Running the City
Here are the New York Road Runners’ top picks for routes in Manhattan.
- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir: Possibly the most famous running route in the world; presidential candidates have run this 1 1/2-mile route, as well as the famous former first lady for whom it is now named.
- The Loop in Central Park: I used to run past Madonna and her bodyguards when she was a frequenter of the 6-mile loop. Now I see Howard Stern jogging, no bodyguards in sight, but usually with a female companion or two. East River: Entering on 63rd Street and York Avenue and running up to 125th Street and back is a 6-mile jog where you will pass Gracie Mansion, high-rises overlooking the river, and fishermen testing the river waters.
- Hudson River South: Enter at Chelsea Piers at West 23rd Street and continue down to Battery Park City and back for this approximately 5-mile run. In the warm months it’s a carnival downtown, with in-line skaters, kayakers, musicians, and cyclists crowding the slim downtown park.
- Hudson River North: This approximately 6-mile run starts at Riverbank State Park, at 145th Street on the Hudson River, and continues through lovely Riverside Park, passing the 79th Street Boat Basin, and ending at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
