I had some memorable workouts while down in Costa Rica all of which charged my soul with sensations of fulfillment and purpose.

The first run came several days after we arrived and I was getting antsy to do some training/exploring.  We were in Puerto Viejo and the gang leisurely biked on our cruisers about an hour south towards Manzinillo.  We decided to cool off and play at the playa (beach) Cocles.  Feeling energized, I stripped down to just my bathing suit and headed off on a bare-footed run.  We were not far from the Panama boarder, so I thought I would head that direction, south along the Caribbean coastline.  My senses were elevated, being in such an unusual environment.  I felt like a scout, itemizing everything for the first time.  On my left the blue green turquoise waters of the sea crashed near shore into a white froth.  On my right the jungle fauna was thick, coming right up to the sand, the trees lunged over the sand competing for their share of sunlight.

I ran and ran, taking in the scene almost as though watching it through someone else’s eyes.  It was surreal and I was almost giddy with expectation at what would appear around each bend.  The beach was getting more and more remote as fewer and fewer people were encountered, eventually it was just me and nature.  I passed several river outlets pouring into the sea, the water cooling my feet.  Tide-pools, nestled between the sea and the sand, began to appear frequently.  Some of the waves bellowed up high, coming into view far out on the horizon.  Their water darkened by the shear mass of the wave.  Upon reaching the shallow waters, the crash seemed to resonate through the beach.

I was motivated to run for a long time.  I would come to a small bay and run the distance to the farthest point, turning the corner and coming to the next small bay.  I would in turn, want to get to that point eager to see the intricacies of the next bay.  Wearing no timing device allowed me to be lost in the moment, experiencing.  I crossed another bend and saw the beach meander far off towards Panama.  Suddenly, taking a mental note on how far I’d made it, the long trek back started to set in.  My senses focused on the external almost entirely switched to the internal and I began to appreciate running shorts!  I was only wearing a swimsuit, (totally feeling native), that caused a lot of chafing.  I reluctantly turned around. 

Turning around after a long exploration, it was tough to be back tracking.  The effortless, freedom of my run south, was slowed by the nagging chaffing pain as I headed north.  At some point the endorphins kicked in enough that I was back enjoying the scenery.  I was marveling at the comfortable heat and the long distance covered when the pain was beginning to be too much to ignore.  Mercifully, Hortense and Stephanie had headed out on a walk and I obliged to walk back with them.  Walking funny, like there was a coconut between my legs.  Getting back I could think of nothing more enjoyable than being in the sea.  Plunging into the refreshing ocean, I momentarily shrieked as the salt water stung me.  The pain quickly abated and the pleasures of the warm Caribbean soothed me.