Bucket List trip to Costa Rica
Another thing checked off my bucket list! As many of you know, I love to run but I also love to travel, so when a trip comes along that combines the two of them, that’s a recipe for an ideal vacation to me. In 2018 I was introduced to a company called Vacation Races and since then, I have done two of their adventures. So, when this trip was announced over a year ago, I registered for it on the first day (which was good, because it sold out in just two days). For a year I had to wait, plan and think about what was to come. Finally, on Jan. 18, 2020 I got on an airplane and headed to Costa Rica.
Costa Rica has always been a place I wanted to visit. Just the thought of the rain forest, birds, monkeys, mountains and more was a perfect location for me. My husband really doesn’t like to travel, so I recruited a friend and off we went. Now remember this company is called “Vacation Races” so it wasn’t a sit on the beach kind of trip. It was six straight days of running in the morning (though some people actually “raced” each day while others simply hiked), followed by a local adventure of some sort. The daily runs ranged from 3 to 5.7 miles, and was all on trails – mostly very challenging trails. We ran three days in the rain forest, full of rain, mud, hills and lots of green vegetation. We then headed to Arenal Volcano, running up over the top and back down the volcano (it last erupted in 1968). Day 5 was up and over a coffee plantation, more than 2000 feet of elevation gain in just 5.7 miles. And the last day was through some grass fields with the last mile being along the beach of the Pacific Ocean.
Our afternoon adventures included white water rafting, ziplining through the rainforest, canoeing, hanging out by the beach, going on a crocodile tour and driving to the next location. I saw wild monkeys, toucans, macaws, crocodiles, and more. It was busy but fun. We ate delicious healthy food (best fresh pineapple ever); met a lot of fun new people; and made a lot of great memories. During our downtime I typically caught up on emails or worked on my ICPA presentation (makes me realize I haven’t even blogged about that….guess that will be what I write about next month!).
Towards the end of the trip my legs were sore and I was tired. I fell hard one day, with cuts on my knee, hand and had a sore neck and shoulder. I couldn’t wait to get adjusted. Luckily there was a massage therapist who worked on me after my fall, and as soon as I got home, I got adjusted. It made me think of all the people who go through their life and never get adjusted … I really don’t know how they do it, and I wonder if they know what they are missing. Chiropractic care can be so beneficial in so many ways. I always talk about the health & performance benefits of it, and am so grateful that I “discovered” chiropractic back in 1995. Adjustments have helped me be healthier, recover faster and perform better. I really don’t think I could be a runner for 35+ years without the benefits of regular adjustments.
What about you? Do you get regular chiropractic adjustments to keep you going? Or do you have falls, repetitive motions and stresses that you just brush off? When there are things that happen to our body from a musculoskeletal or neuromuscular perspective, then a medication will not correct that. Medications may make you feel better, but to “fix” those bone, nerve and muscle issues, chiropractic care can make the biggest impact. I am so thankful that I understand that and am able to include chiropractic adjustments in my life which helps me stay healthy and injury free.
