Bored of running that same route, day after day? Well, starting Saturday August 8, and for the following two Saturdays, runners will have a unique opportunity to run the heart of the East Side, of Manhattan without dodging taxis.

New York City’s 2009 Summer Streets get underway at 7:00 AM Saturday morning. Park Avenue will be closed to automobile traffic from 72nd Street, going south. Connecting streets will also be closed, so that one could run/ride/skate, all the way from Central Park to the Brooklyn Bridge and back. Click here for a map of the route.

This is the second year of New York Summer Streets. It should be even bigger and better than last year. According to the City’s website, the 2009 Summer Streets will kick off with a fun run:

Kick-off Summer Streets with a fun run with Team-in-Training at Foley Square at 7:30 am. The group will head north up the Summer Streets route to 72nd Street and into Central Park. The run is open to all and you are welcome to go for as long (or as short) as you would like. You can also bike or skate your way along the route. We’ll be providing over 150 free bikes, 180 pairs of free skates at the Soho Station at Spring Street, the Music and Culture Rest Stop at 24th Street and the Family Rest Stop at 51st Street. Feel like really working up a sweat? Take a free class with Crunch at 12th Street. See the Activities page for a full line up of events. And check back often for updates.

The route will be closed to auto traffic from 7:00 AM until 1:00 PM. So, make sure to get out early, and join in the fun. For more information, please visit the City’s Summer Streets Website.

New York Road Runners Team Championships are also Saturday August 8th in Central Park. Various track clubs from around the NYC area will be competing this Saturday, for bragging rights. The men’s race begins a 9 AM, the women’s is at 10 AM. Click here for a course map.