Regular run

I know we have only lived here about a month, so everything is still sort of new and exciting, but I hope to continue to appreciate the beauty we are surrounded by. Although I go running almost every day, I can honestly say that I am continually in awe of the continually good views and fun things I see. Yesterday on my run I thought it would be fun to document my normal run loop, so today I took my phone along for the ride :)

I LOVE that there are so many pelicans here. I see dozens of them flying in formation daily, and there is always at least one hanging out on the pier. This little white guy seems to always be at the end of the pier, we dance back and forth deciding which way each of us is going to run. Another thing I love about my loop is the built in "obstacles." These are the stairs up to the pier that I do both there and back...adds a little (or a lot) of extra work.

The pier is fun to run along, although can be a little hazardous as part of it has some pretty rough wood, but I haven't had any casualties yet :) It is fun to be out over the water and watch the surfers from where they are out in the ocean and have a fun view of the coast from the ocean.

I start my run on the road along the beach and then at the end of the road, I run up to the street just above. It changes the view and gives a beautiful prospective from up high.

The amphitheater is another good place for some added boost to the workout. I have started going up and down the stairs between each set of bleachers. On Saturdays there are workout groups all over the place which is fun to watch. I need to go get some ideas to improve my workouts, without having to pay someone to tell me what to do :)

Another added bonus about running on the beach...there are always bathrooms if you need them (you runners out there know that this can be lifesaving when you are far from home) And since I run in the morning, they are still always clean! The picture on the right is my favorite part of my run. I turn a corner and am instantly hit by some extra ocean breeze with the view at the end. The other best part is that it is a slight downhill for the first time in 3 miles :)

The run usually ends on the sand. I love when the tide is ultra low like this because there is packed sand to run on without the risk of getting wet. Some days, if I'm really hot and sweaty I'll dip in the ocean, which the necessitates a little outdoor shower. We have this super cute shower that someone built in our complex, I love it! And...when we moved here Grant and I decided we would collect a rock every time we ran (a visual encouragement to exercise). This was my rock for today, and then I added it to the bowl on our patio.

With the temperature in the 60s-70s all day every day and views like these, it is no wonder that southern California is such a fit place. I know this will not last forever, so I'm trying to enjoy it everyday for now!