Running in Rome (Part 1): Villa Doria Pamphili

As a (fairly mediocre but very dedicated) runner, I was a bit worried about running in Rome.  When I tried to go on a couple of runs during a visit to Greece (way back in 2002), people literally looked at me like I was crazy, or would even try to stop me to ask if I needed help.  Clearly, in their minds, the only good reason to run is if you are running away from something!

Runners in Dora Pamphilli

Fortunately, though, either things have changed a bit in the last decade, or Italians are more into athletics than the Greeks are, because there seem to be plenty of other runners here. Moreover, I am extremely lucky in that we live only a few blocks away from (what I hear is) the best running park in all of Rome, Villa Doria Pamphili.

I can't wait to tell you all about my running adventures, but, first, a brief bit of history:  The Villa Doria Pamphili was originally a private villa (as you may have guessed), which was owned by the Pamphili family (as you may also have guessed) back in the 1600s.  Throughout the next few centuries (as the Villa was passed down through successive generations), the family added all kinds of cool features like fountains, gates, and gardens.  The Villa actually didn't become a park until the late 1960's, when the city bought the property from the Pamphili family.  It is now Rome's largest public park.

The Villa with Landscaped Gardens

So, what is Villa Doria Pamphili like today?  Well, if you can, imagine NYC's Central Park (or Golden Gate Park for that matter), and then clear out about about 80% of the people (at least on weekdays) and 100% of the cars.  Next, remove any possible views of skyscrapers from your imagination, and then picture all of the paths as dirt or gravel (rather than blacktop). Finally, (and this is the best part) add in all of those cool old fountains, structures, and gardens, and now you have the Villa Doria Pamphili!

It's truly an unbelievable place to run (or just visit!)  Not only are you surrounded by scenic beauty (there are a wide variety of landscapes here- everything form a lake, to wide open spaces with palm trees, to landscaped gardens, to woodsy trails), but art, history and culture, too.  I believe there is a museum somewhere at the Villa, and I will definitely have to go there soon so that I can understand more about what I am seeing on my runs!

Animal Head Drinking Fountain

I also especially enjoy the drinking fountains all around the park (which are constantly running, as I mentioned in an earlier post).  Not only do they come in handy if you forgot your water bottle or just need a refill, but many of them involve some sort of sculpture.  Today I took a drink from a wolf's mouth (at least I think it was a wolf, given a famous Roman myth, but it also could have been a skinny lion or a bear or something.  It was hard to tell...)

So, now, please humor me and let me tell you a little bit about my actual running here (for those of you non-runners, you can just scroll down and look at the pictures!)

In my short time here, I have already been to Doria Pamphili twice.  Once on Wednesday and then again yesterday (Thursday).  The first time, I mainly stuck to one big main path, and only meandered off of it very carefully, one little stretch at a time.  However, yesterday, I just ran every which way I pleased trusting (or maybe just really hoping!) that I would now recognize enough of the landmarks to at least orient me back toward the right general direction.  I also had a hard time finding the park entrance on the first day, and ended up near some random administrative offices (and possibly a convent?)  I must have seemed rather out of place because, luckily, a kind maintenance worker stopped to give me directions (most of which I couldn't understand, but I did pick out the words for "to run," "gate," and "left," and managed to find it from there). 
 

Satellite Image of my Run

You can see my route from yesterday on the map to the right (thanks to my awesome Garmin GPS watch- for any runners who don't have one, I highly recommend it!).  As you can see, the park is really big, and at this point i haven't even figured out how to cross over that big street in the middle of the park to get over to the west side (in fact I haven't even found the street itself!)  That red line represents about 3.3 miles of running, with my starting and stopping points (they were the same) marked on the right-hand side.

Scene From the Park

I know what you're thinking.  Only 3.3 miles?!  Isn't this girl a long distance runner?!!  Has she already been wined and dined so much that she can't manage to run any further?!  It's true, 3.3 used to be nothing for me, but I swear that running here is actually much harder than in San Francisco!  I'm putting in about the same amount of effort that I always have, but am running 30 seconds to a minute slower per mile than I usually do, and am feeling like 10 miles sounds like more work than a marathon!

This has been kind of a bummer, but I have four (not necessarily mutually exclusive) theories on why this may be the case:

1) It's been really humid here.  I'm not used to it, and it really wears a person down (yes, Mom, don't worry, I'm drinking plenty of water).  In related news, I think my formerly slightly "wavy" hair might now be decidedly curly; 

Swan on the Lake

 

2)  Jet lag.  I'm not sure if this is actually true, but I'm telling myself that when I go out for a run at 10 AM, my body actually thinks I'm making it run at 3 AM (which isn't exactly my fastest time of the day).  Really, though, the jet lag has been tough.  We've been feeling exhausted all day, but then feel wide awake just when it's time for bed;

3) Running on dirt and and gravel is way harder than running on blacktop.  I know that some of you trail runners love this sort of terrain, and I know it's supposed to be easier on your body, but I now remember why I hated cross country so much!  I'd take track or blacktop over this stuff any day!  Plus, I probably emotional/mentally connect dirt trails with dislocating my finger while running in high school (yes, really), which slows me down (that's a totally legitimate excuse, right?);

Wall (which I need to find out more about) in the Park

4) It's too beautiful to run fast here.  These pictures don't even quite do the park justice because of the cloud cover on the day I took them (I just stuck a camera in my running belt).  You'll have to trust me, though, that when it's sunny, and everything is lit up and sparkling, you really just want to plop yourself down on a bench and take it all in.  Maybe this tiredness is my body's way of telling me to (literally) slow down and small the roses (or look at some fountains as the case might be).

Hopefully, though, this is just the beginning of an exciting year of fun (and hopefully somewhat faster) running adventures.  I'm sure I will have many more days exploring the park, but would also like to get some runs in along the Tiber River, and anywhere else I can think of.  And, if I can manage to stay injury free, I'd love to do the Rome Marathon in March.  I'll keep you posted.  After all, I labeled this post "Part 1" for a reason!  

PS:  I've decided to add a weather update to the end of each post, so.... 

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Friday, Sept 14:  After some warm sunny days, today it's cold and rainy.  Supposedly it's 57 degrees, but it feels more like 40!