NYC MARATHON (SORT OF) – November 5, 2023

 

Apparently, this race was doomed from the start.

 

Lindsey belongs the New York Road Runners, which puts on a series of races throughout the year.  They have a 9 + 1 program; Runners who completed the program are eligible for a guaranteed entry to the TCS New York City Marathon.  She completed the program and was officially entered this year.  This would be her first full marathon (she has run 19 half marathons) and asked us to come up and support her.  I had tickets to the Gators game that same weekend, so we probably weren’t going to make the trip.  Then I got to thinking…I haven’t run a full marathon in about eight years…It might be kind of cool to run one last full with Lindsey in NYC.  This way, coming up to New York as a runner instead of an "athletic supporter" would be worth missing a trip to Gainesville.  I entered the lottery, and of course did not get in.  My last resort was to ask Renee if she could contact New Balance (the sponsor of the race) to get me an entry.  As I waited to get a response, I pondered if I really wanted to put in the training necessary to do 26.2 miles.  I stopped running full marathons to concentrate more on half marathons...no other real reason.  I never really thought about one more full, but this would be a great finale.  I eventually got the invitation to enter the race, and the training began.

 

Lindsey set up a training schedule for us, which would involve running distances that she had never run before, and I had not run since 2015.  To top it off, the training would be taking place during the hottest time of the year in South Florida.  My 17 previous marathons took place in either January or February, so the training usually began around October.  I was literally waking up at 2:30am to do these long weekend runs, and the temperature was already 80° (I won’t even go into the humidity).  The training was brutal.  I questioned whether I was in over my head or how much I really wanted to do this.  Lindsey came home for Rosh Hashanah, and we went out for a 16-mile run.

 

This was the beginning of the end.

 

During this run, my knee was in a great deal of pain.  I never run in pain, but guess who won the pony.  I have arthritis in my left knee, which is why I wear the brace.  I got to the 12-mile mark, and Lindsey insisted that I go home.  The knee felt better a couple of days later, but I would get additional rest.  I was going up to see the Gators play Tennessee that next weekend and would resume training after that.  WRONG!!!  For the first time, I got COVID…then I got rebound COVID.  That essentially knocked me out of the race.  Full disclosure, I was more relieved than disappointed and was at peace with just going up to root Lindsey on.  Even if I wanted to resume my training, a night in the emergency room for high blood pressure (over 200) was the final nail in the coffin (no pun intended).

 

At this point, I’m tagging in my celebrity blogger Lindsey to give her reflections on the race and the race weekend:

 

 One of the ways you can get into the NYC Marathon, and how I got in, is through the 9+1 Program through the New York Road Runners. You run nine of the races and volunteer at one of the races the organization puts on in the calendar year, and then you have guaranteed entry to the marathon the following year. In 2020, I had run 3 races, registered for 6 more, and registered to volunteer by the time COVID hit in March. As everything got canceled, I had three options: get my money back for the races I registered for, have the registrations roll over, or let the NYRR keep my money and use the registrations as part of my 9+1 (which is what I did). Once they decided the marathon would be back on in 2021, they reached out to me (and probably the handful of others in the same boat) saying the marathon participation would be limited that year so we were allowed to rank the next three years we wanted to defer our entry to. I picked 2023 at the time because that was the farthest away. 

 

In February of this year, I officially signed up to finally run the marathon I was 2 years overdue to run. I mapped out my training schedule, following Hal Higdon's Novice 1 schedule for the long runs on the weekend and added in 2 short runs during the week. Training started the first week in July which coincided with my busy time at work. For the first month, I would wake up early, run three miles, shower, and log onto work, and then work non-stop until about 7:30 at night. By the time the 13.1 run came in the last week of August, I decided to drop my two short runs to one (to not put too much strain on my body). I switched up my long runs by being in different states (Florida and Washington), running Park Avenue for Summer Streets, running the NYRR races that coincided with the mileage I needed (which ultimately lead me to my 9+1 so I can run in 2024 if I so desire), saved the 15+ mile runs for the flat West Side Highway in NYC, and powered through the Central Park hills for the 12 miles or less runs. By the time I hit the taper, I was feeling good. All my long runs had gone mostly smooth, and I was trusting in all the training and fueling I was putting in.

 

After 4 months of training, Marathon weekend finally came after weeks of anxiety and lack of sleep. The first day of the expo started on Thursday and I decided to head over to the Javits Center by myself to grab my bib and goodies. Funny enough, the Javits Center is where I got my first round of COVID vaccines. I had heard some of the merch sells out quickly and I was dying to get the jacket. I grabbed my bib, race shirt, and bought a jacket, hat (and one for my dad), and magnet. My parents flew in on Friday and I decided to take the day off to try and sleep in and do some laundry. I met up with them around lunchtime; we grabbed some bagels, and then headed back over to Javits so my dad could grab his bib and shirt. He bought a quarter-zip, and I got a short-sleeve shirt. We watched videos of the race route, found our names on the wall of runners, and grabbed some free swag. We headed out and then got some dinner at one of our favorite Mexican spots, and then waited for Rachel to get in. Rachel got in around 9pm and then the band was back together again.

 

 

We slept in on Saturday and met up with Alex for brunch. We went back to the hotel to watch the Gator game, and once they lost in overtime, we headed over to my apartment to do more lounging and dinner. I have a ritual of eating the same meal the night before my long runs; since it was working for me, I asked my family if they’d be okay with that as well. We ate, I prepped my outfit and everything I would need for the start and the race and said farewell to my family while I attempted to get some sleep.

 

I was up at 4:30am on Sunday.  Luckily, I got about six hours of sleep thanks to daylight savings and was out the door by 5am. I had scheduled a Lyft the night before to drop me off at the Midtown Bus I was taking at 5:30am (thanks, dad). I had heard from a few sources that the Midtown bus was the way to go, rather than taking the ferry to Staten Island and then getting on another bus to the start. The Lyft driver made it about halfway before he turned onto a street that was blocked by an empty ambulance. He sat there for about three minutes just hanging out as if he had no cares in the world. I decided to get out and walk there. Once I got to the 42nd Street Library, the line to get onto the bus was "Disney World" long. It took about 30-minutes to get onto the bus and I made a few friends in line. I got onto the bus and was chatting with the woman next to me and realized we were going the wrong way. The woman sitting in the front seat was navigating the bus driver to Staten Island and she was from Chicago! After many concerned passengers came up to the front to make sure we indeed headed to Staten Island, we finally were on the right path. 

 

We got to the start village a little before 8am and I headed into my color-coded starting area. I had brought a foil blanket to sit on. I was wearing some throw-away sweats, and had a sudoku book to kill time. I ate my breakfast bar, used the bathroom for good measure, and then my wave was open. Once I got into my corral and it suddenly became very real… I was about to run a marathon. They brought us to the start, sang the national anthem, fired off the cannon, and then Frank Sinatra sang us off with New York, New York.

 

Depending on what color you were, it determined on where on the Verrazano Bridge you ran; I was luckily on the top, but unluckily running with the incline. The view on the bridge and seeing all those people around you was surreal. Even though I knew no one else would be walking, I stopped at mile one and then two to take a quick walk break since that was how I had trained. I wanted to make sure I didn’t feel pressured to keep running and burn out quickly. We made it into Brooklyn and borough number two with The Beastie Boys playing us in. Those first few miles in Brooklyn are not that exciting as you run along 4th Avenue until you get to about mile 6.5 when all the fans really show up. I was reading all the signs which was a great distraction and really felt as if each mile was going by quickly (I was not running fast so it was not in fact going by that quickly). I got excited as we got to mile 7 knowing my parents, sister, and Alex would be by mile 8 and my heart started pounding with excitement. One of my plans was to make sure I stopped for a minute to say hello to my family (as a break from running, because they came all the way out to support me…this was the least I could do). When I spotted them at mile 8, I was feeling great. The area they were standing in had a huge crowd and so much excitement. After a minute of chatting, I took off knowing I would see them later.

 

 

For the next few miles in Brooklyn, the crowds and signs continued. I saw some friends and some amazing signs as I chugged along. Then… I got to mile 12 and I started to feel fatigued. I got to the halfway point and I thought to myself, how the fuck am I going to make it through another 13.1?! I took some Advil and ate some candy corn as we got to the Pulaski Bridge and willed myself to get more energy as we made it into borough number three. Queens was a blur - it’s short, lacking energy, and boring. The sign I saw once we got off the bridge summed it up perfectly… “Welcome to Queens, now get out!” 

 

Finally, we made it to the Queensboro bridge, and I decided to walk the uphill. I knew once I came off the bridge, I’d be seeing friends and family. I wanted to conserve some energy and make sure I looked (and felt) strong when I saw them. Sure, maybe I could have shaved a few minutes off my time if I ran, but this was 100% the right move for me. I ran the downhill and made it into borough number four…Manhattan. As I got off the bridge the energy was electric and just what I needed. I knew I’d see some friends, my family, and my friend Danica with a Diet Snapple. I immediately heard my name being screamed by my friend Jimmy, then saw my friend Britney another 10 blocks up. My family, now joined by my cousins Charlie and Ren, and my friend Karli, were now in position in their Sandhouse Running Club shirts, hats, buttons and posters. I stopped again to chat, we took some pictures, and then I was back off and ready to grab my Snapple. Of course, I missed the one person who had something for me, but I was going to have another chance later on. I saw familiar faces both running and cheering, including Katie Couric who was cheering on the sidelines for her daughter. First Avenue is LONG and slowly loses the fans and momentum the higher up you go, but then it was time for borough number five… the Bronx. Now, I had heard the Bronx BRINGS IT since they know miles 20-21 is when many runners hit the wall, but the only energy in the Bronx was my friend Grace who screamed at the top of her lungs for me as we got off the bridge. Besides Grace, the Bronx was just like Queens… short, lacking energy, and boring. I took more Advil and candy corn, hoping for another boost of energy. We finally made it back into Manhattan after crossing the last bridge around mile 21. As we ran down 5th Avenue, I saw more familiar faces of people I see on Tik Tok but was absolutely losing steam. By the time I made it to the Sandhouse Running Club right before getting into the park at mile 24, I was almost crawling. But I told my family there was a great chance of me finishing under 6 hours which had been my goal, and they said, “well get the fuck out of here and go finish.” So, I did. As I made it into Central Park, I missed Danica again with my Snapple. 

 

 

 

 Now, I run Central Park all the time and I know every hill and crevice. But one of the coolest things about running it during the Marathon was that I wasn’t even paying attention to that because fans were lining both sides of the course. So many people really struggle here, but I loved it. I was scanning faces and signs and then at one point I thought to myself, “I don’t even know where in the park I am!” You exit the park with 1 mile to go, so I took a quick walk break, ate some more candy corn for good measure, and went for it. As we ran back into the park with about 800 meters to go, it started to feel so surreal. I got verklempt as I saw the finish line and thought to myself, “you’re about to finish this marathon.” And that I did… I crossed the finish line 6 minutes ahead of my goal.

 

Okay…So I just finished the marathon at 26.53 miles according to my Garmin but it was far from over. I still needed to get a bag full of post-run fuel, an orange hooded fleece blanket (that according to Ren, made us all look like we were in The Handmaid’s Tale,) and most importantly…my medal. Now it was time to make the long-ass trek out of the park for another 10 blocks. I finally met up with my family after what seemed like another mile; we celebrated, took some pictures, and then I said, “how are we getting home?!” The thought of taking the subway was just not in the cards for me, so we walked ANOTHER 20 blocks to take the bus. We stopped at my apartment to rest, shower and evaluate the damage to my body (a few blisters, some chafing, 1 black toenail… and a partridge in a pear tree). We walked a few blocks to get some pizza and sangria, and then it was time to head home and go to bed. I took a fat melatonin and slept for 10 hours.

 

 The moment I finished the marathon, I questioned whether I’d do this again and immediately the answer was no. As time has gone by, the answer has absolutely changed to yes. All in all, this was a (mostly) positive experience: I had no pain other than general fatigue, I overall just had a good day, and the hard work and 4 months of training paid off. 

 

Questions I got after the marathon:

Best sign: Around mile 22 I saw a sign that said “are you feeling it now Mr. Krabs”

Any regrets: I shouldn’t have worn long sleeves

Did you stop to use the bathroom: No

Any training you’d do differently: Strength train (I did none)

Did you walk at all or run straight through: I walked at every water station and whenever I needed to

Did you eat anything while you were running: Honey Stinger gummies, salt tablets, a few bites of a Larabar, and candy corn

Would I do it again: Yes, but maybe I’ll take next year off?

When’s you next race: Turkey Trot 5k on Thanksgiving and then the Miami Half Marathon in January

 

MIAMI HALF MARATHON – January 29, 2023

 

#miamifamous

 

I’m lucky enough to have little or no anxiety, except when it comes to a couple of things that go together…being late and parking.  People often wonder why I will be in my parking space for a UF football game at 10am, even though the game may start at 8pm.  On top of that, I know that after parking in the same place for over 30 years, I could get there much later and still get my spot.  The short answer is...I don’t know.  I’m telling you this because I spend way too much time thinking about parking for the Miami Half Marathon than the race itself.  You would think after doing this race for 12 consecutive years, leaving at the same time in the morning, and parking in the same spot, this would be nothing to worry about…but it is.  More on this later, but let’s get to it.

 

Lindsey flew in on Friday for the race, but Mary had to cancel due to an injury.  The plan was to go to the expo first thing on Saturday and meet Lindsey’s friend Robert for lunch after that.  We realized last year that getting to the expo when they first opened would make it an easier time to look around with not as many people.  The expo was once again at the Miami Beach Convention Center, with lots of room to roam around.  We picked up our race packets, but the shirt in my opinion was as ugly as it gets.  It was black with the logo on the side of the shirt.  I know they were going for the artsy look, but I give it a major thumbs down.  In terms of vendors and merchandise, there were no heavy hitters here.  I did purchase a travel massage gun for $175 (regularly $400), so not all was lost.  Lindsey conveniently had the cash on her, so I didn’t have to pay sales tax.  After one more trip through the building, we met Robert at Orange Blossom.  Robert recommended this to us last year, so we went for it again.  The food was just okay, but we had great conversation.  Robert had nothing but great things to say about Lindsey, and vice-versa.  The food was expensive, but it seems as if the price of eating out has skyrocketed recently.  We had an early supper and tried to go to bed as early as possible.  The WWE Royal Rumble was on that night, but I would have to wait for the replay.

 

When you do a race where you just walk out of the hotel and straight to the starting line, the stress and anxiety level is at zero.  When you leave your house at 3:15am and arrive at the parking garage at 4pm to avoid traffic, well…that’s how I roll.  Predictably, there was no traffic, and we got right into the garage.  I was now able to relax, but we also had two solid hours to kill.  It was 73° when we started the race, which was a total sellout.  12,574 entered the half, with 2,782 running the full (15,356 in total).  The good news was we moved up one corral from last year; the bad news was we still waited close to 45 minutes before we started.  To me, this is the most torturous part of the race (as Tom Petty once said, “the waiting is the hardest part”). Lindsey wasn’t going to run with me, so it would just be me and the music.  I didn’t need to use the potty at the beginning, so I was off to a roaring start.

 

 

As many people that were running, it didn’t see as much “bumper-to-bumper” as usual.  I felt really good and saw Robert cheering us on around the four-mile mark.  Nothing super eventful to report (except for minimal bathroom breaks), but this was the first marathon/half marathon that I didn’t have any liquid on me.  Even though I would only be carrying an 11-ounce bottle in my belt, I’m going to make sure I have it on me for Gasparilla.  Lindsey finished about a half hour ahead of me, and of course the medals were outstanding.  It seemed as if they ran out of food, but we weren’t going to eat anyway.  They decided this year to sell the race photos, so no in-action shots.

 

 

 

 

We are of course signed up for next year, and even pressured Elaine to register as well.  Now on to Tampa and Gasparilla.

GASPARILLA DISTANCE CLASSIC – February 26 & 27, 2022

 

ARRRRGH YOUR READY TO RUN...BY YOURSELF?

It was finally time for the Gasparilla Distance Classic.  The most exciting, relaxing, and hectic weekend on my race schedule.  Only one thing was missing this year…no one in my running inner-circle signed up for it.  Lindsey was staying in New York, Elaine was skiing in Utah, Doug was on a cruise, and Glenda was too overwhelmed at work to go with me (I even tried to bribe Rachel to drive down from Tallahassee).  But all was not lost…Mary was coming in from Ocala with Cynthia and Michele.  I told her I would need her to be my babysitter for the weekend, and she was up for the challenge.  This would all change on the Thursday before the race.  Mary called me to say she and the gang would not be coming to Tampa.  Pneumonia (Cynthia), broken bones in the foot (Michele), and exposure to Covid (Mary) had taken the three of them out of action.  I asked both Jen and Pam if they wanted to meet me, but it was not enough advance notice for either one of them.  I was very disappointed, but I am my own best company.  My friend Erin (whom I’ve known since fourth grade) lives in Tampa and was free to see me Friday afternoon.

I arrived at the hotel around 3:30pm on Friday and made my way to the expo.  To get into to Tampa Convention Center (and the races for that matter), you would need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test.  They put a bracelet on my wrist and told me not to take it off for the weekend.  I met Erin outside the building, and we sat and talked for over two hours.  She had knee replacement surgery recently and was not up to walking around inside.  Once she left, I went in and picked up my race packet.  The shirts were exceptional (as always) along with the jacket they give you for doing one of the challenges.  There weren’t as many vendors as in past years (same with Miami), but I did buy a sweet looking Gasparilla sweatshirt.  After I put my “booty” away in the room, I walked over to Publix for a “Pub-Sub” and other goodies for supper.  I went to sleep early, with the 15K starting at 7am on Saturday.

 

 

Let’s go through the numbers for the weekend:

15K:     2,482

5K:       3,799

Half:     2,701

8K:       2,435

The 11,417 runners were considerably less than the 27,275 runners from two years ago, but Susan also put a cap on the races this year for health and safety reasons.  That notwithstanding, it’s always exciting when such a large group of runners line up for the starting gun.  The temperature was about 65° when the race started, and we were off.  I usually start in the middle of the corral, but this year I went all the way to the back.  Let’s face it…that’s where I’m going to finish, so why not avoid the crowd?  I ran an exceptionally strong race and only stopped to pee one time!  I also used my new Flipbelt running belt (as mentioned in my last blog post) and I really liked it.  I only carried one 11oz. water bottle, so I make sure I stopped and hydrated at all the water stations. Once I crossed the finish line, I caught up with my “pirate” friend Christine and took several photos with her.  They moved the after-party to a spot across from Publix, which is right by the finish line.  There was music and free beer, but no food this year.  No worries…I still had half of my “Pub-Sub” from the night before.  I was now faced with the biggest decision of the weekend…What was I going to do to entertain myself Saturday afternoon?  After showering, I made one more trip to the expo.  I bought a pirate hat and shirt, which I obviously missed on Friday.  I dropped them off in the room and took the trolley to Ybor City.  I had lunch at the Tampa Bay Brewing Company; I have to say, it’s been a long time since I’ve dined in a restaurant by myself.  They have a beer called “Smooth Pontoon,” which has the texture and taste of a smoothie.  Sadly, they did not have enough on tap for me to get a “to go” can or two.  There was a nice street festival going on that day (the roosters were also out in full force), so I walked around for about an hour.  After a 15K, two beers, and some sightseeing, this little boy was tapped out (no pun intended) and ready for bed.  The half marathon was starting at 6am on Sunday, and I was “counting sheep” by 8:30pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I forgot to mention that I ate a few too many cookies before I went to sleep and was still feeling the effects when I got up at 4:30am.  I was also a little sore from the 15K and sightseeing on Saturday but was still excited for the half marathon.  The temperature was about the same as the day before, but at least we start before the sun comes up.  They did a thorough job of checking to make sure everyone had on their wristband before entering the corrals.  Once again, I moved towards the back and avoided most of the crowd.  When we were under way, my stomach felt much better.  That being said, I know it was not going to be the same “walk in the park” as the 15K.  When I got to Bayshore Blvd. (around five miles into the race), I felt as if I were on cruise control.  It’s hard to explain; I wasn’t struggling, but I wasn’t running strong either…I was just running.  It was sunny, but not super-hot (I stopped to pee three times).  I called Glenda with about three miles to go, which made time go by quicker.  I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face, and half marathon #81 in the books.  I hung out with Christine for a while, but I had to shower and make that exciting drive back to the 954.

 

 

 

 

 

  

Susan and her crew put together a professional and well-organized race weekend; I’m counting down the days until next year.

This time, I hope I have some company.

One last note...I did not see Meb in the elevator this year.

 

 

 

 

 

GASPARILLA DISTANCE CLASSIC – May 8 & 9, 2021

 

 

When is a virtual race not a virtual race?  When it is put on by the Gasparilla Distance Classic.

I would say that this race weekend is my favorite, but at this point, any race weekend would be my favorite.  I’ve been doing at least one virtual race per month to get to my goal of 100 (just finished #74), but they are really getting torturous and boring.  I was fortunate to do Mount Dora in person back in December, but Miami was switched to virtual.  Gasparilla was originally scheduled for the end of February, but was postponed until Mother’s Day weekend.  Ah…a glimmer of hope.  Sadly, Susan broke the news that the race weekend would be virtual.  She and her staff didn’t think it would be fair to keep stringing everyone along, as the Covid numbers had not dropped enough to make the race safe for all parties concerned.  On the bright side, she announced that they would be closing Bayshore Blvd. down for a few hours on both Saturday and Sunday for runners to do the race “virtually.”  Since the Sandhouse Running Club is fully vaccinated, we decided to make it our first vacation in what seems like an eternity.  Glenda and Rachel would make the trip with me, and Lindsey and Elaine would have to take a pass this year.

Susan sent me an email earlier in the week that Lindsey had won a contest to have dinner with Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi on Friday night.  Since Lindsey would not be able to attend, Susan graciously offered the prize to us.  Meb and I have literally run into each other in the elevator of our hotel for the last six years; I was looking forward to having conversation with him in some not so confined quarters.

 

After an easy non-eventful drive (see previous posts about Gasparilla), we went straight to the expo.  The shirts and medals were outstanding, but the lack of vendors was heartbreaking.  It’s understandable under the circumstances, but to see the hall so empty was very sad.  With nothing to purchase, we went back to the hotel to get ready for our evening with Meb.

 

 

 

The dinner was at the Columbia Restaurant, but the Ybor City location.  To our surprise and delight, we learned that there is a trolly that goes from downtown Tampa to Ybor City…and it’s free!  That would have been good to know about seven years ago.  We had a private room with the nine other lucky winners of the contest, and got to speak with Susan in a more relaxed setting.  The food selections were a limited version of their full menu, so of course there was nothing for me to eat.  Now I had to be “that guy” and ask Susan for an alternative option.  Susan asked one of her staff members to sit at our table, and what a delight she was.  Ashley was very engaging, and has quite the educational background.  She explained how easy the course would be to navigate, and that there would be plenty of volunteers directing traffic as well.  Meb joined us for the first course and he recognized me right away from our previous elevator rendezvous.  I picked his brain about some helpful running tips, and did get to ask him the big question…Do you every have to pee when you are running (he said no…lucky guy).  The weather was supposed to be unseasonably cool on Saturday morning, so Ashley recommended that I do the half marathon instead of the 15K.  She was going to be out on the course, so I was looking forward to seeing her again.  I thanked Susan for the evening, and apologized for being such a picky eater.

The course opened up at 5am, and I took full advantage of the early start.  It was 63° when I crossed the starting line, with only about ten other runners.  We would stay on Bayshore Blvd. the entire time, with strategic turns that were clearly marked.  I must say that you would never know this was a virtual race by the amount of volunteers, police, water stations, and Port-O-Potties on the course (with no lines, you know I took full advantage).  I saw Ashley a few times, and stopped to speak to her for a few moments.  The wind on the way out was at my back, but was really working against me in the opposite direction.  As time went on, there were a lot more runners; it truly felt like an in-person race.  I felt great the entire time, and the temperature was still under 70° when I finished.

 

We grabbed breakfast at the hotel, and decided to go back to Ybor City for the day.  Ashley told us during dinner that there are a lot of chickens and roosters roaming the streets, so that was all Rachel needed to hear.  We took the trolly to Ybor City Saturday Market in Centennial Park.  Operating since 2000, the Ybor City Saturday Market is the largest continually operating outdoor market in the Tampa Bay Area. Centered in Tampa’s Historic District, the market is one of the most popular shopping destinations for locally produced items unique to the Tampa Bay Area.  As soon as we arrived, there were almost as many chickens and roosters as there were shoppers. We spent a good amount of time taking photos, but sadly not purchases.  We walked around for a long time, and stopped for lunch at the Tampa Bay Brewing Company (and by lunch, I mean beer and nachos).  We sat outdoors, but it did seem strange taking off our masks around other people.  We took the trolly back to the hotel, and proceeded to take a four-hour power nap.  None of us were really in the mood to go out for supper, so we took a stroll to Publix for some “Pub-Subs” and other goodies.

With half marathon #74 in the books, I decided to see how I felt Sunday morning as to whether or not I would run the 15K.  Since it’s technically a virtual race, I could always run at home the following weekend.  I set the alarm for 4am, and felt surprisingly good.  I was back out on the course at 5am, with a small group of my closest friends.  The temperature was a little warmer, and the wind was not quite as stiff.  Knowing that I was only doing 9.3 miles was also good psychologically.  I know there is probably a good reason that the longer race is always the second day (same with Disney), but I enjoyed this in “reverse order” much more.  I saw Ashley again, and this race was just as enjoyable as the half marathon.  I don’t think there were as many runners on Sunday as there were on Saturday, but you couldn’t deny the “real-race” feeling.  We had breakfast once again at the hotel, and made our way back to the 9-5-4.

 

 

 

Staring in the face of adversity, Susan and her staff once again delivered a first-class event.  It is a credit to their hard work and determination that this weekend was as memorable as any other year.