Running has seen a boom in popularity over the past several years. According to the State of U.S. Marathons 2025 report, the number of people running has increased each year since 2020, with over 432,000 people across the U.S. participating in marathons last year. Younger people, those under 25, in particular, have seen the highest spike in total participation for running, the report found.
I’m no stranger to the running hype. Almost two years ago, I was living in Bloomington for the summer. With no classes and a lot more time on my hands, I decided, on a whim, to start training for a half marathon. It was fun to explore new places for each run, and I often visited trails or parks I wouldn’t have sought out during the school year. Since then, I’ve kept running regularly and have solidified my list of the best running spots around town.
Sare Road
Sare Road, located on the east side of Bloomington, is a great spot to run any time of the year. No matter how many miles you need to log, it’s an easy place to plan your route. I usually park my car at Verona Coffee House, located at 3105 Sare Road near East Rogers Road. Then, I warm up by running through the Meadow Creek Apartments complex, which has a short, paved trail and small park located just behind Verona and Half Bottle Bistro. Then, I make my way back to the main road and head south toward East Rhorer Road. Running on Sare Road from Verona to Rhorer Road is about 1.2 miles. However, you don’t need to just stick to the main road and can find other ways to build mileage.
Though Sare Road is overall pretty flat, there are a couple other neighborhoods offshoots that have steeper hills if you want to incorporate them into your workout. Closer toward Rhorer Road, you can find a trailhead for the 1.5-mile Jackson Creek Trail. This is a hilly, beautiful trail that starts right behind Jackson Creek Middle School. If you take this trail to the end, it spits you out right next to the end of Sare Road, so you don’t risk getting lost.
When I reach Rhorer Road, I usually turn around and run straight back to Verona, using Sare Road’s tree-covered sidewalks to stay in the shade. After you finish your run, you can even grab a coffee or sweet treat at the coffee shop.
Bryan Park
Whenever I need to do a speed run, I usually opt for the Bryan Park fitness loop. It’s 0.8 miles and paved, and it takes you all through Bryan Park, located between Woodlawn Avenue and Henderson Street. Though it's a short loop, it always keeps me engaged with a mix of small hills when I want to push myself and flat stretches for recovery. There are several covered shelters, where I usually store my water bottle or take breaks during workouts.
Bryan Park is also right next to the Elm Heights neighborhood, which connects three greenways. If you’re getting bored with the park’s fitness loop, you can jog over to the Allen-Covenanter or Highland-Hawthorne greenways, which take you past beautiful homes and trees (an especially fun run during the spring while everything is in bloom). Bryan Park is also located close to Indiana University’s campus, perfect for students living on campus.
Bloomington Rail Trail
My absolute favorite place to run in the city is the Bloomington Rail Trail. The nature trail is 2 miles long and connects to the B-Line Trail. The Rail Trail is covered by trees almost the whole way, making it the perfect running spot in the heat. When I was training for my half marathon over the summer, temperatures would get up to the mid-to-high 90s, so the Rail Trail was the best place to get workouts in without getting overheated or sunburnt.
The trail runs parallel to an abandoned railway bed. According to the City of Bloomington, the trail is an “early successional-greenspace,” meaning that the area’s natural ecosystem slowly takes over the trail. The area is a bird species hotspot, and when I’ve run there, I’ve often seen bluebirds and woodpeckers. Though it’s technically a gravel trail, be prepared for muddy shoes if you chose this spot, especially if there’s been any rain recently.
If you’re looking for other trails and greenways in Bloomington beyond these three options, Visit Bloomington has a guide to hiking trails, many of which are still easy to run on, and a guide to urban trails. The City of Bloomington also has a list of trails on its website.
This story was originally published in the Indiana Daily Student's spring 2026 Source Campus Visitor's Guide.
