Where Amy Runs

Our week in California was packed with miles--hiking, walking, running--and so I did not have any expectations of logging my usual weekly long run. (The day before we arrived in San Francisco, we'd gone on an epic hike, so the legs weren't exactly feeling fresh.) Yet, on our first morning, we managed an 11 mile run. California sure is beautiful, and that can definitely keep you running...perhaps, like me, even longer than you expected! From our hotel in Union Square, we headed straight for the water and entered at the Ferry Building. We took a left, ran through the Embarcadero (good people watching!), through Chrissy Field, took a detour for a Golden Gate Bridge photo op (see below), cut through the Presidio down to Baker Beach, then made our exit near Lobos Creek. Phew! Clear views of the Golden Gate Bridge on our unexpected long run along the San Francisco waterfront. Our original idea was to do a quick out-and-back along the water, but once we saw the Golden Gate...

To celebrate the new year, my husband and I made our first trip to the west coast. We landed in the Monterey airport well past sunset, got our rental car, and made our way to the hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea. It was pitch black, as if we were in a forest--no streetlights, nothing!--so, we had no idea of the beauty that surrounded us. Our nighttime arrival made the following morning's run along Scenic Drive that much more stunning. One of the beautiful beaches we looked down upon from Scenic Drive.  We ran down a steep hill from the hotel (oh-so-fun to run back up later!) directly to Carmel Beach and did a full out-and-back before heading back up to the road. We took the Scenic Drive loop, staying on the road as it was mostly one way with minimal traffic, plus it seemed there was an unspoken rule that the pedestrian path was for walkers only (most runners, like us, were in the streets). Usually I'm quite a conversationalist when I run (or actually, make that all the tim...