Running is a great way to explore a city: it's free, flexible, and fun. Running gets us to places beyond our immediate neighborhood, and we get to see everything along the way.
The City Runner project is an ongoing effort to explore cities through running, discovering in each city top running routes, local run clubs, coffee shops, hidden gems, and many more.
My name is Yü Wu, I am the city runner.
In Portland, runners are everywhere. The barista who just made your latte might have just logged a 20-miler in the woods. Because why not? Forest Park¹ alone has 80 miles of trails. The city also boasts an abundance of public running tracks².
¹ Route #2: Forest Park; ² Route #3: Duniway Track; Route #9: Fernhill Track, Grant Park Track
A perfect morning in Portland: Follow the Wildwood Trail from Washington Park to Pittock Mansion for the breathtaking view, then descend to Lower Macleay Park and continue to NW 23rd Ave for a delicious post-run coffee and breakfast.
San Francisco sets a high bar for city running: its hills intimidating and hilltop views breathtaking. From Golden Gate Bridge¹ to Twin Peaks² to Ocean Beach³, the City by the Bay has endless offerings for all levels of runners. Better yet, it's never too cold or too hot to run in San Francisco.
¹ Route #2: Golden Gate Bridge; ² Route #4: Twin Peaks; ³ Route #8: Ocean Beach
A perfect morning in San Francisco: Go for a sunrise run to Corona Heights Park, watch the city wake up as the sun breaks the clouds and gleam over the bay. Then jog a cool-down mile to the Mission District and grab a sourdough at Tartine Bakery before the line grows (really) long.
Seattle has so much water and with water come the perfect routes for city running: between the 3-mile Green Lake Loop¹ and 50-mile Lake Washington Loop, there are Burke-Gilman Trail², Elliott Bay Trail³, Alki Trail⁴, even the longest floating bridge in the world.
¹ Route #2: Green Lake Loop; ² Route #4: Burke-Gilman Trail; ³ Route #3: Elliott Bay Trail; ⁴ Route #12: Alki Trail & Beach Dr