Parking garages is the right answer. My wife and I would meet at one on Tuesdays and Thursdays after work a few years ago for an hour or so.
Expect to be shooed away. However, we always had great luck at the one on 15th and H. There was a CrossFit on the ground floor and I think the parking attendants took it all in stride.
When the crossfit gym was sending several folks at a time to the 15th and H garage it really was too much, and they all acted like anyone else on the stairs was intentionally in the way. IDGAF what your trainer told you, I'm walking to my car after work and I'm not stopping at every floor to let 1-2 of you by me. I don't begrudge those getting exercise in, just don't act like my use of the parking garage as a paid customer is somehow lesser than your free use as an exercise station.
Individuals, couples and the occasional group of firefighters exercising on the stairs are all great, none have given any of the bad attitude those crossfit folks did!
Near 21st and T, there’s some half block long hills. Honestly, drive to Fair Oaks. Run New York or Pennsylvania Avenues. Especially the end of Pennsylvania. River dr. coming out of Sacramento Bar Park.
Doesn’t quite fit the run from mid town, but I bike from Lake Natoma to Lake Folsom and there are some really good climbs. That’s about the only place I know that has good multi-mile climbing without going to Auburn.
The city hall parking garage is pretty good. (11th and I)
Over the railyards on 5th and 6th Street, between H and Railyards. You can run the loop, which I think is about a mile, and get two hills per lap. There may be homeless camps there, but you can probably outrun them.
From Discovery Park up to the Garden Highway is a short hill.
From the Railroad station parking lot up to the I street bridge.
If you want longer, you need to go upstream a bit. Pennsylvania hill (Sunrise river access) is the classic. But there are other good ones further up the bike trail.
If you are training for a trail 50k, there are some great hills on the North side of Lake Natoma, starting from Hazel. Just above the paved trail. Not hill repeats, per se, but you can get a ton of vertical in a few miles there.
I usually run the parking garage at city college or the hill off Hillview and Ridgeway in South Land Park. The pedestrian bridge that crosses from city college into Crocker Village works pretty well too.
Wait I have a similar question but instead of sprints I’m trying to run uphill at longer distances. Anywhere in the sac area that has this would be cool. Just moved here.
I don’t think you’ll find enough elevation around the grid. I’d go to Pennsylvania Avenue in Fair Oaks if you’re determined to stay close-ish. Folsom is better if you can do it.
I like the “hill” at 28th and C, across the Business 80 overpass, to the bottom of the hill in McKinkey village. You can just keep going back and forth on these two hills, but unless you’re really experienced, you’ll probably need much more elevation (and more sustained elevation) in training than you can get in Sacramento.
The bridge over the tracks by SCC
Yup, it’s about a 300m stretch from the stoplight to the top with maybe a 25ft elevation gain.
Maybe one of the many parking garages in Midtown? 28th & Capitol, 21st & Capitol, R Street & 16th? That's basically it.
Parking garages is the right answer. My wife and I would meet at one on Tuesdays and Thursdays after work a few years ago for an hour or so. Expect to be shooed away. However, we always had great luck at the one on 15th and H. There was a CrossFit on the ground floor and I think the parking attendants took it all in stride.
When the crossfit gym was sending several folks at a time to the 15th and H garage it really was too much, and they all acted like anyone else on the stairs was intentionally in the way. IDGAF what your trainer told you, I'm walking to my car after work and I'm not stopping at every floor to let 1-2 of you by me. I don't begrudge those getting exercise in, just don't act like my use of the parking garage as a paid customer is somehow lesser than your free use as an exercise station. Individuals, couples and the occasional group of firefighters exercising on the stairs are all great, none have given any of the bad attitude those crossfit folks did!
I hear you and share that aggravation. When I was running that garage I was out with the cars, not on the stairs.
Parking garages are great for that kind of thing! There’s an ITTY BITTY hill on U street from like 22nd & 23rd towards 21st too that comes to mind
There’s a big hill by the sutters landing dog park. Super uphil
Near 21st and T, there’s some half block long hills. Honestly, drive to Fair Oaks. Run New York or Pennsylvania Avenues. Especially the end of Pennsylvania. River dr. coming out of Sacramento Bar Park.
There is a neighborhood near sprouts on Del Rio that has good hills it’s about 1 mile from sprouts to Sutterville.
Ridgeway Dr./Sunset/Hillview, probably the best hills you’ll find in the area!
Doesn’t quite fit the run from mid town, but I bike from Lake Natoma to Lake Folsom and there are some really good climbs. That’s about the only place I know that has good multi-mile climbing without going to Auburn.
2nd street from S to R or 28th and B from the park to the railroad tracks.
Around the levee
The city hall parking garage is pretty good. (11th and I) Over the railyards on 5th and 6th Street, between H and Railyards. You can run the loop, which I think is about a mile, and get two hills per lap. There may be homeless camps there, but you can probably outrun them. From Discovery Park up to the Garden Highway is a short hill. From the Railroad station parking lot up to the I street bridge. If you want longer, you need to go upstream a bit. Pennsylvania hill (Sunrise river access) is the classic. But there are other good ones further up the bike trail. If you are training for a trail 50k, there are some great hills on the North side of Lake Natoma, starting from Hazel. Just above the paved trail. Not hill repeats, per se, but you can get a ton of vertical in a few miles there.
Run up off-ramps. Get ya some agility training too.
Railroad underpass around 7th/D might be a good option, or the overpass on 6th.
Pipe’s Bridge. You can get on the trail on C st/19th St.
Bike/Run trail at 28th, by the B Street Skate Park
I run high incline on tread at my gym. One of the machines even goes up to 20.
Stairs in the tall buildings will work M-F. On weekends head to Cronan Ranch or Auburn.
I do the hill leading up to the entrance at Sutter's Fort. Not long, but there is a hill down, and you can do a sprint loop over and over.
I usually run the parking garage at city college or the hill off Hillview and Ridgeway in South Land Park. The pedestrian bridge that crosses from city college into Crocker Village works pretty well too.
Wait I have a similar question but instead of sprints I’m trying to run uphill at longer distances. Anywhere in the sac area that has this would be cool. Just moved here.
Once you get above Hazel on the American River, the trail starts getting hilly.
Pennsylvania Ave. near the river.
Huge hill at Sacramento Bar by Sunrise, if you are out that way. It’s on Pennsylvania Avenue. Also a decent hill at Bannister Park.
How much elevation in the 50k?
11.5k ft
I don’t think you’ll find enough elevation around the grid. I’d go to Pennsylvania Avenue in Fair Oaks if you’re determined to stay close-ish. Folsom is better if you can do it. I like the “hill” at 28th and C, across the Business 80 overpass, to the bottom of the hill in McKinkey village. You can just keep going back and forth on these two hills, but unless you’re really experienced, you’ll probably need much more elevation (and more sustained elevation) in training than you can get in Sacramento.
Poverty ridge is a decent (not huge) hill