Running past the Duomo

For months I have been wanting to run past the Duomo in the morning. I have imagined it a few times and the thought of it was what pushed me out of bed today. When we got up this morning to go running, I thought I probably couldn't do our normal 5 mile run because we went out for sushi last night and stayed out late.

We began our run from our place along the Arno to Ponte da Verrazzano. This time I convinced Alessandro to join me and run across the Ponte Vecchio and through the city. Usually, he goes to Ponte alla Carraia and then along the Arno back to our place.

By the time we crossed the Ponte Vecchio, the sun was still not up. We were the only two people on the ponte (bridge) besides the security guy sitting in his parked car.

We ran down via Por Santa Maria past all the shops, through Piazza Repubblica, and then down via dei Pecori toward the Duomo.

It was beautiful to see the Duomo lit up with the dark sky outlining it. There were a few people walking around, but the steps were empty and the church looked majestic.

We ran down via Calzaiuoli where small trucks and cars were parked to unload boxes into the shops. Most of the streets that we run along are rather quiet in the morning, but via Calzaiuoli was much busier with cars driving quite quickly in both directions.

We arrived in Piazza della Signoria and ran toward the Uffizi. We took the same little street I did the other day that spills out onto via dei Neri, and down to our apartment building.

Instead of the twenty minute run I did the other day, our run today lasted forty minutes. I didn't feel as if I was in any better shape today to run more, but I was inspired to keep going because the city was so enchanting at that early hour.

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