Have Shoes? Will Travel! (Part 1)

Growing up the daughter of a commercial airline pilot, you could say I was bit by the travel bug early. It's (kind of) ingrained in me; in my blood. I've been flying since I was 6 months old, and have been blessed to travel to places all over, including Canada, London, Paris, Romania, the Bahamas, several US States, etc. Even if not flying, I really love a good road trip. To explore parts unknown, learning about new cultures, seeing monuments to the past; bottom line: I love to travel, and I also love to just get out and explore. I'm always up for an adventure.

When I do travel, I'm kind of get stuck in "go-mode," as my husband would say. That might be where "opposites attract" comes to play in our marriage. He's the type when on vacation to just sit around on a beach and relax. Me? Complete opposite. That drives me crazy. I honestly can't sit around idle all day. I had our entire trip to Toronto and Niagara Falls planned down to the minute. See this, do that; drink here, eat there. He joked when we came home, "I need a vacation from the vacation!" (I actually do think he was serious, though.)

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with a local pastor and runner who has completed several races and has ran for several years. He told me that running is one of the cheapest sports you can get into, that it doesn't take much more than a good pair of shoes. But my favorite tidbit he shared with me was that your shoes can carry you to any place you'd like; that with just a pair of running shoes, you can sight-see until your heart's content, all the while exercising and gaining valuable points towards your health. I really loved that, and I definitely took note.

When traveling, I always find it a difficult task to locate a gym. I'm not really a fan of using the hotel gym, as usually wherever we stay, there's glass windows where God and everybody can peer in. I'm not comfortable with people watching me or gawking as I work out while they're passing by. Folks, I can see you in the mirror. Just keep moving, please. (Awkward.)

So I guess you could say this is my latest "adventure." I'm really excited to get out and explore my first city by shoes. I will be staying overnight in downtown Indianapolis for a concert this week, and I plan to do just that; explore downtown by running shoes.

Indy is one of my favorite cities, not just because I consider it home, or that I somewhat know how to get around, but exploring downtown has been something that I've always wanted to do. Now, when I say explore, I initially meant that I wanted to just walk around and get a bit lost for a day, however this time, it'll be during my normal Saturday run.Why not just turn it into a sightseeing adventure? It'll make my run feel a little less hell-ish.

To me, Indianapolis has a lot to offer; a city that (in my opinion) gets overlooked way too much. Indiana (and Indianapolis too) has always been known as a "flyover state;" a pit-stop destination when flying or driving across the country on I-70, and quite honestly I don't think that's fair. Many folks during the Superbowl said that Indianapolis was one of the most accommodating and friendliest cities that has ever hosted the event, however many have never been before, and many didn't give Indianapolis a chance when they first announced it was hosting. I still feel as if it's unfortunate many overlook the city/state, and that people are truly missing out on a hidden Midwestern gem.

So enough about that, as I climb down from my soapbox. I look forward to my outdoor run this week while overnighting in Indianapolis. We will be staying just a few short blocks from the canal and White River State Park, and my route is (somewhat) planned to incorporate both downtown and Monument Circle, mixed with the beautiful canal and the park. As a self-proclaimed shutterbug (albeit crappy), that is where Part 2 will come in, as I plan to take as many pictures as I can showcasing how awesome I hope my run is to be.

After all, when traveling, all I need is cooperative weather and a pair of running shoes. :)