Portland Marathon: October 9, 2011

The Portland Marathon will celebrate its 40th anniversary this October. The Marathon has been named the “friendliest, best organized, most family-oriented race in the country” by Runner’s World Magazine. The publication also named the Portland Marathon “the best people’s magazine in the West” and it has been ranked in the top 10-15 marathons in the US 
for the past 10 years. More than 50% of the runners are female and over 95% complete the marathon and cross the finish line, awaiting excited fans, family and friends. During the course of the Marathon, dozens of live music bands entertain runners as they push onwards. In 2010, 72 different groups entertained along the sidelines.

 Tokyo Marathon: February 26th, 2012
One of the newer marathons, the Tokyo Marathon was established in 2007. In February of this year, 32,000 participants raced through the heart of Tokyo. The Tokyo Marathon has evolved into a great spectator sport, as many of the runners choose to complete the entire 26-mile marathon dressed up in head-to-toe costumes. Runners in gorilla suits, panda outfits and body-encompassing fruit suits are all among the ranks in the Tokyo Marathon. Some costumed runners were spotted making frequent stops on the sidelines to accept miso soup and sake from excited bystanders. Running a marathon through the most cosmopolitan and populated city in the nation will be an adventure to remember.

Amsterdam Marathon: October 16, 2011
This October, the Amsterdam Marathon will host 15,000 runners for both the full marathon and half marathon for its 36th year. Additional events include the 8K run, a 1K run and the mini marathon. The course is designed to highlight several key sights in the city including fantastic views of the Olympic Stadium, built in 1928, the river Amstel, the Maritime Museum, the historic canals, Rijksmuseum and the Vondelpark.

While running marathons isn’t for everyone, it is a fantastic way to explore a new place and accomplish something incredible. Would you ever consider running a marathon in a foreign country?

Photo Credits:First Marathon st Johns Bridge 2, eddiecoyote; 20070218_TYO-Marathon_3287, luxtonnerre; AMSTERDAM MARATHON, Kai Hendry.

Photo credits: Okinawa Cherry Blossoms, Okinawa Steve; Pittock Mansion, Mike Krzeszak; Keukenhof, Patrick

In our first sample itinerary we looked at many of the best history-related sights in Amsterdam, and here in the next part we’ll concentrate on outdoor-related attractions and activities. Amsterdam’s weather is quite mild all year long, though it does get windy and chilly in winter so this is probably best saved for one of the other seasons.

Where to stay

Since Amsterdam is quite compact – and the iAmsterdam Card conveniently includes unlimited rides on public transportation – where you stay isn’t too critical. But today we’ll be moving around a lot so it would be great to stay at the Marriott Renaissance Hotel, across from Centraal Station, and also where we’ll begin the day’s activities.

First stop: Canal cruise

After breakfast, walk across the street to the boat landings in front of the train station, and climb aboard either one of the two canal cruises that come included with the iAmsterdam Card. The fact that both cruises are nearly identical to each other and also to those operated by a handful of other companies does not make them any less special. In fact, this canal cruise is what most Amsterdam experts recommend as the first thing to do once in town.

The one-hour cruise has a narration in English, sometimes on tape, sometimes live, and often a bit of both, and you’ll see most of the important sights in the city in the shortest time possible. There are no bus tours of Amsterdam due to the narrow streets and the fact that these comfortable glass-topped boats show the city off exactly as they should. After completing the loop you’ll have a much better idea of the city’s layout, and also ideas on places you’d like to return to later.

Next up: Artis Royal Zoo

Back in front of the train station you’ll be able to jump right on one of several trams that go directly to the Artis Royal Zoo, which is the oldest in continental Europe. The ride itself will take you through a section of town that few tourists visit, which is a nice way of seeing this beautiful city in a more natural setting.

The iAmsterdam Card provides a 25% discount for the zoo, and when the weather is nice this can be a glorious place for a stroll in addition to an interesting look at over 700 different species of all kinds.

Hortus Botanicus

Next to the Artis Zoo, on the way back toward the city center, you’ll find the Hortus Botanicus, which is free with the Card and quite an interesting stop. Founded in 1638 as a place to grow herbs for medical purposes, this botanical garden now features over 6000 plants and trees, a mix of tropical and indigenous.

While some might not be fascinated by such a place, the Card makes it easy to just pop in for a look while you are in the area, without worrying whether you’d get your money’s worth from the admission fee.

Lunch stop: Brasserie Schiller

After a short stroll through the Waterlooplein area, you’ll be in the Rembrantplein entertainment neighborhood, which is lined with restaurants, cafes, and bars, and today we’ll lunch at the Brasserie Schiller. The 25% discount you get with the iAmsterdam Card will keep even their sophisticated continental cuisine quite affordable, while soaking in the traditional wood-heavy decor.

Next stop: Sloten Windmill

After lunch it’s time to see the city center’s closest working windmill at the Molen van Sloten on the edge of town. The tram ride will take about 45 minutes, including a quick transfer at the busy Leidseplein stop, but it’s worth it to visit such a unique attraction and see the city at the same time.

Operating since 1847, the Sloten Windmill makes for an excellent photo opportunity, but inside there’s also a museum and an adjacent cooper museum, so it’ll be more than just taking a snapshot and then heading back.

Next stop: Tulip Museum

After the windmill you’ll hop on the tram again back to the Prinsengracht canal for another outdoor-themed stop at the Tulip Museum. You’ll have to walk through one of Amsterdam’s most scenic canal areas into the lovely Jordaan district, or you can hop on the small van that traverses Prinsengracht if you’d prefer.

The Tulip Museum appears to be a retail store on the ground level, but when you go downstairs you’ll find a large room full of interesting displays and an audio-video presentation explaining exactly how the farming and selling of these flowers and bulbs works, and why it’s such an important part of the local economy.

Next stop: Houseboat Museum

If you have the time and energy for one more stop before dinner you should walk back a couple scenic blocks to this unique and small museum. By this time you’ll have noticed that there are thousands of houseboats along Amsterdam’s canals, and most of them are actually anchored residences.

This houseboat has been converted into an attraction that shows exactly what it’s like inside, so you’ll see that what seems like a floating box on the outside can actually be very luxurious and functional on the inside. You’ll be back outside in perhaps 15 minutes, and only about two blocks from the Leidseplein entertainment district again, which features over 100 small restaurants lining several small streets running of the main square. Finding a perfect spot for dinner is only a matter of examining a few menus as you stroll the neighborhood.

Photos courtesy of Tom Townsend

Photo credits: Amsterdam Marathon, Kai Hendry; Portland Marathon, Minette Layne; Tokyo Marathon, Kallu