Grab the best cup of coffee and run

Is coffee good for running? Is coffee a booster for your performances? That's not the point: there are some cities where having a cup of coffee is a mandatory experience, one you should not avoid if you join one of the best races in the world.

Meia Maratona de Lisboa, Portugal

www.lisbon-half-marathon.com

21 March 2010.

A very fast race, Lisbon is a good chance to improve your best time but mainly one of the most beautiful cities of the world. From Bairro Alto to Chiado, from Baixa to Alfama district, even if you won't break Paul Tergat's record, you will enjoy a great weekend, the best bica (coffee) and delicious pasteis de nata.

Bavisela Trieste, Italy

2 May 2010

www.bavisela.it

The city of illycaffEe, Trieste has a long tradition of great coffee: try an espresso before the race at the very famous CaffEe degli Specchi or CaffEe Tommaseo. Many marathons pretend to be international but for Trieste the title "European Marathon" is well justified: just few miles from the Slovenian border, the city is not far away from Croatia and Austria.

Half Marathon San Francisco, Usa

7 November 2010

www.ushalf.com

Not only dozens of great Starbucks, San Francisco offers unique coffee houses and cafes - try Graffeo - and a great half marathon in Autum. The race kicks off on the waterfront in Aquatic Park and offers a great scenic route in San Francisco through the Marina, Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge (twice) and historic Muni Pier.

Paavo Nurmi Marathon, Finland

3 July 2010

www.paavonurmisports.com

Finns are among the world's highest consumers of coffee: have a kahvi and a munkki in Turku, the old capital of Finland. And join the Paavo Nurmi Marathon, running from the city centre to the natural beauty of Ruissalo Islandon the most beautiful routes in Finland.

Stramilano, Italy

28 March 2010

www.stramilano.it

Drink a caffEe ristretto, a cappuccino or a marocchino one on of the literally thousands of bars in Milan - try traditional Marchesi or Cucchi - before running the Stramilano, the main running event in the the city of fashion. The race offers the unique chance to start in front of the Duomo.

Renato Losio is a (slow) long-distance runner and the editor of www.RunAbroad.com. With the help of a Weissbier in Munich, a cappuccino in Milan and a camembert sandwich in Paris, he is planning on running a half-marathon in every EU country before the end of 2010. Follow him on www.RunAbroad.com , the site to find "101 races to run before you die" (or break your knees).