Weekend Runner

Sunset at Maidstone Beach

I passionately believe that the weekends are for the 3 S’s: Sleeping, Supping and Socializing. During the week, I go to the gym 3 days and workout with Joe, my trainer, for the simple reason that if I didn’t workout with him, I wouldn’t workout at all. I can honestly say that most days on the way to the gym I’ve gone through my head every possible excuse to “call in sick”. But sure enough, the moment I’ve finished that hour of regimented torture I’m thrilled that I submitted.

Running gear: ON

So the idea of exercise on the weekend with only Anton as my conscience is totally against my normal inclination. His prodding that we should “do something” has led to a new program of running. Not the 5-7 mile runs we did up until a couple of years ago, that is until our knees and hips started showing wear. Those glorious runs that took place on deer paths through woods devoid of any humans, just deer and birds, were interrupted by the onslaught of ticks and chiggers so prevalent that we’d spend more time removing them from our legs, heads, and arms than the time it took to do the run.

Running gear: OFF

Now we do a run that takes about 20-30 minutes covering a respectable 3+ miles, divided into 3 minutes jogging, 20 seconds full on sprinting and back to the 3 minute jog, repeated 3-4 times. That shortened routine (the old one took 45-60 minutes) packs a huge punch and is no longer through the woods but along the bay. The views are different but so beautiful and just as varied as the woods. Depending on the time of day, the sky and water do all kinds of amazing things. Best of all, I’m distracted by the scenery and find myself at the end of my routine sooner than I expected. The best reward at the end is a jump in the pool and long hot shower. Whether you’ve got the city or the beach as your backdrop, get moving, keep fit and enjoy the sights.