Relaxing vacation

I was on vacation, and I really didn't want to run. I forced myself out of bed, got dressed and went out into the pitch black morning. Sunrise was an hour away, and it was too dark yet to run on the beach.

64 steps down to the road from our 3rd floor room. Run on the sparsely lit roadway for 20 minutes up and 20 minutes back. Almost went off the road twice. Saw a cat, assumed it was a bobcat and that helped propel my heartbeat to the top end of the target zone.

Stopped, blessed relief. Walked to the back of the building, climbed the stepped path past the pool and then down the hill. Crossed the fairway of some hole on one of the golf courses. Up the stairs, over the dunes to the soft sand and then the water's edge. Stopped, turned, then slowly started out again with the pinkening sky to my right. My muscles protested, already beginning to relax from the first part of the run.

19 minutes up, 19 minutes back. Then walking across the soft sand, over the dunes, down the steps, across the fairway, up the path, down the path, 64 steps up. Chug 3 ice cold glasses of water. Sit. Drink coffee. The need to sit temporarily overriding the need to take a shower.

BTW, I never knew what it was to sweat until I ran in the Deep South. Dripping. Disgusting.

Shower, get dressed, pack up the kids, down 64 steps and head to THE ZOO. Walk around for three hours. Not much sitting, not much standing.

Back at the hotel, 64 steps up and take another shower. Babysitter comes. 64 steps down. Walk to dinner. Right. Halfway there, realize that the shower was pointless. Eat. Drink 2 frou-frou martinis. More walking on the beach.

Slow walking. Then 64 steps up.

Is there any wonder that it takes me mere seconds to fall asleep at night?

My feet ache, constantly. I have had a tight muscle in my neck from the base of my head down my right shoulder for weeks. My hips ache, my shins ache, my thighs ache. When I was sick in July and didn't run much for 2 weeks, I stopped feeling sore. It was nice.

As I ponder where to go from here, I have ceased thinking that I'll train for the 15k Double Pump which would take me over the Savannah Bridge three times (6% grade). Oh, no. Running 5k races seems very very appealing.

But at the same time, I look at the training schedule and see 4 or 5 or 6 miles and I think: no big deal. So I know I've come a long way since that day 6 months ago when Christie convinced me that this was a good idea. Back then, 1 mile was a challenge. Bit by bit, this running thing gets easier.

But Friday rest days remain my favorite day of the week.