When it comes to gifts, the most memorable are the unexpected.

Running itself is a gift.

 
​ Out front Jana and Hans-Christian's accommodation in Porto, just as I was about to wrap up and thank them, after our 2hr running tour (which was a birthday present to Jana, btw), Hans-Christian reached deep into his small backpack for an item and handed it out to me: it was an oficial 2019's Nikolauslauf Tuebingen half-marathon official t-shirt!

In this blog post I'll unveil the reason for this kind offer and explore the fact that running experiences can be such a memorable gift , whether it is a race entry such as the amazing Nikolauslauf - Nicolau's/Santa Klaus' run in English - held in Southern Germany or a city running tour of Porto, in northern Portugal.

Also taking this opportunity to tell you about yet another Nicolau - not Santa Klaus -  and his Porto-based wine company - the oldest still active! 

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Unexpected gift, directly from Tuebingen, Germany: an official Nikolauslauf t-shirt!

​A meaningful gift from Germany.

Turns out Hans-Christian is involved in the organization of one of Germany's most interesting and long-running half marathons, held yearly in wintertime in a small town called Tuebingen, 30kms south of Stuttgart. Not only is he's part of the organizing committee but he is also the son of one of the founding runners that came up with its concept back in 1976. An event held in the natural surroundings of town, with a considerable elevation gain (319m!) making it quite a challenge for most runners! 

Nicolauslauf will certainly prove to be an interesting excuse to visit the Stuttgart area in the low season, when there actually aren't that many events in the race calendar, anywhere.

​Now I have a blue technical t-shirt at home, reminding me of this option ;) An invitation in the form of a gift!

Running outdoors in a natural environment over a challenging 21.1kms/319m elevation gain: that's what Nikolauslauf has been providing runners since 1976 in Tuebingen, Stuttgart area

Do gifts really contribute to our happiness?

Hmmm.... the happiness topic: What activities make us, runners, happier —giving or receiving? Well, the short answer is neither. A recent study where Psychologists analyze holiday experiences that could make people feel better brakes factors down to five:
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1. Time with your loved ones or family
2. Spending money on gifts
3. Receiving gifts
4. Helping others
5. Sensory enjoyment of the holiday (food and drink, exercising,...)

While family time, exercising, socially eating or drinking and helping others did increase people’s sense of well-being, gifts —both giving and receiving them— didn’t.

Counterintuitive, but nevertheless true. 

​“Although that people spend relatively large portions of their income on gifts, as well as time shopping for them, such behavior apparently contributes little to their joy.”  So much for that.

There's way too much anxiety involved in the purchase process and then in what we expect from others, how both parties react the moment when the gifts exchange occurs. That ruins any chance of good sensations.

But... WHAT IF the gift itself involved exercising and spending time with your loved ones? 

A race entry or a running tour make an excellent present!

A clip of Jana's birthday present, a running tour in Porto, Portugal.
​Smiling, isn't she?!

In a recent interview, Michael Gazaleh, a chiropractor and one of the pioneers in the running tour industry in NYC, recalls his first tour in Manhattan, New York, in 2005: “The person was there for the weekend, he wanted to get a lot in and didn’t want to run on the hotel treadmill. So I got the opportunity to show him the city. I learned a lot about him, he learned a lot about me, and it was a great experience. It was rewarding for me to be able to do that." 

From the reviews most running tour companies get, I feel it is often reciprocal. Both runners and guide-runners get their share of 'happiness'!


​What about races?
​

Back to the Nicolauslauf, near Stuttgart 

We all know how painful the process can be, sometimes: devising what kind of presents would please our loved ones and family, all the shopping and the wrapping...

However, it is usually very easy to please a runner with a non-material gift - just get him/her a ​a race entry! In the case of Nikolauslauf, it will certainly prove to be both fun and challenging. 

Even better if you can join him/her in that race!

Dress for success: Nikolauslauf half-marathon may not have a dress code but many dress up for it!
Photo credits: Facebook official page - itdesign Nikolauslauf Tuebingen

Blending running with tourism

When you have the possibility of traveling, there's a good chance that you, as a runner, will be taking your running shoes with you and try to check beforehand if the area where you're staying in a new city offers conditions for a good run.

I recently added a section in this website to make that task a lot easier when in Porto - there's even a video showcasing the different areas, in there > Best places to run in Porto

Of course, while this will help you find a convenient spot in Porto to go for a run but the run itself won't be too informative. If you really want to explore a city and know more about the culture and its history, a running tour with an experienced local guide might be a more interesting option.

A race entry is usually music to the runner's ears, in what comes to gifts. Moreover, well organized races like Nikolauslauf in Tuebingen(LINK) or the São Silvestre here in Porto (LINK) also offer their own musical acts!

At PORTO RUNNING TOURS we may not have the budget to hire musicians but there's always music...!
​Scroll up or tap here for that video again - and this time turn on that audio!!

Another remarkable Nicolau: the man who founded Kopkë. 

Since I've been speaking about Nikolau's race in Germany, let's build a bridge to an even more familiar Nicolau from Germany, at least for the Portuenses: Nicolau Kopke. If you know Porto, you know we're good at building bridges!?

 Across the river from Porto, there's a wine shop with a different accent. Kopke is obviously not a Portuguese surname in its origin. Despite its presence in the riverfront of Gaia where the British merchants had their monopoly over the export business, it is not of a British origin either. There was a actually a German hand in its genesis: Hamburg-born Nicolau Kopkë.

 You can read in the company's website "A journey in 1636 between Hamburg and Portugal is the beginning of a long story: Nicolau Kopkë settles in Portugal as Consul General of the Hanseatic League. Two years later, in 1638, the first bottles of wine are shipped to the North of Europe."  > kopke1638.com/history

 Nicolau and his son Cristiano Kopkë laid the foundations of a solid wine brand that started by shipping wine to Northern Europe and impressively made it to our present days, overcoming all the political convulsions and conflicts throughout the centuries in Portugal and the old continent. It also became a respected producer, having acquired two wine estates up in the Douro valley. It is nowadays part of Sogevinus Portuguese group of companies.

In Porto you can run in São Nicolau's district.

​  Crossing back to Porto on the lower deck of the Luiz I iron bridge we enter a district named after Saint Nicholas - or, in Portuguese and German too, Nikolau (Nicolau), São Nicolau. 

Porto's São Nicolau district limits

It is the most scenic and therefore touristic hotspot of Porto, with its instagrammable Ribeira's colourful buildings!

 Another point of interest located in this old riverfront area of town is the Merchants' association building  - Palácio da Bolsa > I posted about  a visit to its interiors- tap this link or the picture below - includes a video.

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The district's name actually originated in a small chapel, built a few meters from the river side, now the catholic church of S.Nicolau, one of the patron saints of sailors.

A figure of the saint sits at the front, high above its door > I talk about some of the tales involving São Nicolau  - Santa Klaus - in a blog post > tap this link or the picture below

Running short on gift ideas?

Now, let's imagine a situation: you have to come up with a gift to a person who has been to nearly all races, who has also experienced 99 running tours all over the world (there's runningtours.net for that purpose, by the way)... what do you give that person, as a present to impress, then?

Can I suggest something...?

A single harvest from KOPKE. The year? 1979.... Actually my harvest / birth year.
​Now you know what other type of material gift would make me smile... ;-)

​Maybe they have one from your birth year as well: run to their online shop!

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