Running at the Shore brings joy, ocean views. Here are some places to start

Chris Jordan, Asbury Park Press
·3 min read

A run along the Jersey Shore has that something extra.

Just ask Mike Black of Wall. He's been running along Monmouth County's shoreline for more than 20 years.

“It's a great view of the ocean, and I get to run by Convention Hall and the Paramount Theatre (in Asbury Park)," said Black, who runs from Spring Lake to Asbury Park. “In the last six months, I’ve seen gray seals on the beach. I’ve seen bald eagles flying over the beach grabbing fish out of the ocean, and I’ve seen humpback whales off the beach. ... It’s just a great natural high.”

Robert Galizio, president of the Jersey Shore Running Club, enjoys twilight runs from Spring Lake to Belmar.

More: Here's the ultimate beach guide for your summer days at the Jersey Shore

Early morning jogger runs on the boardwalk. Belmar: NJ Shore Towns, the best photos from sunrise to Last Call
Early morning jogger runs on the boardwalk. Belmar: NJ Shore Towns, the best photos from sunrise to Last Call

“Just as the moon is rising ... just behind the ocean,” Galizio said. “It's an amazing sight.”

Patrice Hancock of Toms River has been running along the ocean in the Seaside Heights area for a few decades.

“You have your boardwalk or you have Ocean Avenue, either or,” said Hancock, a member of the Ocean Running Club. “The boardwalk is lovely and the views are amazing, but I happen to be clumsy and I happen to have bad knees, so I prefer Ocean Avenue.”

Seaside Park runs offer two water-viewing options — the Atlantic Ocean from Ocean Front and South Ocean Avenue, or Barnegat Bay from Bayview Avenue, Hancock said.

Those are not the only water-viewing options in the area. Hancock runs in Island Heights, which offers views of the Toms River.

“You can easily still run 3, 4, 5 miles and still be in Island Heights,” Hancock said. “If you want to go long distance, you can go to Gilford Park, which is right next door to Island Heights — and you can run over to the bridge and back and easily get 10 miles.”

More: 10 amusement and water parks to visit this summer in New Jersey

A runner enjoys the relative cool of an early-morning run on the Seaside Park boardwalk.
A runner enjoys the relative cool of an early-morning run on the Seaside Park boardwalk.

Hancock doesn't recommend running on the Thomas A. Mathis and J. Stanley Tunney bridges that connect Toms River and Seaside Heights. It's a bit confined up there.

“You can feel the wind from the cars,” Hancock said. “It's not the safest thing.”

Mark Lowenstein, chief running officer for the website Great Runs, recommends Sandy Hook's “3 miles of bike paths with great water views of New York City.”

Running on the Shore's beaches is an option, too, Lowenstein said.

“It has to be wide enough and long enough — a mile or two long — and you (have) to have firm sand,” he said. “If it’s soft sand, it’s brutal.

"Running in the golden light just before sunset is lovely," he said. "The color on the beaches is beautiful.”

Where to run

Lowenstein recommends runners visit these Shore spots:

  • Belmar to Asbury Park: Seeing the Asbury Park landmarks in the distance is inspiring during this run.

  • Cape May: Beach Avenue and Cape May Point offer views of the ocean and the city's Victorian homes.

  • Ocean City: The beaches of Ocean City stretch for 8 miles and feature firm sand close to the water.

Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore jogs: Running in Monmouth, Ocean offers great views