Jogging in Ljubljana

Jogging as a New Year’s Resolution

I found myself on the runners’ side of the pavement since one of my new New Year’s resolutions was to go for an evening run as many times as possible. I know what you think – why do I even bother making New Year’s resolutions? Well…I am young and naive.

Once again New Year’s resolutions turned out to be too demanding and hasty. 🙂 And so I have started with my New Year’s resolutions, at least one of them, in September. Yes, you read that right. I’m not ashamed to admit it. But hey, September still counts!

I found this perfect place with the softest running path ever, outdoor fitness machines, and a children’s playground. It’s only five minutes’ walk away from my apartment. Jackpot. 

Living Close to Nature in a City

There’s one thing I discovered during my attempts of running. It seems that everyone is getting more and more aware of the importance of doing exercise. There are people of all ages doing all sorts of sports, meditating and relaxing. It’s infectious!

But the question remains: Is returning back to nature even possible when living in a city?

In Ljubljana, it is.

Because it is a geographically very small city and it’s full of parks. Not only that, the old city center is closed for cars and can be explored on foot.

Ljubljana offers many trails for jogging, hiking, cycling, walking, and skateboarding. You can do all kinds of sports, from swimming, playing tennis, ice skating or visiting a fitness. The facilities are either located in the city or in the surroundings.

Park Tivoli is the biggest park in Ljubljana and it’s located only 5 minutes’ walk from the city center. It is a big green oasis with alleys, picnic places, sports facilities, a small lake, and even a mansion.

You can also hike up the famous hill Roznik from Tivoli. The hill is a popular getaway point for locals and you can have some typical Slovenian drink and food on top.  

There are also numerous sports and recreation events held in Ljubljana throughout the year and many of them are free, so it is worth checking them out.

Running Clears My Mind

The time spent in the stadium is just perfect for me. While I run, not only my body is running, but also my mind…freed of all frames, restraints, and boundaries.

Unlike most people, I do not turn off my mind during jogging time, as I really do not know how to do that. Instead, I am making millions of dialogues, stories, events, thoughts, and wishes in my mind and it feels good to do both. And that actually helps clear my head.

I sometimes even laugh at myself, which is mostly because while I do two or three rounds of running, others do five or more. I tell myself I am a beginner, which is partly true, and am not bothered by that illusion.

Running sometimes feels like driving a car – I put my plans on the table and sort them, add to them, extract, remove and withdraw. Thinking about everything but not worrying about it. This roller coaster inside my brain that is triggered by the simple act of running is so refreshing that it has become my drug. I am becoming an addict. Let’s hope I stick to it!

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