OBX VACation

I've been loving making my rounds to various beaches this year! First the Bahamas, then Laguna Beach, CA, then Sunset Beach, NC, and most recently (last week) the Outer Banks. (And I have a ton of blog posts to post with all of said trips, but whatever.)

I had never been to the Outer Banks before, and I have to say, I loved it! One of the reasons we've been checking out so many beach towns (and have more coming up) is because we're looking for a place to buy a beach house. And OBX is definitely a contender.

And I actually got in a bunch of workouts on this vacation, too, including 4 runs (that might be a vacation record for me), as well as lots of biking and paddleboarding (my favorite!). It took a run or two, but I found a run route that I really liked right by the house we were staying at. The route was mostly trails with just a few patches of paved road, so it was a nice break from my regular road running.

Between travel and recovering from illness, my goal this week was to run 20 miles. Yay for relatively easy goals that I can actually achieve right now.

Workout Summary

Monday

I had planned on running Monday morning, but we started our vacation off with an unexpected middle-of-the-night emergency room adventure with B and I was way too exhausted in the morning to run.

B woke up in the middle of the night with a terrible cough and wheezing horribly (it sounded like croup, which he's had before and had to get a breathing treatment for it). He was crying and screaming that he couldn't breathe and the closest hospital was an hour a way (unlike at home where it's less than 5 minutes).

While we suspected croup, we also knew he was bad enough that he needed a breathing treatment immediately to get it under control, so our only option was to call an ambulance. They got there within minutes and gave him the breathing treatment but also recommended he go to the hospital because they couldn't fully diagnose or fully treat him in the ambulance. So we made the hour ride in the ambulance to the hospital.

After getting one more medication and staying in the hospital for 3 hours for observation, we were finally able to get home. Our little nighttime adventure lasted from 11 pm until 4 am. So needless to say, we were kind of tired on Monday!

We wanted to keep B relatively calm on Monday, rather than spending the whole day in the water like we did on Sunday, so we drove to Roanoke Island and went to the NC Aquarium. B loves sharks and aquariums, plus the drive was an hour long so it gave him a chance to nap. They also had a dinosaur exhibit and he loves dinosaurs - especially T-Rexes - even more than he loves sharks. 

Tuesday

After Monday's (mis)adventure, I was determined to get back on schedule on Tuesday. I ran 5-miles, mostly on trails. B was also feeling much better so we got back out to the water for the rest of the day.

Wednesday

Instead of running on Wednesday, we went on a bike ride (and of course, swimming). We also visited the island of Ocracoke, which is only accessible by ferry. It's such a charming little seaside village and the ferry ride (if you time it right and don't have to wait in line for hours, like we did while returning to Hatteras Island) is also fun for the kiddos.

Thursday

I hit the trails again on Thursday. The weather was just so perfect in the Outer Banks. While it was still hot and humid (although, the humidity was generally lower, in the 70s), there was a nice breeze and the air was much less soupy than back in Charleston. I thoroughly enjoyed taking it easy on the trails and getting a break from swampy air.

After my run, we went to the sound to do some kayaking and paddleboarding. I definitely need my own paddleboard (and to get on a board much more this summer) since it's really one of my favorite things to do.

Friday

I started my day with another trail run. I'll miss these tranquil trails. (Hopefully we'll be back next year.)

In the afternoon, we headed to the sound again for swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding. And we saw a giant, rainbow unicorn. I'd call our last full day of vacation a success, mostly because of the unicorn sighting.

Because the sound had such a large area of shallow water, it was perfect for the kids to play without getting pummeled by the big waves in the ocean.

Saturday

We woke up, packed up and headed back home on Saturday. Not much else to report there.

Sunday

We were back in Charleston on Sunday, so I was back on my regular run routes, which are just as gorgeous and water-filled as the ones I had on vacation. I consider myself lucky for that! It's always easier to come back from vacations now that we live in a place that feels like a permanent vacation.

I was absolutely exhausted on my run, which I had fully anticipated based on the week's activities (a vacation with a crazy, 3-year-old boy is anything but relaxing!) and being stuck in a car for 9 hours the day before. I just took it slow and easy and stopped to walk a bunch of times. I was also a dealing with a bit of fatigue and hydration from weird intestinal issues the night before (fun times, you guys). 

The good news is, I actually ran the miles I intended to when I started the run. A few months ago, I would have just skipped the run entirely, or started it but cut it way short. It's nice to have the physical health, and in turn, the mental fortitude to push through runs like this. In spite of how tired I was (and how hot it was out there), I still enjoyed this run. Progress isn't always about pace.

And that's a wrap on last week. I'll post more pictures of the trip in a separate blog post (I took so many!). I loved being on such an active vacation filled with outdoor activities and water. And being with friends for a week in a lovely beach house was also a nice bonus. I'm ready to do it again next year!

On the health front, I'm feeling much better. The new meds I'm on really seem to be making a big difference for me and I'm feeling stronger by the day!

How was your week? Do you stay active while on vacation or do you take it easy?

As always, I'm linking up with HoHoRuns and Taking the Long Way Home for the Weekly Wrap series.