By Cameron Wilson (That's Shanghai)
Updated: 2007-04-24 10:43

One of Shanghai's most lamented shortcomings is its lack of green space and its physical distance from attractive countryside suitable for outdoor pursuits. While this urban jungle isn't that difficult to get out of, no sooner are the skyscrapers left behind than the sports enthusiast is greeted by the vast flatness and paddy fields of the Yangtze River Delta.

So if you are looking for some kind of routine exercise, that pretty much leaves you stuck in the city along with the other 18 million would-be keep-fitters. But all is not lost- Shanghai has a fine selection of open areas, hidden among the city's endless nooks and crannies, for a spot of jogging to be done.

You might try somewhere obvious like Century Park, with its well-manicured trees and greens. It boasts plenty of open space, and the air is a bit clearer over there in Pudong some say. A run along Suzhou Creek is also pleasant, and the huge apartment complex near Moganshan Lu has a lovely waterfront which allows a mostly uninterrupted 10 minute trot.

However, my opinion is that of an amateur. For expert advice on the city's running options I asked Shanghai resident Karl Zhong, who lives in the city's Changning district. He says that Hongqiao Park on Yan’an Lu fits the bill perfectly. "Shanghai is, of course, very crowded, but I go to the park after work and it's a bit quieter. There is also a small but good running track there which is something you don't see that often in this city." That said, Zhong offers a word of warning: "Unfortunately, sometimes people run in opposite directions around the track, so it's best not to run too fast."

When he isn't dodging other joggers, he says there are plenty of intriguing sights to relieve the boredom of running-middle-aged ladies exercising to disco music and groups of old men smoking and admiring each other's caged birds.

"A lot of white-collar workers in Shanghai prefer going to the gym," says Zhong. "They don't like jogging so much as they think it's time consuming, and parks are seen as mainly places for older Chinese people these days."

That perception, at least for Changning residents, is erroneous. With a free running track in Ertong Jiaotong Park, and some old dears with whom you can strut your disco stuff, excuses are no longer accepted.

Hongqiao Park
Location: 288 Yan'an Xi Lu, by Hongqiao Lu
Tel: 021-6275 3896

Century Park
Location: 1001 Jinxiu Lu, by Pudian Lu
Tel: 021-3876 0588