I make it a habit to not take pictures while I’m out running. I think I’ve mentioned this before. I miss a lot of good photo ops, for sure, but I’ve got other things to think about, like staying upright. But, of course, you have to make exceptions when your running route includes landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square etc etc.
While in London I did 4 routes, all starting from my hotel in Victoria (just a couple blocks from Victoria Station):
Sunday, 4PM: Buckingham Palace to Green Park to Hyde Park, out and back
Wednesday, 6AM: Down Vauxhall Bridge Road, across Vauxhall Bridge and along South Bank until Millenium Bridge/Tate, then back again. My goal had been to reach London Bridge but at the 30-min mark I had to turn back as to not be late for work.
Friday, 6:30AM: Down Vauxhall Bridge Road, along the northside of the river, past Parliament/Big Ben, up Parliament Street towards Trafalgar Square, down The Mall towards Buckingham and back home.
Saturday, 6:30AMish: Headed East towards Knightsbridge, Hyde Park (northside), Kensington Gardens, Marble Arch, through Green Park, Buckingham Palace and back home.
Home, meaning the hotel. From day 1, Buckingham Palace became my main orienting landmark. No matter what walk or run I was on, I would reach it, sometimes not meaning to, and was able to easily maneuver myself home. Not an easy feat for this directions-challenged chica. Due to time, I tried to stay under 60 minutes for all of these. I was running at such an easy pace, and stopping frequently enough due to picture taking or map taking, that I could have gone on for much longer. A nice way to see the city, especially in the early morning hours, as you don’t have the big crowds to deal with. On the other hand, you can’t actually visit the National Gallery. You can only take a picture of the building.
Run 1: Buckingham Palace, my first destination
Run 1: I think this is the entrance to Green Park. Lots of big arches. I should have journaled this earlier when I could remember
Run 1: Hyde Park Corner. Through Hyde Park. This was a beautiful, hot sunny Sunday. Nearly the end of the Paralympics. I ran into large crowds and a concert on the Green. It was an amazing day to be in such a huge city.
Run 2: This is where my phone failed me, slightly. Took this from South Bank, used the zoom.
Remnants of a big summer in London. Glad I missed the madness. I did receive the benefits, like a cleaner city, volunteers in the Underground stations; cheaper sales at souvenir shops.
Run 2: Turnaround spot, Millennium Bridge, right close to Blackfriars. I wanted to run further, had the energy to, but not the time (I was there for work, after all)
Run 2: View from what I thought was Vauxhall, but was sadly mistaken when after I crossed it nothing looked familiar and I realized I had one more bridge to go. I guess I was more tired than I thought. But I did chance upon Tate Gallery this way. This is actually a Lambreth Bridge view, by the way.
Run 2: One thing I noticed running early AM … lots of people do it, many wearing backpacks, presumably running to work where they will shower and start the day. Also, these huge peletons of bike riders with their own lane, cruising down the main streets. London is where it’s at.
This post is getting huge.
More to come for my last 2 runs.
