Boilermaker and Beyond

Active.com, the company that the Boilermaker (as well as many, many other events) uses to process our race registration recently compiled a list of America’s Top Running Cities in their most recent e-newsletter. This list was put together by the running editor. It appears the criteria were a combination of great races, great running clubs, and great running routes.

A couple were naturals. Eugene Oregon has a rich history of running and they have a small sports apparel company called Nike headquartered there. Boulder Colorado has been ranked by many the healthiest city in the country with a city government planning running/ biking trails in conjunction with any city development.

Here’s the list:

10) Washington D.C.

9) Flagstaff Arizona

8) Minneapolis/ St. Paul Minnesota

7) San Francisco California

6) Portland Oregon

5) Chicago Illinois

4) Boulder Colorado

3) Boston Massachusetts

2) Eugene Oregon

And the winner is… (drum roll please) New York City.

It seems interesting that the southeastern part of the U.S. had no acknowledgement. Atlanta hosts the Peachtree Road Race that averages 40,000 participants and a very strong Atlanta Track Club.  At the very least while you have to face some tough heat/ humidity in the summer you don’t have to deal with snow and bitter temperatures many of these cities offer.

It also feels like the ‘owners’ of the mega-marathons (and large cities), Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington really benefitted.

Needless to say the interactive social media was very vocal either attacking or defending the choices.

I have run both San Francisco and Boston; it is very nice to run along the ocean (the Pacific) or river (the Charles).

While Utica has a way to go to crack the top 10 there are clearly things we can do as a community to make our home more fitness-friendly.

And that my friends will be the subject of a future blog.