Dayton is the fourth largest city in Ohio, lying at the confluence of the Mad, Miami, and Stillwater rivers. It’s a major center for manufacturing infrastructure, with a fast-rising employment base. The scene for running in Dayton is a pleasant surprise: there are 390 miles of bikeways in the area (Regional map), and a large collection of parks, showcased by the Five Rivers MetroParks. These combine for a nice combination of waterfront running, fields & woods in the parks, and some ways to experience the prairie.
The best places to run in Dayton center around the paved multi-use paths along the Mad River, Miami River, and Stillwater River, which feature nice water views and connect to numerous parks. All are accessible from downtown and can be combined in different ways. Cox Arboretum MetroPark and Carriage Hill MetroPark are two particularly good parks for running. In the southern part of Dayton, we’ve put together a three park 10k. There are also some wonderful residential neighborhoods in Dayton for running, notably around Oakwood. Trail runners will love Charleston Falls Preserve and John Bryan State Park.
There’s a bus and trolleybus system in Dayton for getting around, though a car is needed when outside the city. Runners should also be aware that winters can be cold and summers hot and humid.
