Too cold and icy for an outdoor workout? Forget the treadmill. The Prudential Center has your solution!
The new Walker's Guide to Prudential Center lets you create your own walking route throughout the building, and calculate how much distance you've covered. For a more varied route on nicer days, trace a path using the hallways and streets within and surrounding the building.
So, whether it's raining, snowing like today, or a mid-summer hot and humid bad air day, pull on your walking shoes and head for the Pru.
Click here to download the Walker's Guide to Prudential Center or pick-up one at the Customer Service Desk in Center Court.
Below our "Amazon item of the day" is more information in a copy of a recent article Penny wrote for the Back Bay Sun. But, Prudential Center Customer Service Manager, Leigh Taginski Moore wanted us to be sure to say that neighbors from all over the Boston area are welcome. The T's "Prudential Center" stop (Green line, E-Train) drops you right inside the complex.
If you are responsible for snow removal, you may want to take a look at the review of the Sno Wovel on Amazon. What a great idea!
Prudential Center Welcomes Neighborhood Walkers
by Penny Cherubino (previously published in the Back Bay Sun)
The Prudential Center has a solution for neighbors who are feeling housebound by winter winds and icy sidewalks. "The Shops at Prudential Center is used every day by our neighbors - be it for shopping, meeting up, dining, and even exercising. The arcades provide, in a sense, an even and weather protected network of walking paths amongst the hustle and bustle of the city," said Customer Service Manager, Leigh Taginski Moore.
Moore and her staff have measured, calculated, and published "A Walker's Guide to Prudential Center." It tells you everything you want to know about walking in and around "The Pru"– as most Bostonians call it.
The guide suggests five walking routes. Three of these are indoors and perfect for the worst winter days. They range from a 0.24 mile lap around the South Garden to a 0.77 mile path that takes you by many of the shops. The indoor routes intersect at "Center Court" and can be combined to meet any mileage goal.
In addition to a map there is a chart of measurements for specific parts of the complex allowing you to add a lap around the "Food Court," or a trip across the bridge to Copley Place for a change of scene.
Two outdoor routes are designed for nicer days. Beginning at the corner of Boylston and Dalton Streets, you can opt to cover 0.81 miles by taking East Ring Road or 0.92 miles by walking around Shaw's and Lord and Taylor, using Exeter Street as your turn.
The customer service team also researched distances from the building's entrances to popular destinations. For example, from the Huntington Street entrance it is about a quarter mile to Symphony Hall and less than a mile to the Museum of Fine Arts.
This is a perfect destination when handicapped accessibility is key. Elevators, even floors, and wide corridors make getting around in a wheelchair, on crutches, using a cane or with a stroller easier.
Early morning is a great time to walk inside the Pru. Before the stores open, you can get up a good bit of speed. On the other hand, since the building is open 24-hours a day, those who prefer a late night stroll in a well-lit, secure setting will find it there.
Exercising there can be a time saver. Your workout can be combined with many routine errands. Beyond its shops and restaurants, the complex contains a full-service post office, a dry cleaner, a barber, shoe repair, locksmith, florist, car rental agency and a pod of Zipcars. You can pick up a meal at the "Food Court" or shop for groceries on your way home.
Picking up a "A Walker's Guide to Prudential Center" can be a money saver. "To kick off 2010 and our new walking program we're giving away free PRUferred Cards to our walkers. Simply visit the Customer Service Desk in Center Court to receive the card with discounts at over 50 shops and eateries," said Moore.
Details:
Prudential Center
800 Boylston Street , Boston, MA 02199 ( Map )
Writer: Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2010 Penny Cherubino
