I TOOK A LITTLE TRIP TO COSTA RICA LAST WEEK to visit my company’s office there, which was getting an ISO 9001 audit. And what better way to prepare for an audit than to go running? One of the engineers there is also a runner; in fact, he ran the New York Marathon last Sunday. I need to call and congratulate him.

Anyway, Wednesday morning he arrived at my hotel bright and early, and off we went to run a few circuits of San Jose’s La Sabana Park. He was tapering for the marathon, so we ran a nice easy pace of around 9:00 per mile. This allowed me time to survey the exotic buildings, and to spot something colorful in the street. Say, that looks like money, I said to myself, and on our next trip around it was still there, so I stopped and retrieved it. Sure enough, it was a 5,000 colones bill – about ten bucks U.S. Not bad!

This wasn’t the first time I’ve found something valuable while running or biking. My collection this year includes a $10 bill, two $5 bills, a working cell phone I was able to return to its owner, and a membership card to a gay gym in Detroit (returned). I’ve also stopped to pick up a couple of bungee cords and a screwdriver, two things a guy can never have enough of. So, you see, outdoor exercise isn’t just good for your body, it’s financially rewarding.

While I had to work most of the week, I did get in a little sightseeing. Here are some photos from that day. I also had another memorable event there, which I will save for another entry.