May Running

There’s something about the beach in May that catches people off guard. They see a decent morning, drive to one of the beach access points on the north end, step onto the sand — and immediately start slogging. Loose, soft sand grabbing at every step, calves burning after half a mile, pace two minutes slower than expected. By mile two they’re questioning whether beach running is worth the trouble. It usually isn’t, if you get the timing wrong. ...

Most people plan Amelia Island running trips around spring break or the fall race season. Spring feels like the obvious window, and fall brings cooler temperatures and better race options. But if you have flexibility on timing, I’d push you toward May — specifically the first three weeks, before Memorial Day weekend changes the character of the island. Here’s the case. The Weather Window By early May, the spring break crowd is gone. The island settles back into a quieter version of itself — good restaurants without long waits, beaches with actual space, trailheads where you’re not competing for parking at 7 AM. ...