Running around the world

I have been keeping up with running while abroad, I mean I do eat enough pasta and delicious food so running is essential.  I have gone on some very unique runs while abroad.  I really love sharing going on runs with my friends.  I have new running buddies!

Here are some of my favorite runs…

1.  Cascine Park in Florence

I have been here many times after I discovered it with Michele one evening.  We went for a nice long run and made it back to Cordova in time for dinner at 7.  Whenever I run with Michele we always have the best conversations.  The park has real runners who are running quite fast and there are bikers and walkers and people exercising which is exciting!! 

One afternoon I decided to go for a run and then Michele, Emily, Dan and Brian all decided to come too!! It was so fun!  We were all together for about a 1.5miles and then Dan and I kept on running and made it to Cascine Park.  Then we hurried back to Cordova in time to shower and go out to “family” dinner at Yellow Bar.  I ate pasta with pomodora sauce that night and some good red wine!  And we finished the night with gelato!

The weekend before midterms I had just got my computer back from the computer store and was so excited and it was a sunny day so I went for a run with no real plan in mind.  Well 7.5 miles later and dark clouds getting closer I decided I should maybe turn around.  I ran all the way through Cascine Park and out the other side to a bike path that must go on forever.  I decided I should probably turn around at one point.  I was near somewhere called San Donino.  I wore my Garmin GPS watch so I was able to see where I ran when I uploaded it to my computer.  This run was very nice and refreshing, I was out for almost two hours running.  On the way back to Cordova I ran into the Greek place and got a chicken pita for lunch right as it was about to start raining. 

2.  Piazzle Michaelangelo – Florence

This one is a toughie, but the views are worth it.  Always pretty and the Duomo looks huge amongst the other buildings in Florence.  The loop ends up being around 5 miles.

3.  Firenze Urban Trail 13k race

Coolest race ever?  Yes.  The race started at Santa Croce, went over the Ponte Vecchio, through Boboli Gardens, up nod down the hills of Florence through cute streets and up and down more hills and then past San Miniato del Monte (a church) and then to Piazzale Michaelangelo and then back down and up some more and crossed back over the Ponte Vecchio and past my favorite gelato place (Gelateria de Neri) where I started my kick and then back to Santa Croce. It was the best running experience ever and everyone came up to me to congratulate me coming in fifth place.  It was a unique experience because I couldn’t speak to anyone but the euphoria that comes with doing well after a race was present and everyone was having the same experience.  Everyone was so nice to me and kept congratulating me.  Everyone runs and smiles in the same language.  I ran it in 1:07.  It was so very hilly!!!  Oh!! And afterwards for refueling there were pastries and cookies and water, beer or tea!  Haha oh so different than the States!

4.  Downtown Dublin

Michele, Dan and I ran by the river in Dublin.  Dan and I kept going further and found a stadium and an Episcopal church.  We thought that was interesting because of all the Catholicism that is present in Ireland.  The stadium was huge!!! We think that it is for Rugby. 

5.  Phoenix Park 10k, Dublin

I ran a 10k in Phoenix Park.  The previous night I think I was up until one.  We had gone to a bar and I had a cider beer which was good.  Then we tried finding another bar to go to, but it was so crazy and packed because of a rugby game that we just went back to the hostel.  I woke up at 7:15 so I could make it to Phoenix Park and find the race.  I took the tram to the park.  I wasn’t quite sure how to buy a ticket so I asked a nice man what ticket to buy.  He helped me and then when we got on the tram we continued to talk and I was telling him about my experiences studying abroad.  The funny thing was that when I was waiting for the tram and I said I am from Seattle, someone else who was waiting asked if I listened to KEXP.  What a random thing to ask!  I finally got to the park, turns out the park is huge and the race started at least 1.5 miles into the park…  so I walked and then started running since walking was too slow.  I finally found the start of the race and checked in and then found Lauren and her parents!! It was so nice to see them!  I was waiting for my race to start and then started talking to the guy next to me.  He asked what my goal was, I truly had no idea what I wanted to run it in and especially since I had very little sleep.  I said 45 mins and he was very impressed.  He was trying to beat 40:20.  We got to talking about how I was from Seattle, studying in Florence and on spring break in Dublin and why on earth did I sign up for 10k run.  Obviously, I run cross country which means I am crazy.  That is why I was running the 10k J  But actually, it is a neat way to experience difference cultures.  The race went alright, I ran it in 44 mins which was fine with me for just going out and jumping into a 10k!  I ran the last little bit with a lady and we were encouraging each other. 

6.  Vienna, Austria

I don’t really know where I was but this run might have been the best yet.  Dan and I went for a run around 6 and came back two hours later.  We started off at the hostel and ran to a park, which had structures that were left from WWII.  There was also a dog park within the park, Vienna has a lot of dog parks.  From here we ran to what we thought was just a Ferris Wheel, which turned out to be a decently sized amusement park type thing.  We dubbed this area Disneyland.  After running through Disneyland we were on a path and off to the left was a playground.  Naturally we explored the playground and found out that it was a great place!! The swings were really long and you could swing super high and the slide was long and there was a zip line you could sit on and a circle tire thingy that you could hold onto and then be spun around in circles.  We took a pit-stop and played here for awhile.  Once the running part resumed we ended up on a road that went on forever and was just for runners, walkers, bikers and people being active.  It was lit up and there were probably hundreds of runners out and about at 7pm.  We were keeping up a good pace as well.  We guessed we ran nearly 12 miles that day.  On the way back to the hostel we got a little confused where we were supposed to go and then an Austrian man asked if we were lost and we told him our address and he gave us directions.  He told me I was very pretty.  Then he asked if Dan and I were dating.  We said no, just friends.  Then he asked if we were brother and sister because we were both so nice and smiling.  Again, we told him we are friends.  After giving us directions to the hostel he asked us where we were from and what we were doing in Austria.  Then he gave us a mini history lesson and started talking about oil.  Dan and I kept smiling and nodding our heads.  The old man was nice and kept going off on tangents.  Finally we told him we had to head back and he said bye to us by kissing his fingers and waving at us.  This experience was very unique and the run might be my favorite so far. 

Running is a great way of exploring new places and races are so fun to meet new people and experience running culture worldwide.  Everyone runs with a smile!