June 7, 2009 Going on vacation? Make sure you get in plenty of walking This past week I was on a vacation with my wife, and our destination was Ireland. We home-based in Killarney, Ireland and branched out from there on different days. If anyone ever asks you if Ireland is green, you can say that it is all green. Some of the areas resembled a tropical forest, with ferns and green undergrowth as thick as a blanket of grass. The place we visited the most frequently was Killarney National Park, which was just a short 1.5 miles from our country house. For a walker or runner, this was a great place to start the day or get in a good workout. The park is somewhere around 16,000 acres of forest and lakes. Most of the people we saw were fast walkers, and only a few really dedicated runners. On weekends the paths were full of families pushing strollers with youngsters and enjoying the day off. There were as many trails as you wanted to choose from, with distances anywhere from 3 kilometers on up to 20 kilometers. One lady came everyday and put in five miles with a double trip around the Circle Walk that included a good climb to a fantastic view of the mountains and lakes in the distance. She was a real fitness walker and covered her miles at a very brisk pace. There were several benches if you wanted to stop for a rest and take in the scenery. Our longest walk was following a trail to a historic 14th-century castle. Ross Castle was being scheduled for demolition until a businessman bought it and renovated it to its original state. A few modifications were necessary, as the walls were ready to topple and some of the original portion was gone. Between walking to the castle and taking a tour of the castle, we put in a good 10 miles by the time we returned to the room at the house we stayed at. The course was not very hilly; but anytime you walk 10 miles, the legs feel it. Since there is a good variety of trails to choose from, a person could put in as many miles as they would want by selecting several trails and never cross over the same path twice. If you wanted some hill running, you picked the steep paths that could be a nice challenge. If you liked scenic runs along a river, or next to a lake, or through beautiful flower gardens, these choices were all available. For a runner or a walker it was ideal for getting in a daily exercise session. The nice thing for runners is that the weather was downright cool. The last two days we were there, the temperature reached 22 degrees C (about 70 degrees F). Other than those two days a long-sleeved shirt or light jacket was comfortable. I have to admit that the reason we walked as much as we did was that my first attempts at driving on the left side of the road with the shift on the left side also made things a little complicated. Very narrow streets did not help matters much; and my option was to drive a short distance to a parking lot and walk anywhere else. Since the park was so close to the city of Killarney, the walking was a great option. There were a lot of tourists in Killarney; and one of the easiest ways to tell a local from a visitor was the pace that people walked. It seems that a fast pace is normal for most local residents. Even when I thought we were walking a good pace, we were passed up on a regular basis by someone out for a walk. After a good walk we usually stopped by a thatched-roof little building that served hot tea and desserts. I don’t think I saw a glass of iced tea the entire time we were there. When you ordered tea, it always came in a silver tea pot with cups and a choice of either white or brown sugar for sweetening. If you are a runner or walker and worried about getting in your miles on a vacation, I can recommend Ireland, and especially Killarney National Park for a trip. Start your day with a good walk or run, and then take the rest of the day to do some sightseeing. Dr. Maurice Johnson - better known around San Marcos as “Moe” - is a professor in the Department of Health, P.E., Recreation and Dance at Texas State University - San Marcos. Moe has been a fixture in the San Marcos running community - both as a runner and race organizer - since way back when Moby Dick was a minnow. His column on running and fitness appears each Sunday in the Sports section of the San Marcos Daily Record. • Recent “Running With Moe” Columns • Home • About the Club • Current News • Club Runs • Places To Run • TX Running Clubs • Running Links • Useful Stuff Upcoming Races • Race Results • Country Roads 10K & Kids Run • ARA-Moe’s Better Half Marathon • “Running With Moe” Contact Us!