Running Russia

Russia is the biggest country in the world, sharing land borders with 14 other nations and encompassing nine time zones. It is so huge a country that as the sun is just beginning to rise on its western border with Europe, the eastern territory already is preparing for the sun to set on the horizon. Rich in scientific, cultural, and political history, Russia is the center of Orthodox Christianity. Unmistakable domes of Orthodox churches adorn the skylines of major Russian cities.

Though I had read countless books and spy novels about Russia, I had never before set foot on its soil. This was to change recently, when I visited Moscow and Krasnodar, the latter being the 18th largest Russian city along the River Kuban, about 1000 kilometers south of Moscow and just 80 kilometers north of the Black Sea. The Krasnodar Krai region was the traditional breadbasket of the Soviet empire and continues to play this key lifeline role for the Russia Federation today- a major reason for my presence.

Of Russia's 160 or so ethnic groups, 140 nationalities live harmoniously in Krasnodar city. While the large majority of the population is Russian, one can also find peoples from former Soviet states, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe. Nowhere was this ethnic diversity more readily evident than in the tree-lined main walking street of the city, the Krasnaya or 'Red Beautiful Street', a popular haunt for both the young and the elderly, that I had the pleasure of running during my visit.

At one end of this 6-km or so main thoroughfare stands the 'Triumphal Arc', adorned by a fountain and flower beds, that attract city residents and local tourists to the area for rest and relaxation especially during early evenings. In fact, the warm, almost tropical climate of the city during summer and its mild winters, together with its proximity to numerous beach resorts along the Black Sea make Krasnodar perhaps one of the most attractive residential and retirement cities in the entire country.

Further along the other end of Krasnaya Street stands the imposing monument of Catherine the Great, after whom the city, formerly known as Yekaterinodar or 'Catherine's Gift', was originally named. In between these two landmarks are other attractions including the Krasnodar Central Concert Hall with its famed 'can-hear-a-needle-drop' acoustics, the Avrora Cinema, and yes believe-it-or-not, the omnipresent symbol of western capitalism, the 'M' of MacDonald's, right at dead center!

Not about to pass up on a chance to accumulate mileage in yet another foreign land, I donned my running shoes and drew an 11.5K to and fro route along Kranaya Street after endless meetings over two days. If not for a last-minute change by local organizers, I would also have ran a Russian marathon- the Moscow International Peace Marathon or Московский международный марафон Мира - one of Russia's very few 42K races, the other one being the marahon in St. Petersburg.

Tough luck, the 7-day Moscow Marathon postponement. I had to console myself with the other wonderful things Russia had to offer- mesmerizing folk music, WWII vintage weapons, red caviar, sausages, and pink salmon, downed with Cossack wine or vodka, and then some. Running may not be a popular sport in Russia as it is in Europe- in fact, I saw very few runners during my week-long visit. But if only to experience again these other Russian delights, I will gladly run Russia again, if I can get past the tough labyrinth of formalities required to have my passport stamped with that rather expensive Russian visa.

Poka (досвиданья, пока) and Spasiba (Спасибо)!