Tuesday, 10 February 2009

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  Starting about two years ago, I've somehow managed to convert myself into a runner.  On my run today, I started thinking about all the places I've run and it actually kinda surprised me.  Two years ago, you couldn't get me to run to save my life.  Now, if I'm packing for a trip somewhere, the first thing I think about is making room for my running shoes and running attire.  There is no doubt, it's changed my life for the better and I have everything to be thankful for about that.
  
  A ranking of running spots I've frequented:
  
  1.  Honolulu - the Niketown Runner's Club path that goes around Magic Island on Ala Moana Beach.  The sunset is the best on Earth bar none.
  
  2.  Manhattan/Hermosa Beach - the trail along the beach, it's just a straight shot back and forth, but hard to beat running along the water like that.
  
  3.  Central Park, NYC - around the Jackie Onassis reservoir for the short run, around the entire park for the long.
  
  4.  Santa Monica Beach into Malibu - kinda like the Manhattan Beach run, but a lil different.
  
  5.  Mount Tantalus in Oahu - this was the first real mountain I ever ran.  14 miles up and down.  It was a killer.  I'd have second thoughts about doing it again if it weren't so damn beautiful.
  
  6.  The East River trail down to the South Street Seaport, NYC.  Sometimes, at around the 6th St. area off the FDR, I divert off onto a track there.
  
  7.  Speaking of track...next to my parent's home in Cupertino, CA, when I'm home, I usually hit the track at De Anza Junior College.  Nothing special, but sometimes, you need straight vanilla in your life.  (On the rare occassion, I'll hit my high school track just for nostalgia's sake.  To think, in PE, I dredded that thing.)
  
  8.  There's a street that leads into a dirt road into nowheresville in Poipu on the island of Kauai in Hawaii.  I couldn't tell you how to get there, but sometimes, I like to run nowhere in particular to wherever the road just takes me.  I just have to be able to find my way home.
  
  9.  Around the Shanghai Stadium in Shanghai.  I think one time around it feels like it's one time around a track, so it's a good benchmark.  Running in Asia can be hard to understand, cause everything's in kilometres..
  
  10.  Same thing around Taipei 101, that really tall building in Taiwan.  They station a guard in each of the 4 corners around the building and each one of them looks at you funny as you go around and around the thing.  I don't think they see too many joggers going around in the middle of the day.
  
  11.  The beach at Reserva Conchal in Costa Rica.  I actually ain't too fond of running on the sand.  I can run near a beach, but I don't like running on it.  The sand gives in and I'm not into making it harder than it has to be.
  
  12.  Along the water from SoMa to Pier 39 in SF.  There has to be really great routes to run in SF.  I just haven't spent as much time there to find 'em.  This one had way too many people.  Generally, I prefer solitude, or just generally not having to dodge people left and right.
  
  13.  Streets of Beijing.  I actually don't really recommend doing this.  Running on the streets of Beijing is basically playing with your life.  But I couldn't help it.  I had to get out and run.  Again, I had no idea where I was running, but the streets - the main streets that cars drive on - are LONG.  If you don't remember to turn back, you might find yourself in Guangzhou before you know it if you're not careful.  Don't see too many joggers there either.
  
  14.  Somewhere near the Lavendar area in Singapore.  This was probably the place I ran where I knew the least about where I was going.  It was a total mess.  Just running randomly so I could run.  No direction, no knowledge, no nothing.  Sometimes, running where the road takes you is cool, and sometimes, when you get lost and it makes no sense, it's not.
  
  15.  A treadmill.  I probably have run the most indoors on a treadmill.  Thing is, I'd take the outdoors, preferably near a beach, any day.  Sometimes it's necessary when it's raining hard (cause light rain is cool) or snowing, or when you feel like you shouldn't be wasting your $85/month gym membership, or when you gotta just squeeze something short in between things, but a treadmill, it ranks last.
  

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