Happy National Running Day everyone! I hope everyone was able to get a run in today. If not, I sympathize. But any day we can find time to run, or can run in peace and health, or maybe just hold out hope that time and/or health can one day come together, that is a good day!

how is this for a run trail?

I’ve been pretty down the last couple days about running because of my knee. But, without going into all the IT Band issues again, I brainstormed a way to run today. I was sitting around thinking about what my friend’s run coach says about not running every day on a hard surface. He says we should run off-road several times a week or else we’ll put too much pounding on our legs. Well where the heck can I go off-roading here in south Florida?! This whole lower quadrant of the state is covered in concrete! And what’s not concrete is straight up alligator swamp (there’s a reason half of the episodes of Naked & Afraid are filmed in South Florida). It’s kind of funny how long it took me to come up with the beach option actually. I live by the beach but I never ever consider the beach for anything (in my mind I still live downtown DC). The beach! Of course! Talk about a soft surface!! And all the tourists are gone now too! I went to check it out.

beach run all to myself!

I was right that practically nobody was there (I know all the top secret beaches where the locals go). The sun was low and it didn’t feel that hot. There was plenty enough space to run on the fluffier sand or the harder packed sand near the water line. Surprisingly, the sand near the water line felt really spongy and soft to run on too. It felt like running on those memory foam mattresses. I was only supposed to go out half a mile and then back, to satisfy my 1-mile minimum for the #RWRunStreak (… more on that later) but I felt so good that I went out about a mile and a half before I turned around. I definitely felt my knee on the return mile and a half. It’s funny how happy you can be running out towards the sunset but then running back for the second half, not so much.

just me and the birds out today

I didn’t care if my knee was shot when I was done. I had to run today. It didn’t feel too bad while running though – maybe felt 75%, but as the hours wear on I’m feeling the pain again. I pretty much have to quit the challenge anyway. I know that but I’m having trouble accepting it. I ran another painful mile yesterday because I couldn’t give it up. And I ran on the beach just in case it was some miracle cure. It felt amazing and I should absolutely incorporate it into my training more, but it didn’t cure me. I need time off my leg. ARGHHH!!! I’m so annoyed. I didn’t realize how much running is tied to my happiness. But if I’m going to have any chance at all at running in DC when I go back home, I need to chill out now. Not to mention marathon training!! I need to let it go. But, come on, I couldn’t let it go on National Running Day!

So there was the end of my challenge. I went from Memorial Day to National Running Day. Too bad that wasn’t the challenge. I have to say I really love this sort of challenge. From what I read, Runner’s World does this throughout the year. I hear there’s one during the holiday season too. That’s the one I really need to do! That’s when I’m at my least inspired point – post Marine Corps Marathon. Anyway, it was a good day today. A good run. And I’m hopeful I’ll be back strong again soon!

back to my beach house… j/k, mine is a little further down and bigger

Anyone else have an amazing run day today? Where is your favorite place to run in the world?