Running Around the World by Kevin Mangan In my travels I have found that one of the best ways to enjoy a new city (or a familiar one, too) is to run it. Running allows you to see a great deal in a short amount of time, but also retain the intimacy of being in the middle of it all. With a few exceptions, traveling on foot is the only way to get up-close-and-personal to a city. Although running through a crowded city center can really be a pain for both you and other pedestrians, many of the best sights are removed from such downtown areas. These normally tourist clogged areas which are also filled with locals going about their business can be thoroughly savored in the early morning hours, before businesses open and camera-laden tour groups form giant blobs around the best sights. In spite of the fact that usually when you are in the best running cities, they also happen to be the most touristy (which is probably why you are traveling there in the first place), a great run can be had in almost any city you might find yourself in. A big reason for this is the sheer novelty of running somewhere new and different. This is true of a new route in a new country and a new route five miles from where you live. Another reason is the sense of exploration and adventure. I love running somewhere I’ve never been before, both on a short shakeout recovery run or a brand new Sunday long run. I loved exploring as a kid and I still love going new places, there’s no reason I shouldn’t use that to have more fun with running. Running greatly increases your reach of sightseeing. Every time I travel with my family, I always get to see much more than them because I run every morning. I have been able to see different parks, landmarks, neighborhoods and hilltop vistas by waking up early and putting in the miles on beautiful streets and trails. Many of the best attractions aren’t walking distance from the city center or your hotel, but they are well within running distance. I hope you enjoy running to enhance your vacation, business trip or whatever else may have you traveling. I will leave you with some general tips that have helped me along the way: -Have a more than good idea of what route you want to take. It’s not always easy to fit a map in your typical running garb, but it’s much more comfortable than getting lost. -Always know the exact name of where your hotel or wherever else you want to finish is and a major landmark near it. Make sure you know how to get back from the major landmark. Also, be able to correctly pronounce it in the local language. Most locals in Munich know what “the main train station” is, but all of them know it by its actual name of Hauptbahnhof. -Running early in the morning is a great way to avoid the crowds of tourists and rush hour traffic and have the city to yourself, or almost to yourself. It’s always an incredible experience to run through historic squares bathed in early morning sunlight and be able to hear your own footsteps. However, if you run too early before the sun comes up you can encounter things you would rather not encounter. In general, avoid riverbanks and port areas anytime it’s dark. -Know how to ask where a bathroom is in the local language. You’ll thank yourself for learning how to say “dove sono il bagno?”. At the very least learn the word for bathroom. Asking “Toilette?” (twa-let) won’t endear you to the locals, but it will probably lead to someone pointing you in the right direction. -Be vigilant to avoid being hit by cars or bikes. In some places, they’re not so much lanes of traffic but rather random lines on the street. Also sidewalks aren’t always just used by pedestrians, watch for bikes on the sidewalks. Both the pedal and Vespa variety use sidewalks and pedestrian only areas as shortcuts and for parking
Posted on: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 11:15:10 +0000
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