hills and the trees. It's our very own nature trail located right here in Saratoga. The trailhead begins after a good climb, so it's a good idea to catch your breath before you take the plunge. I believe the trail itself is about a mile and a half round trip.
But wait! The list wouldn't be complete without . . .
PG & E *****
8.0 round trip
Ok ok. Technically this isn't our course to have. Still, it's one of my favorites because it's such a good run. The view is spectacular, and the hills provide an excellent workout. The course also has a cruel sense of humor and never lets you know when you've finished. However, the feeling and sense of accomplishment that you get when you've finished is pretty wicked.
Le Tour de Saratoga*****
~10.0
Hari, Ken, Henry, Alicia and Brad went looking for adventure one Friday afternoon and got more than they bargained for. You start out down Saratoga Sunnyvale toward Argonaut center and turn left at the train tracks between Cox and Prospect. Run until you hit Prospect and turn left. You'll meet a trail head at the side of the road and this takes you to the steepest hill you'll ever see in your life 
. Once you get over that, continue winding uphill until you crest an incline and can look out over the entire city. On the descent, be careful to not get turned around and stay off the mountain bike trail because there are some crazy jumps (I dunno, I thought those were fun; -Hari). You'll eventually see Saratoga Country Club, and Prospect isn't too far off. Take Prospect back and turn right on the railroad tracks. Run until you get to Congress Springs park (quick break for water) and turn right onto Saratoga Ave. Now drag yourself the rest of the way back 
. Budget about 1.5 hours for this doozy (as long as you're not Hari or Ken.)
The "
13.44+?
This run has never been attempted, but it will be. So I was out on a run, and I wanted to try something different. Roads were starting to bug me. So, why not try running along the railroad that runs parallel (give or take) to Cox? So I hopped on, set my watch and ran for a good half hour. As I ran, I found that the railroad began to look more and more sketchy. I also found that it ran parallel to Highway 280, and *gasp* the Foothill Expressway exit! (This is where RANCHO is). I wasn't really thinking about it at the time, but after coming home and looking at a map, it turns out that following the railroads spits you out by
bravenet.com