This summer, I spent many hours running and preparing for the upcoming cross country season. This included lots of push-ups and sit-ups when running was not an option (camping trips). I ran in some really cool places including: Sanlúcar, Spain; Southwest harbor, Maine; Northern Maine on the border of Canada, and Newburyport, Massachusetts. Many days I ran in the morning and others in the afternoon. Waking up and knowing that a 45 minute run is waiting for me can be hard considering that I could be sleeping during those precious 45 minutes. Conversely, lacing up my shoes in a hot summer afternoon, can be just as difficult. The first few days of summer running, I found to be the easiest. I was incredibly excited to put on my new shoes, strap on a GPS watch and get going. The runs were obviously difficult due to the rigors of running, which my body had not yet adjusted to, but they were also very fun. As the summer progressed, my runs became routine. I did them every day and they were getting easier. My miles were stacking up and I was cruising along. Then came camp. For the first few days, I was able to run around the property and get my miles done, until we left on our family camping trip. It was an 18 day canoe trip up in Northern Maine, around Baxter State Park. During those 18 days, I was only able to go on four runs, totaling about 20 miles. The amount of miles I was supposed to run during those 18 days was more like 110, so I lost a bit of ground. I remember having long days in the canoe, sitting down the entire time and having my legs itching to run. If I were at home, not running would feel great, it would give my legs some time to recover and I would be able to sleep a bit more. Although, not being able to run felt more like a problem than it did a benefit. I knew all of my friends were piling up miles in their sneakers while I was doing the same, but with a paddle in my hand, sitting in a canoe. Whenever I could, I would go out for a jog wherever it seemed possible. I had a couple of runs on logging roads and a few others on trails. I found these quiet, peaceful runs on trails completely different from the noisy, exhaust filled runs in Spain. Many times a motorbike would cruise by and I would get a mouthful of exhaust, which was not appreciated by me. Other times, I would be cruising along the beach and another runner would pull up next to me and we would jog together for about 20 minutes until it was time to go our separate ways, which I loved. I would talk to these people in Spanish, and learn a bit about them while exercising as well, it was great! Wherever I ran, I had a blast, whether it be in Maine, Spain or any place else. Summer training can be as fun as you want it to be, and this summer, I had a blast!