Endorphins make you happy

Today I pulled the ultimate tourist move and took my camera on my run with me.  This is my bird's eye view when I enter the park.

My quality of life is highly dependent upon accessibility to running routes. Having a nice park or trail within foot distance of my residence exponentially increases my endorphin flow, which as Elle Woods clearly understood is a key component of happiness.

The red track on the right is the track I run around. Inside is a cobblestone path that people walk on. The running part is soft like a real track.. I think it's good for your knees!

Luckily, Parque del Santander is just around the corner from my apartment, with patches of greenery that provide an escape from the city. Though the park is on the smaller side, it packs a lot inside the one-kilometer track. The golf driving range, tennis courts, soccer courts, restaurants, and playgrounds attract madrileños from all walks of life... which makes for some great people watching.  Though sometimes I would prefer not to see the skin tight pants the older joggers over here love to don, it is a nice reminder that it is just as fun to pass middle-aged men in Spain as it is in los Estados Unidos.

Here's another corner of the park. Once again you can see the red track on the edge and the cobblestone walking path in the middle.

My run this morning was absolutely beautiful. The sky was so blue and the grass so green. And the weather was pleasant. The only things missing were my two favorite running buddies -- Daddy and Bit Bit!