Running long-distance is, for me, the best way to explore a new place. It allows me to go at my own pace, to go as near to interesting items as I dare, even touch and smell things, and at a whim, go down an interesting alley or side street. Exploring in a vehicle, I can only admire sights from a distance. Walking to explore does not provide much coverage and takes up too much time. Running allows me to feel the bustle of busy city streets as well as to immerse myself in the silence of big parks and forests. I get to choose where to go at the same time enjoying the knowledge that I have the capacity and desire to go for miles and miles. Even getting lost can be fun. Running long-distance has taught me to be at peace with myself, and to come to terms with the many cities I lived in as I studied and worked all over the world. Running is almost like a meditation for me.
