BLAZE
TRAVEL GUIDES
Running The World: Prague, Czech Republic
Charles Bridge with Prague Castle in the background
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“[Running] means liberating the indestructible element in oneself, or, more accurately, liberating oneself, or, more accurately, being indestructible, or, more accurately, being.”
Franz Kafka
20th-century writer, novelist
Prague Native
Running The World: Prague, Czech Republic
Published by Blaze Travel Guides at Smashwords
Copyright 2010 Blaze Travel Guides
Discover other running adventures at http://www.blazetravelguides.org
Blaze's mission is to create an internationally-accessible resource for active travelers to find the travel guides, maps, and information they need to run, bike, swim, and stay physically active around the world. We encourage our readers to maintain healthy lifestyles when traveling and we use the familiar world of physical fitness as a means to cultivate global awareness. With only a passport and a pair of trainers, we make health, travel, and international understanding more engaging and exciting than it has ever been.
Blaze Travel Guides. A not-for-profit 501c3 corporation from Boulder, Colorado.
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Running Prague
Prague is the Florence of Central Europe. Stand in its center gawking at Staromĕstské Náměstí’s towering Tyn and St. Nicholas Churches, and you will understand the comparison. Like its Italian cousin, however, Prague can be a frustrating place to run. No matter which bank of the Vltava River you decide to delve down you will encounter cobblestones, traffic, and hoards of tourists. The city has definitely been discovered – it ranks with London, Paris, and Rome in numbers of annual visitors – and at the height of the season running here is as easy as jogging through a crowd exiting a football game.
But it’s hard to blame the camera-wielding multitudes around you. After just a moment on Charles Bridge, taking in the winding streets of Staré and Nové Mĕsto on the east bank and the hills to Malá Strana and Hradčany Castle in the west, it’s clear that Prague is a must-visit for travelers of all active inclinations. Just use some forethought and planning, and you can get in some great runs during an unforgettable visit.
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Prague - Site Stats
Language: Czech
Currency: Koruna (Crowns) - $1 USD ≈ 19.25 CZK (August 2010)
Best Time to Visit: End of April – October
Average Daytime Temps:
Spring: 46° – 66° F (8° – 19° C)
Summer: 72° – 76° F (22° – 24° C)
Autumn: 44° – 67° F (6° – 19° C)
Winter: 35° – 37° F (1° – 3° C)
Running Population: Medium
Did you know?
*Okay, so Kafka wasn’t a runner. But the Modern master of surrealistic narrative was born to German-Jewish parents in Prague in 1883. You can still find the house where he was born near St. Nicholas Church in Staromĕstské Náměstí (Old Town Square), and a museum bearing numerous artifacts from his life is just across the Charles Bridge.
Running Attire:
As you will be spending part of your run in Old Town, you may want to dress a bit conservatively. But Prague is accustomed to hosting international visitors dressed in all manners, so don’t worry too much.
Running Stores:
Triexpert can meet all your running, cycling, and triathlon training needs.
Táboritská 5, Praha 3
Running Clubs:
Hash House Harriers
http://praguehhh.com/mainMenu.hash
Races / Running Events:
- Hervis Prague Half-Marathon – March
Half-Marathon, Corporate Half-Marathon (Relay & Team)
- Volkswagen Marathon Weekend - May
Marathon, Corporate Marathon (Relay & Team), Family Marathon (4.2 K), Eco-Walk, Inline Skate Party
- Tesco Prague Grand Prix – September
Men’s 10K, Women’s 5 K
All races found at http://www.praguemarathon.com/en