Toto, We’re Not in Kansas Anymore: Running Central Park
- Kelly Stewart
- Sep 15, 2016
- 3 min read
The USS Maine National Monument located at the Columbus Circle entrance of Central Park
After spending the past six years running flatter roads and trails in Kansas, it’s taken a little time to get used to the hills of Central Park.
I’ve now run Central Park’s six-mile loop a few times, and, despite the hills, it has become one of my all-time favorite places to run (right up there with Manhattan, Kansas’ Linear Trail). When it comes to great running routes, you simply can’t beat Central Park’s views and with so much going on around you, time flies.
Oh, and you don’t have to look too hard to find inspiration - I was definitely passed by some of the most fit runners I’ve ever seen, most of them were sporting NYRR (New York Road Runners) marathon and half marathon tees.
Following advice from the blog Preppy Runner, I started my Tuesday morning run at the park’s Columbus Circle entrance (the southwest corner of the park). If you start here and run counter-clockwise, you’ll hit your first big hill just after the one-mile mark into your run. Appropriately dubbed “Cat Hill,” on your left, you’ll notice a big, bronze panther statue staring down at you. The statue is labeled “Still Hunt,” and it’s pretty cool.
Keep going and you’ll pass by the back side of the Met (on your right) while, to your left, you can see most of the Obelisk Needle (originally carved in 1450 B.C.!). East Drive is peppered with statues here and there including one of Alexander Hamilton and one of Andrew Haswell (“Father of New York City”).
So, since there is plenty to see in those first few miles, they go by quick. That’s a great thing because at about 3.5 miles into the six-mile loop, you’ll hit the worst of Central Park’s hills - the Harlem Hill. This is where whatever great pace I think I’m running at totally drops. Since it’s at the northern end of the park there are far fewer people around to keep you motivated and, surrounded by boulders and trees, there isn’t as much to look at.
But don’t worry, after Harlem Hill, the remaining two miles don’t seem too bad. In the final two miles, you run alongside the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir and past the Central Park Lake, and while the remainder of the run isn’t necessarily flat (I don’t recall any part of this six-mile loop being flat…) it’s fun because now you’re almost back where you started - Columbus Circle!
After my run (I got to the park at about 7:30 a.m. and finished running/cooling down by about 8:45 a.m.), I strolled down Fifth Avenue to Bryant Park for the free, weekly class hosted by Athleta and Yoga Journal. I can't believe there's only one Tuesday morning Bryant Park Yoga class left this summer - running and yoga have made for some great Tuesday mornings in NYC!
Here's a quick look into my Tuesday morning run:
A few more things...
Grete's Great Gallop: I've been running in Central Park in preparation for the Grete's Great Gallop half marathon on October 2. Presented by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Fred's Team, the run is named after legendary marathoner Grete Waitz who ran the New York City Marathon in 1992 while battling brain cancer. I'm really looking forward running 13.1 hilly miles through Central Park and supporting this great cause. You can check out more about Grete's Great Gallop on the NYRR website by clicking here.
Central Park Maps: If you want to map out a run where you hit all your favorite spots in the park, the Central Park Conservancy website offers a great, interactive map where you can locate your favorite statues (Balto!), arches, bridges and attractions. It’s really helpful! Check it out by clicking here. Don’t feel like running the full six-mile loop? The park also offers a map with routes of other distances (I want to run the 1.58 mile Reservoir loop!). You can check that map out by clicking here.
Bathroom Break: You’ll pass the Loeb Boathouse exactly one mile into your run if you start at the Columbus Circle entrance. Its bathrooms are open for runners if need be. This is the only public bathroom I’ve noticed on the six-mile loop so if you’ve gotta go, make sure to take advantage of this convenience.
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