Running Through the Worlds

For about 15 years, I have been relearning how to keep fit through running. I go out once or twice a week in Belgium, the country where I have lived for almost 30 years.

 

But holidays offer another opportunity: discovering a new place on foot, at a slightly faster pace. It is not only about having free time or being spontaneous. A new city requires a little preparation — studying an approximately eight-kilometre route, checking the streets, discovering the surroundings and finding out what the place has to offer from a runner's perspective.

 

I have explored some exotic places this way, others almost as if they had been taken from a map of the unreal.

 

I really liked Pretoria, even though it is a city full of hills. And no, nobody attacked me on the street with a knife. On the contrary, I felt very safe. Much more accessible was the flat landscape around Swakopmund, on the Atlantic coast of Namibia, close to the Kalahari.

 

Then there was Botswana — an experience from another world. On a Sunday morning, I set off through a village and, before long, half the village's children had decided to join me.

 

In Hanoi, being out at 7 a.m. on a Sunday is almost a tradition. Hundreds of Vietnamese people are already exercising, even though the temperature is approaching 35°C and the humidity is around 90%. Along the Mekong River in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, things felt considerably more friendly — at least from a meteorological point of view.

 

Rio is another story. The waterfront is best enjoyed at 6 a.m., when the sun is rising. There is something special about moving along Copacabana Beach, even barefoot, with the city gradually coming to life.

 

It was a real joy to discover Brisbane this way, passing through the heart of the city. And knowing that Brisbane will host the Olympic Games in 2032 makes the experience even more special.

 

I couldn't miss an early-morning outing in Bali either. At 6 a.m., the beach promenade was a wonderful host for those 50 minutes, surrounded by an unforgettable landscape. exercising.

 

Sarajevo works beautifully in the morning. I chose my route almost spontaneously, following the Miljacka River, crossing bridges and passing through streets filled with the history of the city.

 

Tbilisi can also be explored this way. There are decent routes if you know where to look, and 8 a.m. on a Monday proved surprisingly peaceful.

 

Anyone who hasn't discovered Copenhagen at a brisk pace has missed an extraordinary experience. The canal promenade and the route towards the Little Mermaid are relaxing and magical at the same time.

 

Tallinn also impressed me. Moving through the city on foot led me, almost by accident, to discover its old citadel — something that immediately reminded me of our own Sighișoara.

 

For me, running is not just exercise. It is another way of getting to know the world — among people, streets, stories and places that I might never have discovered otherwise.

 

Dan LUCA / Brussels