Being a non-runner in my favorite running place

I've been coming to the Rehoboth/Dewey Beach area somewhat regularly since I was in 6th grade (27 years, which isn't possible because I can't be THAT old!) and very regularly since I was a sophomore in college (so, for the past 19 years). There's a million things I love about southern Delaware, and wouldn't you know it, one of the things that's on the top of my list is running down here. 

We vacationed down here with another family many years in a row when I was young, and the father was a runner...like a real runner...had shoes he wore only when he ran, and described his runs in miles rather than blocks or street lengths. I remember going running with him as a 12 year old, our first summer in Rehoboth...I'd never run before but thought it must be cool since he would wake up early and disappear and come back looking so sweaty and happy. So I went with him one morning, I vaguely remember that we ran about 3 miles, and I was sick for hours after. He brought me home to puke my guts out and he went back out for more miles. That's when I resigned myself to the fact that running was something I would never be good at I would need to work on. 

Well, decades later, I became that person...the runner, the person who loved running at the beach, down here in Southern Delaware, just like Mr. Shields. Getting up stupid early to get miles in before the house woke up, before the heat was unbearable, before I had to be responsible for others. Almost as much as I loved running over the South Street bridge in Philly, I loved running down here at the beach. 

A picture of me running at the beach last summer...sweaty and happy!

My running clothes and shoes were the first thing I packed anytime we were headed to the beach house. I did all of my speed work along Rt. 1, between Dewey and the DE seashore state park. I ran my 5Ks here where I worked on PRing every race. It was down here that I got my first age group placing and started to feel like a real runner as I then placed in my age group almost every time over the past few summers. My last race down here was this past Memorial Day and I came in 3rd female overall, first in my age group!

Dewey Beach will always hold a ton of running memories for me. Our first morning down here on our vacation this week my youngest son woke up and said "how was your run mom?" because any other time down here, that would be a totally appropriate question for me first thing in the morning.  I still packed "active wear" and brought my bike and my now-walking shoes. And it's been fine. Nice. Enjoyable. A 4 mile walk takes forever, but is enjoyable!

I took this picture on my walk this morning. I am happy to still be active down here, even if it's not the same sweaty endorphin releasing experience as a beach run. 

Biking has been increasingly enjoyable. I've explored quite a bit of the area and have found myself "getting lost" in the ride...where the mind goes blank and you forget why you need the time to yourself. Only problem is that I'm legitimately afraid actually getting lost while out riding!

These are pictures from my ride yesterday. I found a trail I never knew existed (I'm not clever, just clueless...there was plenty of other people on the trail who knew it was there and seemed familiar with it). I wish I had known about it as a runner. It's shaded and off the road and incredibly beautiful. 

The Junction and Breakwater Trail...who knew!  I wanted to ride forever. But I remembered the three people I'm responsible for that were left waiting for me back in Dewey. So I turned around.  That's what they call adulting right?!

Not sure what the point of this post is. I guess to say out loud that I'm not a beach runner anymore. To say that I might be enjoying biking to some improved degree. To say that I can still be active without running. To say that seeing the people running down here makes me tearful, but I can hear my internal voice cheering them on and I smile like a big goofy creep when they run past me. 

The beach is a great place for reflection and taking deep breaths, for reading books and going on long bike rides.