Actually, I dreamed about running abroad (outside Manila and my usual routes) ever since being deprived of my opportunity to run in Melbourne. So I packed my running gear with me and took every chance I got to do my runs.
My first workouts were in Disneyland Hotel’s gym. This was nothing new to me as I did this the last time we were there in 2005. The gym still looks the same but noticeably equipped with new Cardio machines. More than what I can say for my gym in Manila. Hahaha. These workouts were fairly boring which I tried to make more interesting by running intervals at higher speeds and intensities.
From Los Angeles, we flew to Vancouver, Canada to board our ship for our Alaskan cruise. The cruise ship was a moving hotel and more. It literally had everything including a fully equipped fitness center on the very top which even offered pilates, yoga, and spin classes. Here, my runs were more interesting. I had to settle for the treadmills though as running open air on the deck was just too cold. The treadmills were situated facing the front of the ship, which offered a spectacular view of the ocean, the endless horizon, and at certain points mountains and icy glaciers.
On one instance, while I was on the bike, Mayi and the person next to her on the treadmill saw an Orca (Killer Whale) breach. Lucky lucky. Running on the ships treadmills though were equally interesting. It didn’t matter if you were just running flats, the bobbing ship constantly offered an inconsistent step and stride. It was like simulating a rolling hills run where you always had to mind your balance. Like I said, it was interesting and funny but quite challenging.
When our cruise ended, we docked back in Vancouver and stayed one more week with Whitey, my brother, in his house. He lived in a setting ideal for training. The sun sets at 9:30 pm and rises at 5:30 am, which gives you no excuse for not having time to exercise. His neighborhood is situated near a bike/run trail on a dike with a full view of the ocean and snow capped mountains on one side and pretty houses on the other.
While running, you feel a constant cool breeze and scents of pine and eucalyptus. Not to mention the occasional smell of steaks grilling on open barbecues of houses along the dike. You also come across bikers and runners throughout who greet and smile at you. Plus a bonus of seeing nesting eagles feeding their young.
On the very end of the trail, you end up in a park in a place called Steveston, a quaint community by the docks. There you'll see people just lying around doing their own thing from picnicking to Parasailing.
I tell you, I just breezed through my 10-11 km runs. It was runners’ heaven…exactly what you see in the movies.
