Weekly Log 20-Apr to 26-Apr-2015: Running in the Sunshine State

Miscellaneous notes:

• Just signed up for Mystic Half as a pacer for gratis.  Never been an official pacer before.  Looking forward to this.
• Looks like we'll be doing our first ever WTAC century this summer after all.  Got Mikey to come aboard, Chris with his constant wanderlust will be away, and FiveK is seeking permission from his soon to be bride.
• Having put the kibosh on Boston (and any spring marathon), I now "have" to run a fall marathon.  Any suggestions?  Anyone else have fall marathon plans?  Research to ensue.

Monday:
 5 miles.  Treasure Island, FL.  Matthew ground his old man into the dirt (or rather paved running/walking pathway) for 6 x 400:  80, 78, 77, 74, 76, 78. 

Along today's run

After the workout, we had an easy run return via the beach where we encountered a plethora of birds we don't encounter in RI (see pics).

Laughing Gull

Sandpiper



This amazing Great Blue Heron
stood over 3' tall as it
walked along the beach.
Magnificent!



Need Hammett or Bentley help
on this one

Obviously not a bird, but this guy was pretty cool!

After a visit at USF, we returned "home" to Treasure Island and us three boys went out for kayaking, or so we hoped.  Unfortunately, nobody would rent kayaks to us because a storm was brewing.  Walked a boardwalk and ate ice cream instead, and then as we returned to the hotel, a tornado warning was issued and broadcast over our phones.  The rain was blowing sideways, and the wind was so strong it was picking up pool furniture and throwing it over a 5' fence.  What to do?  Matthew and I went out onto the now deserted beach and played Frisbee as best we could.  Returned into the hotel literally dripping wet, as people gawking out lobby windows at the storm just looked at us in disbelief. I'm sure Jana would have been just shaking her head.

Awesome dinner at a
Japanese steakhouse

Buy one, get one free Sake -
if you insist!

USF:  Mark's leading choice thus far

Tuesday:
4 miles.  Short nighttime run with Matthew on dark, busy Tallahassee streets.

Visited Florida State University today

Sushi and seafood buffet -
I'm in heaven

Finding room for dessert,
and the unlimited wine special

Wednesday:
5 miles.  Lafayette Heritage Trails with Matthew.  Tallahassee, FL.   Saw no one until in the middle of the woods a lithe man approximately in his 80s was out walking his dog.  He was explaining that his pace was limited to 3 mile per hour walks these days.  Seeing his frame and his interest in suggesting trails for us to run, I took a guess and said something to the effect that I bet he ran a lot of trails in the day.  His eyes lit up and he smiled and said "Yes, I did!" and proceeded to talk about trail running.   Really nice guy!

Cool, if not blurry, single-track

 coming off one of the
many wooden bridges

Gnarly single-track

The entire FL trip I gorged on food and drink 3x per day (not even counting stops for snacks and my ice cream weakness).  Once back in RI, I'm going to have to issue restraint and get back to a normal eating routine.  Unfortunately, in the meantime, I've packed on a few pounds as I'm seen in the next photo shirtless on the beach  ... (view discretion advised)



Guess I packed on a few too many pounds
gorging myself in FL

Thursday:
5 miles.  Back in Rhody.  Roads and beach.

Friday: 0

Saturday:
6 miles.  Trails in Woody Hill.

Sunday:
6 miles.  RI State Police 5K.  Write-up to follow.

Weekly Mileage Log:
0 miles.
0 miles.
31 miles.