Some Tracks

This is a listing of tracks with which I am familiar

UPDATE: There are 3 brand-new tracks in southern Westchester alone: Mt Vernon, Bronxville, and Scarsdale. Of these, Mt Vernon’s is the best, with Scarsdale second. The Bronxville one is 380 meters on the inside, and about 402 in Lane 4. That means Lane 4 is closest to 440 yards and thus closest to 4 laps to the mile. But it is hard and gets lots of walkers in the warm weather.

Mt Vernon, NY: Mt Vernon HS, California Road. THIS TRACK IS CURRENTLY UNDER LOCK AND KEY. A brand-new track. You can only get it by coming from the high school and crossing the Cross-County Parkway on the overpass. It is isolated. There is often a very strong wind on the backstraight.

Mt Vernon, part deux: Marjorie Lipan teaches in Mt Vernon, clued me into 2 other tracks, and then sent me pictures. The Davis Middle School on Gramatan Avenue has a nice recently laid track. IT IS ONLY 200 METERS. It now is marked. You get to it by entering from Gramatan, just south of the school. Memorial Field (the one to the top in the Google.Map; the other is Pelham’s Track) on Sandford Blvd, just west of the Hutch, is a cinder track, although it too has been resurfaced. Thanks Marjorie.

Eastchester, NY: Eastchester HS, Lincoln Ave., off Route 22. A nice track, but the prevailing head-wind on the back-straight can be very strong. It is also getting a little worn. Turns and straights are about 100 meters each. Every 100 meters, writing on track instructs that no jogging or walking in lanes 1, 2 and 3, but people ignore that. But they usually get out of way if you ask them to move out. Sometimes you have to ask a couple of times.

Scarsdale, NY: Scarsdale HS, Route 22. Brand new, 6 lanes.

Mamaroneck HS

Mamaroneck, NY (right): Mamaroneck HS, Rte 1, Boston Post Road, northeast of McDonald’s, behind the school. This is a square track; each side has a straight of about 75 or 80 meters. It is a nice, two-year old surface, but takes some getting used to. You’re on a straight and, BOOM, your in a turn. Weird. Sound Shore does its Tuesday speed-work here, which can be seen in its Training Forum.

Rye Neck, NY: There is also a track in Rye Neck, just north of Route 1 at the northwest end of Mamaroneck. It’s a nice, six-lane track. No lights.

Harrison, NY: Harrison High School. You get to it from Union Avenue. I’ not run on it but I did visit it recently. It is a very nice six-lane track.

New Rochelle, NY: Behind New Rochelle HS, off Flandreau Ave. You can get some really good lap times here. The track is only 350 meters. The only size that would fit.

Pelham, NY: Across Hutch from Pelham HS, entrance from East Sanford Blvd, to the right of entrance to southbound Hutch.

Bronxville, NY: Bronxville HS. The biggest problem with this track is that it is 380 meters on the inside, and about 402 in Lane 4. That means Lane 4 is closest to 440 yards and thus closes to 4 laps to the mile. But try running a workout on a nice evening when the crowds descend. It is also very hard. I ran on the old track alot, but given Mt. Vernon’s new one, I haven’t been here in a while. Also, it is theoretically limited to those who live in Bronxville.

White Plains HS; Enter from North Street. Brand new Mondo track. I ran there on a Tuesday night, and it was almost empty. Home to the Westchester Track Club.

Yonkers: Frank Campagna asked: “What about Yonkers?” Although I have lived there, I’ve never run on a track there. Frank mentioned two, saying, “Lincoln HS and Roosevelt HS both have tracks and they are in better shape than you’d think.” Well, here they are: Roosevelt High School is at the northwest corner of Central Avenue and Tuckahoe Road. Lincoln is west of the Thruway and east of Midland; it is just up the road to the entrance to Tibbetts Brook Park, and its track looks quite nice in the satellite shot. He also mentions Gorton High School further west, which, like Mamaroneck, has an interestingly shaped track. Thanks Frank.

Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY: This track is just at the last stop of the No. 1 train. It’s south of the XC start. A number of teams work out here; home to the Van Cortlandt Track Club. Track itself is in good condition.

Pleasantville, NY: Jack Brennan of Taconic Road Runners reports, “There aren’t field lights but we have enough light from the buildings that you can read a stop watch in certain parts. There is quite enough light for running on the whole track. It’s a two year old Mondo track and in great condition. Occasionally various teams use the track including Pace. There is plenty of parking after school hours.” Taconic meets there for workouts on Tuesdays at 5:30 (check with Jack).

Sleepy Hollow, NY: Have not run here, but it is where you park for the OCA North.

Bedford: Fox Lane HS: I’ve only seen this from Route 172. Note that it is just north of Westmoreland Sanctuary, which has some trails, which may or may not be suitable for running.

Somers High School: Haven’t made it quite this far north. Tim Fulton reports: “Somers is open with some lighting, not too bad to run at night. Under construction summer 2006 and will be back in the fall.”

Somers: JFK HS: Another one I have not been to. Tim Fulton reports: “Kennedy isn’t open that much but you can run there in the summer for sure; no lights.”

North Salem: Tim Fulton reports: “No lights but nice setting and not too crowded.”

The Most Famous Track, Iffley Road, Oxford


May 6, 1954	September 19, 2005

New York City, and elsewhere

Manhattan: There was a recent discussion of tracks in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn at CoolRunning. There was a further discussion about them on a LetsRun Forum.

Riverbank: From LetsRun “I think Riverbank is the nicest surface to train on. Closest subway is the 137th Station of the No. 1. Plus, the track has lights that on even in the winter evenings. Watch out for errant soccer balls from games, walkers with cell phones and radio in lanes 1 and 2, and kids who wander on to the track.” Satellite
Great Hill, Central Park (at West 105th): a 339.2 cinder oval on a hill on the west side of Central Park, at 105th Street. You’d never know it was there; I ran on the Park Drive thousands of times without ever knowing. It is where Warren Street does a lot of its speed-work on Tuesdays.

East River Track. Photo by 2kjb.
His photos

East River Park: From LetsRun: “East 6th Street is terrible. Surface hard and uneven.” Satellite
Thomas Jefferson Park, Manhattan, 1st and 114th. I never knew of this track until Mary Young posted an item on CoolRunning. She writes, “There is a rubberized track on 113th & First Avenue (if you’ve run the New York City Marathon, this is right at mile 19) in Jefferson Park. (There is an outdoor pool, fitness center, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, swings & kids stuff, an outdoor fitness circuit, and cookout/picnic facilities at this park.) There is a heavily used soccer pitch inside the running track. This track was resurfaced a few years ago and is fully marked. The downside is that it is not a 400 meter or even 440 yard track. Using my GPS, I’ve consistently gotten 1/5 of a mile running on the outer most lane. (I guess you could figure out the size of it if you know how to read all those markings, multiple start & finish lines, etc. I don’t.) You can get to it either right from First Avenue or from the East River Esplande via the 111th Street foot bridge. I don’t know the hours, but the gate is usually unlocked well before the fitness center opens to the public at 8:00 am.”
Brooklyn: Red Hook: From LetsRun: “the track in Red Hook Brooklyn is underutilized for most of the year (except during spring track season when high schools and colleges crowd it in the early afternoon). Not very easy by subway (10 minute walk from the F at Smith and 9th), and the neighborhood around it is the projects, but the track is in pretty good shape and there’s never much of a crowd.”
Queens: Astoria: From LetsRun: “the track at Astoria Park in Queens is beautiful -- right under the Tri-boro Bridge, not too much wind, great condition for the track, nice park around it. I think it’s at the end of the “N” line (then walk towards the water).”
Another LetsRun Thread discusses tracks in New York City. One person was particularly enthusiastic about a track in Pelham Bay Park.

Sag Harbor/East Hampton, NY: A ham-string injury kept me from testing it, but there is a black all-weather track at East Hampton High School. It is on Long Lane north of Route 27. Long Lane happens to be the name that Two Holes Water Road, where you park for the Northwest Trail, changes to when it approaches East Hampton.

California: I found a site that has a list of a number of tracks in California. The site has other good things as well.

London: There is a wonderful site for UK tracks . If you’re looking for a track in London, you can go to this map to get info.

London: Regent’s Park: This is a pecular, throw-back track. It is some type of stone or cinder and has very tight turns. It measures (according to the sign) 428 yards. I did a lap of it during a run in the Park.

London: Paddington. This is a well-worn track near Paddington Station.

Paris: A LetsRun discussion of tracks in Paris.

Lisbon: A LetsRun discussion of tracks in Lisbon.

Last edited on ... July 25, 2008