WOW -- this is great! How do you know all this stuff? Great tip about buddying up in Rock Creek Park. Here's a challenge: what about a week of running in Paris?
There comes a time in almost every professional’s life when you must travel for business. Whether you see it as a badge of honor or a huge pain, two things are certain: Your frequent flyer miles will soar, and your workout schedule will get derailed.
Let’s talk about the latter. Even if your hotel has a gym, pounding the treadmill gets pretty old (especially if you have to do it next to your boss). So ditch it and pound the pavement instead. (Hey, running outside lets you see places you might otherwise only glimpse between meetings.) This is your cheat sheet for running like a local when you’re on the road.
1. Los Angeles
Quick Fix
Hollywood-West Hollywood-Beverly Hills-Century City (Up to 14 miles)
Start this out when the sun comes up over Santa Monica Boulevard (to avoid the traffic, of course). Follow the Blvd. just over five miles to Beverly Hills, where you’ll hook up with a shaded path (complete with water fountains). Continue two more miles to Century City, and refuel at the mall!
Note: The 704 bus runs the entire route, so if you get tired, you can bail.
If You Have Some Time
Griffith Park (8 miles)
Griffith Park is not only one of the largest urban parks in the country, it’s also the busiest site for on-location filming and the best place to see the Hollywood sign. There are up to 53 miles of roads and trails, but most people start at the Los Feliz Blvd./Riverside entrance and run up Crystal Springs Dr. past the Zoo to the Travel Town museum and back.
Note: For killer views (and the hardest hill workout of your life) try the five-mile Coolidge Trail loop, accessed at the same entrance. All trails close at sunset.
Race It
The Griffith Park Trail Half-Marathon (November)
This half marathon is tough, but the finish line lunch catered by Whole Foods is worth it. Oh, and the views of downtown LA are spectacular.
2. San Francisco
Quick Fix
Great Highway (4-8 miles)
The Great Highway is a designated pedestrian path with killer views of the Pacific Ocean. Check out the Beach Chalet with its inspirational murals or the San Francisco Zoo. Out and back from Lincoln Way along the Great Highway gives you four miles, but you can double your distance with a loop around Lake Merced.
If You Have Some Time
Land’s End (1.5-3 miles)
Full disclosure: There will be stairs—50 of them, to be exact—but it’s worth it for the views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Land’s End is speckled with cypress and wildflowers and feels more like a wooded oasis than a city park. The course runs 1.5 miles along the cliffs of Point Lobos.
Note: Unless you have a running partner, it’s better to run here on the weekends. During the week, it can feel a bit isolated.
Race It
Angel Island 12K and 25K (August)
Accessible by ferry, Angel Island is full of trails and offers gracious views of San Francisco Bay.
3. Albuquerque, NM
Quick Fix
The Paseo del Bosque Trail (Up to 16 miles)
Follow this flat, shady path for 16 miles along the Rio Grande (all miles are marked). If you can, check out the Rio Grande Botanical Garden and butterfly pavilion, too.
If You Have Some Time
Elena Gallegos Reserve (1.4-2.9 miles)
The Sandia Mountains are absolutely breathtaking. Check out the self-guiding Cottonwood Springs Trail (a 1.4 mile loop) with shaded rest stops. Wildlife abounds, and if you pay attention, you may spot coyote scat!
Note: Hit the trails early to avoid the heat, and pack water if you’re planning on a long run. Watch for bull snakes in the summer and mountain bikers on the weekends and holidays.
Race It
The Valles Caldera 10K, Half, and Full Marathon (June)
Albuquerque’s most scenic race takes you through the spectacular Valles Caldera preserve, one of three active calderas in the United States
Note: Plan to arrive a few days early to acclimate—you’ll be running at over 8,000 feet.
4. Chicago
Quick Fix
The Lakefront Path at Lincoln Park (5.5 miles)
Lake Michigan is running at its finest. For dramatic skyline viewing, set your alarm early and watch the sun rise on the horizon. Start at the Totem Pole in Lincoln Park opposite Addison Rd. and head south, keeping Belmont Harbor to your left. Follow the lakefront path past Diversey and through Fullerton, turning around at the footbridge over the Drive.
Note: There are plenty of bathrooms, and on warm weekends, local running stores set up water stations along the path!
If You Have Some Time
South of Grand (Up to 12 miles)
Start at the Chicago Children’s Museum and head south along the Lakefront path. Chicago runners call this peaceful stretch paradise for that fact that it’s free of crowds. Turn back early or keep going to the 12-mile mark, just past the South Shore Cultural Center.
Race It
Shamrock Shuffle 8K (March)
Think of this race as a mini Chicago marathon. It starts and finishes in Grant Park, and the flat course twists and turns you along almost the same route!
5. Miami
Quick Fix
Miami Beach House and Hotel Tour (8 miles)
Miami is known for many things, and its over-the-top residences are no exception. Start at Lincoln Rd. and head up Pine Tree Dr. for a taste of the Beach’s best Mediterranean-style houses. Turn back towards the Atlantic at 63rd St. and follow Collins Ave., home of the iconic Fontainebleau and Eden Roc Resorts. Pick your jaw up off the floor, and head over to the boardwalk along the Atlantic—you still have four miles to go.
If You Have Some Time
Rickenbacker Causeway (12 miles)
If cityscape is what you crave, start from the Brickell area in downtown Miami and cross the Rickenbacker causeway to Virginia Key. Continue along Crandon Blvd. into Key Biscayne and turn around. The views of downtown Miami and Brickell Key on the way back are spectacular.
Race It
Miami Half and Full Marathon (January)
As if you needed an excuse to escape the winter, this race is pure fun, and there’s nothing like watching the sun rise above cruise ships and palm trees in the middle of January.
6. Washington, DC
Quick Fix
National Mall (3-7 miles)
The locals say there’s nothing like running the Lincoln Memorial steps at sunrise for the monumental (ha!) view from up top. Squeeze in a three-mile loop past the museums or head up Capitol Hill toward the Supreme Court to add 1.5 miles more. How ‘bout them blossoms? For the best Cherry Blossom viewing in March or April, pick up the Tidal Basin and continue onto Hains Point. One time around the Basin is just over two miles and the Hains Point loop will give you four more.
If You Have Some Time
Rock Creek Park (Up to 20 miles)
With over 20 miles of paved roads and marked trails, RCP is a runner’s paradise. Hit Beach Dr. on the weekends, when it’s closed to traffic from 7 AM to 7 PM.
Note: Buddy up if you’re running at dawn or dusk.
Race It
Cherry Blossom 10-Miler (April)
This race covers DC’s most notable landmarks and loops out to Hains Point for some great Cherry Blossom viewing. Even if you don’t run, it’s a great race to watch.
7. Boston
Quick Fix
The Charles River (2-9 miles)
Stunning views of Boston and Cambridge, plus a flat, traffic-free course make the Charles a favorite among local runners. Start in Boston Common and run down Beacon St. to the Arthur Fiedler footbridge and on to the river path. Adjust your mileage by crossing over any of the many bridges linking the two cities.
Note: Beware the crowds of spectators during the Head of the Charles Regatta in October.
If You Have Some Time
Beacon Hill
A hill workout and a history lesson in one, Beacon Hill is one of Boston’s most iconic neighborhoods. Power your way past Federal-style row houses to the Massachusetts State House perched up top.
Note: Prepare yourself for Mount Vernon St.—it’s the most challenging hill.
Race It
Tufts 10K (October)
This women-only race features a fast course around the Charles River and through Boston’s Back Bay. Don’t be surprised if Joan Benoit Samuelson is at the finish line giving high fives.
8. London
Quick Fix
The Royal Parks (4.5-mile loop)
Cruise by Speakers’ Corner, Hyde Park Corner, and the Marble Arch as you circle the perimeters of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.
If You Have Some Time
South Bank Zigzag (14 miles)
An early morning jaunt along the River Thames is the best way to see London’s attractions. Cross Tower Bridge towards the Southwark/Bermondsey side of the Thames and turn right on Tooley St., making your way to the river path. Run along the river past landmarks like the Tate Modern, the National Theater, and the London Eye until Vauxhall Bridge, where you’ll cross over to Chelsea. Take a left off the bridge and follow the river to Albert Bridge Rd. (nicknamed “The Trembling Lady”), where you will cross once again and loop around traffic-free Battersea Park. Take the ABR back across the river and turn right, following the path past Westminster Abbey and back to Tower Bridge.
Note: This loop can be adjusted using any of the many bridges crossing the Thames. Start early to avoid crowds.
Race It
London Pride 10K (September)
Join over 1,000 runners for the annual Pride 10K, organized by the London Frontrunners—part of a worldwide network of LGBT running clubs. You will run through beautiful Victoria Park and your race entry fee will go to an LGBT charity.
Visiting the Big Apple? Check out our complete guide to running in New York!
