You’ve done it at some point: laced up your sneakers, thrown on a Rihanna playlist, and huffed and puffed around your neighborhood for 15 minutes.

But did you do it again the next day, then a few days later and again after that?

One weird truth about life in New York City — which is a town of infinite variety, where every day could bring an entirely new experience — is that many people thrive on doing the same thing over and over. That might be why the city is a mecca for distance running, a hobby that’s deeply tied to habit.

But you don’t have to do it every day. Just jogging a mile a few times a week still has big health benefits, and going longer distances or doing it more often don’t make you a better person. But if running is something you want to make a regular part of your routine, you'll want to ease into it as painlessly as possible, according to several New York City runners we spoke with for this guide.

We surveyed our newsletter readers and Instagram followers for tips on running routes, safety and advice for beginners. Nearly 300 runners wrote in their advice, and more than 1,000 voted in our polls.

So whether you’re just looking to get more exercise without paying an expensive gym membership or you aspire to eventually run the New York City Marathon, this will help you get started.

Start off slow and take breaks

The most common mistake among zealous people with fresh legs is to gun it until your heart rate hits the danger zone, and then wake up the next morning incapable of climbing stairs.

But this isn’t the junior high Presidential Fitness Test — you’re a grown adult who’s allowed to run as slowly, and for as short a distance, as you’d like.

“One mile might seem daunting, so I like to say, see if you can run five minutes without stopping, and then walk a minute,” said Liz Donohue, who runs with the Ridge Runners club in Bay Ridge and coaches group runs for New York Road Runners.

Running short slow distances not only has demonstrated health benefits, it also increases the odds that you’ll feel good enough to run again later in the week.

“If you’re exhausted, you’re not going to continue doing it,” she said.

If you can, find a car-free place to run

Most of us don’t live next door to Central Park or Prospect Park, but there are creative ways to get a run in near your home without having to traverse dozens of busy intersections.

Tony Ho Loke, who leads runs with the group RUN LIC in Long Island City, said one of his favorite routes crosses the Pulaski Bridge into Greenpoint, goes along the waterfront into Williamsburg and takes Kent Avenue — “they call it the Kent Avenue Speedway” — all the way to the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

“Because you’re hugging close to the water, if not on the water, you’re not getting a lot of traffic perpendicular to you,” he said. “Then you end at Wegmans, a suburban supermarket in New York City, and that’s pretty cool.”


On The Go Map

Another tip: Go to your closest park, even if it’s tiny, and run laps.

“We go around in circles at the oval at Hunter’s Point Park,” said RUN LIC co-founder Sumantro Das. “It’s too small to be a [proper] track, but big enough to do laps and not get bored.”

When we asked for your running advice through our survey, readers mentioned a handful of excellent, less-than-obvious routes around the five boroughs. Below are some great recommendations for places to get in longer runs:

Use extreme caution in bike lanes

Is running in the bike lane ever OK?

Officially, no. The city’s rules state that “no pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle which is so close that it is impossible for the operator to yield.”

But in the realm of fuzzy unwritten rules, New Yorkers are divided. Out of the 1,771 votes in Gothamist’s Instagram poll, 61% of respondents said it’s never alright, 33% said it’s OK if the sidewalk is too crowded, and 6% said it’s always OK.

Michael Ring, a Park Slope resident and serial marathoner, told us that if the sidewalk is too crowded or narrow, running in the bike lane — against traffic and right up against the parked cars — might be your safest option.

“There's usually enough room for the bikes and the pedestrians — but the bikes have a right of way in the bike lane,” he said.

The city is full of running clubs that are open to everyone

Joining a running club can have logistical challenges, especially if you have an unconventional schedule, family obligations, or live far from the group’s meetup spot. In our Instagram poll, 10% of respondents said they’re in a running club, 13% said they used to be in one, and 77% said they’ve never been in one.

But these clubs are worth joining for a number of reasons. They organize training workouts for specific races. You get cool merch. And many of them — including RUN LIC and Ridge Runners, the two groups I tagged along with — are open to runners of all abilities. Both groups stop their longer runs periodically to let everyone catch up; they also make a point of holding track nights, where everyone can simply jog in circles at their own pace.

Many of these groups are just as much about the social aspect.

Geese join a running club for a run through NYC.

James Ramsay / Staff

RUN LIC's co-leaders said that because Long Island City attracts a lot of transient young adults, RUN LIC makes a point of hosting holiday gatherings and social events to help new members feel rooted in the city.

“We always get people who are like, ‘I just moved here in January,’ and their first question is, ‘Where do you guys eat?’” said Loke. “We have a good group of people who are like, ‘I wouldn’t have stayed in New York City as long if it wasn’t for [RUN LIC].’”

What to wear

Overdressing is one of the most common mistakes among infrequent runners, especially in the colder months, when New York City has recently experienced record-high temperatures. If it’s chilly out and you’re trying to run longer than 10 minutes, don’t wear what feels comfortable stepping out the door. Wear what’s going to feel right after 10 minutes of exertion.

Another tip: Wear protection. A hat, sunglasses and sweat-resistant sunscreen are all great ideas. And if the head-to-toe parking cone look isn’t your thing, wear some item that’s bright or reflective — especially if you’re running on streets at dusk or after dark.

Simple shorts and ratty T-shirts are fine — high-end techy clothing isn’t necessary, especially if you’re going for shorter runs.

Shoes are the one area where you really need to invest, because cheap shoes without the right amount of support are going to increase your odds of getting injured.

Brooklyn Running Company and Paragon Sports are both good locally owned stores that carry just about every brand and have staff to help you find shoes that are right for your stride.

Fleet Feet, a national chain of franchised specialty running stores, has several locations around the city (they used to be Jack Rabbits). In addition to a decent rewards program, Fleet Feet also has a generous return policy that lets you go for a couple runs in a new pair of shoes and take them back if they don’t work out.

What’s the deal with races?

Have you stood on the sideline of the New York City Marathon, cheering on the sea of runners and thinking to yourself, “I’d like to do this”?

So has everyone else. There are a few ways to gain a spot at the starting line.

Runners cross the Verrazano Bridge before competing in the 52nd Edition of the New York City Marathon on November 5, 2023.

(Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

Ted Metellus, New York Road Runners’ senior vice president of events and the race director of the TCS New York City Marathon, said that in 2024, nearly 165,000 people applied through the general lottery for a spot in the TCS New York City Marathon — and about 4% of those runners got in.

There are other ways to earn a guaranteed entry into the race, like raising money for charity or meeting a time qualifying standard.

But one of the most popular ways to gain entry in the marathon is through New York Road Runners’ 9+1 program, which requires entrants to volunteer for one of the organization’s races and participate in nine others. That's partly why NYRR’s races this year have sold out in record time. As of now, there are still spots available in the midnight 4-miler on Dec. 31, 2024.

If you’re itching to take part in an organized race but didn’t have the luck or forethought to snag a spot in one of the city’s marquee races, consider signing up for a smaller local event. You still get the adrenaline rush of running a race — often on a closed off street — but they’re usually cheaper and don’t require waking up at 5 a.m. to get to the starting line.

What if running kind of sucks?

This isn’t water aerobics — pounding on your knees at a rate of about 160 steps per minute can be brutal, especially when you’re starting out. That’s why it’s so important to keep your initial runs slower and shorter than what you think you can handle.

“Everyone can start with doing 400 meters, which is about one lap around a traditional track,” said Das. “And don’t be shy about walking and running — there are, in fact, proven methods where running and walking helps you get to a faster pace in a matter of weeks.”

But what if weeks go by and this still isn’t remotely enjoyable?

Ana Suarez, who lives in Cobble Hill and is currently training for her sixth marathon, said she started running cross country in high school because endurance sports came to her far more naturally than “contact” sports.

But she acknowledged that this just isn’t the case for everyone, even if you’ve given it an honest chance.

“I think because running is so accessible — it’s one of the simplest kinds of exercise you can do — a lot of people think they should be running,” she said. “But if doing it makes you miserable, you don’t have to push through! You can do something else!”