While on vacation in Jamaica last week I was able to experience one of the most interesting runs I have ever been on. After 5 days of sitting on the beach eating and drinking as many calories as I wanted I was anxious to get active again.
Antonio and I after the run back at the resort.
Knowing I didn’t want to go off the resort and into the city of Montego Bay alone (reasons being getting lost and my own personal safety) I started asking around the resort for employees who were runners and would be willing to guide me on a run. After a few dead ends I met up with Antonio, a hotel worker who himself enjoys running, and he agreed to help me out. We met in the lobby after his shift finished at 5 p.m.
We jumped in his car and drove through Jamaican rush hour traffic for forty minutes to a MegaMart, the Jamaican equivalent of Wal-Mart, but with a shotgun toting guard posted outside the
Sign warning drivers about leaving cars parked in the MegaMart lot.
front doors. This was the best place to leave the car while we were gone. We ran inside, grabbed a few bottles of water for the run and were on our way.
Our first maneuver was to cross a bustling 4 lane road. I learned that in Jamaica as long as you don’t get ran over it doesn’t matter where you cross the road, no matter how busy. As we made our way on the 5 mile out and back we passed by huge cruise ships blowing their final boarding calls, large factories where men finished with their shifts were outside playing soccer, Jamaican gated communities, a massive resort under construction, and down a deserted gravel road riddled with abandoned cars.
While running, Antonio, a 22 year old school teacher by trade but currently working for the hotel tourism department, did a fantastic job explaining where we were, what I was looking at and giving me a truly unique view of the tourism capital of Jamaica.
One of the roads we ran along.
We made our way back to the car after dark but before we went back to the resort Antonio had a few errands to run. We headed deep into a neighborhood of Montego Bay. As narrow and busy as the roads were we still made very good time. As Antonio would tell me later, Jamaicans do two things, talk fast and drive fast.
As we drove deeper and deeper into the neighborhood I got a true look at inner city Jamaican culture. A bustling area riddled with uniform clad primary school students heading home, stray dogs roaming, and something being sold on every corner.
Our last destination was to a Montego Bay dead end road. As we got to the end of the road Antonio parked and to my surprise, shut the car off. Getting out of the car I realized why Antonio had taken me here. Although unspoken Antonio had picked up from me during our run that I wanted to truly see Jamaica, not just a tourist’s view of the city. His errand running was more of a favor to me than a necessity to him. As I looked one direction I could see ocean waves crashing up on the rocks, another direction displayed the distant lights of the airport, another turn revealed university dormitories filled with Jamaican students and behind, back by the parked car, were local Jamaicans listening to rap and reggae music doing what they do best… enjoying life. Right then and there I truly realized how lucky I was, not many tourists are able to travel to the areas of the city I had, able to get a first hand view.
Getting back to the resort (45 minutes later than my wife expected me…she was worried) in short time I parted ways with Antonio but it will be a long time before I forget this remarkable experience.
Mike
The staff at Noonan Sport Specialists would like to congratulate Charlie Woida on his new position as Associate Director of Athletic Performance at the University of Montana. Charlie will be in charge of the strength and conditioning for women’s soccer, golf, track and field, and cross country. Over the past 6 years Charlie has been in pursuit of a full time college strength and conditioning job. In the process he has interned, volunteered, and worked in many areas of the country where he has learned from some of the best collegiate strength coaches around. Charlie will begin his new career in Montana August 16th.
