Alfred Tobin Discusses SoCal Marathon Training

With five marathons under his belt -- including three New York City Marathons -- Alfred Tobin understands what it takes to prepare for the unique demands of a 26.2-mile race. As an insurance broker based out of New York City, the accomplished marathoner is all too familiar with the inherent difficulties one experiences in trying to keep up with a rigorous training program while living in an urban area in the northeastern portion of the United States.

Alfred Tobin’s familiarity with New York’s frequently harsh winter weather conditions -- as well as the relatively limited options for training on a more forgiving surface than a paved road or walkway -- ultimately inspired him to seek out the country’s ideal locale for marathon training. With Tobin’s longstanding passion for world travel, the New York marathon enthusiast happily jetted off to the places that seemed to attract the most serious long-distance runners.

Southern California, of course, just so happens to be one of the places most beloved by marathon runners. During his visit to the region, Tobin explored some of the area’s more notable trails, including Crystal Cove State Park, Claremont Wilderness Park, Garcia Trail, Marshall Canyon, Mt. Rubidoux Trail, and Snow Creek Park, among quite a few others.

Tobin, who is accustomed to running through Central Park in Manhattan or Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx -- along with the occasional trip out of the city to Bear Mountain State Park in Rockland County -- came away impressed with the variety of soft-surface options and the lengthy distances of each trail. Since Tobin believes that hill workouts ought to be included as a fundamental component of any marathon training program, the experienced distance runner was especially pleased to find plenty of trails featuring challenging, hilly terrain.

Out of the countless Southern California running trails he explored, Tobin pointed to El Moro Canyon on the backcountry side of Crystal Cove State Park and the Mt. SAC cross country trails (reached by following the system of trails that start at Snow Creek Park) as his personal favorites of all the training venues in the region. According to Tobin, Southern California is easily among the most ideal in the entire country when it comes to marathon training.

With its pleasant, relatively predictable year-round weather, the fact that Southern California is home to a variety of beautiful soft-surface trails featuring challenging uphill sections along with flatter and more forgiving sections unsurprisingly appeals to the most serious long-distance runners. And while Tobin's marathon experience has so far been limited to the East Coast, the New York City-based insurance broker insists that he will soon be signing up for one of the many highly regarded marathons hosted in the idyllic surroundings of Southern California.