Gyroscope Personal Records
Zach Cole
Zach Cole grew up in Boston, and moved to San Francisco after graduating from college. He’s currently a product designer at Lyft, and spends a lot of time thinking about web systems. In his free time you can catch him running and hiking, or holed up in a cafe reading, writing, and drawing.
Gyroscope: You’ve logged 912 bike rides and 144 runs on Gyroscope. Do you consider yourself an athlete? How did you first get started?
I do consider myself an athlete. I played basketball all through high school and college, and started running once I moved to San Francisco.
The bike rides logged are mostly commuting to and from work — I think supporting bike and public transit infrastructure is one of the most important things any citizen can do for their city.
I started running when a couple friends of mine invited me to their Wednesday morning run club through the Panhandle and Golden Gate Park. At the time, I was barely able to get through 3–4 miles at a time. Before I knew it, I was running 7 miles, and then 10, and then half marathons.
I really enjoy that social aspect of running.
People are free from distractions, not staring at their phones, and I find myself having more meaningful conversations with friends while running. Beyond that, the pure natural beauty of the Bay Area makes running an absolute delight at every turn.
Gyroscope: You’ve been posting a lot of beautiful runs and activities. Can you share some of your favorites and the stories behind them?
Zach: Earlier this year, I set out for an ordinary run through the Presidio a little before lunch time. I was aiming to log about 8 miles, which was perfect timing because a rain storm was forecasted for the afternoon. I got to the Golden Gate Bridge and decided I wanted to run across it, since I was feeling good.
By the time I reached the Marin side, the storm had arrived early, and it was full-force: sheets of rain pouring down. I decided the best thing to do was to run to shelter and call for a ride home. So I ended up running to Cibo cafe in downtown Sausalito, got a coffee, dried off in the bathroom, and got a ride home in a car.
Running in the Marin headlands and around Mount Tam has become my absolute favorite.
It’s so exhilarating to be on the trails with twists and turns every step of the way. It keeps my brain more engaged and awake than running on an ordinary road. One of my favorite recent runs took me from the park lot at the Golden Gate Bridge visitor center up and over Hawk Hill and down to the lighthouse at Point Bonita (but it was closed!), and then back up an access road behind the mountain.
The views of the bridges, Sutro Tower, the trails, cliffs, and beaches below were all beyond stunning. It was a gorgeous 80-degree day and we had the trails nearly to ourselves.
Another one of my favorite trail runs is on the Dipsea trail starting from Stinson Beach and then climbing up.
Running is an incredible social activity. I’ve found that it’s an amazing way to meet new friends, and become closer to existing friends.
I’ve had a blast celebrating my birthday (below) and friends’ birthdays with runs, or reconnecting with friends in different cities (above).
Gyroscope: Those are some beautiful photos! Do you have any advice for people who haven’t run on trails before? Is it harder than on the streets?
Zach: Running on trails can be tricky, but I find it infinitely more rewarding. Trails are harder in the sense that they’re less predictable than an ordinary paved road. It’s important to always keep your eyes a couple steps ahead and plant your feet with care to avoid injuries — even if it means you have to go a little bit more slowly.
However, I find that running trails is actually a lot easier mentally. The constantly changing scenery makes the run more enjoyable in every aspect.
There are lots of trails that can be reached in SF without a car: The Presidio, Twin Peaks, Golden Gate Park, and Sutro Forest are full of incredible trails. Depending on where you live in SF, you can run to the trails in the headlands by crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, ducking underneath the bridge at the visitor center, and then heading up hawk hill (or the surrounding hills) — from there it’s totally up to you!
Otherwise if you want to go further in the headlands, or hit Mount Tam, you’ll want to drive to a parking spot at the beginning of the trailhead and begin your run there.
Gyroscope: What hardware and tools do you use to track yourself?
Zach: Right now I’m just using my iPhone. I used to wear a Fitbit Charge HR, which I really enjoyed. I’ll probably end up buying myself another one to begin wearing again soon.
Gyroscope: Do you have any new goals that you’re training towards?
Zach: I’m aiming to hit 800 running miles and 5 half marathons this year.
I’ve already completed 5 half marathons, and I’m around the halfway point to the 800-mile mark, so I’m doing pretty well. Gyroscope helps me keep track of these runs and mileage so I can see where I stand.
Lately, I’ve also been entertaining the idea of running my first full marathon. There’s an organization called Enviro Sports that hosts races of all distances around the Bay Area. The Dipsea Marathon sounds like it would be an incredible adventure.
To catch the next chapter of Zach’s story, you can follow him on Twitter. To start tracking your workouts, we recommend using Strava & the Gyroscope app.
