Its rugged terrain and high altitude (3,000 meters at the peak) attract both aspiring youngsters and legends like Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele, and the Dibaba sisters, who can be found weaving up and down the mountain in the early mornings.

Mount Entoto in Sululta, Ethiopia : If I had to pick my very favorite place to run in the world, Mount Entoto is it.

We wound our way up a long and winding incline, passing fields of wildflowers, towering windmills, and countryside cottages I dream about to this day.

Hilly countryside in Bern, Switzerland : In Bern, I linked up with a small group of elite runners (including one former NCAA steeplechaser) for an epic uphill tempo.

Not only were the dirt roads empty and pastures as green as AstroTurf, but my maternal ancestors laid their roots there many generations ago and I felt a deep connection to the land as a result.

Dirt roads in Kilmihil, Ireland : My runs in County Clare, Ireland were among the most special of my whole trip.My favorite was Bushy Park, a short jog from the flat I rented, home to herds of massive deer, and the training grounds of local stars as well as international elites who visit in the summertime. Bushy Park in Teddington, England : For how big and bustling it is, the Greater London area has an amazing amount of green space and running trails buried within.Here is my ongoing, chronological list of favorite runs around the world. While today isn’t nearly as exciting as my 2013 edition, when I was 11 months into a year-long exploration of running cultures around the world, it’s a good excuse to stir up some nostalgia and reminisce about my all-time favorite runs-in between a hard track session and a recovery run, of course! Having essentially celebrated Global Running Year a few years back, this is a holiday I wholeheartedly support. Global Running Day (June 7) is an exception. I’m sure there are people who can’t wait for Love Your Produce Manager Day (April 2), or who recently went all out for Nylon Stockings Day (May 15)-but for the most part, they seem to serve as justifications for posting yet another cute animal shot or indulging in an overpriced but highly ‘Grammable dessert. It’s hard for me to get behind all of the obscure “holidays” taking over my news feed these days.

Run the world by becky wade