Running in Sydney

Running has been a hobby of mine for a few years now – maybe not always as continuously as I would like. But I do enjoy to put on my sneakers and go out to clear my head. And what better time than when I’m away on business, sitting in a boring hotel room.

I also find that running is a great way to get an impression of a city. For one, it’s faster than walking. This in itself has two distinct advantages: I get to see a bit more of the city and I am also not in danger of going into the same shops I would back home. But it’s slower than a bus or tram, where the city rushes by outside and at a distance.

It also brings me to places I normally would not go. Running through busy streets during rush hour is usually not so much fun. (I tried that in London once, when I took the Tube away from the hotel and ran back. What should have been a relaxing exercise turned into hectic people-dodging.) So when I pick my routes I usually try to take the ones that are away from busy streets.

When business took me to Sydney for the past two weeks, it was time to get my ass into gear again.

The hotel last week was close to the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, so I figured it was a great chance to see them up close. So, on one of the runs, I chose a path through the botanical gardens and then along the water to go past this famous building and enjoy a view onto one of the best known bridges in Australia.

The second run was an early morning run across the bridge and back again. It felt a bit like a prison, with security guards every few hundred meters, but I guess there have been too many people trying to jump to not have that in place. But at least I was not the only one choosing this spot for their morning workout.

This week the hotel was closer to Darling Harbour, on the other side of the bridge. So it was time to explore that area a bit more. The light in the evening is quite spectacular and the view quite nice.

Next week I’ll be back close to the botanical gardens. Maybe I’ll do the same thing as in London and take the train to a spot a bit further away to run back. Just for a bit of of variety.