This was my first time doing the Central Park loop. I have run a little in Central Park before but have never run all the way around the park. I ran with fellow ChiRunner Greg, who grew up in New York City and had done this run hundreds of times. Our run was 7 miles because we added a few stops so I could get some extra footage for the video.

The actual loop seems like it would be 6 miles or just a little more. We ran counter-clockwise, which looks like it is the easier direction after reviewing at my Garmin data. I was surprised just how much the road rolled. It’s certainly not flat. There was a good climb from mile 3.5 to 3.75, only a quarter mile but it seemed longer.

I also noticed that my Heart Rate ran higher than usual. There were many possible reasons. It was 85 degrees when we finished at 8 PM. I haven’t trained in a couple weeks. I’ve been nursing some injuries from a bike crash. Maybe I was slightly dehydrated. Who knows why, but it was running a little high for our pace.

I noticed there were only a few people wearing hydration systems and I didn’t see many drinking fountains. They became welcome sights.

Overall it is a great place to run. Lots of people running, biking, skating, and hanging out. It is always fun to watch the carriage rides and pedicabs go by, but most of all Central Park is absolutely beautiful. To top it off, when we finished the fireflies were just starting to light up. It is a must run for runners visiting New York City.

I can’t wait to come back here for the ING New York City Marathon in November.

Train Focused, Steve Mackel – Certified ChiRunning® Instructor