Runner's World Ranks the 25 Best Running Cities in America
Posted Sunday, 12 June, 2005
Contact:
Chris Brienza, (212) 808-1358; Chris.Brienza@rodale.com
Alissa Neil, (212) 431-4411; Alissa@alissaneilpr.com
San Francisco, San Diego, New York, Chicago and Washington, DC Top list
NEW YORK - (June 8, 2005) - What is America's best city for running?
With running participation numbers continuing to grow to record levels, it's a question that probably elicits a few million opinions or so. But Runner's World magazine, the world's leading authority on running information, mixed a bit of science in with all that subjectivity to come up with the first-ever ranking of the nation's 25 Best Running Cities in its July issue, on newsstands this week.
San Francisco earned the top spot on the Runner's World ranking, which, among other criteria, factored in the number of runners within each city's population, the amount of land set aside for park usage, local weather data, crime data and air quality measurements and its number of annual road races. More than 1,300 runners were also polled for their feedback, which was weighed and factored in.
San Francisco was followed in the top five by San Diego, New York City, Chicago and Washington, DC. The remaining 20 cities in ranked order were:
6. Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
7. Boulder, CO
8. Boston, MA
9. Denver, CO
10. Portland, OR
11. Austin, TX
12. Seattle, WA
13. Philadelphia, PA
14. Colorado Springs, CO
15. Dallas, TX
16. Anchorage, AK
17. Raleigh, NC
18. Salt Lake City, UT
19. Honolulu, HI
20. Atlanta, GA
21. Houston, TX
22. Phoenix, AZ
23. Madison, WI
24. Monterey, CA
25. Fort Collins, CO
"Coming up with this list was obviously a difficult task, but we tried to combine emotions and actual math," said David Willey, Editor-in-Chief of Runner's World. "Despite our credibility, I know that our story will spark lots of debate."
Runner's World's editors commenced the study by taking a list of the largest U.S. cities based on population and then narrowing it down to 50 by using the results of the 2004 nationwide survey of jogging participation (conducted by the market research firm Claritas).
From there, the following data was factored into the decision-making: the number of running clubs per city (with information from USA Track & Field and the Road Runners Club of America); the annual number of road races (from various sources including the Road Running Information Center); the amount of land set aside for park usage (from the Trust for Public Land); air quality measurements (from the EPA); weather data (from the National Climactic Data Center) and crime statistics (from the FBI).
Runner's World also factored in the results of a poll in which its readers ranked their favorite running cities.
In the end, San Francisco scored best, offering its runners miles of can't miss views and fantastic paths along such landmarks as the Golden Gate Bridge and Baker Beach. One of most popular running events, and a favorite of San Franciscans, is the Bay to Breakers 12K, considered the "Mardi Gras" of Bay Area races. San Francisco offers its residents myriad ways of working out, from the Lyon Streets steps that will deliver a sweat-inducing workout to a 10 mile flat loop around the Golden Gate Park, covered with running paths and open boulevards.
"To me, the best way to explore a city is by putting on your running shoes and getting a little lost, just to see what you can find," said Willey. "San Francisco is an amazing place for that. Every run can become an unscripted adventure."
San Diego came in a close second, and was a favorite among online visitors to RunnersWorld.com for its year-round warm temperatures and breathtaking Pacific Ocean views. New York City ranked third, with its many running paths along the Hudson and East Rivers and, of course, for Central Park, "where more than 7,000 runners loop its colorful paths and trails daily." Chicago ranked fourth overall for many reasons, the main one being its friendly running scene. The Chicago Area Runners Association's etiquette includes a rule that states "if someone runs up to you and starts talking, you talk back." Washington DC, with its miles of running paths that are at turns historic (the Mall), hilly (Rock Creek Park) and rustic and residential (Glover Archibald Park), earned the number five ranking.
The state of Colorado had four cities-Boulder (7), Denver (9), Colorado Springs (14) and Fort Collins (25) in the top 25, more than any other state. Both California (San Francisco, San Diego and No. 24 Monterey) and Texas (No. 11 Austin, No. 15 Dallas and No. 21 Houston) had three cities represented, while 14 other states and the District of Columbia also made the list.
For more information on the Runner's World 25 Best Running Cities in America, visit RunnersWorld.com or pick up the July issue of Runner's World at newsstands. The July issue also contains features on The Best Action-Packed Trips for the World's Fastest Runners; Adventures in Kenya (What it's like to eat, drink, and race with the world's fastest runners), by Ben Cheever; and The 3-Week Plan to Getting Fit Fast.
About Runner's World
Recognized as the worldwide authority on running information, the mission of Rodale's Runner's World is to inform, advise and motivate runners of all ages and abilities. Runner's World, a Running USA Founding Member, aims to help runners achieve their personal health, fitness and performance goals, and to inspire them with vivid, memorable storytelling. Currently, Runner's World publishes nine international editions, plus a special bi-annual teen running publication, High School Runner. Runner's World's companion website, RunnersWorld.com, is the largest running community on the Internet, featuring interactive, searchable and targeted content for runners of all ages and abilities.
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Services Director
385 Oak View Lane
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
(805) 696-6232, fax (805) 967-5958
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.runningusa.org
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