Middletown Athletic Club

(serving the Middletown-Odessa-Townsend, Delaware Running Community since 2002)

"That's the thing about running: your greatest runs are rarely measured by racing success. They are moments in time when running allows you to see how wonderful your life is."  - Kara Goucher


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Thoughts on the Run - Summer Breeze by Andy Shearer

July 05, 2022 8:13 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

Like a lot of families these past few years, we really haven’t gone anywhere.  The last ‘family vacation’ was to Utah four years ago.  And the running there was outstanding (so was the rest of the trip)!  So getting away this summer meant a week’s worth of fun, activities, relaxation and RUNNING!

I’ve been hobbled the past nine months, recovering from a knee surgery that doesn’t seem to want to heal completely. It’s left me somewhat baffled but also looking like one of those shuffling ‘can’t let it go’ types.  And believe me, now I understand why they can’t let it go.  Things are (slowly) improving, so shuffle I shall. 

But I’m on VACATION and vacations were made for running, right?  We traveled to a place we’d never been before, and to me, the best way to experience and see a new place is on foot.  We also rented bikes for the week (geezer bikes, I call them) but by foot is my preferred mode of transportation.  It’s a lot easier to spot the restaurants, shops, and places of interest.

Runners (and walkers) – vacations and get-aways don’t have to preclude running IF you plan a little in advance. Know where you are staying, investigate a little bit about where the locals run, google map the area looking for trails, parks and sidewalks.  And had I thought about it, I would have checked the local running group to find a full schedule of locally held races (I looked on a Wednesday and noted that there had been a race held the day prior – ah fooey). 

Every trip is different, unless that is, you’re one of those creatures of habit.  Even still, weather, activities, food choices and the like can afford you the chance to run in different environments.  We get so used to running the same three or four routes. According to a recent USA Running study, the average runner has 3.4 different routes they use monthly. Gosh, we’re boring!

On our recent trip, I ran four different places during the week.  One (two actually) was running the same pathway but in opposite directions.  One was a beach run (sans shoes!).  And one was a local state park.  A couple runs I had company and a couple runs I ran solo.  The change of scenery, the change of pace, the change of terrain and even the change of company helped make each run a real vacation run.

This summer, I have added mileage in two different states, beyond the usual mid-Atlantic regions.  Indiana was a new location for me (state #35, 10 miles total) and my North Carolina mileage put me at 101 miles in the state.  Finding new places and new scenes adds an extra step to your…. Step.

So where will your summer breezes take you this year?  Or maybe you’re a winter snow-shoe or ski type.  And if a stay-cation is in your plans, there are lots of local and regional places I’m sure you’d like to investigate that are within an hour’s drive.  A little planning, a little travel, and a lot of memories. 

It’s time to relax, unwind, and look for the roads you’ve never travelled while humming Seals and Crofts all the way…(get out of there jasmine, I have allergies!).

I hope to see you on the roads, tracks and trails. 


Middletown Athletic Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. 99 Willow Grove Mill Drive, Middletown, DE 19709

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