Last year our best boating friends moved to Daytona Beach. My hubby & I decided to visit them for a few days. (Since we are closed for Martin Luther King Day, I only had to take 2 days more off from work).

Of course, this was not convenient in terms of my half marathon training schedule but I tried to be flexible.  (I brought running shoes, just in case).

Why was this the best vacation ever??

In addition to climbing to the top of two lighthouses, going out to dinner and/or lunch everyday, seeing umpteen alligators on an airboat ride, seeing umpteen manatees in a blue spring/sanctuary, taking a horse-drawn carriage ride in the oldest city in the US, seeing the sunrise over the ocean and the sunset over the river…. I RAN EVERYDAY!!!

Our friends live in Holly Hill, Florida, a block from the Halifax River and 4 miles from the ocean.  The first day I ran south toward the Seabreeze Bridge and back.

The path is paved and along the river with many parks along the way.

The second day I went in the other direction (north) and back.  I wanted to run over the Granada bridge and to the ocean. The road is very similar as running south.

However, the distance to the bridge was farther than I thought (remember I am not running everyday…haha…the weather was too perfect to follow my injury-free running plan!!) so I turned around after crossing the bridge.

On the third day, I ran the same direction as the first day but decided to run over the Seabreeze Bridge and back. The distance was little shorter than the previous day but it was quite windy.

On my last day, I ran toward the Granada bridge and back but not over it as I had to get back to pack for my return to FRIGID Albany, NY.

So I was in running heaven!!!  The river views, no traffic, wearing shorts, no schedule…just run when and where I wanted and as far as I wanted (6 miles is my limit with 7 scheduled for this weekend.)  I was a little worried about running 4 days in a row but I took it easy and I feel great.

Our hosts were so easy-going.  They did their errands in the morning and we were both ready to embark on our daily adventure around 11 am. (I’ll post more vacation/non-running pics soon.)

Stay tuned for Vitamin D – Part 3 – March 12-18 and my attempt at a HALF MARATHON!!!!!

Happy Running!