I love going for a run. I’ve run since I was a child; in fact, I still keep several medals from school competitions and local races. While I gave up competitions a long time ago, I have been running a lot more in the last few years just for personal enjoyment.
A few years ago, I read Haruki Murakami´s book, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, in which he writes about his interest in long-distance running and how he became a marathon runner. My passion is not as strong, but I really enjoy a run of roughly 45 minutes two or three times a week. In this time, I forget everything for a while. Even if I am a bit down, I feel as if I’ve reset my whole system and I feel happy both during and after the exercise. I think we all sometimes need to be alone and I take advantage of the solitude when I go out to run.
Running in Requena is cool because you can start your run downtown, and in a few minutes, be running on a path in the countryside–this isn’t a big town. In bigger cities you just have the option of running around the city, and I prefer paths without a doubt.
The first thing I did before my run was to pick out what I wanted to listen to. I chose an album called Zanaka by Jain, a French girl who grew up in Africa and who I love listening to when I’m running. I grabbed my inhaler, and I was all set.
For my run, I chose an easy route in the northern area of Requena. It runs by paths and trails for the most part. I attached a link to Wikiloc with my route below.
It was a sunny winter afternoon. I started in a central square just two minutes away from my home, called Plaza de España, and headed through some narrow streets toward a place called Fuente Bernate. Fuente Bernate is a popular fountain on the outskirts of the town. From this point, I took the trail that goes up to the bridge and over the highway that links Madrid and Valencia.
After the bridge, I took a new trail on the right and I was running beside the highway until I came to the railway. When you cross the railway, you have to beware because the train could appear any moment and there is no fence or any alternative way to go through it. I crossed carefully and I reached another fountain, Fuente Reinas. From here, I continued past the remains of an old pond, once use to irrigate surrounding gardens known as El Estanque de Rozaleme. The gardens have since been closed and abandoned, and the pond is just a dry bed, but it is still an interesting place to see. I was running on a path surrounded by vineyards, almond and olive fields. When I hiked this route in early September, I tried almonds, grapes and figs that I found beside the path. Before I got to El Estanque de Rozaleme, I passed another bridge over the highway.
As the sun was setting, I crossed back over the railway. I headed towards Avenida Reinas and I finished my run 40 minutes later in the same square where I started it.
To sum up, I got some exercise, I breathed fresh air in the countryside and I enjoyed the views. Above all I had fun, and I think that this is the most important thing!
Día a Day 