Sightseeing, Spartan Style
I recently visited Dubrovnik with the family and, as per standard holiday protocol, had my running gear at the ready. Whilst a complete rest is probably well overdue and needed, if I’m honest running when on holiday is probably one of the few times during the year I really enjoy it.
At home my training is routine like clockwork, including relatively consistent routes and the same surroundings. Holiday running on the other hand, comes without the responsibility of preparing or decompressing from work along with the opportunity to enjoy taking in new surroundings.
A benefit of having the endurance to comfortably run long distances at the drop of a hat is that it allows you to explore a new place, unshackled from following the standard routes or means of travel.
Dubrovnik, whilst a stunning city, offers up a treat for runners of a certain nature. By that I mean those seeking to take on new variations, hill profiles and alternative terrains. If you’re looking for a casual, flat, easy run you can still find it but it’s more the exception than the norm. You also have countless long stair runs to boot so it truly offered up a Spartan style sightseeing experience.
I tended to take a similar route for the first few days from the perspective of heading out past the Old Town, back through the gates, over to Lapad and back round the Marina, although I took slight variations of the route each day.
The entire route spoils you with unbelievable sights, including some incredible views over the city, Lokrum Island and the Adriatic Sea, however there were some notable highlights I managed to find along the way.
On day 2 or 3 I decided to split off the main path along a hilly trail I found heading up towards the cliff edge rounding the peninsula. The reward for what was probably only a five-minute detour was coming across what looked like a small sort of church or religious building near the cliff edge which was both serene and slightly eerie.
The main highlight however was undoubtedly conquering Mount Srđ. A few days in we’d passed by the Mount Srđ cable car a few times on the taxi journey to the Old Town but it was always relatively busy with crowds. Taking a look up from our apartment I was pretty sure there would be some kind of trail or route you could walk up to get to the top, and a quick Google confirmed my suspicions.
I headed up to the trail entrance which was only ¾ of a mile or so from the apartment, although it was probably 100-150 steps to climb on the way there (not unusual in Dubrovnik). Once I found the trail it’s maybe 100 metres or so through a tree and bush covered path before you break out into open skies long views over the city and beyond.
My initial thinking was that I’d head up halfway or until I got a really good view but with every step the idea of getting to the top became more appealing. For anyone familiar with running up steep hills or mountains, there’s generally not a direct route up, instead the route switches back on itself creating a more stable, steadier gradient to run up. That being said the path, whilst clearly laid out, is mountainous and rocky in nature so the run up was a case of mixing up bounding between rocks and short steps to navigate the uneven terrain whilst staying on my feet.
At the end of each switchback, you’re presented with a small stone structure maybe 1.5-2 metres in height depicting what appeared to be religious images. On Googling after reaching the top I found these are the Stations of the Cross and the trail is known as the Way of the Cross hike. Each station is numbered running from 1 to 14 and whilst I wasn’t sure what the final number would be during my ascent each one passed represented the steady progression towards the peak.
Soon enough I found myself atop the summit and made my way to the main viewing station. Coincidental timing had me opening my camera to capture a few pictures at the moment the cable car was reaching the top over my shoulder. There is something oddly satisfying about conquering a mountain by foot whilst watching others arrive at the same viewpoint by cable car, let alone capturing the comparison somewhat in real time.
After 10 minutes or so of taking in some truly breathtaking views, I decided it was time to head back down. As anyone who’s taken on mountain trails before will know, the route down can be more treacherous than the one up as you seek to navigate the steepness with the variety of rocks and imbalanced terrain.
Whilst it’s not for everyone, this is the kind of experience that really sits in the memory forever. Not just the ability to see a new city from a great vantage point, but the journey and challenge taken on to get there.
Built for Life
There’s something liberating about being able to explore on your own terms, regardless of the destination you find yourself in. Distance, hills and difficult terrain may be a consideration but they’re not a direct constraint. Instead of stopping you they simply become ‘part of the challenge’.
When I talk about training for life, rather than a specific race or competition, this is what I’m talking about. Whilst there is an element of joking in referring to it as sightseeing ‘Spartan’ style, there’s an element of truth to it as well.
Years of consistent and holistic training have built a vehicle capable of adapting to weight, distance and different terrains, allowing me to take on challenges that others may find hard to comprehend. What is the exception for others becomes not necessarily the norm but certainly within your comfort zone.
Being built for life also means that every now and then, alongside the trials and tribulations of constant training, you get to experience the beauty that the world has to offer unrestricted. You don’t necessarily know where or when that capability will pay you back, but when an opportunity presents itself there’s a satisfaction in knowing you’re ready to take it on.