Fredericksburg Traveler: Travel on the Run

A huge 747 flew low overhead on approach to Tokyo’s Narita International airport, momentarily disturbing the tranquility of the rice paddies surrounding me.  Its thunderous noise soon faded, leaving only the sound of the warm rain falling and my feet hitting the pavement as I ran.  

I was enjoying a run behind my layover hotel in Narita, heading through the rice paddies towards downtown.  It reminded me how running has become not only an exercise and way of staying in shape while traveling, but also a means for exploring my surroundings in many far-flung cities. 

As an international pilot for a large U.S. airline, I travel the world on a regular basis.  Tokyo one week, Sao Paulo the next and Rome at the end of the month.  Many of these cities seem so large and overwhelming, that it is hard to get to know them.  But I have found that my exercise regime has taken me behind the scenes in many countries, allowing me to see the way people live in the many places I fly.  

I was a reluctant runner, never having enjoyed it as a teenager.  When I started flying for the airlines I discovered it was the only exercise which was portable enough to take with me and which I could do no matter how bad (or nonexistent) the exercise room at any hotel was.   I gradually learned to enjoy the runs I took, and saw them as a way to explore my surroundings and to even do a little bit of sightseeing.  An occasional wrong turn often meant finding some undiscovered gem which I might not have seen otherwise. 

I remember running in London when I first started flying there.  I usually ran the circumference of Hyde Park and enjoyed the summer days when the Londoners were out in full force walking dogs and kids.  Speakers corner on a Sunday gave me the chance to take a breather and listen to some of the, how shall I say, interesting opinions given by those on their soapboxes.  For some reason I decided to run a different direction and ran up Porchester Road and under the elevated motorway.  I soon came to a canal and decided to follow it, which brought me to one of my now favorite places in London, Little Venice.

Imagine my delight to find colorful canal boats, small cafes and excellent paths along the canal.  I felt like I had “discovered” Little Venice, much like ancient explorers discovered the great pyramids.  Although it has become touristy these days, I still delight in running its pathways and following the canal as it snakes through London whenever I am there. 

In Sao Paulo, a vast and crowded city, I discovered an urban oasis in the form of Ibirapuera Park, or Parque de Ibirapuera.  Aside from the excellent network of jogging paths and roads in the park, I most enjoy seeing how the Paulistas, as the locals call themselves, like to spend a sunny afternoon.  On a beautiful weekend the park is full of locals strolling the pathways.  Mothers push their strollers, and couples hold hands while walking the dog.  The smiles on their faces and their busy banter are so indicative of the Brazilian people which I have come to like very much.  The busy and steep city streets which I run to get to and from the park take me through people’s neighborhoods and lives, and I get a glimpse of what it is like, both the good and the bad, to live in such a large city.

In Paris I sometimes run along the Seine river, passing famous monuments such as the Eiffel Tower, while getting a world class view of a world class city.  While I enjoy the river run immensely, it is the runs through some of the quieter streets and neighborhoods which I remember the most.  The smell of freshly baked bread as I pass the local Boulangerie, and the Parisians sitting at their outdoor cafes during both winter and summer, enjoying that favorite of Parisian pastimes, people watching, while they sip their coffee or wine...these are the things which I cherish most on my runs.

In Zurich I found I could take the local S-Bahn train to the top of the ridgeline which runs parallel to the Zurichsee.  The Swiss love hiking trails and nature and much of it is accessible by public transportation.  The S-Bahn takes me to Üetliberg, which is where the hiking trails begin.  My most memorable run there was a winter run in which snow covered the pathways and icicles hung from the trees.   I ran and hiked the trails in the company of locals who were out enjoying the Swiss countryside on a beautiful winter day.  The run was hilly, with many scenic overlooks from which the whole city could be seen below.  The higher peaks of the Swiss Alps were visible in the distance, adding to the surreal beauty of the run.   A more perfect day could not be found anywhere.

Running has become such a part of my travel experience that I can’t imagine not doing it when I am on the road.  Sure, I could get a good workout on the treadmill in the hotels I stay in without having to endure heat, cold, and rain.  Many would say it is much safer than running the busy streets of foreign cities.   No thanks.  I don’t enjoy the neon lights and squeaky machines of the hotel gym.  I love exploring my surroundings too much, even if it means enduring some bitterly cold or rainy days sometimes.