One of the perks (for me at least) of working and travelling in professional sport is the opportunity to soak up foreign culture and, having been privileged enough to do exactly that for an extended period last year, I've certainly been able to do exactly that.
European culture is steeped in both history and idiosyncrasy, the two most often complementing one another. Enter the passeggiata. Roughly translated as a short stroll after dinner, I did much of this whilst on the road last year. The pace and intensity of the pro sport environment is as intense as it is intoxicating for good reason; the fans want to see a show, athletes want – and need to – perform – and the sponsors have expectations. Add in incessant travel and hectic competition schedules and it is easy to lose easy to get caught up in a bubble and lose perspective. So a little time to oneself is essential to maintaining a little balance.
Having always been a bit of a wanderer, the passeggiata is a pretty much a natural extension of my persona I guess. Together with the morning jog, the evening stroll adds a whole new dimension to both the day and location. Whether eating ice cream in a small Bavarian town or sitting on a park bench in Stellenbosch, soaking up the local culture is wholly uplifting and revitalizing all the same. While running first thing stimulates the body and mind enabling a better attitude, the evening stroll is the perfect wind down to the day, tapping into the circadian rhythm.
How long and how often?
It doesn't matter.
Le temps s'arrête.