Brasília is an unusual city and it is similarly so for running. Located 600 miles inland from the coast, Brasília is a master planned city inaugurated in 1960, replacing Rio as Brazil’s capital. The street and building plan, which is shaped like an airplane, consists of the impressive Eixo Monumental, with sweeping concrete plazas and imposing edifices. Ringing the Eixo are residential, commercial, and financial districts, with the artificial Lake Paranoá at the eastern end. Brasília’s design speaks to the supremacy of the automobile, but there is some decent running in Brasília, centered on the Eixo, several larger parks, pedestrian paths in the residential district, and a couple of nice waterfront spots.
The signature run in Brasília is the Eixo Monumental, which is similar in concept to Washington, D.C.,’s National Mall. The adjacent Parque da Cidade is another great place to run in Brasília. We’ve also put together a couple of routes in Brasília’s residential districts: Asa Norte and Asa Sul, which includes some nice parks as well. As for waterfront running, although there are not any longer paths along Lake Paranoá, there are several parks on the lake that make for nice running. For a destination run, head 10 km north to run in Brasília National Park — one of the largest parks in the world located in an urban area.
Brasília’s geography is mainly savanna and is quite open and exposed. Temperatures are quite similar throughout the year, with distinct wet and dry seasons. As for getting around, the car reigns supreme in Brasília, although there are buses is a metro line that extends from the Eixo through Asa Sul.