The best free running stadiums and parks in St. Petersburg 2022

Jogging in the fresh air is an opportunity to maintain vigor of the body and spirit, without making much effort. Not everyone knows that running is also a great way to cope with stress and neutralize the negative effect of the hormone cortisol on the body, which is released into the blood during nervous overexcitation. So, just 40 minutes of running or 2 hours of intense walking will help maintain health and prolong life.

There are many parks in St. Petersburg where you can both improve your well-being and enjoy the surrounding beauties. There are also stadiums that can be visited for free, unless there are some special events taking place there.

Perhaps there is not a single district of the city or region where there would be no park or stadium. Peterhof, Pavlovsk, Oranienbaum, Sestroretsk, Kronstadt - in 2022, each of these cities has magnificent park ensembles.

Where to start training

Before you start jogging, you need to contact a specialist and find out if you have any contraindications for training.

As a rule, contraindications are heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and visual impairment. This is a generalized list, so you should still consult a doctor for advice, even if you do not see your problem in it.

If there are no contraindications, you can proceed to choosing a place for morning jogging. It is better to pick it up near the house so as not to tire yourself out on a long journey and be able to take a contrast shower shortly after a run. It is better if the terrain of the chosen place is even, without drops.

You should not immediately set yourself global goals and start small.

It is advisable to run regularly, at least 1-2 times a week. You can start with 10 minutes and gradually increase the time and distance. The first workouts will be hard, the body will take time to get used to the load.

Tips for beginner athletes

Not every run is good for your health. In order for it to benefit the body, you must follow a number of tips:

• The start and end of the run should be smooth. You should not make sharp accelerations from the start or sit on the bench after a long intense run. It is better if the run is uniform, without acceleration;
• It is important to take the correct position. The back should be straight, slightly inclined forward. The arms are bent at the elbows, pressed against the body and do not fall in the process of movement. The foot should be placed on the toe and not hit the heel on the ground;
• While running, try to breathe through your nose. If this fails, and you move on to mouth breathing, you should reduce the pace of movement and normalize breathing;
• Regarding clothing, you should choose specialized lightweight sneakers and clothes in which it will be convenient and comfortable to perform physical activity.

The best free running stadiums and parks in St. Petersburg

So, let's consider a number of stadiums and parks in the Northern capital and the region, where it is possible to run for free.

"Red Triangle"

Located a 10-minute walk from Narvskaya metro station. The path to it runs through the Ekateringof park, divided by Liflyandskaya street.

The Red Triangle Stadium once belonged to the rubber goods factory of the same name, established in the middle of the 19th century. In the early 2000s, the plant was declared bankrupt and passed into the possession of the city. In 2008, the sports committee of St. Petersburg renovated the stadium. Now competitions, trainings of sports clubs, football clubs, sports events of the city level are held here.

Both the park and the stadium will suit both amateurs and professionals.

You can run both on the football field with soft and comfortable artificial turf, and on the athletics tracks.

• The presence of tracks with a special coating;
• Good location in the middle of the park;
• You can run in the rain.

• During the daytime and in the evening, football training sessions are held, during which it is impossible to enter the stadium.

"Ekateringof Park"

The park is a 3-minute walk from Narvskaya. It has a long history and was founded back in the times of Peter I and Catherine in 1711. Previously, the palace of the Empress was located here.Now there are no historical buildings in the park, and it is intended exclusively for the recreation of residents and guests of the city.

Ekateringof occupies a fairly large area - 34 hectares. It is distinguished by well-groomed, cleanliness, the presence, in addition to the central alleys, of many dirt paths and paths that allow you to run in peace and quiet even on a weekend or a holiday.
Unfortunately, due to problems with drainage, in spring and summer, during the period of prolonged rains that St. Petersburg is famous for, the paths are washed out and many deep puddles and mud form.

Here, morning and evening jogging, doing exercises and Nordic walking are done by residents of nearby houses.
There are several lakes in the park, there are both shady alleys where you can hide from the sun on a hot summer day, and open sunny areas.

• Fresh air;
• Many routes;
• Safety;
• Beautiful landscapes.

• Do not run in bad weather.

"Park of the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg"

The park is located right on the shore of the bay, which allows you to run along the shady alleys and breathe in the fresh sea air. The park is very well maintained and tidy. Hundreds of Petersburgers flock here every day to admire the opening view of the newly built Zenit Arena stadium, which resembles a spaceship with evening illumination, the Lakhta Center and the Western High-Speed ​​Diameter.

The length of all the tracks of the park, including the outer circle and the inner paths, is 5 km. There are both paved alleys and dirt paths. Lovers of reconnecting with nature can run along the sand along the line of the bay.
There are many green pleasures in the park, so walking and jogging are extremely enjoyable.

• Nice view all around;
• Clean and tidy;
• Suitable trails for running.

• There are always a lot of people;
• Mass events are often held when the park, literally, is not overcrowded - for example, "VK fest";
• In winter, the place is strongly blown due to the proximity of water. At this time, the athletes go to the track.

"Moscow Victory Park"

The park is located 10 minutes from the metro station of the same name. Local residents have organized an athletics club in the park, which trains here every Saturday morning. It is free to become a member of the club. Professionals advise beginners on running and offer various exercises, depending on the goals of the person. This is a great opportunity to make friends with the same interests.

The history of the park begins in 1945. Previously, there was a crematorium on this territory, and burials were made in drained ponds during the years of the blockade.

Today the park occupies 64 hectares. There are many alleys and paths where you can go in for sports.

• Operates 24 hours;
• Large territory;
• Not too crowded;
• Presence of a sports club.

• The history of the park may not be conducive to sports, but this applies to especially sensitive people.

"TsPKiO"

On the territory of Yelagin Island there is the Central Park of Culture and Leisure named after Gorky. On weekdays, you can get into it for free, but on weekends the amount is purely symbolic - 30 or 100 rubles. In the evening, admission is free.
In a word, it is possible to pick up the right time and take a run right in the city center for free. And it is actively used by many residents of the city, who can be found here at any time of the day.

The infrastructure of the park is top notch.If you get tired from running, you can sit on one of the lakeside benches and feed the squirrels, which are in abundance here. Or you can just breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the surrounding beauties - the park has a lot of green spaces, beautiful flower beds, and in summer even a garden with tulips from all over the world appears.

• Asphalt paths;
• Beautiful park ensemble;
• Good location.

• Paid on weekends and holidays;
• There are many people.

Sosnovka

The territory of the park is simply huge - 320 hectares. Sosnovka rather resembles a forest within the city, more precisely, on its outskirts. Actually, in the 19th century, things were like that - and writers Ivan Turgenev and critic Vissarion Belinsky loved to walk through the pine forest, not far from the dachas. Mikhail Lermontov fought here.

Today the park serves as a place of leisure for Petersburgers. Mostly people come here for barbecues and walks. However, there are those who go in for sports in Sosnovka. Many shady alleys and dirt paths are conducive to this.

• Fresh air and pine forest;
• Large territory;
• A few people.

• The territory of the park is huge and not particularly safe. If you jog in the landscaped part of the park, along the main alleys, or at a time when there are a lot of people in the park, then there is no danger. However, Sosnovka at night and its forest area is clearly not a place where it is safe to run, since there is a high chance of finding trouble.

"Kronstadt Stadium"

This is a free public stadium, which is located near the center of Kronstadt. It is considered one of the best in the Leningrad region.

The sports complex includes a jogging and tennis court, as well as volleyball and football fields with a lawn.
Nearby is the coast of the Gulf of Finland, so while jogging on a high-quality artificial surface of the field, you can enjoy the fresh sea air. True, in winter this factor will become a minus, since Kronstadt is strongly blown due to the water in its surroundings.

• Suitable for winter runs;
• A modern and affordable sports complex with a dedicated jogging area.

• Location - suitable only for residents of Kronstadt;
• At the time of competitions and training of young athletes, the stadium becomes inaccessible.

"Tauride Gardens"

Another free place right in the center of St. Petersburg, where you can make morning and evening runs. True, it should be borne in mind that, closer to the second half of the day, a large number of people gather in the garden.

The garden was founded in the 18th century. Several years ago, a complete restoration was carried out, so that while jogging through the garden, you have the opportunity to get true aesthetic satisfaction.

The alleys and lawns are extremely well maintained, and swans live in the pond during the warm season. There are also alleys, over which centuries-old trees are spread - lindens, oaks, and also larches.

• Very beautiful landscape design;
• Walking paths are comfortable.

• A lot of people on weekends and in the evening on weekdays during the warm time of the day;
• Although no one will forbid running, the garden is more for leisurely walks;
• The garden is closed for the winter.

Let's summarize. In the Northern capital, there are indeed many free locations available for sports training that it is impossible to list all of them with all desire.Even if among the listed places you did not find a place near your home, then it probably exists and you know about it. Even if it is a small square, a garden, or a sports ground next to a school, then such places are already suitable, because the distance can be increased due to the number of circles. The main thing is the presence of desire, an understanding of the benefits of such an event as jogging and adherence to the correct running technologies. Together, this will give a positive result for the body, which will be felt after the first weeks of training.