Running in NYC is great. There are tons of routes available to run and if you’re visiting NYC or live here and want to know what routes to take your friends on, here are some great routes that showcase some of the best landmarks in NYC. The best thing about these routes, you don’t have to run marathons to be able to tackle these doable distances.
If you have a mapmyrun account you can send these routes to your phone and follow them via the mapmyrun app. And if you don’t have one you can easily set up an account and download the app to your phone.
Central Park Reservoir at Sunset: There’s no better time to run around this famous path than when the sun is setting. The scenic view takes my mind off the stress of the day and in my opinion this is the most beautiful view that represents NYC. The cinder path is soft underfoot and the flat path makes it an easy, meditative and peaceful run despite the fact that it’s smack dab in the middle of Central Park.
Central Park Lower Loop Shake-out Run: This 1.7 mile loop is the perfect place to loosen up the legs before a race. On this loop you’ll run past Tavern on the Green, the New York City Marathon finish line, Bethesda Fountain and Sheep’s Meadow. Run 2 loops for a longer shake-out run.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn to Grand Central Station: I ran variations of this route when training for my first New York City Marathon. It’s a great way to see part of the city without having to run a ton of miles. Once you get to Grand Central Station you can spend some time exploring before taking a train back to Brooklyn.
Lower Manhattan Sightseeing Tour: This is one of my all time favorite routes. I worked downtown for a number of years and loved being able to see so many famous landmarks during one short run. Even now that I’ve lived in NYC for over 14 years, I still love seeing the Statue of Liberty on my run. During a weekday this route gets a little crowded, but it’s pretty easy to navigate before the work day begins or on the weekend.
Nice loops! I always enjoy running over the Brooklyn Bridge whenever I’m in the area…the Manhattan Bridge, not so much :).
I also thought you might be running in the RTB Relay in NH next week (I am!!) but clicked the link to be reminded that you were part of the New Balance team with Tina three years ago! That was my first relay, and I’m about to complete my sixth! Love it!