04/ 02/ 2007
by Lena Basha
Forget the double-decker tour buses. Michael Gazaleh knows a better way to see the sights of New York City. In 2005, the New York native and avid runner started NYC Run, which offers guided running tours of the Big Apple.
"We ask our customers what they want to see and how far they usually run, and we design the runs around that information," he says. "Every run is a little different."
The idea came to him when he was working at his other business, Gazaleh Chiropractic, which shares its space with a gym. "A guy who was visiting from Australia wanted someone to take him on a run, so I volunteered," Gazaleh recalls. "I asked him if he wanted to go for a run or see the city. Then I realized we could do both."
One of his favorite spots to show off is a burial ground for Africans living in New York during the 17th century, which was discovered in Lower Manhattan in 1991. "It's just really interesting to see," Gazaleh says. "People think New York City is all big buildings, so it's neat to show them something like this once-unmarked cemetery. They're just not expecting it."
NYC Run, which now has five running guides in New York and has expanded to Chicago, also caters to the non-tourist set, including locals and business travelers looking for an alternative to the hotel treadmill. Gazaleh has even done bachelorette parties.
"I've had a lot of business ideas in my life, but this one makes me really excited," he says. "That makes me believe it's really going to grow."
