Island Train Blues

If there's an easy way to get from South Ferry to Midtown Manhattan, I haven't found it yet.

Why should it matter, you ask? True, a convenient park run is only as far away as Central Park. But in the interest of variety, I gave the Hudson River route another try yesterday, this time navigating the winding park walkways deep in the heart of Battery Park City — a waterfront route, as opposed to the straightaway down West Street through the World Financial Center and Ground Zero.

The problem is that the closest subway line is the 1, which I quickly discovered stops seemingly at every block for a never-ending ride back to Midtown. I could practically run the distance faster.

The N, Q, R and W trains are a little better but not easy to reach from Battery Park City. The other option is the green line up to Grand Central. This may or may not be quicker than the 1.

Maybe someday, when these legs are faster and more durable, I can avoid the subway altogether by running the four miles down and making the return trip by foot.