Running is a lifestyle that yields tremendous benefits in all parts of our lives. One of the terrific characteristics about being a runner is that across the globe we all share a common connection, and no matter where you may travel or live, you will always find like-minded souls putting in their mileage, enjoying a trail, pushing a stroller or hanging out at a local coffee shop after a good sweat out on the roads. The trick is finding out where they are all running.

I’m down in Orange County, CA this week and while I used to come down to this area when I was back in college, almost everything has changed since then so I needed to do a bit of quick research to figure out where I could safely run to keep my training going full bore in these final few weeks before the Los Angeles Marathon on March 21st. Here is my approach to get looped in quickly and seamlessly:

Step 1: Find locations to run

The best way to do that is to find places where people have already run which is super easy using all of the available Web tools for runners. A few of my favorite sites include Map My Run, USATF Running Routes, and Garmin Connect. USATF alone turned up dozens of mapped routes from 1 to 19 miles each and if you use a Garmin, you can download routes from Garmin Connect directly to your device which gives you turn by turn directions right on your watch. Goggle will also come up with blog posts and other useful information to help you orient yourself appropriately before heading out. For example, Google turned up this awesome site called Friends Run Orange County which included pdf maps of all of the various running trails in the area – priceless!

Step 2: Find your local running store

In my case I Googled “Running Aliso Viejo” and came up with A Snail’s Pace Running Shop and Road Runner Sports. Not only are these a great place to replace the Body Glide that Homeland Security confiscated from you on your flight over, but it’s a great place to get local knowledge of the area and find out if there are any group runs happening while you are there.

Step 3: Join up with a local group run

As mentioned previusly, the first place I look to is the local running store. You can also Google “Running Club [your location]” and you’re bound to come up with contact information and a schedule of group runs. A note of caution. Runners are well meaning people who try to create community. It doesn’t always work, so contact the group administrator to make sure that the run is actually still happening and that it is happening at the time and place published. Here in Alsio Viejo, I connected with the Snail’s Pace Running Club on their Wednesday evening group run. I showed up last night and there were thirty runners of all abilities loitering around at the published time and I was able to introduce myself to a group of incredibly friendly people and then get a near-perfect 6-mile tempo run in with four people at my pace, with plenty of other runners doing their own thing of less or more mileage and pace. In my case their website was a bit squirrely but I found a great link to the A Snail’s Pace Running Club page on Facebook and got all of the information I needed. The best part about group runs is that you have built-in tour guides.

Step 4: Plan your own run

Some of the sites mentioned earlier also allow you to draw out your own run on a Google Map or similar device. Gmaps Pedometer is another site that allows you to do this really easily. This way you can create a customized run of any distance before you head out. Note that sometimes maps are not completely accurate, so one of the things I do is to write down the turns on the back of a business card and take it along with me just in case. That way, even if I go off course, I’ll recognize the names of the streets and be able to find my way back.

Step 5: Let people know you’re around

With so many people on Twitter and Facebook, you’re bound to have a friend or follower that may live right in the area and can play tour guide on your behalf. As in every other community, there are cats – those who do their own thing, and dogs – those who love to join in and please their masters. The running community is no different. My friend Barry loves when I let him know that one of my running friends is coming into town so he can take them out on a run and show off what he believes is the greatest running city on earth. Bet you have friends that would do the same.

Step 6: Get lost

OK not literally, but don’t be afraid to just go out and run, and as long as you know the area is safe, you’re bound to see the area from a totally different perspective. Pretty sure that Zooey Dechanel and Jim Carrey had something going with their early morning running photography club from Griffith park in the movie Yes Man. You’ll get inspired, feel great and it will really set you up for a terrific visit, whether it’s for business or pleasure. The best part of just heading out and running is when you pop out and you figure out exactly where you are. it’s a great confidence boost knowing that you can head out with just a pair of running shoes and have a terrific mini-vacation of your own. Obviously, if the weather is unpredictable or you are heading out on the trails, you might want to bring along water, a few dollars and maybe even a cell phone in case things go downhill rapidly…get it? Downhill.

Step 7: Race

I was in a group cycling class recently where the instructor said she went down to Costa Rica and found out that there was a road race going on, but decided not to enter it because she felt intimidated. Malarkey! Anywhere you go, if you can register for the race, there will be runners that are faster than you and runners that are slower than you. If you can’t register for the race, it probably means that you’re at the Olympic Trials and then it would be OK to be intimidated. In all seriousness, join in the fun and participate. I guarantee you’ll have a great time. You can find out about local races through the local running stores and clubs, by Googling “running race [your location]” or by searching race specific websites such as Active.com.

My personal adventure here this week in Aliso Viejo has been nothing short of spectacular yielding two 10 plus-mile runs along the Aliso Creek Trail, where both times I “got lost” and had a terrific time finding my way back, and a 6-mile tempo group run and I’m not done yet. It also allowed me to connect with new friends Matt, Bob and Tom with the Snail’s Pace Running Club, which not only provided me with a great run but introduced me to Tom who I found out lost his daughter in the second plane that flew into the World Trade Tower on 9/11 and who went on to carry the Olympic torch back in Salt lake City. Tom is also running his 26th Long beach Marathon, one of only 16 runners that have run all 25 of them. Pretty cool! I even got invited to an awesome Italian restaurant after the group run where over 40 club members laughed and chatted about their upcoming races and runs. If you ever find yourself in Orange County, I highly recommend Antonucci’s in Mission Viejo. The pizza was amazing!

See you out there on the road.