Lots Of Places To Run Here But Because Of...

Vientiane, Laos

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Posted:  Thursday, August 17
Runner:  Stephen Keller

Lots of places to run here but because of heat and dust or humidity the best times are limited to very early morning and dusk. There are two roads along the Mekong River (at either end of town) that are particularly pleasant. Vientiane is very small for a capital city and it takes no time at all to get out of town and be running narrow trails alongside rice paddies and through villages. Roads, except in the center of the city, are generally unpaved. During the monsoon all is mud and (submerged) potholes. People are very friendly and everyone greets you as you run. Little kids may run alongside for a while until they get bored. Luang Prabang, the former royal capital has much less traffic than Vientiane and lots of nice runs. Savannakhet, the second largest city and Pakse also have areas of the city (mostly street running) that are all right. There are two chapters of Hash House Harriers here in Vientiane as well for those who like to run and drink beer (or soft drinks). The Vientiane Hash House Harriers runs on Mondays at 5:30 pm. It has a usual crowd of about sixty runners for the long, medium and short runs. This is a family hash with a little more decorum than some hashes. Cost: $ 5, includes the run, drinks and a big meal afterwards. Maps to each week's venue can be found at the Australian Club, Phin Phon Mini Mart, the Fountain and the Scandinavian Bakery. The other Hash, the Vientiane Bush Hash run on Saturdays. Transport to some obscure place out in the country leaves from the Fountain at 4 p.m. Cost is $ 2 but does not include food. Usually about fifteen runners attend. There is only one run, equivalent to a long on the other hash.

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