run #1: Hong Kong

There are some runs that simply take your breath away. For example, I think of Waikiki along the shore to Diamond Head. Nature sets a tough standard that's hard to beat. Skip to Hong Kong. There is a very special one mile walkway in Tsim Sha Tsui (Kowloon) from the old (train station) clock tower along Tsim Sha Tsui East to Hung Hom. Run there and back twice and it's a 4 mile run. What's so special about this one mile of concrete? The view as you run. One of the most celebrated harbor views in the world. When to run? Early in the morning, as the sun rises, before the tourists jam the walkway rendering it unusable for running and before the summer heat becomes oppressive.

The view? Difficult to describe exactly, but each lap offers a slightly different perspective as the rising sun slowly illuminating the skyscrapers over on Hong Kong island.

But you see a much wider field of view when running. Only a panorama can capture this. This was taken around 7am.

Turn up the music on the iPod, stare at the view and you can even forget you need wings to fly for a moment or two...

Details? I carried a GPS. Here is the route as mapped by Google Earth:

[Unfortunately, I had a lot of trouble with the Magellan eXplorist 600 in Hong Kong. Never got completely clean tracklogs. Too much electronic interference? For a larger image of the route, click here.]

Start here at the clock tower partially occluded by the cultural center:

The path ends here just below the flyover at Hung Hom:

Amazing Hong Kong run #2 to follow...