GASParilla Distance Classic (Pt 3 - 8k and After)

Since I was only ("only") doing the 8k today, we didn't have to get up at the ass-crack of dawn. I had the alarm set for 5:30, but that was way too early! I snoozed until around 6:15 before rolling out of bed. I hurt! My feet, my legs, my... girly bits... everything hurt!

I got up and got dressed and did some packing while drinking some chocolate milk. Woke him up and did a bunch more packing, so there is no rush when we get back (I secured a 1pm late checkout, yeah!)

We carried my run bag and purse down to the car, then popped in to get some breakfast. Some bad breakfast... the eggs were rubbery, the sausage was bland, and the biscuits were hard. The orange juice wasn't very orange-y, but the apple juice was okay. On our way out, we picked up two bottled sodas at Wawa (though I never drank it... it's still in the fridge at home!)

We set Garmin to take us back to the Whiting Street Garage, but it was blocked off by cones, so we ended up in a nicer garage on Front Street. I backed the car in so we could sit and chill for a bit. While sitting there, two different women walked by (half-marathon finisher) and couldn't find their cars. They walked up and down, pointing their little fobs, hoping to hear a honk. No luck. Then here came another random dude, doing the same thing! Three different people, walking around, pointing fobs, walking up the ramp, walking down the ramp, visibly frustrated. And then... a fourth! He was tenacious as hell. He eventually found it, but it was situated in a way that he couldn't get to it without walking all the way around - it was on the down portion of the ramp (like the ramp that takes you from 4th floor to 3rd floor). He didn't want to walk around, and he actually tried to climb the safety fences to get to his car! I'm so glad I backed into this parking spot - I was getting such a good laugh out of this show, I was breathless!

You can just see the down ramp behind the truck

I bet these would have been really helpful for these folks

Unlike them, I remembered that I was on the Green Level

Hard to see, but these guys are dressed like MarioKart characters

We made it to the start area with about 5 minutes to spare (the 8k start is like a mile away from the finish line... I always forget that part). I got a good luck kiss, and he headed past the starting line. 

Florida in February - TANK TOPS!

Already it is hotter than yesterday, ugh!
 

I kept up with the pace group for about 5 or 6 rounds of walk/run

At one point, I saw these two women in red tank tops and the one on the right kept wiping her crotchular area with one of the wet washcloths from the finish line. I watched them for a while, trying to figure out if she was having an issue, and finally went over to them to see if they needed help. Turned out she was chafing bad, so I whipped out my little tube of Ruby's Lube and offered it to her. (I checked later, and they beat me to the finish, so good for them!!)

Look at 'em go!

20% done!

I did a little more running today than I did yesterday, but I was still very slow. I'm fatter and more out of practice this year.  And it's REALLY. FUCKING. HOT.

Ugh... go away... 40% done

Blow Up Doll says turn around!

Lots of TPD or HCSO out today

Once I got past Mile 4.75 or so, I pulled out my 15k medal and put it on; I like to run in with my other medals, so that when they are there when I get my finish photos. 

60% done!

80% done! Blow Up Doll says 1 more mile!

Yep... that's the remnants of a water stop

I ran in the final 300 feet to "Look What You Made Me Do" and got a completely shitty time of 1:30:02. But, I got a cool 8k medal, and an even cooler challenge medal!

Bonus of being slow? Volunteers don't bum rush you out of the chute!

8k Medal

Challenge Medal

ALL the Bling!

Once I cooled down a bit, we made our way to the garage, found our car quite handily (thanks to the handy dandy color-coded levels), and headed back to the hotel. Sweaty clothes came off and we made good use of our late check-out time. 

However, we lost track of time and we were still in bed at 12:55! Whoops! We finished packing at the speed of light while the maid was knocking on the door at 1:05. Then we got a telephone call 5 minutes after that. 

You know how on TV they always show people with messy hair and disheveled clothes after they've just had a quickie romp? Yeah, I basically looked like that as I went downstairs to check out. Judging by the way the clerk asked me how my stay was, I'm pretty sure he knew exactly how my stay was! 

To refuel, we grabbed burgers at Red Robin and snackage at Wawa. As we thought about heading home, though, we really wanted dessert, so we drove up to Brooksville and hit Dairy Queen, then took US19 and SR121 all the way home (the drive wasn't nearly as entertaining as I remember it being when I was a kid). 

We got home by 6:30, and after Story Time with the Kiddo™, I headed off to take a shower, unpack,  and conk out.

This was, without a doubt, the best weekend we’ve had as a couple in a LONG TIME.  It isn’t even the Sexy Time™ that made it. It was the love between us, just relaxed and lazy, the cuddling in bed, not stressing out about the kiddo, or having to be somewhere, or anything. I honestly can’t remember the last time I have felt so in love with him. I understand now why lots of relationship gurus say to do stuff just like this.  We talked about insanely stupid stuff. We talked about extremely important stuff. We didn’t talk at all. I want more!