One of the good things about running is that is easily done on holiday as trainers and shorts don’t take up too much extra space (or weight for those air travellers) and is a great way to explore the new area.
So when the wife and I did some country hoping on the way to the ITU World Triathlon Series Grand Final (bought to you by Trans Canada Corp) and the small matter of watching my younger, less handsome, brother racing in the Age Group World Championships in Edmonton Canada I was looking forward to getting in some runs in different cities.
First up was Reykjavik in Iceland thanks to a bargainous deal from Icelandaire. 3 days there pretty much on the harbour lead to some lovely runs along the seafront, through it was blowy as a blowy thing. There was an awesome cycle/running path he whole way along and plenty of people out using it. Great to see.
Out and back along the coast, didn’t want to get lost!
Next was a few days in San Francisco. I’m not a fan of big city running and so did a couple of runs on the hotel treadmill overlooking Union Square and Macy’s, including the first one at 2am when our bodies didn’t have a clue what time it was. We were there to visit a friend who was just about to move to Australia and wanted to see her before she went. She was staying a couple of blocks from Golden Gate Park and so I managed to sneak in a run round there.
I had been given a suggested route round the edge of the park but the instruction of ‘take the dirt path after the big road’ was a little too vague for me and I turned off too soon. Not really a problem but it did mean I missed seeing the bison.
Next up was Las Vegas.
VEGAS BABY!!
Due to the stupid hotness my runs started at 6 and were over by 7, at which point the heat was beyond just hot and into the realm of ‘as hot as the surface of the sun.’
Running up and down the strip, even that early was a crazy experience (as was the whole of Vegas) with so many people who didn’t have a clue as to what time of day it was!
Then a trip to Edmonton for the main event. I managed to run most days along the brilliant network of mixed us paths through the area, but my favourite was over the bridge and then through the various bits of woodland and sports fields.
There were some of the biggest hills I have run in a while in this route and a couple of occasions I hit them hard (getting 3rd on a Strava segment, not bad for not being race fit) and my legs felt it. I’m better on the flat now but still need to get by hill legs back.
Blue Cloud Triathlon 