I blink slowly and let my eyes rest partially open to see the pink clouds of sunrise illuminating the jungle ridge. I part the bug net shrouding my bed and shift my pillow to get a better view of the glowing clouds hovering above the palms. As I take in the scene from my eco-bungalow home, my mind begins to play out for me what this day will bring. I’m uncertain of the date, of the day of the week, or really even of the month, but I do know that I have a kayaking tour that will be the primary job of the day. I listen to the ocean swell about 200 feet below; judging from the gentle crashing I know it’s going to be a perfect day for a paddle. I smile, thinking about the fabulous experience that awaits my guests and I find myself feeling almost envious of them as they prepare to kayak this coastline for the first time. If only I could see this beach and jungle paradise for the first time every day.

One side of my mind now begins to sort out a mental checklist of all the gear that I will need to bring on my tour—paddles, snacks and lunch, water, etc. The other side of my mind asks me how I’m feeling today and nudges me to consider the opportunity of this early morning light… 3 hours until I have to pick up my eager guests in San Pancho. The magical pink jungle glow is giving way to clear blue skies and the chattering of the birds is becoming livelier by the second. I savor the feeling of the smooth wood floor on my bare feet as I wander around my bungalow, working my way through my morning routine. I take a deep breath and enjoy the moist air of the jungle. My dusty running shoes peer up at me from wood floor wondering if they will be enjoying a free ride this morning. These seemingly inanimate objects are some of my closest friends out here in the jungle and we have traveled many sweaty miles together over the last few months.

I soon find myself jogging painfully slowly up a series of ridiculously steep hills that will deliver me to the spectacular jungle ridge. After 5 minutes of running uphill I curse myself, wondering why I’m doing this yet again; my muscles are stiff, stubborn and aching. Ten minutes later I feel like a new person–warmed up and dashing along the jungle ridge through a tunnel of palms splintering the morning light across the trail in front of me. I dart through the rays of light playfully and then burst out of the palm tunnel to a spectacular vista inland towards the Sierra Madre mountain range and out over Big Blue (my friend the Pacific ocean) to the West. I stop briefly to savor the view and enjoy a spiritual moment to myself–alone in the middle of the Mexican jungle. I continue along the ridge, passing the entryway to a newly developed orchid plantation, and then through a grove of mango trees, before being saying farewell to the spectacular ridge and making my descent towards the ocean. Forty minutes into my run, I’m jogging through the sand down a deserted white sand beach, an avocado that I collected in one hand and a lime in the other. As I reach the end of the beach I slow my pace to a walk and then follow a narrow, winding coastal trail for my final ascent through the jungle to complete my loop and return–clear minded and glistening with sweat–to my sweet little palapa.

I visit an outdoor shower with driftwood walls to rinse off the sweat (while also splashing the banana plants with my grey water), choose my bathing suit, shorts and tank top for the day and then drink a big glass of water with lime. My body feels completely alive, glowing from the inside out, like the pink glow of the clouds in the morning. Now the day has really begun.

TAMARA JACOBI is the co-owner, hostess, website-designer, bookings manager, and expedition guide for Tailwind Outdoor, a family-owned eco-lodge and adventure tour company in San Pancho, Mexico. She is a lifelong athlete whose accomplishments include completion of 2 marathons, sea kayaking 850 miles down the Baja's Sea of Cortez, mountain biking 2000 miles of the USA's continental divide trail, mountaineering up Pico de Orizaba's 18,700 feet, and more. She is also a passionate trail runner and practicing yogini... {more »}

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