Run to the Amstel, and run up it. There’s a pedestrian path along the river. Just stick to the edge of the river and you can’t get lost.
Vondelpark is only about 5k, as mentioned above, so 20 miles there would be a chore, although on a Saturday could be good people watching ( I’m not sure that’s as true in January).
I stayed at the Pulitzer on several multi-week work trips last spring. From there, turn left out the door on Prinsengracht, and follow it all the way to the Amstel. You’re on the sidewalk for a little bit along the river, then it turns to a path. You’ll also cross through/past Amstelpark. There’s a gas station where N522 crosses the river on a map that could be a pit stop-this is 11.6k from the Pultizer according to google. You can go out past the gas station for another 5k to get your distance distance.
You’d get to see some farms, houseboats, and some really cool old houses along the river if you’re into that stuff. It’s definitely a different feel than being in the city center.
I’ll also say that if you run early in the morning, running a few miles in the city center is awesome. I felt like things were pretty quiet until at least 8, and you can cover ground much more quickly than during the middle of the day, so it’s possible to see a lot of the city. Once things get going for the day, though, running in the city is exactly as you imagine-stopping at crossings, head on a swivel for bikes, trolleys, pedestrians. It’s a bit crazy, especially on the major streets. However, along the canals the majority of traffic is pedestrians and bikes, not cars, so there’s that going for it.
Finally, I’m not sure about outside the city, but in the city center, I would absolutely not run on the bike paths. They are packed with bikes and have their own merge and turn rules. I promise that in your first day there, someone in your group will forget about the bike lane and walk in front of a bike. They will not be happy with you. The only time I heard someone yell there was when someone walked across the bike lane without looking, it’d be like walking into a busy street without looking, bikes are their cars.
Overall, I was surprised at how much fun it was to run there. Definitely run in Vondelpark at least once, and I’d also run through the city early in the morning at least once as well.
If you need any running gear while you’re there, there’s an Asics store right next to the entrance to Vondelpark (on google as “Asics Flagship Store Amsterdam”). It’s across from the Holland Casino/Hard Rock. They have some group runs you could connect with. There is an outdoor store right down the street also, but I don’t remember what’s its called. If you go out of Vondelpark towards the Asics store, it’s 1-2 blocks down, just past the NH hotel. Finally, there is a running store on Vijzelstraat just south of Prinsengracht, but I never got there while they were open.
There’s also a Starbucks near there on Leidsestraat, 1 block from the American Hotel/Burger King (thinking you may remember those things from a prior visit as they stick out). I don’t see it on google maps, but it’s there. There’s also one near Rembrandt Square (rembrandtplein)-just in case you need a taste of home!
Have fun, Amsterdam is an awesome place, hoping to get back there with the wife for a month or so this summer!
