I've got a rich uncle who lives in Park Slope and I will be driving up to visit him for the holidays. What's the running like? Prospect Park looks like a decent-sized place to go run. Any opinions?
I've got a rich uncle who lives in Park Slope and I will be driving up to visit him for the holidays. What's the running like? Prospect Park looks like a decent-sized place to go run. Any opinions?
I live about 900m from the park (in Prospect Heights). PP is basically a mini Central Park. There are some bridle trails, there is some road, and you have some grass to loop around in, but all of it is on a smaller scale. The main roadway is 3.35 mi around. You can include the inner transverses and get about 4.5 of unique running. Provided we stay snow free, I'd recommend running a combo of this loop and tooling around on the paths and in the grass of Long Meadow and the Nethermead. There's some decent running in PP, but you have to be creative and not mind repetition.
I live in the slope. Prospect park is like central park if there weren't thousands of people choking the park. The loop along the road (3.35) is great and for the most part you can run along the side of the road on a dirt path. There is one good sized hill in either direction, and the rest is flat or gently rolling. There are a number of paved paths in the center of the park as well, and a few dirt trails (one long section along flatbush ave. is a nice stretch, but isolated and a bit sketchy at times).
It's a great place to run. My favorite in the city - though Van Cortlandt has its allure as well. You can also run from the park to the Brooklyn bridge (3 miles) and do a nice long run. enjoy!
There is one good sized hill in either direction
And if you want to catch them both in one circuit, you can run a figure 8: starting from Grand Army Plaza at the north end and running counter-clockwise, cut across to the left at the northernmost of the two transverses (in 1.16 miles, sez my map).
In .57 miles you hit the main loop; turn right.
1.26 miles further, you cross the southern transverse just past the lake. The quarter mile stretch to the other transverse is the steepest hill this direction but for about 40 extra vertical feet veer slightly right to the short stretch of concrete just inside the bridle path, which quickly turns into a mostly dirt path uphill with a few stairs. After the top it's a quick downhill to the northern transverse again, and this time you make the left on the loop drive and up the longer hill.
The circuit this way is 4.5 miles. You get the two steepest uphills, and the downs are all gentle and mostly runnable on the dirt path inside the loop drive.
I was finishing my second loop a little before noon today (Friday), and someone younger and quicker (I'm 39 and not so fast) was running easily up the main hill. I pretty much kept pace at something like 5k effort. Was that any of you?
Its like half the size of CP and design by the same guy. I find CP too small so PP is really small. But its as good as it gets for BK.
The BK half marathon in March is a nice race - it starts on the Coney Island boardwalk and the goes up to PP to do a loop the park. Too bad its a NYRR event.
Hah! Great event, though. I think of it as the coming out party for everyone who stayed in shape over the winter. Since i'm used to Central Park's added dimensions, i always feel like i'm turning all the time in Prospect Park. My favorite place in NYC for a 5k. A great fitness test.
pendejo wrote:
There is one good sized hill in either directionAnd if you want to catch them both in one circuit, you can run a figure 8: starting from Grand Army Plaza at the north end and running counter-clockwise, cut across to the left at the northernmost of the two transverses (in 1.16 miles, sez my map).
In .57 miles you hit the main loop; turn right.
1.26 miles further, you cross the southern transverse just past the lake. The quarter mile stretch to the other transverse is the steepest hill this direction but for about 40 extra vertical feet veer slightly right to the short stretch of concrete just inside the bridle path, which quickly turns into a mostly dirt path uphill with a few stairs. After the top it's a quick downhill to the northern transverse again, and this time you make the left on the loop drive and up the longer hill.
The circuit this way is 4.5 miles. You get the two steepest uphills, and the downs are all gentle and mostly runnable on the dirt path inside the loop drive.
I was finishing my second loop a little before noon today (Friday), and someone younger and quicker (I'm 39 and not so fast) was running easily up the main hill. I pretty much kept pace at something like 5k effort. Was that any of you?
Also...wander off the beaten path just a bit and go over to Wellhouse Dr. off of the West Drive and there's a skinny path to the top of Lookout Hill which you can run up a few times. The hill is pretty steep but you'll get a good workout in. When you get to the top just jog down around the Lookout loop back down to the bottom. It's a longer recovery but you'll need it.
Also...wander off the beaten path just a bit and go over to Wellhouse Dr. off of the West Drive and there's a skinny path to the top of Lookout Hill which you can run up a few times. The hill is pretty steep but you'll get a good workout in. When you get to the top just jog down around the Lookout loop back down to the bottom. It's a longer recovery but you'll need it.
Where is this??? What is Wellhouse Dr? or lookout hill? I'm certain that I must have run on these, as I've been running in the park for 7 years, but I have no idea what those names are? Could someone post a google map link?
how rough is the brooklyn half marathon? I've only run one half in Philly which was flat as a board.
dt
Brooklyn 1/2 is flat for 8+ miles and then you hit Prospect Park. I got crushed the first time I ran this race being unfamiliar with Prospect Park and having run an easy 8 miles to that point.
found it
dtbrooklyn wrote:
Also...wander off the beaten path just a bit and go over to Wellhouse Dr. off of the West Drive and there's a skinny path to the top of Lookout Hill which you can run up a few times. The hill is pretty steep but you'll get a good workout in. When you get to the top just jog down around the Lookout loop back down to the bottom. It's a longer recovery but you'll need it.
Where is this??? What is Wellhouse Dr? or lookout hill? I'm certain that I must have run on these, as I've been running in the park for 7 years, but I have no idea what those names are? Could someone post a google map link?
how rough is the brooklyn half marathon? I've only run one half in Philly which was flat as a board.
dt
Not too far from the Parade Grounds entrance. As I said off the West drive...Wellhouse separates Lookout from one of the lakes.
One might think, Prospect Park is only dangerous on the East Side, right? Think again. Gangs of muggers regularly patrol the Park Slope side for 'opportunities,' and brazen daylight muggings are not uncommon. Even so, as a generalization it's actually safe, and cops do patrol the park, and seem to nab the perps almost too fast sometimes.
After your run you can hit a real NYC institution, Farrell's Bar, for some suds and grub.
malmo wrote:
One might think, Prospect Park is only dangerous on the East Side, right? Think again. Gangs of muggers regularly patrol the Park Slope side for 'opportunities,' and brazen daylight muggings are not uncommon. Even so, as a generalization it's actually safe, and cops do patrol the park, and seem to nab the perps almost too fast sometimes.
After your run you can hit a real NYC institution, Farrell's Bar, for some suds and grub.
http://tinyurl.com/y8zbm8
Farrell's is great. Never had a "problem" in the park anywhere .
dtbrooklyn wrote: how rough is the brooklyn half marathon? I've only run one half in Philly which was flat as a board.
It's the flattest of the numerous NYRR half marathons. Sure it's got that one ~100' hill in the park which is pretty unwelcome after 11 miles, but that's about it for significant topography. Mostly it's a pretty flat, very straight shot up Ocean Parkway, where the only problem would be a stiff headwind.