Swiss Alps: Most majestic places to take a run.

Swiss Alps

“This retreat in the Swiss Alps is the perfect location for disconnection from the world. Not only do you struggle to have data access, but it’s simply surrounded by silence. There’s a great route leading from the village into woodlands where you can run for miles along a natural ridge along the mountain. It’s a tricky trail that’s more suited to cross-country runners than those looking to beat their personal bests as you need to hop, skip and jump over entangled tree roots on the ground. Nonetheless, it makes for one of the most scenic runs I’ve ever done. The air is as clean as can be, but you’ll notice the altitude, which could leave you a little shorter on breath if you’re not used to it. Wooded houses, hiking trails and deserted churches await you in the forest.” — Ben Walker, owner of Zoom PR

Puerto Rico

“While San Juan is a beautiful city to tour, travel and run in, I found myself gravitating towards the natural pieces of Puerto Rico’s land while on holiday in this country. El Yunque National Rainforest is about an hour outside of the main city and offers plenty of shade via beautiful vegetation and a canopy of trees. I did a steady 10-mile run through the rainforest here and found waterfalls, hill training and views from the top that took my breath away. It’s also a good place to wear your water-resistant socks and prep for wet shoes, as you are sprinkled with mist and rain, which makes for a refreshing run the whole time you’re out there. It’s a good place to bring along a friend or spouse, and much of the trail is on concrete, so training is pretty optimal since it is not off-roading in most of the locations on the map.” — Kate Cummins, Psy.D., licensed clinical psychologist

Joshua Tree

Joshua Tree is a beautiful and serene place to camp and an excellent challenge for rock climbers as well. Come prepared because temperatures can dramatically drop at night and the midday can be scorching, especially in peak summer months. If camping isn’t your thing, Palm Springs is a short drive away. The best times to go are early to midmorning and late afternoon to sunset. The name Joshua Tree came from a group of Mormon settlers who crossed the Mojave Desert in the mid-19th century. The tree’s unique shape reminded them of a Biblical story in which Joshua reaches his hands up to the sky in prayer. The Joshua Tree does have a remarkable spiritual and emotional quality to it. This is probably one of my most favorite places in California.” — Shay Kostabi, personal trainer

Arabian Desert – Dubai

“As part of a Jeep tour through the Arabian Desert, there are afternoon activities (sand boarding, camel riding, etc.), but instead of participating in the tourist activities, I preferred to just go for a short run. So I kicked off my shoes, threw on my headphones and took off on a brief three-mile run through the desert. The afternoon views of the sun off the sand are absolutely awesome, and the work you put in on your calves and feet running in that soft sand is no easy work either. The ideal time to make this run is in the winter, when it’s at least not scalding hot, and the afternoon with the sun setting behind you makes it totally picturesque.” — Ben Aronson, blogger at The 30ish

Red Rock Canyon

“If you are looking for a challenging but scenic trail run, this is it. This is an 11.6-mile loop that starts at the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center and roughly parallels the Scenic Loop Road. It is beautiful, and the terrain is very varied. Some parts are rocky (almost a scramble); other parts are hard-packed dirt, and there is a small section of loose sand too. I would strongly recommended picking up a map from the visitor’s center — and paying close attention to it — as the path is not clearly marked. It is best to avoid the hot summer months, and no matter what time of year it is, bring an excess of water and some electrolytes.” — Emma Black, world traveler and runner

Japan

I would definitely recommend carrying your own water while running in Japan, as the routes are mostly removed from high-traffic vendor areas, and I didn’t come across any water fountains on any of my runs there. Most routes I’ve run there are flat or with very little elevation gain or drop. I’ve been told that the spring is the most beautiful time to run in Japan with the cherry blossoms in bloom, but my river routes were perfectly beautiful with mild temperatures and plenty of shade in early Autumn.” — Melissa Wolfe, indoor cycling instructor