Running on holidays

I’m on vacation next week. 

Woohoo! <insert happy dance here> 

Folks at work are asking “so you’re going to relax and not run, right?”

Running is a big part of the summer camping vacation that I look forward to.  Sure I bring my watch, but don’t look at pace, splits, time, etc, only the distance.  I’ve got “all the time in the world” now. 

Running while on vacation is food for the soul I find.  Time to slow down and connect with nature & hit some trails.  The air smells better, tastes better (or rather doesn’t taste) and you gulp down as much as you can.  You see lots of wildlife; deer, bears, chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, loads of birds.  You get away from the traffic, smog, congestion and noise.

Best of all I get to unplug from the rat race for a while.  No work pressures and rushing home for kids’ soccer practices and games, trying to fit your runs in and get some food in you before you have to go to bed at 10 pm so you can wake up at 5:30 am.  Basically I wake up when I want and ask “what do I FEEL like doing today?” rather than “what do I HAVE to get done today?”  I get to run when I want, or if I want. 

Often though I’ll chose to wake up earlier than most folks and run.  Nothing like the quiet stillness of a campground at early morning before anyone else is stirring.  I try to avoid the pavement and roads if at all possible and my joints thank me for the springy dirt packed trails or crushed stone.  I feel like a gazelle happily bounding down a trail.  If I'm really lucky I get to run on a trail beside a lake and hear a loon’s call in the distance.  Beautiful.  It reminds me of the scene in Forrest Gump where he is reliving his runs through majestic country scenes to Jenny.  Often I’ll avoid listening to an mp3 player as this really detracts from the entire experience.  These runs aren’t fast or superman like, but it’s all about the Zen-like experience, which is what I crave.  During these runs I enjoy every step of the journey and not just the “being done” part. 

Toward the end of the run, heading back into the campground people start waking and I whisper “good morning” to all those shuffling along to the bathroom.  Everyone smiles through squinty eyes and says “morning” back to me.  The smell of bacon and campfire fills the air and you inhale deeply and grin.  End back at the trailer but no time for stretching yet.  Quickly swap shoes for sandals and hop on the bike and head down to the beach.  Not a soul on the beach yet; it is all mine.  The water is like glass.  Wade into the water, then dive underneath and relish in the cooling sensation.  Ahhhh!!!!  

Am I running on vacation? 

And miss all that? 

You betcha I’m running! 

<sigh>, until then I sit at work and watch the ever sluggish clock.