Lacing up to train in Nicaragua's sand, heat
“It’s tough running on a beach,” James Cassell warned.
James would know. He’s the veteran triathlete who helps coach my Wednesday night Sun Run InTraining clinic — and he runs 10K in well under 40 minutes.
Yours truly had casually mentioned that I was going to be on vacation for two weeks, adding that I planned to keep my training schedule up at the remote Nicaraguan beach village of El Transito, where former work colleague Jenelle Schneider has established a bed-and-breakfast.
The little fishing village, at the end of a 13-kilometre dirt road, has recently hit the radar of backpacking surfers from around the world looking to escape the crowds at better-known surf breaks.
My wife and I decided it would be a good place to learn to surf — a couple of operators have set up surf rentals and lessons — do some running and drink some cocktails.
Since I first ran the Sun Run last year, I’ve learned to take my running gear along on vacation. (My wife Kathy has done this for years — she’s run on as many beaches as I have lounged on.)
Just after last spring ’s Sun Run, I visited my family’s northern German home village for an uncle’s birthday celebration.
I headed out one morning for a run to the next village. The countryside was flat as a Dutch pancake (Holland being just an hour’s drive to the west) and the tree-lined road was dead straight.
I could see the clump of trees that marked my objective from three kilometres away. They never seemed to get any closer. I gave up and turned back at the two-thirds mark.
Call that a fail.
A trip with Kathy to Rome was a different story. We discovered the Villa Borghese park, a leafy refuge that sprawls over one of the city’s hills. A 40-minute run there took us on scenic paths lined with classical Roman statues. We ran that route several times.
Call that a pass.
El Transito had its challenges. It was humid, with daily high temperatures in the mid- to high-30s.
Running in the early morning, around 7 a.m., was cooler, but not by much. Sunscreen and a hat were essential under the tropical sun, and I had to get used to sweaty sunscreen dripping into my eyes.
If the tide wasn’t completely out, the sand would drag at your feet. On the plus side, at low tide the sand nearest the water was packed solidly for running.
So, yep, James was right. Heat and sand are a challenge, but I was getting accustomed to both by the end of the vacation — enough so that coming home was a shock.
We returned to North Vancouver on a Saturday, and I’m writing this on Sunday, having just finished a run within sight of mountains dusted with fresh snow. Yikes!