My top five Vacation Spots for running:
#1 Marthas Vineyard: This was my go-to vacation spot for nearly a decade until the Presidential Phenomenon began to muck it up. And by muck it up, I mean really screw it up. Like being thrown off the ferry despite having paid more than a year earlier so that 75 white Ford Broncos could be taken over to a 20 mile long x 10 mile wide island. And closing an entire town, with you in it, because the President wants a cup of coffee. Don't get me started!
The good: There are plenty of great places to run. My favorite was a 5 mile loop on Chappaquiddick Island with almost never a car and mostly dirt roads. There is almost no fast food anywhere on the island also.
The bad: There is almost no fast food anywhere on the island.#2 Ocean City, New Jersey: This has been my go-to vacation spot for the last 21 years. A boardwalk run in the AM, dodging other shoobies and those big giant inflatable salt-water taffy blow up thingies is quite a treat. We often made this a two-a-day running camp in those early years.
The good: Seeing so many PSU Alumni at the Sea Isle City Island Run every year. (Both Tyler McCandless and Kyle Dawson have won the race in recent years.)
The bad: The damn Sea Isle City Island Run itself, which is an ordeal of sand running somehow against the wind in both directions.#3 Freeport, Maine: Went there on my honeymoon. Mostly so we could go to LL Bean at 2:00AM (the doors are never closed!
The good: Saw an osprey, a moose and Joan Benoit on the same run.
The bad: You can never have enough lobster.#4 Charleston, South Carolina: A really great spur of the moment vacation when my daughter was born. Taking her for runs in a baby jogger (new at the time) was quite good. Especially the time I rubbed all of her hair off in front of the Citadel.
The good: The people, including Bill Murray himself! The 20-miler I took preparing for the marathon at Disney took me to every neighborhood in the city.
The bad: Actually realizing I am not really parent material when I rubbed all the hair off my daughter's head in the baby jogger!#5 Harpers Ferry, West Virginia: Another annual vacation for the past 9 years.
The good: The C and O Canal and the Appalachian Trail converge here.
The bad: The internet is allergic to West Virginia.(Honorable Mention) Walt Disney World, Florida: The place I love to hate, or hate to love.
What are some of your favorite vacation spots for running?
Sinnemahoning State Park.
ReplyDeleteGood: The Lowlands Trail is the quintessential railroad bed converted to running trail. Elk, deer and other wildlife can be seen.
Bad: You sweat off all the bug spray and end up covered in mosquito bites. The elk can aggressive during mating season.
The elk mating thing would be considered good for the millions reading garbage like "50 Shades of Grey"!
ReplyDeleteAnd the mosquito thing is kinda scary these days... I even was bit the other day ON MY TREADMILL!
And we need the picture of that elk you saw on a run.
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorites:
ReplyDeleteYosemite Nat'l Park
Banff (Canadian) National Park
Central Park, NYC
Hyde/Green/St.James Parks, London
Chatham, MA
.. so many more...
I used to have a bunch of DVDs of various National Parks to jog to. One of them was Banff, which was my favorite. I feel like I've been there, I've done that so many times. Another was Zermatt, which was cool, because I real did jog there once. The altitude killed me though. The treadmill is easier.
ReplyDeleteever ruin into the burglar of Banff?
ReplyDelete