Running Abroad: Paris

Though I did not run yesterday, I did get in a nice 20 mile run today. It actually worked out well because I had to run 20 miles but not at a specific pace. Generally on my long runs without a set pace I'll run anywhere from 7:45-6:45 minute miles on average usually there is a bit of up and down, and today there was a lot of up and down.

I set out with my hand water bottle my SPI belt packed with my camera, gels and a granola bar, which I didn't really need. I think it was that apple pastry and double espresso I had before I ran that helped a bit. Side note, I don't know why but whenever I am in Europe I drink espresso like...well I drink normal coffee in the US a lot of it. It's a little cup of ambition for me and I love coffee in America and in Europe.

Anyways, my hotel is about 3/4 of a mile from the river that runs through Paris, so I figured I'd do a big loop down one side an up the other. Got to see some site along the way, I'll upload the actual route as soon as I can get my Garmin to start working the upload feature is not working well.

Some of the sites I ran past were, the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, and the Louvre, there were others but I don't really know what they were I'll have to look them up.

It was one of the more enjoyable 20 mile runs that I have ran, though being Paris is a major city and I was running around the city center there was a lot of traffic and people which made for a slower than normal running. I think there is a new kind of running out there that I have experienced on this trip and I'm calling it Urban Running. Unlike trail running where you have to deal with rough trails, hills and even rivers. Urban running you have to deal with crazy drivers, cross walks, traffic, car exhaust and even smokers, which I might add I seems like everyone in Paris was smoking while I was out running. It was a battle with smokers, car exhaust and a river that didn't always smell to good. I guess that is the price you pay for getting to see some of the great site in the world on your run.

All in all it was a great run and there is still plenty of Paris to see so I'll have amply opportunities and miles to see them. I friend strongly recommended the City of Versailles, I mapped it out and it is only 10 miles from my hotel and the route looks runnable. The only question is after running 10 miles then site seeing will how to get back, I'm think the train will look a lot better than another 10 miles.

Here are some pictures from my run, I am getting pretty good at taking pictures of myself.