Running in Greece

Running in Greece:

 

In my mind running in Greece would be like running through a land of blue domed roof bliss. The reality though is that I am living in Athens, not Santorini, and that the air always smell of either garbage or restaurant fumes. It is also hazardous to run too fast because cars have the ride away not pedestrians! This makes it impossible to get a good stride because the streets in my neighborhood intersect every few feet. Even the people here hinder running because when I am running and approaching someone they continue to walk in the middle of the sidewalk so I cannot pass. Last night Amelia and I ran a couple laps around the track near our neighborhood, but it is unsafe to run too fast on it because it is made of gravel with a little bit of sand and is easy to slip on.

 

Mount. Hymettus:

 

One of the places I have found that will make a good running path is the road leading up to Mount. Hymettus. It is nice because it is secluded and there are not a lot of cars, but it is also secluded and a mountain so I am not comfortable running up it alone.

 

Me in tree pose after hiking up Mount. Hymettus:

 

 

Where the Athenians Run:

 

The other day I went to the National Garden of Athens with my friend Aya and we saw several Athenians running and I desperately wanted to join them. The National Garden is perfectly fairytalish in ways that Taylor Swift sings about in her songs with vines hanging everywhere and statues quietly keeping watch. The National Garden is behind the Parliament building in Syntagma, Athens. It is perfect for running because there are miles of windy paths that are shaded and it is not crowded so I could actually run fast enough to achieve a decent pace.

 

Me in the National Garden:

 

 

 

Running Bucket List:

1. Run a lap in the Olympic Stadium
2. Run in the National Garden of Athens
3. Run up part of Mount. Hymettus