Today’s Tuesday Topic is “Best Running Views from Around the World!”
I’m linking up with Zenaida and Kim; be sure to check out their blogs for more posts on this topic!
This post was fun to put together, as it gave me an opportunity to reflect on my life’s travel so far, as a lot of my travel involved running!
I structured this chronologically; disregard the increase in wrinkles as the post goes along, haha!
Most of my memorable running views from around the world were in the form of marathons.
In 2013, Dustin and I ran our first international marathon, the Berlin Marathon. Read all about it HERE. The finish line is right by the Brandenburg Gate, which was a very cool view. I don’t have a lot of pictures from the actual marathon to share; here’s one from the finish line and one of me by the gate before the marathon.
In 2014, I spent about a month in Singapore for work. I would run along the Singapore River nearly every morning, with a view of Marina Bay Sands hotel and more!
In 2015, Dustin and I ran the Tokyo Marathon. Read all about that race HERE.
That experience included lots of memorable running views. It was my first time in Japan, and it was such a cool way to see the city- 26.2 miles of it!
In September of 2015, I ran the Imogene Pass Run, which was an incredibly challenging trail race that went from Ouray, Colorado to Telluride, Colorado, up and over the Imogene Pass at 1300 feet. The hard work was rewarded with incredible views from the top!
Read more about that race HERE.
Later in 2015, Dustin and I went to visit his mom, who winters in Arizona. As part of that trip, we did a lot of trail running in Sedona.
Gorgeous running views! I loved Sedona.
In 2016, I completed the London Marathon, one of my absolutely favorite marathon experiences ever. And what better view than a finish line in front of Buckingham Palace?
Read more about that experience HERE.
In the late summer of 2016, we headed to California for my sister Erin’s 40th birthday celebration in Napa.
As part of that trip, Dustin and I ran a 20 mile training run in San Francisco, which included running across the Golden Gate Bridge. As someone with a fear of heights, this was memorable but scary! I think I ran my fastest mile of the 20 miler while on the bridge!
As mentioned, we spent some time in Napa for my sister’s 40th birthday, which joyfully included a run with ALL of my sisters! This was memorable in itself- five of us together- but the run route also was memorable as it included lovely views of wine country.
In 2017, I completed the Boston Marathon. The views from this run were quite memorable; so much historical significance along the way!
Read more about my Boston Marathon experience HERE.
In the summer of 2017, I spent almost two months in Mumbai, India for work. I connected with a running club there, and had some very memorable runs on the other side of the world, in a very different place from Minneapolis!
While in India, Dustin came to visit and we went to the Taj Mahal in Agra, India.
Unfortunately, we were advised not to run outside in Agra, but we could see the Taj Mahal from our hotel.
We ran some miles on the hotel treadmill with a view of the Taj, hah! Not quite the same, but memorable nonetheless.
In November 2017, I ran my 6th and final World Major, the New York City Marathon. So many incredible views, running on streets that would never be closed for runners on any other day.
And the view of the finish line in Central Park was so cool. Read my recap HERE.
2018 started out rough, with a broken leg and a cancelled trip to Antarctica. No good running views at this time!
However, it redeemed itself in the fall, when Dustin and I took a trip to Norway; we had so many gorgeous runs there, including a tough 12 miler from Myrdal to Flam!
The next amazing running views from around the world for me were found in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2019.
We spent a few days there before heading to Antarctica (a redo of the cancelled 2018 trip!) Read more about that trip HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.
The views during the Antarctica Marathon included glaciers and penguins- but also a lot of mud and hail!
It was a tough marathon, but incredibly memorable.
I hope that when the pandemic is behind us, I will be able to add new running memories!
Be sure to check out Zenaida and Kim‘s blogs for the link-up to other memorable views from around the word!
Oh, wow, these running views are fantastic, Jessie!
I would love to run the Berlin and London Marathons. How did you enter the London marathon? With a lottery?
Haha, I had to smile about the treadmill in India. I spent many weeks doing that when I went to India for work (Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Delhi). I didn’t have any connections to a running group and I think that’s the only time in my life when I ran on a treadmill.
We were able to run London through Marathon Tours. You have to book a full trip/spot with them. They get a certain number of guaranteed spots. If you’re part of their Six Continents Club, you get better odds of getting one of those spots too. I don’t think we ever would have been able to run it through the lottery! Americans don’t have very good odds. I felt lucky that through RRCA (Road Runner Coaches of America) I met someone in Mumbai who ran a run club; he connected me with other runners and helped me find safe places to… Read more »
OMG so jealous of all your trips!!
I don’t want to run those marathons – NYC was enough for me (I was not smiling on that bridge BTW) but runners are so lucky in this area.
Thanks for sharing your pics.
I am drooling.
Thank you Darlene!
Haha, yes, most people aren’t too happy on the NYC marathon bridges. They are challenging! But I was having so much fun, I didn’t care!
You’ve had some amazing running adventures all around the world! Penguins are my favorite animals so I’m in love with the photo of the 2 penguins 🙂
Glad you enjoy the penguin pics! They were quite entertaining in person!
I knew you’d have some beautiful pics to share, and great memories as well! I’ve run across the Golden Gate Bridge…and that’s it LOL I’m glad you were able to make a full recovery from your injury; hard to believe it’s already been three years.
I agree- 3 years! The first year was a little slow, haha!
You’ve run in so many amazing places! I went to Berlin a couple of summers ago but didn’t get to run while I was there, such a cool city! I hope to make it to San Francisco one day, it’s been on my bucket list for ages!
Berlin was a very cool and unique city. We did a TON of museums and historical tours.
OMG that was awesome!!! You’ve been to many wonderful places. I remember I started reading your blog right before or after the Antarctica race. Now, why were you advised not to run outside in Agra?
Thank you Zenaida!
The hotel and our tour guide both told us not to; I don’t remember exactly, but I think there had been a lot of recent crime against tourists, so they didn’t feel we would be safe. It was also very congested and I am not sure where we could have possibly run without getting hit by a car, ha!
Oh, look at that xray! I have one so similar!
So many incredible places to run! I’ve traveled quite a bit, but I didn’t start running until after we had A, so none of those trips count 🙁
If I ever run another marathon, I think it would be NYC. I love running in the city, and I think all the views there would be absolutely unforgettable!
Twin x-rays, haha! It feels like forever ago, but yet I can remember it all pretty clearly. Really don’t want to go through that again, so so painful!
I hope you get a chance to run NYC, it’s a fun one!
I loved running in Singapore as well. Not much better than running the Golden Gate. I remember your trip to Antarctica what an adventure!
I’m glad you enjoyed Singapore! The humidity was tough, but I didn’t care 🙂
Wow. Just wow! So many great races in amazing locations! I want to go back and read every one of your race recaps. Right now the place i’m longing to visit most is the Southwest US, and your photo of Sedona confirmed it. Napa looks gorgeous too. Well they all do! I can see why this post was fun for you to put together.
Thank you Jenny! I am grateful for all the wonderful experiences and look forward to travelog again. You will love Sedona, it’s wonderful!
I am just amazed at all these unforgettable experiences you’ve had throughout your running years! Incredible!!!!!
I loved every race cap you’ve written. Even though I’m not running as much anymore (I’m acclimating to our new environment!), I hope that someday, I will be able to run a bit more. Someday……