This probably seems like a silly thing to complain about to some of you (#firstworldproblems), but I'd like to spend today talking about cement sidewalks.  As someone who lives in cities and likes to run, they are the scourge of my existence.  From the moment I started running, back in Austin, I noticed that when I ran a significant distance on cement, everything hurt, but when I ran on pavement and/or dirt or trails, it did not.  And this is not a small difference; a few miles on cement is enough to make my calves tight, my knees twinge, and my hips ache.  I've run 5 marathons, and if I stick to pavement or dirt or grass, I can go 15-20 miles easy before I have any significant pain.  And yet, almost every single sidewalk I've ever met has been made from concrete: good old cheap, white concrete.  And if you think I'm making this problem up, here's a couple of links for you: Runner's World, Run Addicts.  And there are many more.  Concrete is bad for the joints.  And, if it's bad when you're running, it just stands to reason it's bad even while you're walking.  Much less bad, of course, because it's less impact and less distance - but still.  Why do we intentionally make our side"walks" out of something that hurts to walk on?  I don't know, but I'm guessing it's a combination of history, cost, and ease of maintenance.  Asphalt can't be that expensive, though, I mean we make all our roads out of it.  And history is not a good reason.  So...ease of maintenance?  I guess?  Anybody know?

For those of us that run, the options are few.  Personally, I choose to run in the road.  But there are certainly downsides to that plan; it's dangerous, drivers hate you, and sometimes you just can't do it because there isn't room.  I also believe it's against the law.  But I do it anyway; I feel like I have no choice.  (Just remember; if you're driving and see someone running in the road, it may not be because they're an asshole.  They may just value their knees).  Of course, if you're lucky enough to live near trails - like the one I used to live next to in Golden Gate Park - that's a great option.  But most of us don't have that choice.

So, the road it is!