Welcome to the neighborhood!
The Belt Parkway path from 69th Street to Bay Parkway is 4+ miles of flat, smooth traffic free running. There used to be distance markers every quarter mile, but since a recent repaving they're gone from the part north of the Verazanno. The Coney Island boardwalk is 2.5 miles, with very small, easy to miss distance markers every quarter mile. Running on the boardwalk might take some getting used to, but they're both great places for tempo runs, and the scenery is great, particularly on a Saturday morning when the big cruise ships are steaming into the harbor.
I used to do long runs where I went from Park Slope down through Sunset Park and got on the Belt Parkway bike path at the 69th Street pier, took that all the way down to Cropsey Ave, where it's only a few blocks down to the the boardwalk, then back up Ocean Parkway, into Prospect Park and back home. Unfortunately I can't really recommend this for a lone woman since the part on 2nd Avenue in Sunset Park is a little desolate, and so is the part along the Belt service road from Bay Parkway to Cropsey. You could stay further inland through Sunset Park, like along 5th Avenue, but that's a lot more crowded. An alternative would be to take the R train to Bay Ridge Avenue, and start your run there by heading down 69th Street to the water, or stay on the train to 95th Street, then head down 4th Avenue and get the Belt Parkway path right under the Verrazano Bridge.
Or just do an out and back along Ocean Parkway, tacking on as much of the boardwalk as you want to get your distance in.
quote:<HR>Originally posted by Laura1234:
Just moved to Brooklyn and was thinking about using some of my long runs to explore some of the different neighborhoods...Anyone have any routes they care to recommend? Neighborhoods to definitely hit, or not hit; places with too many stoplights or not enough...
Would probably be leaving from Prospect Park, Grand Army Plaza side.
Thanks in advance!<HR>
