Best Jogging Trail

Although the two tracks at UMKC's Swinney Recreation Center technically aren't "jogging trails" -- not like the scenic path at Corporate Woods or sidewalk in Loose Park -- they're the best places in town to jog because of one thing: synthetic rubber. People who've given up jogging because it tore up their knees have been able to return to the sport because of Swinney's cushy surfaces. And if you're jogging on the quarter-mile outdoor track, the occasional soccer team practicing on the grassy field is plenty scenic. Indoor joggers have to be able to count (eight times around equals a mile) and stave off dizziness, but watching young, vigorous college kids play basketball or volleyball on the courts underneath the track helps pass the time. Yes, there's a membership fee -- but aren't your knees worth it? Besides, the very reasonable $120 every three months also gets you access to the weight room and Swinney's gorgeous pool.