best runs in the world

I once ran around the old walled city of Jerusalem. I don't know if you can still do that today. I ran early morning with no traffic. I can't really say it was a great run, though. I'd rather be in nature than around anything manmade.

When I was a kid I'd traveled to many insanely beautiful beaches in the Caribbean Mexico n' round the Mediterranean. After really fun beach running on mediocre beaches aka Costa Rican tourist traps among others, later in life, got me thinking retrospect how I wish I could return to the old places paradise I can't get back to. To run!

Oh well. Mexico these days is tragic. Endless Cartel violence, kidnappings, horror. No way I'm setting foot there anytime soon. Not by myself. Not with friends. Definitely not with family. Very sad 'cause I have some heavenly memories there.

I can't serve as a travel guide here 'cause someone else was arranging it back when I was pint size.

The beaches of the Bahamas were awesome. Early 90s.

The family back then spent some time near that huge hotel Atlantis if that is any help (or maybe a hurt, insofar as tourist traps are concerned).

On the Greek islands as a kid was a milestone. One of the first times in my life that I starting idealizing running. Like something a Greek hero rescuing his Queen would do. It must have been the unconscious influence of stories of Greek heroes. Brainwashing from the museums of Europe. It had to have been something about the place. Oh the power of place

Southern Italy also has some nice beaches. Some of them are a bit rocky but so darn gorgeous that seeing it will replenish your stores and morale for future running. I remember stealing some pebbles from some S. Italian beach and taking it with me all the way home to the States 'cause I thought they were so beautiful in that moment. That... moment.

The grassy hillside of Lake Titicaca (Andes, Peru!).

Woulda been a bomb-@ss place to run.

But maybe the footing is worse than I thought. It's cold up there in our summer and their winter. The kind of cold that goes deep into your soul. The cold and elevation is not only physically taxing but spiritually-moving (and maybe invigorating after all is said, and done).

Plus its hard to concentrate on keeping pace when the tour guide is barking at your butt to get back to the bus.

It's remarkably beautiful up there. In the moment I knew it was a brilliant place. like maybe similar grassy hills of Greece that inspired Ancient Philosophers to transcendent contemplation. It felt like something magical like out of a Dr. Seuss book. You just might be forced by the beauty to stop and "smell the roses" and maybe pen a few words of inspiration in a notebook

AnonymousTravelerSamson wrote:

Oh well. Mexico these days is tragic. Endless Cartel violence, kidnappings, horror. No way I'm setting foot there anytime soon. Not by myself. Not with friends. Definitely not with family. Very sad 'cause I have some heavenly memories there.

You're an astonishing moron. Though in a sense I am glad, because your zeal to swallow what the hysterical US press vomits down your throat seems to keep people like you at home where they belong, cowering in fear, instead of out in the world getting in the way of everyone else with your fanny packs, flip flops, and dayglo sunscreen, and making me personally ashamed to be human. Therefore I revoke my first comment. You are entirely correct to keep out of Mexico. Smart of you. Way too violent, too much horror. Best stay in the USA, where it's safe. Forever. And keep watching the news. It's your only hope.

As the poster above proves Mexico is full of h@ters.

My wife and I went to Thailand and Cambodia for our honeymoon. Didn't run, but we did rent bikes for much of our temple touring. At least at that time (2000) there were nice dirt roads, though it was flat.

Other great runs for me. EARLY AM around Athens, Olympic stadium, acropolis....traffic a bear at other times.

Chicago lakefront trail heading north on the South Side of town....iconic view of the city rising out of the lake.

Just spent 6 weeks in Eldoret Kenya....very cool to share the dirt roads with the elite training groups.

Anything along Hwy 1 in the Big Sur area.