Route one - Suzhou Creek to Jingan
Try this 4km route for a fairly
straightforward run that takes you
to quiet riverside stretches and
back to bustling Jingan via one of
Shanghai’s lesser known parks
1 Head out of Exit 1 at Xinzha Lu
metro station (Line 1) and cross the
bustling Xinzha Lu itself towards
Suzhou Creek and the bridge ahead.
Don’t cross, but instead turn left at
the foot of the bridge onto the creekside
walkway.
2 After a few yards, head into the
adjacent Jiuzi Park, full of statues
of childhood games, blossoming
trees and old men tending to birds
in cages. Take time to run a circuit of
this tucked away treasure of a park.
3 Back on the riverside path, head
west along the creekside Nan
Suzhou Lu until the road nips under
Hengfeng Lu and becomes Kangding
Dong Lu.
4 Pass antique stores and hole-in-
the-wall treasure troves selling
general curios before turning right
onto Taixing Lu, which eventually
rejoins Xi Suzhou Lu beside the
water.
5 Head north until you reach Anyuan Lu, where you can swing a left and
take this street for several blocks
until you reach the striking Jade
Buddha Temple.
6 From here, the streets are
starting to get busier – head directly
southwards on Jiangning Lu, which
will deliver you back into the hustle
and bustle of central Jingan.
Route two - Jiaotong University to Luwan Stadium
Just going round one running track
can prove boring – so why not try
two? This 7km route takes in two of
Xuhui’s central sports grounds
1 Start at the entrance to Jiaotong
University’s Xuhui campus on
Huaihai Xi Lu, just past Exit 4 of
Jiaotong University metro station
(Lines 10 and 11).
2 Once you’re past the security
gates swing left and jog round the
university’s leafy perimeter, until you
reach the running track opposite the
basketball court.
3 After doing a few laps of the
track, it’s time for your next running
ground. Exit the university the way
you came in, and head east along Huaihai Zhong Lu. This stretch is
busy, but you aren’t going far; after
about 300m turn right at Wanping
Lu (where Dongbei Four Seasons
Dumpling King sits on the corner).
4 One block south, swing east onto
Kangping Lu, and when you reach
the junction with Gaoan Lu (just
beside Shanghai Library), bear
south along Gaoan Lu until you
reach Hengshan Lu.
5 Diagonally off to your
left is the entrance
to Yongjia Lu;
take Yongjia Lu
straight over four
junctions until
you reach the
crossroads with
Jiashan Lu. Turn
south on Jiashan
Lu and continue
for one block, until
Jianguo Xi Lu.
6 From here it’s a short
hop east to Luwan Stadium
at 135 Jianguo Lu, sandwiched
between Jianguo and Zhaojiabang
Lus. One of the most popular
running tracks in town due to its
central location, the Stadium’s
track regularly plays host to runners,
joggers and walkers of all ages and
abilities.
Route three - Central Xuhui to Xujiahui Park
Xujiahui Park is an enormous,
pleasant green space on the edge
of the former French Concession.
This 6km run takes you there via
some of Xuhui’s quieter streets
1 Start at the junction of Anfu Lu and
Wukang Lu, heading south down the
latter, away from the busy streets.
2 Keep going south through treelined
streets and fabulous period
architecture; stick to the left of the
street after crossing the junction
with Fuxing Lu in order to avoid
the enormous ice-cream queues
outside WIYF at 202.
3 Keep heading south until you hit
Huaihai Zhong Lu; cross carefully
and bear left onto Yuqing Lu.
4 Yuqing Lu is a jogger’s dream;
the road is largely deserted, the
pavements are broad and attractive,
and it leads straight down to the
greenery of Xujiahui Park.
5 One of the best options on arrival
at the park is to jog around the outer
perimeter path – although you do
miss the wonderful array of dancers
and tai chi practitioners inside.
6 After circling the park, exit from the
northwest corner at the junction of
Tianping Lu and Hengshan Lu and
head north up Tianping.
7 Swing left onto Kangping Lu –
another generally-peaceful street
– before rejoining Yuqing Lu one
junction later. From here, retrace
your steps north back towards
central Xuhui.
Route four - Zhongshan Park to the East China Normal University
This 6km route traverses three
different parks as well as
Suzhou Creek, and has
plenty of potential for
extensions for the
ultra-fit
1 Start at the
main entrance of
Zhongshan Park
on Changning
Lu, close to Exit
5 of Zhongshan
Park metro station
(Lines 2, 3 and 4).
At the time of writing
the entrance to the park
was undergoing some rather
dusty renovations – take the main
path as it curves to the left and head
away from the diggers.
2 Jog the main pathway over several
bridges towards the Wanhangdu Lu
exit at the back of the park.
3 Exit onto Wanhangdu Lu and turn
left, past the gate of East China Normal University’s Political Science
and Law department opposite.
4 Keep heading west down the leafy
and quiet road as it meets Suzhou
Creek, by which time the chances
are high you’ll have the whole
pavement to yourself.
5 Carry on under the metro crossing
and red-arched Kaixuan Lu bridge,
until you reach the next bridge, which
carries the Zhongshan Lu elevated
highway over the river.
6 Take a left before you go under the
bridge and take the blue-railed stairs
onto the bridge itself, crossing the
river and gradually descending onto
the north side of the creek.
7 On the other side – be careful
as the bridge dumps you
unceremoniously into the middle
of the road – go over the first
pedestrian crossing and through the
grey gate of the East China Normal
University campus into extremely
pleasant and peaceful grounds
dotted with trees and waterways.
8 Jog straight over two bridges
along tree-lined paths, and for an
extended route take a left after
the second bridge for a car-free
waterside path – and, further along,
an old running track.
9 Alternatively, continue straight
through the campus, past the
enormous statue of Chairman Mao,
towards the Zaoyang Lu gate on the
university’s western fringe.
10 Once you head out the exit
you’re facing the eastern gate of
one of Time Out’s favourite parks,
Changfeng Park; head in past the
children’s play area and bear left to
reach the large lake in the centre,
where a path around the water
presents either another jogging
route extension or plenty of seating
options should you need a rest.
11 Once you’ve either exhausted
the lakeside path or recovered
your bearings, the uber fit can turn
around and head back the way they
came towards Zhongshan Park.
Alternatively, leave the park through
the Daduhe Lu exit, and you’ll see
Daduhe Lu metro station (Line 13)
near Jinshajiang Lu, from where you
can catch the subway back.
Route five - Wulumuqi Lu to Xuhui Riverside Park
In a city as busy as ours, the long
pedestrianised stretch at Xuhui
Riverside is a rare treasure. There’s
not as much greenery as some
other parks, but the industrial
riverside walk, with a regular
breeze coming off the water, is still
appealing. Plus there are some nice
grassy areas to chill on after this
7km run
1 Start at the junction of Wulumuqi
Nan Lu and Fuxing Xi Lu, heading
south on Wulumuqi Nan Lu through
the tree-lined streets and broad
pavements of the former French
Concession, passing the American
Consulate on your right (don’t plough
into the police standing outside).
2 Head straight on down Wulumuqi
– take care heading over the busy
junctions with Huaihai Lu and later,
Zhaojiabang Lu – until it turns into
Dongan Lu.
3 As you head further south the road
becomes immeasurably quieter,
and by the time you pass Longhua
Zhong Lu metro station (Lines 7 and
12), the road is likely to be almost
deserted, save a few ever-present
estate agents trying to sell flats.
4 Hop, skip and jog to your heart’s
content as you continue south
towards the river with nobody to
block your path.
5 Cross Longteng Dadao, to reach
the broad expanse of the Xuhui
Riverfront. From here, try turning
right and jogging southwest
along the riverfront towards the
Yuz Museum, where there are
fewer runners vying for space.
Alternatively you can turn left when
you reach the water towards the
official running track, but be aware
this gets crowded at prime times
and there are often running groups
or events in the evening (it’s home to
an adidas Run Base).
6 When you’re ready, turn back up
Dongan Lu and jog on home, or to Longhua Zhong Lu metro station.
