Note to self: when you're looking at Google Maps for a place to run, and you see a place with "memorial gardens" in the name, that place is not a park-like area where you can run early in the morning. It's a cemetery, stupid.
We're staying one night at the Hilton Blue Lagoon Miami Airport before embarking on our seven-day Miami-Miami cruise. It's a last-minute thing to get away from cold Cleveland for at least a little while. This initial run of the trip is okay, but nothing special. These Floridians ought to do a better job of respecting nature and people's appreciation of it. For example, there should be pedestrian byways near the abundant shoreline areas. There isn't. But... at least it's warm.
And warmth is what we came for.
Here's a rundown of one of my shipboard runs on the Oceania Insignia. It's not much different from my other shipboard runs for the week, or for that matter, other shipboard runs I've done on these types of ships in years past.
4:40 AM: I try to get coffee from the espresso machine in Horizons Lounge. The machine is out of order. This will not stand. I need my coffee. So I head over to the Terrace Cafe. That one works. I get two - I'll need them after all of last night's Italian food and wine.
4:55 AM: The laps have begun. It's 13 per mile, but less if you run a little way down each hallway, then turn around. This technique also enables one to do fewer laps per mile and to avoid turning the same way all the time. I also temper the turning problem by running clockwise early on, before anyone else shows up. When they do, I have to go with the flow: counter-clockwise all the time. But the stopping and turning are stupid.
5:55 AM: I've been getting a tiny bit faster with every mile. Perhaps the coffee is finally beginning to work. But the splits are still pretty slow. Now that it's nearing 6:00 AM, the fitness room will be opening up. I've been doing fine, but maybe a treadmill will feel better.
6:10 AM: Go better, it doesn't. The treadmill TVs barely work, and the sound through my headphones is even worse. I run less than a mile (a slow one) before going back outside.
6:20 AM: I'm back outside. And I'm running slower than ever. Now, there are more people about, so I have to be more careful about potential collisions. It's a little fun to terrorise the walkers, however. On a break between miles, I speak with a fellow runner.
7:30 AM: I am done. Done done, as we used to say in project management. 12.5 miles isn't bad, but it wasn't pretty today. I jump into the pool. Now that feels good.
After more running in circles, I finally get out into the world for a run in Cozumel. It's midday, and it's hot! The kind of hot that I am not used to. And I'm dealing with thousands (literally) of people coming off the Carnival Breeze. But it's only a couple of miles. Time for a jump in the pool and a beer.
All in all, it wasn't a bad trip with regard to running. I got my ten miles a day in, and some of that wasn't half bad. But dry land and friends are always better.
For more about this trip, check out the travel blog post.
