Ukraine Is A Good Place To Run, So Don’T...

Kiev, Ukraine

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Posted:  Monday, August 28
Runner:  Mika Balan

Ukraine is a good place to run, so don’t hesitate to bring your running gear with you. The running craze has not yet hit Ukraine, though one will occasionally meet locals running on the streets. Ukrainians do pride themselves on their parks, however, and every city in Ukraine boasts at least one large park with several kilometers of walking paths. These are by far the best places to run, since city streets tend to get very crowded during the days. Ukrainians are a stoic people: they have been through Stalin, Hitler, and Perestroika, so the sight of foreigners in exotic and colourful running gear does not usually provoke stares or cat-calls. Women, in this respect, may find Ukraine more runner-friendly than other West European countries. If you're very lucky (and fit), they might even think you are training for the Olympics. The incidence of "violent" crime is still relatively low in Ukraine, but runners should exercise common sense: running alone at night is, of course, not recommended. One final note: plan ahead and be sure to carry your own mineral water on your runs: drinking fountains are few and far between and it is generally not advisable to drink from public fountains (or from the tap) even if they work. Mineral water is sold at most stores and kiosks throughout the country. Be sure to ask for the unsalted (bez soli) water! / Kiev has one of the most spectacular runs/walks on the planet. It starts on a footpath near the 18th century baroque St. Andrew's Church on a hill in the center of the city and runs through a wooded park above the historic Dnieper River for about 6 km south. Not only you have a great view of the Podil, the old commercial district, and the river, but you will also see the famous statue of St. Volodymyr, the newly renovated Philharmonic, and will eventually reach the 11th century Monastery of the Caves (Pechers'ka Lavra). Instead of starting at St. Andrew's, you can pick up the path at the Rainbow (Veselka) by the Philharmonic at the end of Khreshchatyk Street (the main street in Kiev) and just head south, although the path from St. Andrew's to Khreshchatyk is particularly scenic and highly recommended. Be warned, though, the course is hilly and you will be constantly tempted to stop and gawk at the panorama! / If 12 km are just not enough, or if you are ready to try something different, you can cross the footbridge on the Dnieper River to Truhanov Island (you can find it from the Rainbow) and run to your hearts' content along the quiet roads and paths. In the winter, it's a good place to cross-country ski; in the summer, it's a nice place to go biking or for a picnic or for a cool dip in one of the bays after a long run. Another alternative would be to continue along the river footpath to the frightfully colossal and horrifically ugly "Motherland" statue (this is the local sentiment), across the Druzhba Narodiv intersection, up to the 12th century Vydubychi Monastery and then through the Botanical Gardens. This route is especially lovely in late April and May when the lilacs are in bloom.

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