Taylor Morris and the Chariots of Fire: a public service announcement.

Though I myself have never seen all of "Chariots of Fire," I did at some point in my childhood see the memorable intro to the movie.

In my mind the idea of "running on the beach" had become glorified. Though those runners are clearly working hard, something about exercise on the beach seems rewarding--desirable, even. They just make it look so easy.

After staying in a beachside hotel in North Carolina a few weeks ago, however, I've now learned one more life lesson: running on beaches is hard work.

Very, unbelieveably, strenously hard work.

The American cinema-based-pop-culture psyche got it all wrong; they got it wrong in that I-didn't-know-I-had-muscles-in-that-part-of-my-body kind of way.

That being said, though, it was expectedly rewarding. I'd definitely recommend it...just don't go into blindly like I did.

On the beach in North Carolina.