Those of you who hate resolutions raise an arm, then the other, and lunge. Want to get fit this year? Veronica Stivala looks at more interesting places to run than a treadmill.

The art of running

Where: Venice Beach, California

Running is all about landscape, so why not try the unusual landscapes of the vibrant murals along Venice Beach in California?

One of the most well-known here is Emily Winters’s Endangered Species mural, which was painted in 1990.

Being exposed to so much sun, salt and, sadly, vandalism, left the mural damaged and faded, but in 2008 it was restored.

If you’re feeling brave, you can run on the thick sand and literally feel the burn

Admittedly, this is a popular tourist spot, so it might be a good idea to go for your run early in the morning and enjoy the early sunshine and the crashing of the Pacific waves as you go.

The boardwalk is rather short so passersby tend to diminish on both sides of downtown Venice. Head north to Santa Monica or south to Marina del Ray.

If you’re feeling brave, you can run on the thick sand and literally feel the burn!

Tip: Head to The Starting Line, a shop about two miles from this spot, for group runs on Wednesdays and weekends.

Running with the Greek gods

Where: Santorini, Greece

Santorini is the largest island of the eponymous small Greek archipelago.

It is considered Greece’s most spectacular island and boasts beautiful whitewashed buildings with blue domes and gorgeous views of what is probably the world’s largest volcanic eruption: caldera. There is a six-mile cobblestone-and-dirt pedestrian path that connects the cities of Fira and Oia on the island, which makes an excellent track for runners.

Fellow Mediterranean inhabitants will be aware that the summer sun is best avoided, so start your run early in the morning before it gets too hot.

It’s not advisable to run in the evening because the trail is not well lit, and people often congregate along the trail to watch Santorini's famously beautiful sunsets.

While the trail is mostly traffic-free, you may encounter a few small cars and motorcycles along the way.

Tip: Sample some of the island’s strong, delicious wines, the area's leading local products derived from the indigenous grape variety, Assyrtiko, after a run.

The jungle nook

Where: Sintra, Portugal

You don’t exactly think of jungles when you think of Portugal, but Sintra, some 30 kilometres from Lisbon, is so different to the capital city that at times you feel you are in a different world.

As you reach some of the higher elevations of the area you can hear the call of birds, and rainfall is common.

Picture it: you run through the thick, leafy greenery and tall, majestic trees, accompanied by the chirping of birds. It’s almost magical and feels as though you are in the middle of a jungle.

Tip: You might wish to travel in June and July, when the Sintra Festival, featuring piano music from the Romantic period, is held in churches, palaces, parks and country estates.

Marathons

In addition to heading to beautiful places to run alone, you can also join a marathon and run with others, while enjoying gorgeous scenery and city landmarks.

A run for your money

Virgin Money London Marathon

Race day: April 26, 2015

Big Ben, the Tower of London, the London Eye, these are just some of the iconic London landmarks your race route will take you along, in addition to the River Thames and across the Tower bridge.

To spice things up a bit, some of your fellow runners will dress up in outlandish costumes.

Virgin mogul Richard Branson himself has been seen sporting a pair of giant wings.

Nearly 40,000 people run the marathon each year, making it one of the largest in the world. Competitors start at Greenwich Park and race through the city until they cross the finish line at Buckingham Palace.

Tip: Registration for the 2015 London Marathon is closed, but mark your calendar to sign up for 2016.

Another sprint near the wall

Great Wall Marathon, Tianjin, China

Race day: May 16, 2015

Since the race was first held in 1999, the Great Wall Marathon has become revered as one of the world’s most challenging marathons.

Last year’s race saw 2,500 runners from over 60 nations participate.

Runners should expect the race to take about 50 per cent longer to complete than an average marathon due to extreme ascents and descents (there is an eight-hour time limit).

The route starts near the village of Huangyaguan, a couple of hours northeast of Beijing and heads straight to the Wall.

While going up and down the 5,164 steps of the millennia-old structure, you can expect stunning 360-degree views of China’s countryside. The course then heads through scenic villages and rice fields before looping back to the Wall again for the final portion of the race, when you’ll finish in the centre of Yin and Yang Square.

Tip: Registration for 2015 is still open and if you visit the marathon’s site (great-wall-marathon.com), you can sign up for a six- or seven-day package in Beijing.

I’m running home to you

Malta Marathon

Race day: February 22, 2015

If these runs have tickled your fancy, why not start your marathon career at home with the Malta Marathon in February?

There are some lovely coastal runs if you avoid the traffic.

The Full Marathon starts at 7.30am from outside the bastions of Mdina, heads through the main road of Rabat, down through Nigret and on to the Mtarfa by-pass to get to the six-kilometre mark in Ta’ Qali.

Some of the highlights on the route include the Sa Maison/Ta’ Xbiex waterfront, which then ends in Sliema.

You can also sign up for the less taxing Half Marathon and ‘Endo’ Walkathon, which also start from outside Mdina but take a shortcut towards the beautiful Roman Villa and Nigret, on to the Mtarfa bypass and down to the military cemetery.

Tip: Registration for 2015 closed on January 15, but you can start training for next year.