What happened when I stuck to running on vacation

For Susan, 2016 is bringing a lot of running firsts. That’s because coming into the new year, she decided to take on 12 races in 12 months. Recently, on a trip in St. Maarten, she experienced running on vacation for the first time. 

My family and I have just returned from an idyllic seven-day stay on the Dutch side of St. Maarten. It’s an island that we have been to several times and it has now deeply entrenched itself into our hearts.

This time, we stayed at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort for an all-inclusive stay with three gorgeous beaches within easy walking and running distances from the hotel. That makes it a perfect vacation spot. For longer distance runners, even more beaches would be within reach from where I was staying.

RELATED: Why run on vacation

This year is my big introduction to running and so far, it has been loaded with firsts. This week in St. Maarten was my first time running while on holiday, so I was given some tips from a friend living on the island and I learned a few things on my own as well. Here are my ideas for anyone else running while on vacation:

1. Plan ahead and find out if there’s a gym

I had emailed the hotel ahead of time and was given a list of workouts facilities available at the hotel. These included daily aquafit, an on-site gym, scheduled walks leaving from the hotel lobby and route suggestions for running. This helped me visualize and plan for fitness on my holiday.

2. Time of day is important

Thankfully I’m an early-riser by nature, so I was out and back before my family even woke up, plus I was happy that the exercise was off of my to-do list for the day. It worked well with the morning temperature being moderate, before the blazing sun took hold for the majority of the day.

RELATED: On my second race of the year, I came dead last

3. Plan for a water stop and know where the washrooms are

If you have a water belt, great. If not, plan for water breaks. You can stop to buy some water or a refreshing drink on your route and it’s a great way to support local businesses and meet people.

4. Bring your phone, keys and some money

These are the basics when running anywhere for a long distance– especially in places you’re unfamiliar with. The key is to have a phone with a camera function on it so that you can capture the amazing scenery, wildlife and general beauty.

5. Look out for stray dogs sleeping under cars

As with any Caribbean island, there are usually stray dogs out and about. They like to sleep under cars to feel protected and to get respite from the unrelenting heat. They can be easily startled by runners going by, so it’s good to keep your wits about you and to be aware as you pass by any parked cars.

6. Footwear and the lack of it are equally important

I chose to wear my running shoes without socks. Big mistake. Sand in your shoes without socks don’t mix. I wore my shoes until I got to the beach, and then ran barefoot on the beach. When it was time to put my shoes back on to finish my run, the friction of the sand in my shoes very quickly started to create blisters– many of them. I had to tear out some material from the inside of my shorts to wrap my toe with it so I could continue. The only thing I would do differently next time would be to wear socks until the beach, or find shoes that could work well on the road and beach, with no sand getting inside.

7. Wear clothes that can get wet

If the mood strikes or if you’re overheating, it’s great to just be able to jump into the ocean. Wearing clothes that are quick-dry and is ideal– especially if some of the items can double up as swimming gear. Swimming is great cross-training too.

8. Back to footwear, hang up your shoes

If you take your shoes off to run on the beach or go swimming, hang your runners on something high, as those stray dogs often like to run off with them. Dogs and shoes are a universal phenomenon, apparently.

9. Forego the gym

Forego the gym. There’s so much to see and experience by exercising outside. If the weather isn’t cooperating, the gym is a good back-up plan, but if travelling to a spot like St. Maarten, absorb the gorgeous scenery on the run while you can.

10. Be on vacation

Remember that you’re on vacation and don’t be too hard on yourself. Don’t stress so much on running fast that you end up missing the scenery. I saw herons, brown pelicans diving for fish, fragrant and stunning flowers, amazing architecture and of course the breath-taking beaches. Soak it all in!

What kind of running vacation should you take?