When people plan visits to NYC, I imagine they focus on Broadway shows, food, shopping, and checking out the well-known tourist hot spots. And while that is true to an extent for us too, the first thing I start planning is where we're going to run!
NYC is where I fell in love with running, so I'm thrilled to share with you the four runs we did over four days this past weekend.
Financial District Friday - 3.25 miles
We stayed at the Aloft Hotel Downtown just steps away from City Hall Park. This is a bit north of our old apartment so we know the area well and while it's probably not the first place you'll think of to go for a run in NYC, it's great, nonetheless.
Heading out at 8am meant we had to contend with rush hour, but this run goes along the water which drastically reduces the amount of street crossing and busy sidewalks.
Where to go: Start at Fulton Street and South Street (South Street Seaport) and run on the path along the water, taking it around the south end of the island, in front of the Staten Island Ferry terminal, through Battery Park (stop here to take a photo of the Statue of Liberty), up along the esplanade in Battery Park City (photo ops at the South and North Coves) then instead of heading up along the West Side Highway, head back down south and wind your way back to City Hall Park.
Where to eat: We enjoyed some good vegan eats (including delicious smoothies) at Terri but if you're looking for something a little different, Open Kitchen is a great new edition to the neighborhood with two locations in FiDi.
I mapped this out for you on MapMyRun, find it here.
Saturday in the Park - 4 miles
A trip to NYC isn't complete without a run in Central Park. I met up with two of my best running friends - who you've seen here many times - Grace and April, for this one. While running is a fantastic way to catch up with good friends and enjoy the scenery, I have to admit that I was so caught up in our conversations I hardly took time to take in the beauty around us. You can pretty much count on a lot of other runners in the park, but that's part of what makes it Central Park!
Where to go: There are countless routes in Central Park, this one however started at Columbus Circle. We headed counter-clockwise along the park drive then jumped on the path around the reservoir and headed back down to Columbus Circle along the bridle path. A bit of road, a bit of gravel path.
Where to eat: The Smith or Le Pain Quotidien on the Upper West Side near Lincoln Center.
SoHo Sunday - 6 miles
I love running through SoHo on Sunday mornings when the neighborhood is still quiet and just starting to wake up. The only place you'll see a crowd is the line outside Dominique Ansel Bakery waiting for cronuts. The trick here is avoiding tripping on the cobblestone streets or getting too distracted by the beautiful designer clothing in the showroom windows.
Where to go: We left City Hall Park, made our way up Lafayette before switching over to Broadway and criss-crossing our way around SoHo (between West Broadway and Centre Street) before heading west to Hudson St, down through Tribeca and finishing near the World Trade Center. As an alternative, take Greenwich St south.
Where to eat: Head back to Terri, Open Kitchen, Le Pain Quotidien, Pret, or head to the Whole Foods in Tribeca.
Find our (approximate) route here.
Monday Highway Run - 5 miles
Our last morning run and we had a specific place for breakfast in mind, so we stayed downtown yet again. This run, by far, is the easiest to follow. Running along the Hudson River is a nice change from city streets, but I much prefer the sections that aren't right along the road - especially during morning rush hour! Another great thing about this path is that there are very few interruptions due to vehicle traffic, although you do need to watch out for cyclists, other runners, and people out for a casual stroll.
Where to go: Starting back in City Hall Park we cut over to the West Side Highway along Chambers Street, headed north along the path, turned around just past Chelsea Piers and wrapped it up at the north end of Battery Park City (Chambers Street).
Where to eat: Zucker's for a classic NYC bagel, cream cheese and lox. Plus Colombe coffee.
Do you live in NYC or have you visited the city? Add to my list, what are your favorite runs? * Thanksgiving is next week! Do your traditions include a Turkey Trot?
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