Thursday, August 26, 2010

A Cheap Run at the Best Parks in the city


If you are a runner and you live in a city, if you don't know about the great running paths in the parks around memberships to gyms can run you between 50 up to 200$ per month. The best deal in NYC that I've found hands down is at Golds Gym (but you have to get that deal before the end of summer), where they offer 699$ for a year and a half, and the gym includes showers and a steamroom.  Thats an even better deal than the YMCA, which costs about 65$ per month and doesn't have a steamroom! But if you're looking to spend nothing and run for free (which sounds pretty good to me), there are alot of different parks that have tracks for you to run on. Here's a handy list of the best parks to run in for you to choose from!

If you're in Manhattan -
Central Park - you can run around the park in a bike/runners lane but there is no actual track. Central Park begins at 59th & Broadway.

Riverside Park - there is a great paved running path here, along with bike paths as well as a skate park along 72nd to 158th street along the Hudson River.  Riverside Drive to Hudson River, West 59th Street to Clair Place.

East River Park - East River Park has 37 acres of waterfront running paths, along with basketball, tennis, and handball courts; playgrounds; a picnic area; softball, football, baseball and track fields; a river promenade; and a footbridge. Montgomery Street to East 12th Street, FDR Drive.

If you're in Brooklyn -
McCarren Park - there is a rubber track that surrounds a soccer/recreation field. Its beautiful especially there at night and is well lit. Lorimer Street, Union & Driggs Avenue.

Prospect Park - probably the biggest in Brooklyn. There is a 3.35 mile running lane. Remember to stay on paved paths! You can enter the park at Parkside Avenue & Prospect Park Southwest.

Coney Island - This is a boardwalk in Coney Island, which is technically not a park but is a nice run along the beach in Coney Island so I thought I'd put it in! Coney Island has almost 3 miles of beach along with a long boardwalk (that was featured in that cute movie "Two Weeks Notice" with Sandra Bullock. Every time I walk passed the building I think of that movie!)

If you're in Queens -
Astoria Park - They not only have a track but they also have outdoor tennis courts, a bandstand, multiple trails and basketball courts!
21 Street, Hoyt Avenue, Ditmars Boulevard, East River

If you're in the Bronx -
Van Cortlandt Park, there is a track at West 240 Street to City Line.

With the cooler weather coming, many people are heading to the gyms but in case you're looking for a free run, remember to bring your sweatshirts and stop at a Park for a run!

3 comments:

  1. I would choose free. Especially through those places.

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  2. haha I'm just commenting all over your blog today :)

    This post made me think about the running plan I'm doing called Couch to 5k- it's free and a great guide to getting in shape. It starts of slowly so that you can build endurance with each work out, very do-able.

    Here's the link: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ah, I am SO going to have to run in NYC sometime! I was not a runner when I was last there, so I missed out!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by and dropping some comment love!

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