Running Somewhere Else: Florence, Italy

Although I wasn't able to run as much as I would have liked during our trip to Italy, I did squeeze my travel-swollen and blistered feet into my running shoes for an early morning run the first day we were in Florence.

I had hoped to run in Venice, but I was still too jet lagged.  I wanted to run in Siena, but... well, I'll share those demons with you later....  Florence at 6:30am on a Thursday, though, was perfect for a little 3 mile run down to the Ponte Vecchio and down by the Arno river and back.  It was early so I didn't have to share the walks/streets with too many other people or cars.  I did see a few people out and about their business and a few other runners.

On my way down to the river, I ran by Florence's cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore.  Later that day, I climbed its 460 odd steps to the top of its dome to enjoy the amazing views of the city. 

I ran across the Ponte Vecchio, Florence's medieval bridge, crossing the Arno River.  Then I stopped to take a ridiculous myspace-profile-picture-style shot of myself, sweating it up in the Tuscan morning sun and humidity.

I continued my merry way along the river.  Since my Garmin didn't pick up a satelite in the narrow street where our hotel was situated and I gave up on waiting for it and just started running, I'm not sure exactly how far I ran.  Somewhere along the way it picked up a signal, but not until I'd been running four or five minutes.  I estimate that I ran about a mile and a half before I turned around and retraced my steps back to our hotel.  I got a better picture of the cathedral with dome and campanella on my way back.

Florence was just as beautiful as I remembered it from my trip there at the beginning of 2007.  I'm so glad that I got to experience it as part of my honeymoon and by running through its streets and along the river that flows through it!