I swam masters at John Jay college, which is near the southeast corner of Central Park. I have only run around the outside ring road of Central Park. There were plenty of guys cycling though. I am thinking the road might be closed to traffic on weekends. I do not know about weekdays. Do not know about 50m pools. John Jay was 25 yards or meters.

Thanks for the insight!

don't think they have a Masters program but they have an indoor 50m pool at Riverbank State Park with very cheap admission, think it was $3 per visit. Short walk from the 145th Street station. Make sure to check hours as I think it was only open 6-8am or something like that, and you have to buy a punch card for admission ahead of time.
I always prefer running Central Park even though when I go to visit we stay on Riverside and 66th but running Riverside is nice also and flatter.
Only time I have ridden we go over the GW Bridge into Jersey and go north towards Nyack and Harriman State Park.

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

You can drop in for free at most masters programs.. google Bearcats, Red Tide, Hydras among others.

Running is probably best in the park, but the Hudson river greenway is great for a run as well... it stretches over 10 miles the entire length of manhattan.

Biking in CP is on ok option if you get out early. Once it gets past 8 or 9 am there are too many tourists and traffic. The Hudson path is just average for cycling, you will be dodging a lot of runners and it is narrow. Most just use it as a path to reach the GWB to cycle over in NJ.

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Strava

Reviving this thread... I'm staying in the fin dist for work. The pool at NYHRC that was recommended to me by a coworker is only 20 yards (but saltwater apparently?). Any other recommendations? Google said to check Asphalt Green, but $35 for a day pass just to get in 4k yards seemed like a lot. Any help appreciated.

Ooh ouch, there are plenty of 25 yd options further up manhattan if you can swing it but also check out various YMCAs as they are usually I think $10 for a day pass but you could get it free on the notion you 'may join' McBurney seems close to downtown, 7 lanes at 25 yds

ETA: Chinatown Y is closer and also has 25 yd. but having lived in Flushing (Chinatown p.2) for 9 years I can tell you that swimming is popular exercise/therapy for elder Chinese Americans, so I would try to get to McBurney anyway

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

So I used to be a member of Asphalt and still have a 1-day guest pass sitting at work that doesn't have an expiration date. Happy to give it to you to try if you'd like, my office is a block or so from Asphalt.

RIVTDC- If you can get that guest pass from Bryguy, take it and make the trek up to the UES location and use it there. 50 meter pool up there instead of the 25 yarder at Battery Park (close to Fin Dist). I swam at UES Asphalt Green for a couple years. Just check the schedule first to ensure you can hit them when they're 50, I think these days they have evening sessions and the later you go the more empty it is.

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

Or Lasker Pool at the north end of Central Park is free and about 60 Meters during lap swim hours.
The locker rooms aren't the best.

Swimming: as mentioned, Asphalt Green, Riverside Park, YMCA, drop in a Master's group. Also, you could pretend you're interested in joining Equinox and go to either the Greenwich Ave or Columbus Circle location. They both have 25yd pools and all the amenities you could ever need.

Biking: not sure about where to rent, but here's a few bike shops you can look into:
-Sid's
-Toga
-Gotham City
-Bicycle Habitat
-Danny's
For routes, take a look through RWGPS, but the easiest will be early AM loops in Central Park, maybe do a few additional Harlem Hill repeats. If you're feeling a little more adventurous, head out of NYC over the GWB and up 9W towards Nyack. It's cyclist mecca. You can do a solid 100 mi route from NYC over the bridge, up 9W, into Harriman State Park, up Bear Mountain and back. Gives you about 6k of climbing.

Running: Central Park, Hudson River Greenway (but go early - it gets busy and has minimal shade, but a nice breeze off the river), you could also run over the Brooklyn Bridge into Brooklyn if you're up early and then take the subway back, depending on how far you want to go.

I would still recommend the masters drop in (Bearcats, Hydras, TNYA) that swim at Baruch @ 24th & Lex. 25 meter pool and a real workout with coaches, and you can drop in free. If you are in Financial district it is a 20-25 minute train ride on the 4/5/6 to 23rd st. I used to live in FiDi and would do that 3x per week.

Also, since we are now in the summer, all NYC outdoor pools have free lap swim. If you go that route I would recommend going to Hamilton Fish @ Houston and Avenue C (take the J train to Essex St). It is a 50 meter outdoor pool, and not crowded enough to where it gets annoying, and it is FREE. Sign up online: https://www.nycgovparks.org/reg/lap-swim/5213

Also, check out Battery Park Community Center - super nice and rarely crowded indoor 25 yard pool, but that is $15.

I wouldn't recommend the Y or any other place where it is likely to be super crowded. Asphalt Green, yes, if you have a pass.

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Strava

Thanks for the offer! Was in meetings all day, just now getting to reply, so have probably missed you, but appreciate it. Also thank you to all who replied, will take a look and see what'll work!

Just seeing this, I'm still around if you haven't found anything yet.

Sorry to pipe in late. Tailwind Endurance (blatant plug) is on 72nd Street on the UWS. Happy to talk you through NYC Options - not just our studio - but other options. 212.706.2166

Shameless kick of this topic :)

I will be staying in NYC in November for about a week (for fun) and I would like to do some swimming during my stay (mainly because I have a 100x100 event in December).



Can anyone drop in for free @ these practises? Perhaps I should mail them in advance? I am staying near Grand Central Station so the pool @ Baruch College is pretty close.

Hi there - yep, you can drop in for free at least 1 time with all of them, and if you are only staying for a week I'm pretty sure they would let you come more than once for free if you ask nicely! I swim with Bearcats but they all have good coaches.

Google them for practice times - if you're looking for distance free work I would recommend coming on Wed AM at 6 am with Bearcats and Thursday at 6am with Hydras. The night practices tend to get crowded.

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Strava

Cool, I'll mail Bearcats for the morning practise. I hope I can attend two practises during my stay, that would be perfect. Thanks for the info!