Running in Palau

79F degrees, 94% humidity, 100% sweaty

For as hot and humid as it is in Palau, there is a strong running and walking community that exists here. Each morning starting at 4:30 am, the “Track and Field” is the most happening place to be in Koror. There are people from all around the globe getting their walking and running on. There is the middle-aged Palauan man who walks the curves and sprints the straights in flip-flops and jeans. There is the 30 something Chinese woman with the largest visor I’ve ever seen and a blouse that I would love to have for a night of dancing. And of course, there is the distractingly handsome shirtless guy showcasing the buff-est pectoralis majors that I’ve seen on the island so far. Two dozen other folks - Americans, Koreans, Japanese, Filipinos, Bengalis, Palauans and me, all of us striving for our individual health related goals.

After a mile of people watching while running, I am drenched with sweat and ready to quit for the day. Just the day before, I had seriously considered doing the Palau 1/2 Marathon taking place on September 3rd; the thought of running 12.1 additional miles in this humidity sounds like a terrible idea. With a little over a month to go, I will have to make my decision soon.