(On Running) #11 Acadia National Park
Vacationland
I spent the past week on a family vacation in Acadia National Park. This was my third consecutive summer visiting Acadia. Nearly a decade ago, my family gathered in Acadia every summer on the same week for multiple consecutive years. This trip marked the return of an old tradition and the continuation of my own.
Negotiating my marathon training with family activities proved difficult at times. On Tuesday, I ran from our rental to the Wonderland Trail tide pools to meet family who drove. We found a few sea creatures at low tide.
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| Sunrise on Cadillac Mountain |
On Wednesday, I was planning to do my mile time trial. However, many of us woke up at 2 AM to hike up Cadillac Mountain for sunrise, meaning I got less than ideal sleep. When we got back around 7:15 AM, my uncle, cousin and I cleaned up quickly and then went to play 18 holes at the Causeway Club. At this point, it was 1:30 PM, and we needed to leave at 2:30 for a family boat excursion, immediately followed by family dinner at Thurston's Lobster Pound. By the time I arrived back at the house, it was past 9 PM. I decided not to run at all on Wednesday, let alone a mile time trial.
On the remaining days of the week, I had more free time to run and explore. On Thursday, I ran ~10 miles around Acadia's renowned carriage roads, beginning at the top of the Eagle Lake loop, running around the east side, then exploring the Aunt Betty Pond section.
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| Along the Ocean Path |
On Friday, I took to the coast for another 10 miles, beginning at the Schooner Head Overlook, connecting to the Ocean Path, passing Thunder Hole and turning around at Otter Point. On the way back, I crossed Sand Beach twice, hiked/trail ran the Great Head loop, before completing a small section of the Schooner Head Path to complete the mileage.
I left the park on Saturday morning, with a ~6 hour drive looming. With an early checkout from the rental, I originally planned to run 16 miles at home in the evening. But, I saw the temperatures would be 80+ degrees, and I didn't want to run after driving all day. I also wanted to stop at the Freeport Outlets on the way home and didn't want to be in a rush to get back. I settled on one last Acadia run (besides, it is far more interesting than running at home!)
I started at the top of Eagle Lake again, as I did on Thursday. This time, though, I ran by Bubble Pond to the famous Jordan Pond House. Then, I did a short section along the Jordan Stream Path, turning around at the historic Cobblestone Bridge. From there, I ran the Eagle/Jordan carriage road back to the Aunt Betty Pond section, before returning to the start.
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| Top of Eagle Lake |
Around Mile 6, it began to drizzle. Summer rain while running has been refreshing, serving as a natural cooling agent. By Mile 9, it was really raining, and by Mile 10 it started to downpour. For the last 6 miles, my shirt stuck tightly to my body, dirt started to cake on my lower legs, and my shoes pooled with water. By the time I returned to my car, the rain had flooded around my car about half a foot deep.
My original plan to drive to a public shower was thwarted. I only had one towel, and I didn't want to drive in my current condition. Instead, I backed my car out of the flood, as close to the public restroom as possible, and grabbed my umbrella. I used the public restroom to dry off as best I could and change into fresh clothes, before juggling my wet clothes, shoes and hat while holding my umbrella to get back in the car dry. It is this kind of improvisation that has defined my marathon training and allowed me to keep pushing towards my goal.
With each run, hike, and adventure this vacation offered, I was reminded of old traditions and developing new ones. This was my third consecutive summer doing the North Ridge Trail to see the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain, but my first summer exploring the carriage roads as a runner. I reminisced on biking the carriage roads with my family when I was a kid, and sun-bathing on Sand Beach. Exploring independently allowed me to see things I had never encountered, like the Jordan Stream Path and Aunt Betty Pond. I hope to continue to make Acadia visits each summer, to fully discover everything the park has to offer.
Week 8: Training Summary (Baystate 2026)
54.29 miles | 9h 19 min workout | 3,110 ft elevation
(E) = Easy | (W) = Workout | (L) = Long
*Workout minutes included other recorded activities in Strava
Monday (E): 8 miles | 7:30/mi | 0 ft elevation gain | 6:38 AM
Treadmill at hotel I was staying at for a professional development event.
Tuesday (E): 10.69 miles | 8:24/mi | 554 ft elevation gain | 8:20 AM
Ran on Southwest Harbor to the Wonderland Trail and tide pools, then scrambled across a rocky shoreline to another trail before running back to the rental.
Thursday (E): 9.93 miles | 7:43/mi | 551 ft elevation gain | 8:45 AM
Ran Eagle Lake loop to Aunt Betty Pond section on Acadia's famous carriage roads.
Friday (E): 9.73 miles | 8:53/mi | 942 ft elevation gain | 8:25 AM
Ran along the eastern coast of Mount Desert Island, starting at Schooner Head Overlook. Ran on Ocean Path to Otter Point, passing Thunder Hole, Sand Beach, and hiking the Great Head trail.
Saturday (L): 15.94 miles | 7:27/mi | 1,063 ft elevation gain | 8:15 AM
Ran Eagle Lake to Bubble Pond, Jordan Pond Stream, Cobblestone Bridge, back along Eagle/Jordan carriage road to Aunty Betty Pond.
Rain made things especially interesting, alongside elevation gain. Was very satisfied with the pace considering the conditions.
Insights on Improvement
I entered the week with the idea that I would have the time and energy to tackle my first ever mile time trial. My vacation plans had other ideas. I want to be at my very best before attempting an all-out mile, so I didn't mind postponing it one week.
Vacation running offers the illusion of time. In theory, I had all day, every day, to run, but the reality is much different. To see everything I wanted to see and spend quality time with family took precedence in many situations.
Now, I will be settling back into my daily routine as I continue to prep for the Baystate Marathon on October 18th. I plan to embark on morning runs, incorporating marathon pace workouts, and increasing mileage over the rest of August and September. My vacation was ultimately restorative, allowing me to find novelty in running, creating excitement for what is to come.
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