When Governor Doug Ducey closed down all the gyms in the state due to COVID, health nuts were unable to do cardio in the friendly, freon-filled fitness centers they love. And the timing of the pandemic couldn't have been worse, weather-wise. Even in the early hours of a Valley summer day, it feels as if the devil himself is burping hot air in your face (insert your favorite Terminator 2: Judgment Day meme here). But 5 miles north of downtown Phoenix, Murphy's Bridle Path provides the much-needed shade (along with glimpses of the well-manicured exteriors of some beautiful uptown homes) striders need to keep up the pace at a time when they would typically retreat to a treadmill. There's only one problem: Everyone and their mother knows about it, so the tree-lined 2.6-mile trail is filled with strollers, senior citizens, and folks with their AirPods cranked so loud they can't hear anyone coming up behind them. For those who want to get in a workout while practicing safe social distancing, you might want to hit the path at off-peak times, lest you be exposed to a minefield of germs that would make a janitor at Mountainside Fitness cringe.