Running through Europe: Part 2

Prague

After a relaxing train ride where we were able to recover from Oktoberfest, we arrived in Prauge, Czech Republic.  Everyone raves about Prague, I thought it was nice enough but similar to most other European cities with an old town center.  My first impression was that it wouldn't be great for running and biking.  Hectic traffic and sidewalks crowded with pedestrians.  Not a lot of dedicated bike travel lanes.

I got up early one morning and headed out to the Vltava River where I found a running/ biking path that headed away from the city.  I actually like this course of action - I'll see the main sights on foot later, while I'm out running I prefer to see the real Prague and what the locals are up to (that is to say, the ones up at 7:30am).   I made my way down far enough to find a bride leading me to an island, Veslarsky Ostov.  It seemed rather deserted, but had the makings for a recreational area, with a few restaurants, park areas, and ramps for launching boats.  As I started to lose my bearings I headed back the same way I came.

This is a view of Prague from the extreme south end.  You can barely see
Prague castle on the rear right.  The tree lined path next to the Vltava River
was where I did most of my running.

I attempted a short jog through the old town area of Prague.  There were plenty of sights but also plenty of crowds, streets to stop at, and tiny hairpin turns so I soon discovered this area was better explored by walking.  It did help me build up a thirst though, a good thing because Czech beer is super tasty, and even better, its super cheap.  Beer is literally cheaper than water here.  Thanks to an already great exchange rate you could get a great, filling, meal for under $10.00.  A soda would run you about $2.50, a water around $2.00, and a beer maybe a buck if you go to the right place!  I loved the hearty Czech foods too.  After starving in Copenhagen, and quickly getting tired of sausages and potato salad in Germany, I couldn't get enough of the pork knuckle, potato dumplings, and sauerkraut in Prague.  Supposedly the Czech republic adopted hearty foods to feed the workers in the fields and later the Soviet era laborers.  Worked for them and it worked for a hungry runner!

Prague's old town - great to walk through, not so good to run through.

We used our full day to take a mega bike tour.  Figuring we would rather just hit everything we booked a bike tour of the city with a small group.  It was a 7 hour tour!  This sounded crazy but with a stop for lunch and another stop at a beer garden later it wasn't too exhausting.  As much as I enjoy walking tours you can just cover so much ground on a bike, and with such little effort.  My feet thanked me afterward.

Hiking in the cloudy, Austrian Alps

In a word: Steep!

Our next stop was Vienna, Austria, though we got in late in the evening and had a hike scheduled in the Alps the next morning.  We had a small group of hikers and a guide who drove us about 90 minutes outside of the city.  We were all disappointed to find out that it would be cloudy out all day, but made the best of it to experience Austria, make some new friends, and get a good workout.

The trails were insanely steep - we probably spent about 4 hours hiking up to our break point.  We made it to a mountain hut at around 1:00pm for soup, sandwiches, and (of course) beer on tap.  Along hiking trails in the Swiss and Austrian Alps its not uncommon to find fully stocked mountain huts, capable of preparing fresh meals and hosting guests overnight.  Europeans wisely don't tolerate crappy beer or coffee (2 of my favorite beverages), so these places are always equipped with drafts and espresso machines.

Of the 8 of us out hiking, 4 of us continued on a short route to the true summit as kind of a "just to say we did it" effort.  Once back at the hut we all met up again and hiked back down to the van in about 2.5 hours.  A cool experience, albeit a cloudy one.

Some excellent Austrian signage.

Vienna

That is to say, Vienna Austria - not to be confused with Virginia.  Vienna turned out to be a great place to run, with plenty of pedestrian friendly paths all around the city.  After arriving from Prague I was able to free up a few afternoon hours and put in a longish 15 mile run through the heart of the city, cutting through the Stadtpark, and into another huge urban park.  I ran along the Hauptallee, a stretch of road closed off to cars but full of runners, bikers, and roller bladers of all things.  I saw the huge Vienna ferris wheel here, as well as lots of kids sports games being played.  I was surprised to see a baseball game going on, with plenty of vocal spectators, a sport I had no idea of being popular in Europe.

Heading back I mostly stuck to a path along the Danube River.  The Danube is pretty fascinating to me - its the longest River in Central Europe (2nd only to the Volga on the continent), runs through or touches 10 countries, and has been crucial to developing civilizations throughout history.  The Roman Empire heavily utilized it before they died out, and now I'm using it to find my way back to my hostel!

Vienna had a bikeshare a lot like DC Bikeshare!

Vienna also happened to have a very cool bikeshare system a lot like the one in DC.  The main advantage though is that the Vienna BikeShare was virtually free - just 1 euro to register and each first hour of your ride was free.  How is that for encouraing bikes as a means of transport?  This meant endless self guided bike tours of the city, as well as extra workouts here and there.

These were great for exploring the pedestrian only streets of the inner stadt, plus, once you dock your bike and grab a few beers you can always take the subway back!

Exploring one evening I even managed to find an organized race - too bad I just ate and drank or I would have considered signing up on the spot! It looked like just a 5k.  A European Bank, Erste, sponsored this evening series popular with locals that starts and ends at the impressive Rathaus (Vienna City Hall).


The nighttime running series with city hall in the background.

As great as exploring the inner stadt was, the real standout in Vienna was the incredible grounds of the Schönbrunn Palace located on the outskirts of town.  Rivaling Versailles,  Schönbrunn was a massive complex of ornate residences that members of the Habsburg Monarchy used as their summer residence, complete with opulent gardens, fountains, and miles of crushed gravel paths.  The rear side (pictured below) starts with a garden, then as you pass the Neptune Fountain on either side appears a steep, zig-zagged path up a hill.  After a steep 200 foot climb you end at the Gloriette, a decorative pavilion like building, that gives way to the best view in Vienna.

Running here from my hostel was about 1.5 miles, then with a little work on the flats and a couple of ascents up the hill got me breathing hard.  I then explored some smaller, single track trails through trees before popping back out by the Roman Ruin - a gate and statue fountain typical of the Romantic movement meant to commemorate the Roman Empire.

The incredible Schönbrunn Palace and the rear gardens observed from the Gloriette high on a hill with the city of Vienna in the background.  The steep climb is well worth it for the view!

Vienna was an incredible place to run.  I'm not going to say it was my favorite spot of the whole trip since everywhere is so different and hard to compare, but if I had to pick one must-run, can't miss area this is it - with the palace being the top priority.

Budapest and Bratislava

My last two stops of the trip were kind of on a whim.  I had a few spare days left before I needed to head home and being a short train ride from Budapest I decided to make the most of my time.  I only had a day and a half and didn't manage to sneak any running in.  After a lot of walking and a low-key night out I was planning to wake up super early the next day to run.  By the time dawn came though I was exhausted and opted to sleep in until my late morning train to Bratislava.  This was a similar situation, only having about 24 hours I just wanted to see the sights and be ready for my flight the next day.

Budapest was a really cool city, big enough to spend a few days in if you have the time.  I was bummed that I never made it to any of the city's hot springs, supposedly a must-see.  They even host a marathon in Budapest so that might be cool someday!  Even though time was short, I was glad I stopped in Bratislava since you really only need a day to see all the sights.  All the old Soviet style buildings, which are incredibly plain and mostly abandoned, were really neat to walk past even if they aren't exactly a tourist attraction.

The Hungarian Parliament building in Budapest - an example of Gothic Revival architecture.  It was built in the 1800s
but made to look much older (and kind of scary), similar to Westminster Abbey in London.

Back to Reality

It took a little time to adjust back to reality, it always does.  Once I return from a 3 week mega trip I always have a few days where it just feels like I'm listening to static, lost and moving through the rat race of everyday life.  My rule of thumb is that it usually takes about 1/3 the time of your trip to feel back to normal.  As much as I want to take a leave of absence from work and explore Asia over the course of a few months, the ensuing adjustment back to normal life scares me.  There is so much the world has to offer, so much energy in so many places - maybe its better to just not know about it and not know what you are missing? Too late for me.

Naturally I wanted to jump right back into ultra training (and I did for the most part), but I knew I would need to spool back up some too.  I was able to jump back into it pretty well, running almost daily and doing longer runs on the weekends, however my lower leg muscles started screaming at me after a couple weeks.  I was at least able to get a few long road runs and a mega trail run in (oh, and even a cold weather cycling day!) before I backed off the gas a little.  After a [sometimes] painful massage, a rest day, and a day of easy cross-training I headed back out on a 5 mile fun run and felt back to normal.  I'm certainly not in peak shape but feeling healthy and confident for JFK.  I'm dreading winter, not so much for the cold but for the lack of light.  Running in the dark, often solo, get old soon - but it makes you stronger mentally.  The next 2 weekends will be key so I'm hoping everything holds up.

Running through Europe: Part 1

Ahh Europe.  Where to start.  Ever since college I have been kind of on a system where instead of taking little trips here and there, 3 day (or 4 or 5 day) weekends, I save up my vacation (and money) and then take off a solid 3 weeks for an international trip.  This year my friends and I set our sights on Oktoberfest 2013, so I broadened my horizon to include a few more destinations.  I know - this is supposed to be a running blog right? Well, running is life to me, the two coexist, so in a sense its sort of a life blog as well.  Just, life as it relates to running.  That being said, these recaps cover mostly portions of my trip traveling on foot at roughly 9 minutes per mile or faster.  I already have a section for this, Travel Running, where I also explain (or rather, justify) my need to run while on vacation.  People who hate exercise don't do it on vacation (because they hate it).  I love to run, so it only adds to my experience.  Its also nice to see 5,10, even 15 miles of a new area at a time on foot!

As I have done in the past I made sure to bring along a pair of multipurpose trail shoes so I can explore the roads and trails, while keeping my packing to a minimum.  Speaking of, I'm a huge believer in the backpacker code, that is, to bring one (carry-on) backpack on a trip.  I pack the same for 3 weeks as I would for 4 days essentially, I just do laundry along the way.  This allows you to be versatile, adaptable, and light on your feet.  You also look a lot cooler than dorky tourists carrying 2 huge roller bags down a cobblestone street (I've seen plenty attempting this feet).

Copenhagen

The first stop on my trip was Copenhagen, Denmark a picturesque town connected by canals and cobblestone streets on the tip of northern mainland Europe.  After a long walking tour during the daytime I was able to sneak out for a run.  This is an old city and a lot of the streets had cobblestones, so the added durability of trail shoes was a plus.  I was staying in the Norrebro area of the city, about a mile or two southwest of the city center.  I headed out into the Assistens Cemetery; normally I wouldn't run through a cemetery but this was more of an urban park with a few memorials scattered around, then to Fælledparken and around the nearby grounds of a University.

Its amazing how a city that is so bike friendly and so walkable might not be the best place to run.  Pedestrians are not allowed in bike lanes, and city blocks have frequent stops at lights and cross streets.  I had seen plenty of people running in other areas of the city, in larger urban parks and on paths along the canals but I was short on time and needed something close.  Somehow being short on time and running tend to run hand in hand.

Probably the most recognizable area of Copenhagen along its oldest canal.

The city was exceptionally flat, old, and vibrant.  Danish is extremely hard to understand but everyone speaks perfect English.  Each neighborhood had its own feel, including "Christiania", an old military base taken over by hippies in the '70s.  The government allowed them free reign and it remains a charmingly scummy part of town, friendly to passers by and cannabis lovers alike.  There was a relaxing vibe that things could always wait here.

City Hall in the center of Copenhagen.

I loved Copenhagen, though being a victim of a cold and wet Scandinavian climate combined with a high cost of living might not make it the best runner town.  Food was my biggest issue due to the high prices.  If you run a lot you typically eat a lot, and once I figured out that a sandwich or snack was costing me around $25 I opted to stay hungry for most of my stay.  As much as I wanted to stay longer I was looking forward to the more American prices of goods in Germany.

Berlin

Being the sight of one of the 5 World Marathon Majors, I had higher hopes for Berlin (and it did not disappoint).  In addition to a walking tour, my friends and I rented bikes to get around quickly and rode through the Tiergarten (a large urban park that starts after Brandenburg Gate).

One of my friends biking through the Tiergarten.

Later in the day I was able to free up a couple hours to get a sizable run in.  This was sightseeing on steroids.  I headed out onto Museum Island (home to some of Germany's mot famous Museums), where the views make you feel like you are in Paris running along the Seine.  I took this over to the Parliament Building (The Reichstag), made my way into the Tiergarten for some soft trail running, and then headed back north to run through Brandenburg gate.  This was an incredible feeling to run not just by, by through such a famous landmark.  I then passed the US embassy on my right!

The most famous city gate in Berlin, Brandenburg gate, and I did in fact get to run under it!

Long, straight, and flat city streets of Berlin.  The
TV Tower can be seen in the background.

Another time I made it out onto the city streets of Berlin, an endless urban jungle of new buildings mixed with East German relics.  The massive TV tower is the most noticeable point of reference here.  I continued through the Mitte district, dotted with parks - none of which large enough to really run through.  I hope to return someday to run the Berlin Marathon.  The city is flat as a pancake which would make it a great PR course.

Though it would have been cool to run past the remnants of the Berlin Wall I only made it over there on a walking tour.  This is a city was that quite obviously divided into 2 (the east and the west) not so long ago.  Its hard to believe the Berlin Wall didn't come down until 1989.  Berlin felt like a mixture of New York City, Seattle, and maybe Baltimore.  Huge, densely populated, and sprawling, but with a gritty feel around every corner, not to mention a thriving coffee cafe culture of hipsters and other aspiring artists.

Munich

Me biking past the BMW headquarters.

I came to Munich mainly for Oktoberfest this trip but we rented bikes one day to take in some of the sights as well.  Munich is extremely bike friendly, with not only painted bike lines but full lanes dedicated to bike travel including stop lights.  This is trending all over Europe (US please take notice), to not just tolerate bikes but to actually make it a more convenient form of travel.  We biked up to the Olympic Park, locked our bikes up and rode up the Olympic Tower to view the city from a height of almost 600 feet!

Looking back down on the Olympic Park.

The Chinese Tower in the Englischer Garten.

As mentioned in Travel Running, I had been to Munich before and even run in the Englischer Garten, but this time I was a better runner and was able to dive even deeper into the grounds.  The park is huge, one of the largest urban parks in the world, at least several miles from end to end.  This time I made it through the massive Chinese Tower beergarden and into the North End, past the Kleinhesseloher See (lake).  I made it out in the morning around 8:00am (don't even ask how I managed to wake up so early) while my buddies slept in.  Its always neat to see what real people are up to in the early morning hours of the day, not that its very different from home; running, walking, commuting to work via bike.  A far cry from the Oktoberfest fueled party going on later in the day.

Oktoberfest

No commentary needed!

Of course, the real reason I came to Munich wasn't to run, but to drink.  Finally, the dream was full filled to visit Oktoberfest and it did not disappoint.  Once we got into town I wasted no time getting my Liederhosen and making our way to the tents.

Certain tents attract certain crowds, and they all come with their own theme.  They have huge outdoor beer gardens too which is nice on a sunny day.  The Hacker-Pschorr has a ceiling that looks like the sky.  Some (like the Augustiner tent) are more for middle aged or older Germans.  These were better to visit in the earlier hours of the day to sample a beer at each - Augustiner is often regarded as the best in Munich.  Other tents like the colorful Hippodrom attract a substantially younger crowd.  Of course, when I hear "young crowd" I think like 20-30, but then I realize in Europe young means like 15-20.  While it was fun being around wasted highschool kids for about an hour it starts to get annoying really quickly.  Still, we had some priceless exchanges with upcoming German youth, namely some drunken 15 year old who kept shouting "WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FUTBALL CLUB?" to us.  He then needed my assistance to be escorted to the bathroom and that was the last I saw of young Dieter.

There is an actual fair going on inside the Oktoberfest grounds as well with rides and games.  I recommend you go on the rides before consuming mass quantities of 1 liter beers.  However, bumper cars did prove to be fun after.

Looking out over the Oktoberfest grounds (we took a ride in the Ferris Wheel!).  Most of the beer tents are to the
left, out of the frame.  You can see the Munich skyline in the distance.

All standing on the benches naturally!

Our final visit was to the Hoffbrau Festzelt, and I think it was our collective favorite. They played a good mix of German and English songs to keep us involved, and the crowd was in the 20s to early 30s age group. I was really excited when the band played the "West Virginia, Take Me Home" song, and the group next too us couldn't believe we were from Virginia. Did they play this song for us?

Earlier in the day the tents are quieter, but around 4pm the bands start playing and it becomes a huge sing-a-long by 6pm. At some point everyone starts standing on the benches to add to the fun (and danger for some of the more balance-challenged participants). Things start to clear out around 10:30pm, and its best to go to bed shortly after as you will need your rest.

The inside of the Hoffbrau Festzelt tent.  This tent holds about 8,000 people.  Several tents hold up to 10,000 and there
were at least 8 tents in total.  Thats a lot of people drinking out of 1 liter mugs! Yes, it was as much fun as it looks!

Back home now I'm not feeling in the best shape, but its not like I'm back to square one either.  I still managed to get in 25-30 miles per week while on travel, and the low workload gave me time to heal up and kind of hit the restart button mentally.  I won't be running JFK in a great time, but sometimes its worth it to sacrifice a little from your race times in order to actually enjoy life along the way.

Stay tuned for part 2 - Prost!