Early summer is the best season for jogging, but in a metropolis such as Shanghai, finding a good place to hit the pavement can be tough. Here is a list to help you find the perfect spot to run.

* Shanghai Botanical Gardens (family day out)
Breathing in the fresh pine-scented air mixed with sod and bountiful flowers, you'll swear you're back in Kansas. Come out early to escape the tourist crowd and enjoy the birds, in all their uncaged glory, as they chirp you on to a great work-out.

*  East China Normal University (running)
The students are packing up and leaving town for the summer, which means you'll have several tracks and paths that meander around romantic canals, as well as wide, car-free streets, all to yourself. Bring that special running buddy out for a Sunday jog and enjoy a coffee afterwards at a little joint around campus.

*  Century Park (parks)
Among the Chinese white collar set, this is the place to run and see other runners running. Every Tuesday, young folks gather at gate seven at 7:30pm and do a 5 km. jog around the park. Afterwards, the group does dinner at a local restaurant.

*  Lujiazui Park (parks)
Expert runners from clubs in Shanghai tell City Weekend that when it comes to Pudong, Lujiazui Park is one of the premium places to run. It's open at night, and you won't knock over strolling grannies. Good restaurants nearby provide you with much-needed post-run nourishment.

*  Guangfu Xi Lu along China East University
Skirt the creek as you take this run underfoot. Gander at the beautiful and messy juxtaposition of scenery between Shanghai's old and new, but don't let yourself get so immersed that you fail to watch out for the cars.