I am extremely sleepy after an 8-mile run and a big pasta lunch.  Even so, I am here to say that I am pleased with Hamburg as a running city.  My runs take place almost entirely on paths along the Alster — the canals and trees are beautiful, as are the houses that line the water, and it is quite peaceful.  No more pounding the pavement, which my knees are sincerely thankful for, or breathing in exhaust fumes, which my lungs are sincerely thankful for.

My runs this past week went well.  I did some speed training on Friday (running repeats of 400 meters at a 5K pace) and was pleased to see that I was quite a bit faster than the last time.  Although I might have pushed it too hard because I wasn’t able to do as many repetitions as my training place called for.

Today’s run was also the first reminder of what preparations I need to make when running longer distances.  Up until 8 miles, I can more or less just go out and run, but more than that and I need to bring along my Gu, do some extra stretching, and ice my knees after I get home.   A nap is often also in order…

So I will leave you with an inspirational quote from running legend, Steve Prefontaine:

“You have to wonder at times what you’re doing out there. Over the years, I’ve given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.”