Running in Spain wasn’t quite the leisurely stroll I saw in my dreams. Two of my long runs for my upcoming half marathon were scheduled for the two weeks I was traveling, which put a little extra pressure on making them happen. I didn’t have high expectations performance-wise for these runs – I was off my usual sleep schedule (ha! understatement) and weighed down by ice cream. A lot of ice cream. I was also buzzing with excitement about exploring a new place on my feet. Turns out running on my trip was easier than I expected… and much harder.

Parque del Retiro, Madrid

My mom kept telling me that running would help with jet-lag. I didn’t really get to try out that theory, because the days it was hitting me the hardest, I was nauseated and zombified. But on my second full day in Spain, I headed out to the Parque del Retiro in Madrid.

It felt so good to be outside, enjoying the stunning park that I didn’t care all that much that my “run” was about 60 percent running and 40 percent walking/ “stopping to take a picture” (also known as “I feel like I’m dying and I want to stand here”). And to think that I told myself that if I felt good I might try for a long run. HA! The 4.25 miles I ran were plenty.

Jardí del Túria, Valencia

By the time we got to Valencia, I was ready for a long run. We stayed in a hotel close to the science park/ the Jardí del Túria, an amazing park that used to be a river running through the city. As soon as we digested lunch a bit on the first day, I grabbed my running shoes, convinced my travel companion to join me on the world’s heaviest bike (sorry!), and set off to conquer my first long run in Spain.

I have never run in such an inspiring place before. Sure the Embarcadero in San Francisco is amazing and I love seeing all of the runners, but it’s nothing compared to the amount of people who were out running in Valencia. The park was packed! There is a special runners’ trail that goes straight down the middle of the park for most of it (9km in each direction).

The best part? Constant distraction! I watched ping pong, roller blading, soccer, boot camp workouts, old men chatting while pretending to work out, adorable dogs, near bike collisions… I didn’t even miss listening to music or a podcast.

Camí de Cavalls, Menorca

This was my big run, and I wasn’t quite sure how to go about it. I didn’t want to run alone, which meant I had to find a place to run that was close to a bike rental. I also had to figure out where, on a tiny island, I could 10 run miles without constantly feeling like I was going to be run over on the narrow roads.

I did some research (on Internet from 1998), and I stumbled across the insane ultra marathon that has participants do a loop around the entire island. The race is focused around the Camí de Cavalls, an old trail that was used as a lookout/defense route. I figured if they could run on it for that long, surely I could do a 10 mile run.

And for the most part that was true. I had some trouble finding the trail… and staying on it. I’m pretty sure at one point I was scrambling through people’s backyards, up against a sheer cliff into the ocean. To be honest, I started to get frustrated. I hadn’t been running regularly during the trip, this was way out of my comfort zone, and 10 miles by itself is challenging enough. Ten miles while trying to figure out where the hell you are and how the hell you get back to where you started was maddening. I was constantly having to stop to try to figure out where the trail was, which sucked all of my motivation and energy. On top of that, the trail was incredibly rough and rocky at some points (and on paved streets on others), which exhausted my unprepared feet an ankles.

(I’m making this face because it’s beautiful and I’m on vacation on an incredible island and part of me is having fun… the rest of me thinks I’m going to die right here.)

Now that I’m not feeling the pain of the run (or the heat!), I’m so glad I did it. I saw some incredible things (The beaches! The color of the water! All of the food I couldn’t eat!). It wasn’t exactly a confidence booster for running a fast half, but it sure was for the budding explorer inside of me.

Hands down one of my favorite things about vacation is the time I have to read! Exploring and seeing new things were definitely a priority for most of my trip, but I was beyond excited to load up my Kindle (a luxury for me, since I usually borrow books from the library) and tear through books. I was gone for 15 days, so naturally I brought four books (five would have been better).

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo: Reading this on the plane from San Francisco to Madrid was equal parts inspiration and frustration. I had packed a small backpack of things that brought me joy for the trip, which meant I could clearly follow these rules. I also couldn’t wait to try my hand at yet another attempt to reduce the amount of things I own. Which leads us to frustration. Turns out being on a plane without access to my closet when I was ready to organize is not a good idea. The whole trip I had pent up organization motivation that was mostly obliterated by jet-lag when I got home. Overall, not a life-changer for me and I think Marie and I likely disagree on quite a few things, but I’m glad I read it and it will factor in to how I think about my possessions.

The Martian by Andy Weir: I devoured this book. By far the best book I read on the trip. Bonus, it will always remind me of taking the train from Barcelona to Valencia. Read it if you haven’t already!

Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull: This was one of those cases where expectations completely alter your experience. I went into this book expecting inspiration for fostering personal creativity. Instead I discovered it was about leading a team or a company in a creative pursuit. Don’t get me wrong, it was fascinating and I loved the stories about the challenges Pixar has faced, but I was slightly disappointed that it wasn’t 100 percent applicable to me right now (turns out I don’t manage an incredible animation studio… or… well anyone). It did however change the way I thought about how I liked to be managed and what I look for in a company.

The Girl in the Spider’s Web by David Lagercrantz: I got on the plane for my eight hour flight from Madrid to Toronto about a fifth of the way through the book. When I landed in Toronto it was over and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It doesn’t matter that Stieg Larsson didn’t write this book – the characters felt the same and the plot took off like Larsson was in charge. A real toss up if you should read this or The Martian first.

I spent weeks figuring out what to pack for my two week trip to Spain in a carry on. I had bought a great backpack that I knew fit all of the requirements for carry on luggage (even the crazy rules for Ryanair), and some packing cubes. About a week before my trip I had a comprehensive list of everything that I thought I would like to bring, and I had been slowly crossing things off it. Too bad that when I packed the weekend before my trip, the list was safely in my desk at work. The good news, I didn’t forget anything.

For 15 days in Spain, I used a 46 liter backpack and my crossbody purse. I never had a check a bag, and walking around cities with my stuff was a breeze!

What I packed in my backpack:

Clothes:

We went to Spain in the middle of September when the weather couldn’t make up it’s mind if it was summer or fall. This meant that I had to bring a few extra things that I wouldn’t have if every city could have gotten on the same page about the weather. I dressed like it was fall in some places, and wore summer dresses in others. We had planned on doing laundry every 5 days (so twice while traveling), which worked out great! The Airbnb’s we stayed in all had a washing machine and a drying rack.

I used packing bags, which were a life savor! My bag would have been a disaster without them, and I definitely would not have been able to fit as much. I put my underwear and socks in the smallest bag, my athletic clothing (running stuff, crops, sports bras, etc.) in the medium bag, and everything else in the large bag. I rolled all of my clothes to save space.

• 3 t-shirts (one made out of technical fabric that can be worn as a nice shirt, or to hike)
• 2 dresses (I could have easily cut to one, but I did wear them both multiple times)
• Slip (worn under both dresses)
• Yoga pants (worn on the plane and in just about every place we stayed at night)
• Cropped leggings (for hiking, lounging, and layering)
• Sweatshirt (worn on the plane, hiking, and at night)
• 3/4 sleeve shirt (worn on the plane)
• Denim shirt
• Navy shorts (never worn, should have left them at home)
• Mary Jane Sneakers (worn on the plane and everywhere else. Loved traveling in these.)
• Flip flops (beach and a gross shower I don’t want to talk about.)
• 7 pairs of underwear
• 1 bra (worn on the plane. I had sports bras if I had some sort of catastrophic spill that required laundering.)
• 6 pairs of socks for my Mary Janes
• A pair of thick socks (for lounging around)
• A pair of black jeans
• White camisole
• Light rain coat (it rained the day we landed in Madrid, and I was so happy I had it for an extra layer on cool, windy nights. It folded up so small I often stashed it in my purse.)
• Comfy sleep shirt
• Drawstring bag for dirty clothes

Running/exercise stuff:

While I was in Spain I had to keep training for my upcoming half marathon. I tried not to bring an entire gym with me, but there are a few things I wouldn’t leave home without.

• Running shoes (I could have worn them on the plane, but I wanted to be able to slip my shoes on and off quickly. Instead I made sure I had enough room in my bag for them.)
• 2 pairs of running shorts (I could have gotten by with one)
• 3 sports bras (two would have been plenty)
• 1 running tank
• 2 technical shirts (one would have been enough)
• 4-5 pairs of running socks (at least two too many)
• Snacks
• GPS watch (+ charger)
• Arm band (never used)
• Tiger Tail (used a lot! Never had a problem carry it on in my backpack. I went through five security checkpoints, not one even asked me about it or took it out of my bag.)
• Lacrosse ball (A.K.A. my feet’s best friend.)
• Yoga towel (clipped to the outside of my pack. Perfect for lounging on the beach, a couple down dogs wherever we were staying, an extra towel, etc.)
• Goggles (totally swam in the ocean… once. Worth it!)
• Nuun (one half-empty tube)
• Hat (for running, hiking, and beach lounging)

Toiletries:

• Vitamins
• Natural Calm Magnesium (a gift from the heavens while training so much. A packet a day)
• Small hair brush + 3 hair ties (probably too many… I didn’t lose any)
• 4 different hair clips
• Tooth brush
• Travel-sized tooth paste
• Floss
• Shampoo + conditioner (two 3 ounce containers each. Turned out to be too much. I used one and a half bottles of each.)
• Bar of soap (my all time favorite)
• Bug bite spray (unfortunately used)
• Sunscreen
• Face cloth
• 3 ounce glass jar of body butter
• Face oil
• Aloe vera
• Laundry soap (enough for two loads)
• Diva cup
• Crystal deodorant
• Dry shampoo
• Razor
• Band aids (of the many, I only used one)
• Ibuprofen

What I packed in my purse:

• Water bottle (always.)
• Two magazines
• Kindle
• Wallet
• Hand sanitizer
• Lip balm
• Travel sized tissue
• Snacks!
• Adapter
• iPhone charger
• Headphones
• Sunglasses
• Journal
• Empty bag for groceries, etc.
• Pattern + materials for a friendship bracelet (completed in route)

PS. For more on what I did in Spain, check out this post.

We tried to fit as much into our two weeks in Spain as possible. We flew in (and out) of Madrid, and traveled to four cities (loosely termed here) throughout our stay. We had a total of 15 days which we divided up into three nights in Madrid, three nights in Barcelona, two nights in Valencia, five nights in Menorca, and our final night back in Madrid. We purposefully planned it this way so we could sight-see as much as possible in the first half of our trip, and finish up with time lounging on the island.

Madrid

We flew from San Francisco to Toronto then ran to our flight from Toronto to Madrid. I did not know that it would be so much faster flying to Spain than coming home (more than two hours faster), so I was pleasantly surprised on the way there (and sad on the way home).

Goodbye San Francisco!

We stayed at Airbnbs for most of our trip, and the studio we stayed at in Madrid was by far our favorite. We were close to almost everything, and we spent our first full day (after horrific, all sorts of messed up attempts of sleep) on a self-guided walking tour. It was incredible! We saw something like four plazas, two incredible, historic churches, walked through a famous market, ate churros con chocolate for lunch (you heard me), and even toured a palace. 

The Royal Palace of Madrid was one of my favorite parts of the city. We toured the inside (which they don’t really let you take pictures of, so you will just have to trust me it was fascinating), and despite the jet-lag, I had a blast. It was mind blowing for me (stupid American tourist here) that people had lived (and definitely died) in this palace. Fancy, important events are still held there (which for the life of me I cannot stop calling the “castle” because why would royalty live anywhere other than a castle? It’s absurd.), and a great deal of it is still used.

The city was beautiful, although I wasn’t prepared for the general grime. Despite knowing what San Francisco looks liked, I didn’t expect the large amounts of graffiti and general dirtiness that we encountered throughout the cities. 

Some other highlights of Madrid were a Flamenco show (with tasty sangria included!) and a gorgeous run through the Parque del Retiro (more on that soon).

Barcelona

We took a speed train from Madrid to Barcelona, which took about three hours and was worth every penny. I started announcing that I loved Barcelona as soon as we stepped out of the Metro station into the warm, humid air to views of a stunning statue of Christopher Columbus. The Airbnb we stayed at was about a five minute walk from La Rambla and the harbor.

The view from our apartment

The only bummer was that we accidentally booked our stay in Barcelona during a huge festival, so everything was incredibly packed. Although it also meant that we got to see a bunch of things we wouldn’t have otherwise. It did start to clear out throughout our stay, but the beginning was overwhelming with entire streets and plazas closed off for dancing, parades of giant dolls, music, human pyramids, and other festivities.

Click to explore the full panorama.

One of the highlights was the Park Güell, an enormously popular work of Gaudí. We spent an entire morning exploring the grounds and the crazy architecture.

Walking the streets around where we stayed was a blast, but we also had a great time exploring the rest of the city via the metro. Although our trip to Montserrat might have been my hands down favorite of this portion of the trip (a full post on that soon). 

Barcelona, I miss your delicious vegetarian food, killer mojitos, and humid air.

Valencia

To be totally honest, we went to Valencia because I had seen a photo of the Oceanogràfic aquarium and I decided I had to see it. We ended up having a blast in Valencia, even though the aquarium didn’t meet my expectations (The Monterey Bay Aquarium has set my standards quite high). My favorite thing in the city ended up being the incredible Jardí del Túria, which I explored on a run (full post on that soon).

Menorca

The island was just what we were looking for. After more than a week of intense sight-seeing and traveling, we were ready to sit back and relax (preferably on a warm beach). The beaches were stunning, the people were kind, and we loved making ourselves dinner every night in our Airbnb.

The view from our house.

Sunset from our roof.

There were bronze age ruins right outside (okay, like half a kilometer) where we stayed, so we took a short little hike/stroll out to see them.

The weather wasn’t quite as warm and I had hoped, but we were still able to swim in the ocean one day (huge highlight for me. I froze, but I loved it!). I wore my long sleeve, UPF rash guard in the water and hid in the shade the entire time we were at the beach – meanwhile women sunbathed topless and the men traipse around in itsy bitsy bathing suits.

From reading on the beach to exploring new places to making a fool of myself in Spanish, the trip was a blast. I can’t wait to discover where I will go next.

After the race we headed to Whistler for four days, and it was by far our favorite part of the trip (outside of the half ). The mountains are gorgeous, and the entire drive was breath-taking.

Once we got to the condo we were staying at, we parked the car in the garage for the duration of our stay and rented bikes to get around. We rode all around the village and to and from some amazing small lakes. Our entire trip pretty much consisted of eating (extremely important after running so far), playing outside, and reading. Perfection.

The small lakes scattered around Whistler felt utterly unreal.

Super safe looking helmet right there.

We may have been teasing one of our fellow travelers who likes to stand like this… but isn’t the river a crazy color?!

Stand up paddle boarding was one of my favorite parts of the trip. I had a huge incentive not to fall in (snowmelt fed lake anyone?), so I didn’t do anything too crazy. It was really nice to enjoy a quiet morning on the water with my brother and explore the lake. At some points you could see logs under the water or beautiful underwater plants. The wind also gave us quite a workout.

On our last full day in Whistler we took a gondola up Whistler Mountain and another gondola across the peak to Blackcomb’s peak.

The views were incredible!

Once we got to the top we hiked to a lake near the summit. The entire way was full of stunning lookouts and gorgeous trails. If I had more time I would have come back another day and hiked around more/ ran some of the trails.

This is the face I make when you repeatedly ask me to turn around so you can take a photo and I don’t really want to.

This place could make a trail runner out of me.

The lake was so cool! I’d imagine it is usually completely frozen in the winter since it didn’t seem very deep. It was the picture of serenity when we arrived. It sort of seemed like we had stepped onto another planet though since the water was pretty chilly and there wasn’t any life in the water (plant or otherwise).

On the ski lift ride down the mountain we even spotted a little bear munching on some plants! (My mom was beyond excited about seeing it. The bear could not care less.)

For a water girl, I sure do miss the mountains.

Pictures via my iPhone and my dad. You can check out more of his stuff at Dean Ferreira Fine Art or Pinterest. 

Welcome to my beautiful new home. It’s been months in the making and I am excited to share it with you all. I will continue writing about sustainability, fitness, food, and much more. On the new site you can easily search through the archives, explore your favorite topics, keep up with my latest work, and join in on the conversation.

I have many exciting things on the horizon that I can’t wait to share with you all, so check back soon!

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