Running on vacation, are you kidding me?

If somebody told me at the end of 2013 that I would be running during my vacation I would have laughed in their face.

But when you commit to Team Myles and running the 10K in the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon, you have to make a few lifestyle changes.

My beautiful wife Charlene and I just returned from two amazing weeks away. Week one was spent with six friends from Newfoundland in Orlando, FL. Week two was sailing the Caribbean aboard Celebrity Silhouette with a larger group of NL friends - 12 of us in all.

My fellow Team Myles 2014 members were back in Nova Scotia braving the elements and starting their first training run - hill training on Citadel Hill, none the less!

I did start treadmill running in January 2014 after committing to take part in Team Myles. So to ensure I was doing my part, I made up my mind to get out and run over the vacation period. In the 14 days away, I am proud to say I ran on seven days completing a total of 32.71 km.

Monday, February 24, 2014 was the first "outdoor" run I have ever completed. It's quite different than having a treadmill below your feet keeping a pace - much harder actually. But it was already 19 degrees Celsius at 8 am under sunny skies, so not much to complain about.

I ran again on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday getting progressively more comfortable on the concrete and asphalt. A stop on Tuesday to buy some real running shoes has changed everything. I never knew it could be that comfortable. My Friday run was 5K in 33 minutes getting closer to my treadmill pace.

FUNNY TRUE MOMENT: My average running heart rate is in the mid 150s. On one of my later week runs, I was passing one house in the Emerald Island Resort in Kissimmee, FL when a garter snake "jumped" out on the sidewalk in front of me. A few choice words and an internal chuckle and I was on my way again. Not a huge snake fan! I looked down at my watch and the shot of adrenaline pushed my heart rate to 171.

And then it was off to the cruise ship.

Everyone knows cruise ships have lots of buffets. But did you know, they also have tracks and fitness centres on board?

This was the 15th cruise in eight years for Charlene and I and we've never visited the fitness centre on the ships. We actually thought those using it were a little loose in the head! We're proud to say we actually found the track and fitness centre this time. Charlene is training for the 5K at the Blue Nose Marathon this year.

Some words of caution when running on a treadmill on a moving ship. It's not easy. It really becomes a core workout when there is a bit of a sea on. Was interesting to listen to the running rhythm change as the ship sailed through the waves as people caught their balance. Winds were high in the first few days.

ANOTHER FUNNY TRUE MOMENT: I use a Garmin Forerunner 210 GPS running watch. On one of the sea days on the cruise ship, I used my watch when running on the deck track. I was stumped for a moment as to why my pace was showing as one minute, 20 seconds per kilometre. It was the fastest 4K I have ever run! Hint: turn off the GPS function when running on the deck of a moving ship!

The moral of the story is that exercising during vacation is not a crazy idea after all. It actually felt good to get those runs in and be energized for the remainder of the day. Being with a bunch of Newfoundlanders meant I had to do the runs early morning before the crowd was out of bed. Let's just say the kegs awaken early in a home filled with vacationing Newfoundlanders!

Cheers.