Running

I have gone running a few times here in Bluefields….I guess I am going to do a ½ marathon at the end of August so I have to get started(I am not going to let Jamie beat me this time)! Running here brings a new set of challenges that I never imagined might be obstacles for the normal morning jog…..(here is just a few of the things I have to watch out for)
Stepping in dog crap
Stepping in horse crap
Stepping in pig crap
Stepping in any other unknown crap
Slipping on the sidewalk or road which is always wet and has some slimy algae growing on it in many places
Places where the sidewalk literally has chunks missing and if you’re not careful could fall into the gutter
Mangey dogs that won’t move out of the way
Other farm animals in the streets (mainly pigs and horses)
Taxi cabs that drive as fast as they possibly can all of the time, and instead of using breaks they just use the horn
Shouts, stares, hisses, whistles, and any other remarks you can possibly think of that might be said to a white gringo running down the street (I crank up my ipod and do my best to ignore)
The street unexpectedly ending at a pile of mud and dirt
Nonexistent sidewalks many places, making it sometimes necessary to dive in to the bush to avoid the rampant taxis
……and all of this is at 6 am! I was told that if I went out really early in the morning, there were people jogging all over! Well I have gone 2 days at 6 am and not seen one other jogger….i just get looks like, what the heck are you doing….(I guess I will have to go out even earlier, by 6:30 the streets get to crowded to run…mostly with children walking to school)
Some other things…
Saw a few naked people showering on their porches (their shower consists of dumping a bucket of water over themselves)
Some children tried to race me ( that was so cute)
And the best thing of all…..when I reached the top of the hill behind the city, I looked out and saw rainforest and ocean! And remembered I am in the Caribbean! Nothing better to wake up to than that...so, stepping in a little crap isn’t as bad as it seems!