The Anti-Running Runner

SPRR Beach Series 5K An Award For Me? "What?!" That was my reaction when I heard my name announced for the 2nd Place Female Age 30-34. At the first 5K race in the St. Pete Road Runners Beach Series  on June 24th, I accepted the award: a most welcome St. Pete Running Company Gift Card. (Yes, I work there, and YES I cashed that thing in!) I was totally shocked, not only because my time was not quite what I'd hoped for, but because the race had been so challenging (read: running ON the beach). The LAST thing I expected was that elusive Age Group award! My dear friend, Sydney, took a video of me finishing the race. It's no joke. I really expected to turn at least 50 before the running crowds filtered enough for me to earn any Age Group awards. The closest I've ever gotten is 4th place in my age group at a smaller race where no awards beyond top three overall finishers were given. More and more people are running than ever. Especially women. And...

I left off the last post sharing my first Hood 2 Coast experience. In the dark, I got through my second leg (something like 4 miles), but I was starting to feel sick to my stomach. I was exhausted. I couldn't believe I had to run one last time. Slight tangent: Each Hood 2 Coast team decides whether the runners will do the driving or whether someone who is not running will drive. My sister had raced the year before, and decided to volunteer to drive instead of run this time. She says it's actually more stressful being a driver than being a runner. My parents decided to follow our van (van 1) since both my sister and I were there just to spend time with us and the family. They had borrowed my uncle's mini van. In this post-second leg time frame, I had to visit the Honey Bucket a few times. This in itself is not a pleasant experience. In the dark, after some hundreds of runners have already visited the port-a-potty before me...you can imagine. I rea...

Sometimes, it's hard for me when a week goes by before I get in another run. However, this was a very important week as I was attending the Florida Writers Association (FWA) Conference in Orlando Oct. 21-23. I wanted to feel prepared, and that included pausing the usual every-other-day running routine. If you're interested in my time at the FWA Conference, click HERE . I finally got to run about 4 miles yesterday, almost a week since the last time, and it felt great. Again, great weather with a pleasant breeze along my usual waterfront route. I found myself behind a woman near the end of my jog, and though I knew I couldn't pass her, I matched her stride to see if I could keep the same distance behind her. It's so funny because she didn't appear to be going fast, but when I started to feel how quickly my feet moved to keep in line with her, I realized how slow I truly am. Honestly, I don't mind, but I am often amazed at other distance runners.