Advice for runner visiting the city - New York City - New York (NY) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

plessthanpointohfive · 05-12-2011, 06:22 AM

Update, again, this morning I ran this route: UN Plaza to Williamsburg via East River and W'burg Bridge in New York, NY | Running Map | MapMyRUN

It only took me 1:25:36 to run this, which is super fast for me, nearly a minute per mile faster. Probably because it's so much flatter here than in Atlanta. The only climb was the bridge, which isn't really much of a climb. But we don't have views of a river like that!

This was so great.

Tomorrow I might get out there really early and do a Queensboro - Williamsburg Bridges Loop.

(The reason I keep posting my route is to maybe help some other traveler who comes to search for running tips on this forum. Tomorrow will be my last post, even if I can't get out to do that Q-W Bridges loop....I'll run somewhere different, at least.)

plessthanpointohfive · 05-13-2011, 08:38 AM

Alrighty, folks, I headed out and did this run this morning, my last morning here on the island: UN Plaza - Queensboro Bridge - Greenpoint - Williamsburg Bridge - East River Loop in New York, NY | Running Map | MapMyRUN

I was supposed to stay through tomorrow but I am leaving tonight. As usual, I enjoyed good food and great people here. No surprise.

But I finally got to run part of your city. Not surprisingly, running a city is the best way to get to know it. When I moved to City of Atlanta 5 years ago I wasn't a runner and I never really left my part of town (Atlanta is made of several small village-like neighborhoods), except to drive and then later to bike to work. When I started running 3 years ago I discovered things about my own town that I never would have otherwise. And since then my running my own town has given me a great gift of intimacy with the city.

And over the past 3 days I've gotten a little bit intimate with YOUR city.

After crossing over Queensboro, I ran through Queens, over the Pulaski Bridge, to Historic Greenpointe, which was very cool. I got desperate to make a pit stop when I got by the W'burg Bridge so I headed up Bedford, looking for a cafe or shop where I could buy a bottle of water and ask to use the latrine. I found the Metropolitan Rec Center where the front desk guy was nice enough to let me use the facilities. And what a cool part of town. Then back over the river to run back to Midtown via the East River bike/footpath.

It was great farewell. Maybe next time I'll get to run the West side.

I hope this thread can be useful to other travelers. I want you to know this...this town is great for running. It's fairly flat, it's safe, and it's VERY hard to get lost.

redrunner+2 · 05-13-2011, 07:54 PM

I love running the bridges. And you got the perfect week of running weather! What luck! Glad you enjoyed your trip and your runs!

plessthanpointohfive · 05-14-2011, 06:09 PM

red, I only wish I could have run over the Brooklyn Bridge. I've walked over it, the previous visit to NYC, so I've at least experienced that. I'll be back and I'll make sure to run Brooklyn. I'd really like to run all 3 in one long run.

I think it would be so much fun to marathon train there.

And you're right...the weather was FANTASTIC. Especially since Atlanta had a heat wave and it was in the 90s all week (very unusual). It was beyond ideal in NYC this week.