Running through Europe

I think I could write a great book on touring various countries in Europe as a runner. The idea would be that you get up before everyone else and no matter where you are, you can find a cool path to see something that no one else will be able to see. So, not all-day long tours, but mini tours that you can take for an hour or so no matter where you are in major European cities. Not the "big name" tourist sites, which you would presumably get to see during the rest of the day, but just slice of life sorts of places to go and enjoy nature or possibly an interesting building or technological marvel that you wouldn't otherwise even know was there or care about.

I didn't get to go running every day I was in London and Edinburgh. There were some days when I decided I simply didn't have time and wasn't willing to wake up at 4 a.m. to go jogging (though in Edinburgh it was certainly light early enough--about 3 a.m.) We spent several hours every day walking and I admit, I am still recovering from my Ironman and sleep is always a problem for me, so I didn't think I could function without it. I did run 6 of the 9 days we were there, and I really had a great experience. It wasn't about running fast or getting in a workout that I could count as training for a race. It was just about getting to see parts of the city that I wouldn't otherwise experience.

The first day I went out running was near Earl's Court, if you know the London tube. I ended up at the Bromptom Cemetery. I didn't have a cell phone or a camera, so there are no photos. I kind of like it that way. I wouldn't normally think of a cemetery as a good place to go jogging. I don't run in cemeteries in the US. Maybe it seems wrong. Or maybe I am a little spooked by cemeteries. But this one had posted some rules for walkers and bikers, so I figured that applied to runners, as well. They asked that we only use the thoroughfare, marked clearly on a map (how I loved maps in London!), and I ran up and down that section. I still got to see how closely the graves were placed together, the names on the graves (interesting in and of itself, since I'm working on some books places in England) and rather elaborate statues and mausoleums. I had expected a lot of graves to be from one of the two world wars, but actually very few of them were. I suspect those graves may be elsewhere. These were just people who had lived and died naturally.

The next day I set out to run over to the Thames River because I knew there was a lovely path up farther north by the Tate Modern, which we'd been to the day before. It turned out that there was no way I could run that far in the time I had (about an hour and a half), but I did get to run past the Chelsea Physic Gardens, through a couple of small parks, and see a number of bridges, including the Albert Bridge. And I got to see what the banks of the river looked like at low tide. I've read about that in books, but I've only ever seen it at high tide, I guess. It was interesting to see what the tide left behind on the sand and to see the boats above the tide line, waiting. I also got to see a bunch of other runners on this path, most of them dressed pretty much as I was, in close-fitting capris and lycra tanks. I even saw one woman who looked like she was in her seventies out jogging along. I saw her and hoped that I looked that good in thirty years. There was a man in his seventies who kicked my butt. He must have been hitting seven minute miles.

Up in Edinburgh, we stayed out in Duddingston and I ran through Duddingston Park and then around and up to Craigmillar Castle. My girls were tired of castles by then (who would ever get tired of castles?) so they elected to go to Deep Sea World instead of paying the fee to get inside Edinburgh Castle. This was my mini rebellion. Mostly I did what they wanted, serving as a guide to help them get where they wanted to go. I had already been on my own and I figured I was happy to see whatever they wanted. I didn't love Deep Sea World, but it was all right. I was a little sad to miss the castle, but seeing Craigmillar was my consolation. I didn't go inside because it wasn't open yet, but I ran all along the edge of the fence line and I felt a little bit like I was experiencing the castle and grounds like Queen Mary herself might have on a morning walk.

The second day in Edinburgh, I ran up along the Innocent Railway, which apparently was an early railroad powered by horses rather than steam engines. Didn't last long, as you might expect. People embrace technology pretty quickly, no matter how scary it seems, as long as it makes their lives easier. I also got to run through Holyrood Park. I didn't make it all the way to the palace, though Prince Chales and Camilla were reportedly in residence at the time. In fact, Camilla was on one of the same streets shopping that we were. But no, we didn't bump into her. And yes, I think I would have recognized her.

My regret on the last day we were in Edinburgh was that I hadn't made it to the Waters of Leith pathway which runs for some 13 miles along the Leith river. I have to admit, a little of this desire was fueled by the Proclaimers' song "Sunshine on Leith." On the last day, our tour bus to the Highlands dropped us off downtown and I was good enough at the map of Edinburgh at that point to figure out it was only a half mile walk to the entrance to the walkway, so I dragged my daughters over there without telling them what I was doing. Here is a photo of me, which I thought justified the extra thirty minutes out of our way. My girls didn't necessarily agree with me, but I had gone to Deep Sea World for them.