The Jerusalem Half Marathon Is Finally Here
A view of the Old City and the Dome of the Rock from the Mount of Olives. Definitely serious.
Greetings from Jerusalem!
The big day has finally arrived. I’m running the Jerusalem Half Marathon tomorrow as part of a press trip sponsored by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism in cooperation with El Al Airlines.
I’ve written about why A Running Pilgrimage To The Jerusalem Marathon is special to me as a former religion reporter, waxed poetic with Reflections On Running and Religion, hatched a Jerusalem Half Marathon Training Plan, and shared my thoughts about my Jerusalem Half Marathon Training Or Lack Thereof. But now it’s time to run.
I won’t be racing this one, but instead want to take in the sights and sounds of the city. In my three days on the ground here, I’ve seen both sides of Jerusalem: serious and silly, somber and sublime. The photo above reflects the gravitas of Jerusalem. The one below, its goofy side.
I’ve met Muslims, Christians and Jews, runners and non-runners, many of whom have been delightfully candid in their views of life, politics, religion and the collision of them all in this spectacular setting. And it is spectacular.
But I’ll leave all that for another day. Tonight I sleep. Tomorrow I explore the city in yet another way—through the lens of running. Of course, there is much more to come.
On a Segway Tour of Jerusalem. Definitely silly.
About Karla Bruning
Karla Bruning is a regular contributor to SHAPE.com, the host of NYRR's On The Run web + TV show, and a race announcer at events like the TCS New York City Marathon. She used to report for Newsweek but spent her free time squeezing in workouts. Now she freelances as a running reporter. She's run 7 marathons, 20 halves, 6 triathlons, sings in an '80s cover band, spoils her dog + travels compulsively.
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This is definitely a run where you should forget about time/pace/records etc. and simply take it all in. Enjoy!
Kristi Raz recently posted..Making It Up as I Go
Thanks, Kristi! I did!
Looking cool on that Segway ;)But seriously, that probably really useful AFTER the marathon!
Jojo @ RunFastEatLots recently posted..A Fresh Start on the First Day of Spring
Haha, yes! We were saying the same thing. I could have used a Segway for the walk back to my hotel from the race!
Karla Bruning recently posted..The Jerusalem Half Marathon Is Finally Here
Good luck and have lots of fun!
Elle recently posted..Pura Vida from Costa Rica
Thanks! I did!
I hope your race went well! I can’t wait for more pictures and your recap! :0)
Thanks, Lauren! It was great. I took it crazy easy and really enjoyed it. Got lots of video and pics to come!