"Budapest's abundant running scene will make you want to leave the gym. Now. Running outdoors in the fresh air is one of the best ways to reinvigorate your body and mind. In this article you will find that running not only enhances your mental and physical well-being, but that Budapest is actually a city with great opportunities for outdoor running.Running is good not only for your heart because it reduces blood pressure, but it also helps reduce body fat rather effectively by being the physical exercise that burns perhaps the most calories. Running can lower the risk of cancer and is excellent for maintaining bone density and fighting against osteoporosis.
Being one of the best exercises for toning and strenghtening muscles, ladies will be delighted to know that running is also a great way to keep tights and bottoms in a great shape.
At the same time running is likely to free your mind from the everyday hassle and results in bracing mental refreshment.
Not to mention the beauties of Budapest’s running tracks and the warm sunbeams of the Indian summer.
Running facilities on the Margareth Island
Margaret Island in central Budapest proves to be one of the most popular tracks among runners with its ideal location and professional running facilities.
“The air is fresh, the trees are beautiful now with their falling leaves and it is really close to my flat in Pest,” – says David, the 24-year-old Medicine Student, who comes to the island at least twice a week for a run.
Surrounded by a 5-kilometer-long (approximately 3 miles) cushion-bricked running track, the island is a perfect place for both top-class sports people and hobby runners.
Hungary was the first country in the continent that installed a permanent training system, called “TimePoint” on the Margaret Island. The Margaret Island TimePoint of the 5350m long running lap is located under the bridge next to the Margaret Island Athletic Centre. Twenty-five meters further on the way, a scoreboard can be found next to the track. Each time you pass the TimePoint, it shows your personal lap time.
The Time Point is a great installment, Krisztina, 23, professional kayaker Krisztina, tells Budapest Sun. “I love running here on the island, not just because of the flexible surface of the running track and the training system, but also because I can discover the beauties of nature when running outdoors.”
To use the TimePoint on Margaret Island, you can obtain a yellow personal ChampionChip transponder from the Budapest Sport Office.
The panorama circle
If you are looking for a not-so-steep mountain trail, you should go to Hármashatár hill in Buda. Starting from the restaurant called “Fenyôgyöngye” at the junction of the Hármashatárhegyi út and Szépvölgyi út, going about a kilometer uphill, you will shortly find a 4-kilometer-long tourist path to the right.
The track gives you a gorgeous view and is a relatively flat forest trail, leading to Virágos-Nyereg (Flowery Saddle). One can make an altogether approximately 10 km-long circle on the yellow-marked path until Határ-nyereg (Border-saddle), continuing on the blue track towards the Fenyôgyöngye Restaurant.
German businessman, Chris (36) comes for a run to the Buda Hills about three times a week. “I reside in the lively and hectic city centre in Pest. If and when I get tired of the city’s turbulence, I come out here to the silent woods to set my mind at ease in the beautiful and relaxing environment. The Panorama-circle is my favourite and is absolutely worth trying – just don’t forget to bring a tourist-map along! ”
The Normafa - János hill circle
Another great track to run in the Buda-Hills is the approximately 9- kilometer-long circle called the Normafa - János Hill circle. Leading through the woods, the track occasionally offers a picturesque panorama.
Starting from the Normafa parking lot, continuing downhill on the Eötvös street, then going along the Normafa street on the left and down a long stairway (Alkony út), one can soon arrive in the woods. The track through the forest takes you to the Libegô hoist, from where you can run up to the steep road to the Erzsébet look-out tower to enjoy the scenic view. The Jánoshegyi street will take you back to the Normafa parking lot from the hoist.
University professor, Tamás (59) comes here for a run almost every morning “to keep fit, and to treat myself with some fresh-baked strudels after the run”, he adds with a conspiratorial smile, glimpsing towards the booths with “Rétes” signs at the Normafa parking lot.
Gellért hill runs - for advanced only
If you would like to enjoy the breath-taking view of the city from the Citadella, we recommend you to run up the winding streets of Gellérthegy. The good uphill stretches will surely get your heart pumping, but the panorama is definitely worth it – in case you have the legs to run up and around the top of the hill.
Running in Pest: Városliget
Hosting a number of sporting events and marathons, the city park of Városliget, located behind Heroes’ Square, is the place to go running in Pest. Whether you decide to devote a whole day to the city park with its dream-like edifice, the Vajdahunyad castle and the small lake in the park, be sure to know that there is nothing more refreshing than a bath in Széchenyi after a nice run in the romantic park.
Social running with the Budapest Hash house harriers
Meeting every Sunday morning and every Monday evening all year round, the Budapest Hash House Harriers get together weekly for either cross country running (Sundays) or for runs that lead through the beautiful sites of the city (Mondays). The runs that last about an hour are followed by consumption of healthy Hungarian beer and good Hungarian soup and/or lángos or other hash food. The Hash fee is 500 Ft/event, entitling participants to partake in as many drinks as they want.
If you are interested check the BH3’s website at www.geocities.com/budapesthhh/
Source: Budapest Sun
17.10.2008