Fun on Foot in New York [Paperback]

Warwick Ford (Author), Nola Ford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2009

Do you like to keep fit by running, jogging, or walking outdoors? Are you a visitor or a newcomer to New York, or a local New Yorker seeking new ideas for places to run, jog, or walk? If so, this book is for you. Authors Warwick Ford and Nola Ford have documented and mapped the very best on-foot trails in New York City's five boroughs, Long Island, the New Jersey side of the Hudson, and the major population centers of upstate New York and regional New Jersey. They have personally explored all these routes. Outside of New York City, centers in New York State that are covered include: Albany, Buffalo, Hyde Park, Ithaca, Jones Beach, Poughkeepsie, Rochester, Sag Harbor, Sunken Meadows, and Syracuse. New Jersey areas covered include Atlantic City, Hoboken, Jersey City, Morristown, and Princeton. The Fun on Foot books use a consistent model for assessing the quality of on-foot routes. An ideal route is comfortable, safe, has attractions and points of interest, is convenient to population centers or public transit, and has a motivating destination such as a good food and beverage establishment for winding down. If a route is less than ideal, the description makes this clear. A wise choice of excise or training route can help motivate one to get outdoors more, build fitness, raise performance goals, and lose weight. Reliable information, as provided by this book, is essential for building confidence that an outing will not have nasty surprises. The book includes maps, directions, and the authors' commentary and assessment for all routes. The maps are kept simple and focus on details of interest to the on-foot exerciser. There are more than 130 illustrations overall, including maps and photographs. Keep fit while traveling and at home and use this book to make it fun!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Warwick Ford and Nola Ford are Australian-raised Canadian-Americans with a passion for running, skiing, and travel. They were born in Australia, immigrated to Canada where they lived for 12 years, and then immigrated to the U.S. in 1996. Their primary home base now is Cambridge, Massachusetts. Warwick's degrees include a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. As a Massachusetts based executive of a California company, Warwick spent many years as a "road warrior" traveling the U.S. One of his biggest challenges then was finding places to comfortably run in strange cities. Consequently, he and Nola have teamed to research and document on-foot environments and most enjoyable on-foot routes throughout the U.S. and internationally. Fun on Foot in New York is the third title in this series, after Fun on Foot in New England and the award winning Fun on Foot in America's Cities.

Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: Wyltan Books (May 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976524422
• ISBN-13: 978-0976524427
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #983,359 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Warwick Ford was born and raised in Australia, lived in Canada for 12 years, and moved to the USA in 1996. He and wife Nola generally live in the New York or Boston area in the spring and summer, and in winter they head west to the Colorado Rockies.
Warwick is a keen runner, skier, and outdoors enthusiast. Recognizing the need for good runners and walkers guide books for our cities, he and Nola started the "Fun on Foot" book series and website. The latest title in that series, "Fun on Foot in New York" helps residents, visitors, and newcomers to the New York City region get outdoors running and walking more.
Warwick's degrees include a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. Prior to retiring from his technology career he authored two titles in the computer security field.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The guide for running and walking enthusiasts who want to better enjoy New York City, August 8, 2009

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fun on Foot in New York (Paperback)

A big city doesn't mean you need a car to have fun. "Fun on Foot in New York: The Runners' and Walkers' Guide to New York City..." is the guide for running and walking enthusiasts who want to better enjoy New York City. Outlining routes and urban trails, and accompanying them with nearly one hundred maps, authors Warwick Ford and Nola Ford do well in making a complete and comprehensive runner's guide to the Big Apple. Anyone who enjoys these activities and is going to be in New York should get "Fun on Foot in New York".

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensible book for NYC area walkers and runners!, June 20, 2009

By 

Dan in NJ - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fun on Foot in New York (Paperback)

As its name implies, "Fun on Foot in New York" covers numerous walking and running routes in the New York City area. However I was pleased to discover that it also devotes extensive coverage to the surrounding areas. I've lived in central New Jersey for almost 20 years, and I really appreciated that this book covered many of my favorite running and walking routes and even introduced me to several new ones. Author Warwick Ford's attention to detail is exceptional; his landmarks are meticulous and accurate and he provides details on parking, amenities and attractions that give that little bit extra to ensure a pleasant outing. And the author's breezy and economical style gets the needed information across in a concise and pleasurable way.

The last couple of years I have also taken several walks and bike rides in Manhattan with a native-born New Yorker. We have especially enjoyed the newly-renovated trails along the Hudson shore on the west side of Manhattan, and this book does a great job of describing these routes, how to get to and from them and suggestions for where to get a bite to eat (or find a restroom!).

Last year we also tried some of the less well marked trails along the Upper East River on the east side of Manhattan, and even my NYC friend had to spend some time figuring out which way to go at several points (and this was after consulting several internet sites beforehand!). Mr. Ford, however, has clearly done his homework here and if his book had been available a year ago it would have saved us a lot of frustration. His book includes clear directions along with accurate information and maps that could only have been generated by someone who had taken the time to thoroughly investigate the routes and make sure the descriptions are dead-on accurate.

An excellent book and I highly recommend it to my fellow walkers and runners!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The standard for which all run/walk course books will be compared to..., May 10, 2009

By 

Alex D. Gonzalez (Lindenhurst, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fun on Foot in New York (Paperback)

How many times have you read a book about walking or running, and say "That makes sense!" or "That's a great book!" Then you go out, apply it to your own training, and realize you wished you had eaten your words?

Well, I am pleased to announce that "Fun On Foot In New York" is NOT one of those books.

"Fun On Foot", written by fellow runner, Warwick Ford, sets out to both educate and demystify the perils associated for the fellow walker or runner, who wants to run in a location but is just unsure as to where to go. He does so by creating the most comprehensive guide to running and walking in the Greater New York City and NJ area...EVER!

Taking "copious notes" as he mentions in his Preface, Warwick along with the help of Nola (his wife), has put together a compendum of routes with descriptions, pictures, deviations on courses,maps, diners nearby (lol), times to run, etc., that you will not find on any online running course mapping program. In short, you will find and every little nook and cranny that a runner would want to know before taking a course head on.

The extent of Warwick's knowledge seems endless. This makes the application of this knowledge for the fellow walker/runner useful....AND FUN!

But to just say that it was written well is perhaps a bit conclusive. So, I decided to challenge Warwick's findings, by actually RUNNING some of the courses he mentioned in the book.

I am here to tell you that I am extremely pleased by all of his course descriptions. It is a wonderful resource for New Yorkers, and outsiders alike. Enlightening and dead-on accurate.

"Fun On Foot" caters to walkers/runners of all abilities. It won't just give you the longest course in a given park (for ex.), but several ones if there are several ones available. It is written to be easily digested, too. In short, you don't need to be a world-class athlete to fully understand or enjoy the amount of information that's available here.

Finally, "Fun On Foot" is user-friendly to the out-of-town traveller looking for a place to walk or run, and is extensive enough to the local dweller, interested in exploring more of their own neighborhood.

If it sounds like I am a bit excited, it is because this was a book that should have been written decades ago. Finally, it is here, and now we can all benefit from it.

I for one, have decided to even do my own "Fun On Foot" exploration, and started running through routes I've never even knew existed. So far this has been a lot of fun for me!

In short, this is a gem of a book and I highly encourage it to the fellow walker or running enthusiast. Great stuff!