Sunday Beach Run

Sunday Beach Run

Last weekend my adventure was a little closer to home.  Wait, who am I kidding, I live in my car.  All of my adventures are close to home!  But I digress…

Brittany was home in Indiana to spend two weekends with her daughter and I was holding down the fort in Santa Barbara.  I planned my long training run at low tide along the beach.  It was an amazing 23 mile run in the sand from Santa Barbara to Carpinteria and back. Four hours later I was done running and I sat down to write a story for Brittany’s 6 year old daughter.  While I couldn’t join Brittany in Indiana to spend time with Audrey, I was able to share my run with them and Audrey read this story to her mom. Enjoy!

Chris Tarzan Clemens - Sunday Beach Run Map

Sunday Beach Run

Today I ran 23 miles along the beach in the sand and in the waves of the Pacific Ocean.

I started running from my office in downtown Santa Barbara. I ran 2 blocks to the beach, crossed the road, and then ran in the sand.

I ran past the volleyball courts and tall cliffs with lots of rocks on the beach. I even ran past some rock art (rocks that people made look like art).

Chris Tarzan Clemens - Sunday Run (1)

I ran past Butterfly Beach and a fancy hotel. Lots of people from the hotel were out on the beach enjoying the sunshine. Then, I turned a corner onto a private beach and ran beside private beach houses. There were not as many people on this beach.

Chris Tarzan Clemens - Sunday Run (2)

There were lots of clouds today, but it did not rain or snow. It was really nice weather for running. I was alone on the beach and I chased a flock of small shorebirds playing in the ocean waves. They eat the little sea creatures that wash up in the surf. When the waves come in they run away very fast and they never get wet!

Chris Tarzan Clemens - Sunday Run (3)

Halfway between Santa Barbra and Carpinteria I ran past a house on the beach that looks like a palace from Aladdin!  Maybe a princess lives there?

Chris Tarzan Clemens - Sunday Run (4)

Around one corner I had to get my feet wet. The ocean was too high to stay dry and I walked around the rocks and scared a flock of pelicans. They are huge birds and made a lot of noise as they flew away. At the same time a large wave crashed on the rocks beside me and I got splashed by ocean water from my legs to the top of my head, it was cold!

Chris Tarzan Clemens - Sunday Run (5)

In the town of Carpinteria I ran past hills that have tar and oil seeping out of them. The Chumash people, a tribe of Native Americans, used this tar to waterproof their boats. The boats are called tomols.  One hundred years ago this tar was used as asphalt to build roads in the United States.

Chris Tarzan Clemens - Sunday Run (6)

I had run 11.5 miles and I was ready to turn around and run home. Santa Barbara is circled in red in the photo below.

Chris Tarzan Clemens - Sunday Run (7)

On the way back to Santa Barbara I noticed hoof prints in the sand. I passed 3 ladies riding their horses on the beach! Riding a horse looked nice because I was tired, but I only had a few more miles to run.

Chris Tarzan Clemens - Sunday Run (8)

In the town called Summerland I passed a hill that was covered with yellow wildflowers. You mom loves these wildflowers!

Chris Tarzan Clemens - Sunday Run (9)

During my run I saw lots of dolphins playing in the waves near the beach, but they were way too fast for me to take a picture of them!

I did take a picture of a baby sea lion! He was lying on the beach in the sun and when I got close to him he scampered off into the ocean for a swim.

Chris Tarzan Clemens - Sunday Run (10)

A few minutes later I saw another sea lion pup on the beach. This sea lion didn’t run to the ocean, he just looked at my while I ran past him.

Chris Taran Clemens - Run Pup

Finally I was done. I ran 23 miles and had a really fun day at the beach. I wish that you and your mom were here so we could all go to the beach together!

More running posts here.

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