Running in Prague, Czech Republic

Yesterday I had my morning coffee in Prague (Czech Republic). I ran along the river to Mala Strana, across the Charles Bridge and on to the center of town. Prague is a wonderful city and the Old Town's Square comes right out of a fairy tale. Remember "The Sound of Music", when Maria takes the Captain's children to town? Okay, that's Salzburg, not Prague, but that's a good starting image. Close your eyes and blend in a few dreamlike views from "Sleeping Beauty"... you know, the ones that are captioned "Once upon a time"... now open your eyes again, but don't let the dream fade just yet. Picture a fourteenth century church with twin church towers with dark and pointy roofs. That's Tyn Church. Turn around and look at the eighteenth century St. Nicholas Church, white, plump, baroquish. Add a huge open space in between and fill it partly with a very large building which is really a collection of facades of strikingly different yet not at all clashing colors and styles and you've got the Old Town's Square in Prague.

Next I ran across the Charles Bridge to Mala Strana ("the Lesser Town"). My running plan included a few rather weird exercises like skipping, squat-jumping, push-ups, sit-ups etcetera. I figured in the lesser town I would find fewer people and collect fewer stares. Then again, I thought as I crossed the bridge, Prague is the city where Emil Zatopek lived (and died just last week). He was the greatest runner of all times. His movements were clumsy, his style way off, his face always pained. He would run as many as 60x400 meters repeats as fast as the wind, with recoveries just a little slower. If the citizens of Prague could put up with his routine I guess they can put up with mine too.

Credits:

Giorgio Pogliano’s morning coffee doesn’t come in a cup, but he can still find it everywhere. Running each morning is his daily “coffee” – it gives him the surge of energy, something good to reflect upon during the day, and a reason to look forward to tomorrow. Just like the different types of coffee found around the world, Giorgio finds different surroundings as he runs.