What's the worst "area" you've run in or through?

North Philly, Cecil B. Moore around 7th/8th streets.

chikin wrote:

South side Chicago near Midway. It was during the day but I drove from Comiskey down Western that night and I was scared sh!tless. My buddy, a Chicago native, told me not to stop at red lights in Englewood.

my work has me making home visits in englewood by myself. It's not a great area, but it's not that bad. I can assure you that not stopping at red lights is going to be much more dangerous than stopping.

The "worst" area I run in is the west side and north lawndale in Chicago. However, since I live here it really doesn't seem to bad to me. (at the same time I, and most people I know, have been the victims of crime so I guess maybe it is a "bad" area?)

I've run through some questionable areas in Dallas, New York City, New Orleans and Indianapolis, but I got the most harassment in Lubbock, TX.

Along the Washington, DC/PG County border. Like a war zone in there, with drug deals going down in broad daylight. "Keep on running, you cracker Forest Gump" yelled one of them at me. I took their advice.

Ran a race in Compton in the early 90s. Someone had stolen the turnaround sign.

Many of my high school dual meets in Los Angeles were pretty sketchy. Kids got jumped while racing.

I used to do long runs after work on occassion from 34th t Street in Manhattan to Westchester County: up the E. River (no problem), then over the Willis Ave. Bridge into the mighty South Bronx. I generally used 3rd Ave and Boston Rd north to Crotona then past Fordham. Past the Botanical Gardens I could pick up a park trail to Mt. Vernon into Westchester County where I live.

The worst sections were not really scary because by the late 90's there were so many cops in the area, it was pretty safe for someone on the move. Mt. Vernon might have been scarier because the cops dissappeared past Fordham U.

Skid row. Well once we realized where we were we turned around. But it was quite sketchy

The Bronx. No contest. Creepy as hell out there.

I personally find certain country hickish areas to be scary as hell. So western maryland in certain areas creeps the crap out of me.

But keeping with the city theme. Northwest Baltimore, and north capital in dc gets quite sketchy when the sun goes down

north memphis

east side of detroit

southwest detroit

new orleans 6th/7th/8th wards

oakland

Antarctica. No joke I have run there and #1, it's f*cking windy, #2 it smells like penguin sh*t...and that's because #3 there is penguin sh*t everywhere and it's absolutely disgusting. Also you have to keep running on the same small patch of land that is not covered in ice or jagged rock.

East LA

The Hilltop in Columbus, Ohio. About 3 times a week.

Chelsea, Ma.-and for some sick reason, I did it often and for years, probably because I lived in the next city over and I owned a business there. Crazy runs on drug infested streets with people trying to run you over on occasion.

JDV wrote:

The Bronx. No contest. Creepy as hell out there.

Depends on where in the Bronx. South Bronx was quite awkward. I felt less safe in Cairo though, essentially doing mile loops around the hotel. Bagged it after 30 mins of being stared at.

Most weird place: Tucson. I was the only human being out there. Some people may have been in all these cars with tinted windows but I'm not sure. Could be aliens or just robot cars.

Tops was New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward (in 2009).

I also felt nervous warming up outside of Boston's Reggie Lewis Arena in 1999. For some reason, I felt like the locals might jump me for my track suit.

I grew up in a safe, sheltered, suburban area, so just about anywhere makes me nervous. Huge chicken.

Most of the northeast was pretty bad. I felt like I was going to be beaten and robbed at any moment. Oh, wait, that's just the way they are up there. My bad.

Midtown Manhattan, trying to get from 24th and 6th to Central Park. It's not scary, but there's a Don't Walk sign every hundred feet and the crowds on the sidewalk are difficult to weave through. I was watching the 2008 NYC Marathon on Universal Sports last night, and thinking, "New York City is a horrible place to run." You do have those asphalt paths running along the riverfronts, but the only grass is in Central Park, and I imagine that would get old after awhile.

I've run in some places in Latin America that were pretty uncomfortable. Got lost in downtown Lima - luckily during the day - which was a bit scary.

The very rural areas were honestly the worst though. I've gotten charged by bulls in heat, chased by very aggressive farm dogs, threatened at gun-point by aggressive farmers... they just aren't used to white people out there, especially not white people running around in t-shirts and running shorts.