Gwaan an everyone???.....that's Jamaican for 'what's going on!!!!' And that's where I am now....in beautiful Montego bay...and when I say beautiful, well, that is not a good enough word...if Jamaica isn't on your 'places to visit' list, you need to put it on!!!!! The only thing is...I'm not sure whether I would bring my trainers....honestly, when we booked this holiday, only 4 weeks ago, I could not WAIT for a bit of tourist running, imagining myself (in slow motion) running along the white sandy beach with the Caribbean sea lapping at my ankles...a bit like a scene from baywatch??!! Lol...oh no...not here...I first ran on Tuesday morning, just before 7am...our 2nd day, I knew when I opened the door to step outside I was 1, overdressed (even a bikini would have been too much!) And 2...I am from Europe....not just Europe but flippin Yorkshire. This is like sending a penguin into the Australian out back....it's just not happening is it??!!
I snook out of the apartment while everybody slept...I'm an expert at this as you know, tooth fairy duty, santa claus duty, birthday fairy, etc etc, I'm sure you can all relate to this...? As the apartment door slammed and the heat slammed just as hard into my running head I knew this run was going to be as tough as it was beautiful....
So I walked around the complex for my 5 min warm up..a warm up was the last thing I needed but obviously my muscles are a different matter...short shorts, vest top and my purple babies on my feet, I took myself to the top section of the bay...I can honestly say, this was breathtaking...the sea, the sky, the sun...this is definitely running in paradise....but I felt like a sticky mess...and if I'm honest, which I know I can be with all of you, when the plane doors opened on Sunday, a seed of doubt was planted, which the gremlins worked on and won as I had almost convinced myself I wouldn't be able to run in this heat...I ran up and down the beach 3 times and only managed 1k...what a load of rubbish??? But here lies a lesson....and it's a lesson I take with me a lot...when I'm running, if I don't feel like pushing myself, I just run until I'm tired...and I end my run on a high...rather than set myself a goal and not reach it...
In fairness to myself, Jamaica was a 10 hour flight so I was prob jet lagged too...I can search for lots of excuses if I want to...but just the fact that these days, packing my trainers is as important as packing my sun cream...is something that amazes me to this day...
This morning, at 7am, I ran on the dreadmill in the gym in the hotel complex...it was warm, the reflection was myself so the run wasn't as beautiful as Tuesday's....there was a fella from America who looked like he lived on pancakes and maple syrup on the dreadmill next to me who was finding it difficult to even walk on the dreadmill but he'd got up, laced his trainers with all the determination that I had laced up mine with and he'd gone to the gym...i take my hat off to him....and I take my hat off to all of you who run in ridiculous temperatures, whether it's extreme heat or extreme cold...you are amazing I don't know how you do it!!! So even the run on the dreadmill was hard this morning and not one I look forward to again but I'm here until next Sunday and I definitely want to squeeze a couple more runs in before I head home and back to the canal tow path....and I want to enjoy it, because who knows how long before I get the chance again??
Happy Easter my lovely friends....enjoy the Easter eggs, you can always run them off!!
MC Xxxx
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Enjoy your holiday, Bev. It looks so beautiful there! It would be easier to run in the heat when you've had some time to acclimate, so hats off to you for trying and getting in a treadmill run. Nothing like stepping into immediate high summer 😅
Haha thanks SaskAlliecat ...it really was from one extreme to the other...frosty Sunday morning leaving the uk then boom....hot hot hot...today has been 45°c, phew, that's hot for a girl like me!!! X
Ah well done to you Bev and the determination. Beautiful view there so enjoy the site seeing whilst you can, that's what I'd be doing on a holiday like that!! Hope the family enjoy it too 😊 Xx
Kudos 👍👍 to u for taking your kit and getting out there for a run... and going to the hotel gym on the dreadmill!! I really don't think I would.
Holiday sounds fabulous. Relax and enjoy it.
And yep just running till u r tired sounds a plan. Like u tho I'd be keen for a few more runs before home (if I had my kit.... But I probably wouldn't have taken mine in the first place !!) Anyway enjoy your holidays.. happy Easter and happy running
Thanks Deals1 , I wasn't sure how much air time my running stuff would get but I brought them with good intentions. Whether they get out again is another matter there's a woman here that runs every day, she's easy got 10 years on me but she goes every day without fail, her suitcase must've been full of running gear coz she has a different outfit every day too, but she's from Costa Rica so she's used to the heat...makes me look like a piece of wilting spinach!! Haha x
Good post from you Mummycav, at first when looked at the photo I thought it was somewhere else, not Jamaica, the Yorkshire coast as we here back home are having brilliant sunshine and well above average temperatures. 😊
I am glad that you enjoyed your short run on the beach then on the dreadmill in the hotel although you found it tough going. A holiday like that is to relax, it's not a boot camp.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday and just take any more runs slowly whether it's outside or on the dreadmill in the hotel.
Have a happy Easter and don't eat too many chocolate eggs.
Thanks AlMorr , that is EXACTLY what Daddycav said...it's not boot camp!!!
There are some gorgeous places in north Yorkshire with stunning beaches, just not these extremely high temperatures....I will take my next run easier than easy x
Well done on running in the heat! I am a cold-weather runner (hovering a little above zero is ideal), I can barely manage when the thermometer hits a dry 30C so well done on an epic run. Years ago I traveled to Costa Rica and brought old, beat-up shoes that were ready for the waste pile after the trip. On one run I ran in my full swimsuit, with a planned stop straight to the ocean at the end, shoes and all. Maybe if you visit paradise again, bring some ancient sneakers for that ultimate end-run relief.
Enjoy the rest of your vacation and happy running.
That sounds like a plan runswithdogs !! I know what you mean about the cold...I like to step.out of my front door, feel the chill and run it off in not cold for long....my strawberry face appears and I look like I need an ambulance about 3k in!!! I might actually run in my swimming stuff next time, its got to be better....and then I'll just throw myself into the sea!!!
Sounds fantastic ... enjoy your Caribbean holiday! x
I am a person who marches about with my kids in my wake telling me to "slow down mum". However in the Caribbean, I struggled even walking at my usual speed! I noticed that the locals seemed to shimmy along at a very relaxed pace, so that was the style I adopted. The idea of running in that heat.... I am full of admiration MC
Swimming in the warm sea might be the way to go, with a cocktail on hand. Have a brilliant, relaxing and fun holiday. The chill of the Yorkshire coast will be here when you get back (although it is very hot at the moment ) x
Oh that looks gorgeous MC! I just want to throw myself in that delicious looking water! And hey, a 1km run is better than no run! You did well to manage that in the heat. 👍 It is quite hot in London and I had my first warm run yesterday and I felt it! Lorks, going to have to get used to that again this summer - took two hours for my face to resume normal colour! 😂😂😂
If you end up not running again on this holiday it’s no biggie! A) you are on holiday, so relax! B) a wee break from running does wonders for your legs! Just think how lovely it will be to run in Yorkshire temps again! With a tan. 😁
Enjoy your hols dear Bev! It really does sound like paradise. 😊
Woweeeee MC that looks wonderful!! No one can run in 45c heat you will do yourself an injury. Swim instead and think of all the cross training you’ll be doing to support your running when you get back home. That view just beckons a shady spot and a cocktail or two! Have a fantastic break xxx
Wow, beautiful. I used to like running in hot weather, but am finding it a bit hard at the moment. Maybe because it got hot so quickly, or maybe because I seem to be the only runner to have gained weight. Well I don’t have scales, but my jeans are tighter and I feel bigger. Oh well, imagine if I hadn’t spent the last 10, almost 11 months running!
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week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
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