Running Locale

Kyra’s Dad suggested I should write a guide to all the parks in Westchester County since I have been to nearly all of them. Well Joel, here it is.

I have to admit that I am surprised by the quality running locations in the area. There are countless places to train if you don’t mind a few people. Back home I have many places to run where I can have peaceful runs without having to dodge many people, but the downside is the atrocious condition of the trails. In New York, there are more people around so it’s difficult to have that sense of tranquility while running but the plus point is quality running surfaces. I’ve come to the conclusion that New Yorkers (Rockefellers for example) have the funding available to keep their parks in excellent condition. Most parks have very wide and even running surfaces that consist of cinders or dirt.

A list of parks I run at:

1) Rockefeller State park: Massive forested park with wide cinder trails. Probably the best place to train at in the tri-state area. I make the 20 minute trip about 2-3 times per week for longer runs

2) Hart’s Brook: A secret park where I will occasionally run into some dog walkers. The park is very small (2 square miles) but provides me with a beautiful place to run within 5 minutes

3) Old Croton Aqueduct: Very similar to the New River Trail or Montour Trail. Flat, cinder paths weaves its way through neighborhoods along the Hudson River for several miles.

4) Bronx River South: This is a paved bike path that runs along the Bronx River Parkway. I did the most of my runs here the first week but quickly phased it out due the Murder that occurred on the trail recently. Actually, the run got very boring after two or three times

5) Sprain Ridge Park: Thin, rough trails cover the majority of the park. Comparable to Sewickley Heights Park only not as nice and slightly smaller.

6) Van Cortland Park: Rolling hills and a lot of people but still cool. Located in the Bronx I think

Those are the parks where I do most of my running. There are several other parks that I need to explore more: Central park, Cranberry Lake Preserve, Rockland Lake State Park, Blauvelt State Park, High Tor State Park, and many more.