Since I got to Rio, there
are 2 things that have changed ... 1) I am now running 4-5 miles, 3-4 times per week, and sometimes on the sand, and 2) I love the beach. Let's address the first change: I never thought I could become a "runner." I have tons of respect for people who do it and complete admiration for those who do marathons (GINZ!!). But I never thought I could do it. I didn't have the endurance, I hated every second of my 3 mile treadmill runs, and I could not ever comprehend what the hell a "runners' high" was...until I came here and moved 1 block from the beach. It's almost sacreligious to be living in Rio de Janeiro and not run on the beach, and being that Fred is a runner, it was even more motivating. So, I started with a simple 3 miles on the asphalt bike path next to the beach. It was exhausting - I would have to stop and walk frequently, then run until I got massive abdominal cramping in my sides. But I stuck with it. Then, once I got more comfortable with that, I transitioned to running in the sand - sometimes close to the water, other times in the soft, hot sand closer to the street. It was brutal at first (and some days, it still is), but I'm actually LIKING it! I look forward to my runs. And then, on Saturday, I finished my first 5 mile bike-path run - the entire distance of the beach from Leme to the end of Copacabana. It was pouring rain, there was nobody else on the path, and I was PSYCHED!Now, the second change: becoming a beach bum. Until I got here, I think it was safe to say that I really did not like the beach. I hated getting sand in my bathing suit. I hated how dry my feet feel after I left the beach. But the biggest problem was this: my fear of the ocean! How, you ask, can someone who jumps out of planes, hangs off of rocks, and climbs mountains be afraid of the ocean? I wish I knew the answer, but the best one I can come up with is this: fear of what looms beneath me! I once had a patient who was a SCUBA instructor, and he told me that it was very common for type A personalities to hate the ocean. He said that it was the loss of control that made a person freak out, and Type A's are, well, control freaks. Either way, I never felt comfortable in the water. Enter Fred, beach-loving boyfriend o' mine. There was no way I could carry on like this any longer and be in a successful relationship with a Carioca. So, slowly he (and, embarassingly enough, his 11-year-old nephew) have been coaxing me into the water. Patiently, they waited until I finally felt comfortable enough to dive into waves...and now I'm hooked. When it's sunny, I want to go to the beach. When it's cloudy, I'm pissed because it's not sunny and I can't go to the beach.
Beach culture is very interesting here. I personally think it's fantastic, and I'll tell you why: women of all shapes and sizes wear tiny bikinis, and feel comfortable walking around the beach in them! Unlike in the US, curves are embraced here and women love to show them off. I have seen 70 year old grandmas in bathing suits that rival dental floss, and nobody gives them a second look. Plus, it is culturally discouraged to hit on people at the beach - so a girl can feel comfortable wearing anything she wants, and no guy is going to stare or come onto her. I think we could learn a few things from the Brazilians...
So what's the highlight of my day here in Rio? A good run on the beach followed by a jump into the ocean to cool myself off :)
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