Best Damn Race, Safety Harbor, Florida, Feb. 2, 2013: recap

I hesitated doing this race. Why? The name of the race. I know, I know. But, really. I don’t use the word “damn,” and I wasn’t sure I’d feel comfortable telling people the name of the race.

Then, I saw the medal, and it was all over.

Fortunately (?), I got over my non-use of the word “damn,” and fully embraced it in relation to this race.

This damn race was damn early, and it was damn cold. Too much?

With a 10K start time of 6:30 a.m., this total non-morning person was not happy. Thankfully, it was in Safety Harbor (only about a 10-minute drive from home). This inaugural race also included a half marathon at 7:15 a.m. and a 5K at 9:30 a.m.

I (along with my boyfriend, a.k.a. photographer, and my dog, a.k.a. cuteness factor) arrived at the race around 6 a.m. 

I went the bib-on-leg route because I thought
my jacket would come off ... I thought right.

After freezing alone for awhile (yes, 48 degrees is freezing in Florida), I met up with my running group at the start.

Fit2Run St. Pete represent!

After freezing some more as a group, we were off. My running buddy, Lori, and I set off at a comfortable pace. The first portion of the course went along Tampa Bay (b-e-a-utiful) with a turnaround to come back by the start.

When the pack leaders made the turnaround to come back, we were greeted (?) by Angry Bike Pace Leader Man. I understand the need to be stern and loud, but man, this dude was mad. I'm not sure what we did to him, but we got a very angry "TO THE RIGHT" command. We did as we were told.

Mile 1: 11:58
Mile 2: 11:55 

We grabbed water or Gatorade (blech) at each stop, and I never worried about running into one. They were plentiful, thank goodness.

Around 2.5 miles, we again encountered the Angry Bike Pace Leader Man. Only, he wasn't angry.

Lori even mentioned it to him. "You're not angry anymore."

I was laughing so I didn't hear his response, but I guess he mentioned he almost died earlier. I guess that's reason enough to be angry?

The course continued along Tampa Bay until we made a turn into a neighborhood where we encountered some unexpected "hills." I've decided I don't mind a big hill, like a bridge, but these little, gradual, unexpected hills and I are not friends. 

Mile 3: 12:03
Mile 4: 11:56

After the neighborhood, we wound into a park where we made the turnaround to come back to the finish. 

Lori and I noticed a girl running who was kicking one leg out as she ran. We thought it was kind of strange, but then realized she must be hurt. As we ran by her, Lori asked if she was OK. She said she was, but had tears in her eyes. Lori encouraged her, and she started running with us.

She said she hurt her knee in a mud run, and it still wouldn't heal. Poor girl. She said her knee didn't hurt when she ran with us, and she ran the rest of the race with us.

Mile 5: 12:25 (Oops.)

We also ran into two other girls from our running group, and we finished the race together. We really picked it up the last full mile.

Mile 6: 10:54 
Mile 0.2: 2:06

My official time: 1:13:16. It is almost exactly in the middle of my other two 10Ks.

It was so awesome to cross the finish line five strong! After hugs from the injured-knee girl, we met up with some others from our running group.

I also cheered Caroline across the finish, who rocked out the 10K and then ran 2 additional miles.

After watching others in our group come in, it was beer time. Yes, it's completely acceptable to drink beer before 9 a.m.

Oh, and that medal that made me run this race. Yeah, it's pretty sweet. I love that it's functional ... or it's supposed to be.

It doesn't actually function as a bottle opener. But, the race organizers kindly offered to send your name on to the awards company (that produced the medal) who will send you a fully functioning medal. Yes, please!

I loved this race. It was a beautiful setting. It was well organized. It did have one of the best damn after parties (beer, pizza, subs, fruit, brownies and a DJ). And, I ran it with some of the best damn running peeps.

Reunited, and it feels so good

This training session, I've run a bunch of races ... alone. I finally conquered that half marathon PR I was chasing for almost a year. But, it doesn't mean as much to me as running with my running buddy, Lori, or our rockin' running group. Damn.

Do you use the word "damn"? I don't curse at all (I do listen to expletive-filled rap, though), but I just picked this up. Have you ever come across an angry bike pacer in a race? Do you have any functional medals? Do you like the idea?

Stuck at home and in the craptastic gym

Since pesky Debby is still hanging around (she didn't listen when I told her to go away), I worked at home today. I dread working at home. Dread it. I did it for three years with my last job, and that is the main reason I moved to my current job: to not work at home.

But, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Since yesterday's drive across Tampa Bay was the most horrifying driving experience of my life, I decided to sit the next day out. The conditions were still windy, rainy and tides were still higher than normal. I really didn't want a white-knuckle repeat of yesterday.

Working at home is still as dreadful as I remember, but it had to be better than that drive. And, it allowed me to do something I never do: run over lunch.

Of course, I had to do it in the craptastic gym, but it wasn't too bad. It was hot, but that's to be expected. I'm pretty happy I knocked out 3 miles in just over 33 minutes. I'm just not happy I couldn't run outside. Silly tropical storm. 

Although I did appreciate the rain on my walk back to the condo. Debby is good for something, I guess.

My coworker is not. Lazy girl did not do a thing all day. Well, unless you count sleeping and looking cute as a thing.

Debby: making my life craptastic

I'm getting a little sick of this pesky girl named Debby. 

She blew in on Sunday and has been wreaking havoc ever since.

Talk about havoc.

 It's rained and rained and rained. 

Chloe surveying the damage

The drive home today across Tampa Bay was intense. I got my arm workout keeping my car from blowing off the bridge. 

Officials later closed the bridge due to high winds and water coming over the edge. Smart decision, folks. I'm just glad you waited until I made it across ... or am I?

Maybe some of the worst news with this storm? Instead of just a craptastic gym day, it's a craptastic gym week.

Suncoast Classic 10K, St. Petersburg, Florida, Feb. 25, 2012: race review

I had to do this race. It was my first-ever race of any distance (I did the 5K), and I have fond memories. It's kind of cool to look back and see my progression from that February day in 2011. But enough of that sappy stuff. 

This year, I graduated to the 10K: my first ever. I had a time in my head, but no real goal besides having fun.

This is a smaller local race benefiting the Ronald McDonald House. It made me remember that I like smaller local races. Everything is so much easier with fewer people (about 1,000 people total for the race): packet pickup, parking, spectating, post-race goodies pickup. Everything. I need to remember this.

I arrived at 7:40 a.m. (I was dropped off near the start line) for the 8 a.m. start. This allowed time for a restroom stop, a short walk to the start line, and an on-time start on a cool morning. The 5K started at 8:15 a.m. and followed the same course (well, half of it anyway). 

The first mile wasn't great. I didn't really feel into the race. Maybe a little sluggish. But, by mile 2, I was feeling better and getting in a groove. It was also about mile 2 that the leaders of the 5K started passing me. Yes, those people that started 15 minutes after I did. More proof that I run at turtle speed.

After the reality check of my speed, I kept inching along. I felt pretty good until I got to the point that the 5Kers made the turn for the finish line. I was a little bitter that they were done, and I still had half of a race left. 

That made for a bad attitude for the remaining portion of the race. I don't know why. It wasn't a bad race by any means. I was actually having fun and enjoying the course along Tampa Bay. I just wanted to be done.

Miles 3-5 felt painfully long. I wondered if the course was off, and I was actually running a half marathon. I kept checking my watch, and it assured me that I was at mile 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 3.9, 4.1, 4.3, 4.5, 4.9 and 5. And yes, I did check it that many times. 

By mile 5, I was ready to push it, in true turtle fashion. So, I took off, and I actually had a mile that started with a 10! That is progress for this slow girl! 

My time for my first-ever 10K: 1:10:37. Remember I mentioned that I had a time in my head? It was 1:10. Pretty much nailed that.

After the race, I grabbed the post-race snacks: orange slices, banana, mini donuts, rice and beans, cheese and a mini packet of chocolate chip cookies. Note: I did not want or eat all of this. I have a bad habit of taking things just because they are free. I ate the orange slice and a mini chocolate donut. Pretty darn delicious.

I took a bite of the rice and beans, and then I tried to pawn them off on my boyfriend. He took a bite and tried to pawn them off on the dog. She smelled them and looked away. She finally ate a few bites, but she wasn't happy about it. As you can probably guess, they weren't good. At all. 

Aside from the rice and beans, I really loved everything about this race: the nostalgia, ease of everything, the beautiful course along Tampa Bay and the post-race goodies and giveaways. Especially the mini banana.

I thought this was the cutest thing ever. The discovery of this fruit has now changed my goal in life: I must have a mini banana tree.