Dorothy Beal

One of my favorite things to do while on vacation is to make time to be active. Something about getting to workout vs feeling like I have to or should makes a run, hike, gym session or really any fitness activity I’d typically do at home, extra pleasurable. 

Before heading to South Walton I checked out the Watercolor Inn & Resort website, the place where I would be staying, to see if there was a gym or fitness center that I could use while there. Score – there was, so I packed gym clothing on top of what I was already bringing for running. Thankfully because I was traveling from a colder climate (it was snowing in Virginia when I left) I didn’t feel the need to bring anything other than shorts and a tank for my runs and a tank and leggings for the gym. I also packed a bathing suit, plus quick drying athletic apparel just in case I had time to squeeze in paddleboarding on top of everything else. 

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As a marathoner I’m unfortunately accustomed to websites touting “miles of trails” and then arriving at a location and finding out that by miles of trails they mean a mile or two. More often than not the “path” that they claim is great for running is nothing more than sidewalks. When I arrived in South Walton I immediately saw the path that was mentioned on the Visit South Walton website, which was an actual path that truly went for miles – 18.5 to be exact! The path ran along Scenic Hwy 30A and went past absolutely darling towns like Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach. Not only is the path popular with runners it’s also a well liked spot to ride a bike. Next time I visit I definitely plan on renting a bike and exploring the various towns on two wheels vs just on my own two feet! 

One of the many things I appreciated about South Walton, Florida was the ease of which it was possible to log training miles. When I’m in the thick of marathon training, I often don’t want to travel because I don’t want to have to run what feels like a million little loops in order to fit in a long run. My typical long runs range in length from 16 to 22 miles, so you can imagine how fun running a one or two mile loop over and over is – read: not that fun. 

If I do have a vacation planned during marathon training I will often move my long run to the day before I leave in order to not risk the loop scenario. The issue with that is, that then I’m typically tired and sore the next day. Nothing puts a damper on the excitement of a trip like not feeling one hundred percent yourself while sitting in cramped quarters in a car or plane. 

South Walton felt like a runner’s dream. Not only did I have miles of paved paths to run on, there were also plenty of soft trails in Grayton Beach State Park. Because of the extensive trail system there was no need to move my long run or skip it all together. 

Two of the trails that I would recommend if you are trying to rack up the miles is the Grayton Beach Flatwoods Trail which was 4.5 miles or the Timpoochee Bike Trail which was 18.6 miles. The trails in South Walton were so cool that one morning after breakfast I went on a walk on the Grayton Beach Flatwoods Trail just to be able to admire the surroundings at a slower pace. 

As a self proclaimed running nerd, there are few things in life more enjoyable than running a long run and hanging out at the beach for the rest of the day. The white sand coupled with the emerald green water made Seaside an absolutely breathtaking place to hang out after being active. 

I’m someone who loves to eat and who is often RUNgry from all the miles. I loved that there were an incredible amount of options for delicious yet healthy food in South Walton. I definitely recommend Black Bear Bread Company if you like good coffee and what felt like endless pastry and bread options. I’m gluten free and was pleasantly surprised they had delicious gluten-friendly bread options!

If you are more the type who enjoys a post run drink, I loved the restaurant attached to the WaterColor Inn where I stayed at, Fish Out Of Water. When I say really liked, I mean it – one morning I went there for breakfast, another day I went there for a post gym workout Bloody Mary and lunch, later I enjoyed a delicious dinner there on my last night. I promise you won’t be disappointed if you choose to head here! Oh and did I mention the views?! Want to watch the sunset one night? Asked to be seated on their seaside outdoor patio and enjoy watching the sun paint the sky the most glorious colors over the Emerald Coast. 

I’d be remiss if I also didn’t mention one of the other restaurants I visit while down there, Surfing Deer. The food was AMAZING, the drinks were delicious and if you go at just the right time you can catch the sky turning colors through the large front windows as the sun sets. You can thank me later for this recommendation!

If you find yourself thinking, all that sounds lovely BUT I am someone who finds it hard to get motivated to be active on vacation. Here are my tips for getting moving while also enjoying resting and indulging on vacation. 

• Prepare ahead of time by researching where you are visiting to see if they have trails, a gym, etc. Having a loose game plan ahead of time will help motivate you to act on it while on vacation.
• Pack appropriate attire so you feel comfortable being active.
• Be flexible! You might be someone who wakes up early and runs, but on vacation you might want to sleep in or your family would like you to join them for breakfast. Be flexible with when you fit in your activity – it might not be at an optimal time but anytime you can fit it in is optimal in my book!
• Focus on the after feeling. The last thing you might want to do is go for a run if you stayed up late enjoying drinks at one of the many delicious restaurants or bars South Walton has to offer. This might not be the best run of your life, but moving your body is a surefire way to kick start your day and make you feel great. 
• Leave the stress behind and enjoy yourself. A vacation should be just that!! Don’t stress about your workout, fit it in when you can, have fun, maybe try something new, or just generally be happy about whatever ends up happening. While yes you may be training for something and feel the need to fit in a long run or what not, the truth is at the end of the day, missing a week of training isn’t the end of the world and who knows maybe the extra rest and relaxation will benefit you in the long run, pun intended!

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Questions about South Walton or how to train while on vacation?! Send me a DM on instagram!

Happy 2021! I still am finding it hard to believe yet another year has gone by! 

One of the main questions I continually get DM’s about on instagram is what the best running shoes are. My response is always the same – there is no ONE best running shoe! The best running shoe is the shoe that works best for your unique body. What works for me might not work for you and what works for you might not work for me. 

On top of that – depending on the day or type of run you might want to wear different shoes. The shoes I like to run in for long runs aren’t always the same shoes that I want to run in for an easy 5 miler. 

So how do you find the perfect shoe for you if someone can’t just give you a blanket answer?

First, most brands will have the type of shoe you need, so once you figure out the type of shoe you need you can then find what shoes in that category might work for you. 

If you want to give ASICS a try, a brand I’ve been running in since 2000, they have a SHOE FINDER on their website! The only caveat is that it’s helpful to know if you need a stability or neutral shoe. 

First the SHOE FINDER asks your gender, so it knows what shoe you would prefer, men or women’s. If you are a woman who prefers men’s shoes click men’s or vice versa if you are a man who prefers to run in women’s shoes for fit or color reasons, etc. 

It then asks you what terrain you plan to run on – trail or roads. Trail shoes are different than road running shoes. Pick whichever place you plan to run on more. I occasionally run on trails but more often than not wear my regular running shoes for those runs. Trail shoes are not going to be comfortable in the long run if you primarily run on the roads or a paved trail like I do. 

It next moves on to what your typical weekly mileage is. This is important because “Beginning runners and runners logging long distances may want extra cushioning to provide comfort and protect joints. Paired with your specific goal, distance can inform which materials and technologies will suit your needs.” That being said you might like extra cushioning even if you are an experienced runner who runs a fair amount of mileage each week. You can explore that later, but for now just stick with what you typically run weekly and let the calculator do its job!

Want to give ASICS a try? I have an awesome giveaway over on my instagram page today to enter to win a pair of ASICS running shoes of your choice! 

Your running goal is up next – further or faster? Many of us will say but wait – I want both. I hear you – I too want both! My suggestion would be to pick faster if you are looking for shoes to wear during speed workouts, to possibly race in, or if you plan on running shorter distances. Pick further if you are increasing your mileage on singular runs or your weekly mileage or if you are training for a long distance event such as the marathon distance. Again this is an option you can go back in and play around with later if you want to see what options the SHOE FINDER will give you if you change this variable. 

Lastly you chose the level of cushioning you prefer – regular, extra or maximum. 

It’s that easy! The SHOE FINDER then gives you recommendations based on those choices!!