Richmond, the capital of Virginia, is a historic city situated along the fall line of the James River. The village sprang up as a hub of the Powhatan Confederacy, and later played an important role as the site of Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death” speech, and as the capital of the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War. Today, Richmond’s economy is a powerhouse of finance, government, and law, attracting traveling business professionals and tourists alike. One thing we love about running in Richmond is the variety and the proximity/overlapping of some of its best routes.
Richmond has a great running scene, with lots of spots. The most popular runs are along the James River waterfront park, which includes scenic Belle Isle. Pretty historic and residential runs include Monument Ave and Grove Ave, or the campus of the University of Richmond. A number of local parks, including Byrd Park, Maymont, and Bryan Park, also have short but pleasant designated running paths. Distance runners often prefer to do their mileage on the Virginia Capital “Cap” Trail, which is accessible via the lovely Canal Walk, while trail runners can travel a short distance outside the city to beautiful Pocahontas State Park.
The downtown/waterfront area is pretty compact and walkable (or runnable!). There is a “Pulse” route that circles the main parts of town from the West End, to the Museum District, to Downtown, to the East End. There’s a GRTC bus for longer options. Note Richmond can be hot and humid in summer.
