BLAZE
TRAVEL GUIDES
Running The World: Riga, Latvia
The Latvian Freedom Monument stands at the head of Riga’s Old City.
(See Run #1)
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Question: Is that dude’s head coming out of that woman’s chest?
Answer: See “Running in Riga: Watch out for . . .”
(Art Nouveau edifice off Alberta iela in downtown Riga).
Running The World: Riga, Latvia
Published by Blaze Travel Guides at Smashwords
Copyright 2010 Blaze Travel Guides
Discover more active 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 is a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation based in Boulder, Colorado
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Running Riga
Good news for runners! Downtown Riga boasts a beautiful Baroque center and awesome Art Nouveau neighborhood that, conveniently, are linked by a great garden network. If staying in central Riga, expend your energy exploring the area’s mini-parks - Vērmanes, Esplanade, Bastejkains, and Kronvalda – which run between the Pilsētas Canal and the city walls. If you really crave a longer running alternative, Mežaparks is a bit of a tram ride but worth the expedition.
Outside the old town but not to be missed is Riga’s fantastic Centrāltirgus, or Central Market. It is located just across 13 Janvāra Iela near the bus station, south of the Old City on the Daugava River. The delicious produce and lively atmosphere make this the perfect stop for a post-run pick-me-up.
St. Peter’s Cathedral and other Baroque buildings make Old Riga a stunning center to explore.
Check it out after your run!
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Riga - Site Stats
Language: Latvian (official), Russian (also widely understood)
Currency: Lat - $1 ≈ .57 LVL (June 2010)
Dialing In: +371 (outside Latvia); 06 (in Riga)
Best Time to Visit: May – Early October
Average Daytime Temps:
Spring: 37° – 61° F (3° - 16° C)
Summer: 68° – 71° F (20° - 22° C)
Autumn: 39° - 61° F (4° - 16° C)
Winter: 28° - 33° F (-2° - 0° C)
Running Population: Small / Miniscule
Running Attire:
Latvians tend to dress a bit more formally than their Estonian neighbors to the north – stick with longer running pants or capris, and T-shirts or long-sleeved shirts of muted colors.
Running Stores:
No running-specific stores; Sportland in the Galerija Centrs is the best downtown store to meet your active needs.
16 Audēju iela, Open 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
http://www.galerijacentrs.lv/en
Running Clubs:
Rumors of a Latvian Running Center with over 120 devoted runners, but the club’s key organizer passed away in 2008 and BTG was unable to officially contact the organization.
Races / Running Events:
Nordea Riga Marathon – May
Marathon, Half-Marathon, Mini-Marathon (5K)
http://www.nordearigasmaratons.lv/en/
*Did you know?
Little Latvia may not be known for imperialism, but at one point during the 17th century this country’s
predecessor, the Duchy of Couland, laid its claim to the Caribbean island Tobago.
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Running in Riga: Watch out for . . .
- Terrain: Forget about running in the city center, where the cobblestones make walking a high-impact sport (the impact being you tripping and falling on said rocks). Beyond the walls, pedestrian walkways are mostly concrete and brick – and missing brick at that. You’ll go through a bit of this to get from one park to the next on the Garden Circuit, so watch your step!
- British Blokes: Riga is a popular destination for stag parties from the UK. Bands of drinking buddies jet in on weekends for the sole purpose of going on the piss. Their rowdiness has gotten so bad that the mayor of Riga has publicly protested their presence. If you’re running early and run into them as they’re leaving the bars, you’ll start complaining too.
- Absurd Art Nouveau: Question: is that a dude’s head coming out of that woman’s chest, right between her breasts? Answer: yes. This is a common example of what some of the Art Nouveau edifices in town look like. They will make you do a double-take.
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Riga Run #1 – The Garden Circuit
When BTG first set off to establish a running route in Riga, we found that many of the paths winding through the city’s gardens were tagged with a continuous triple white line. Apparently, in an effort to publicize the Nordea Riga Marathon, Adidas used their trademark to mark running routes around the four main gardens in the center of Riga. Well, what’s good enough for Adidas is good enough for us. The marks were wearing thin by the time we got to the city, so what follows is a variation of their routes, with a few BTG add-ins to improve the experience.