About cycling & running in HartfordHartford Base Miles And Ridge Climbs
Running: Locals run Hartford on the Riverwalk, where the Connecticut River keeps more than 5 miles of paths easy for Z2 days. Downtown runners use the Hartford Runseeing loop when they want a trot around downtown’s famous sites, and that loop runs about 5 miles past the Mark Twain house and Wadsworth Atheneum. The main route runs 8 miles. The main route also has a 6-mile loop option. Fleet Feet running club, Hartford Track Club, Hartbeat Track Club, and Eight Six Go keep the week social. Eversource Hartford Marathon, Riverfront Hartford 5K, and Old Wethersfield 5K & 10K anchor the calendar.
Cycling: Locals ride the Farmington River Trail and Farmington Canal Trail loop when the weather opens up, and that paved loop runs about 28 miles. West Hartford Reservoir gives cyclists an awesome paved course through a really nice park, especially for base miles without making the day complicated. Central Wheel brings the group option, with a Saturday ride that rolls at 9AM until DST begins and then shifts to 7AM. The spring-summer-fall ride covers 33 miles as a double pace line with a few sprints sprinkled in. The winter version rolls at a conversational pace. Climbs sit north and northwest toward the Metacomet Ridge Mountains, and rolling terrain runs southeast down through Glastonbury.
Season: Spring, summer, and fall make the best training block here, because locals can stack river miles, reservoir loops, and longer rides without overthinking layers. Summer runners use the river during happy hour, and Move! With The Urban League gives the season a signature event. Summer cyclists stretch the Farmington River Trail and Farmington Canal Trail loop, then use Central Wheel’s 7AM ride when they want pace line work. Winter changes the rhythm for both sports. Fleet Feet running club may cancel for thunderstorms, snow, or ice, and CLA Blue Back Mitten Run keeps December on the running calendar. Central Wheel keeps cyclists moving with endurance miles at a conversational pace.
