Double Bridge Run - 15K 2-6-21

 
Pensacola Double Bridge 15K run.   Krista and I headed off to run those bridges again. 😀  However, this year was different.  We had a new course thanks to one of 2020 storms that literally knocked out the new Bridge they had just finished in Pensacola!   The weather was calling for RAIN and WIND.  Krista and I went to packet pickup in our mask and basically went back to our room until time to grab our supper.  It wasn't a weekend for walking the beach. 😢  We received this water bottle in our packet.  There would be no aid stations along the course thanks to COVID!  Everyone would be required to be in MASK until you were off running.  Krista and I didn't care, it was so nice to be at an in person race once again! So far 2 races for me this year in person. YIPPIE 

Typically we would be bused out to the start line and run back from Gulf Breeze across 2 bridges and into Pensacola beach.  This year we started basically at the finish line and ran across the 1st bridge, down to the 2nd bridge and actually ran a short piece on it and then turned around and headed back to the finish line.  I was shocked we were able to get on the 2nd bridge since it's under major construction.  They had all kinds of cranes and people working to repair the damaged bridge.  Here's a pic. 

Below is the one bridge we ran across 2X... You can tell what a nasty day it was on race day.  Thankfully, however the rain did hold off.  It was lightly raining when we got up that morning, but it stopped at race time 💙  Krista said that was due to all the praying she had done. 🙏

The WIND however, was a different story!! Man it was BAD at times.  It felt like you were trying to run through a wall!  But that didn't stop us.  Krista and I maintained her 1-1 intervals and finished that 15K in under 2 hours.  😁

We didn't even stay our 2 nights we had planned due to the weather.  We checked out Saturday after the race and drove back home.   I was glad we did.  We would have been doing nothing but sitting in the hotel room.  It was just too cold, windy and rainy to do anything else.  I was glad to be home Sunday sitting in my chair in my PJs most of the day working on a sewing project.  😍  

Very thankful for the Good lord for watching over Krista and I while traveling and running.  I'm blessed to have her as one of my dear friends.   God has truly blessed me. 

Side Note:  While in Pensacola, I received an email, and a text telling me that the Miss Blues race coming up end of February has been postponed till October due to Covid cases still popping up!  This makes the 2nd race that I know of moved to October!  We can't keep moving all spring races to the fall!  There have been a couple of races happening recently in person with lots of Covid precautions.  I feel these other races need to learn from them and let's keep racing and not postponing.  🙏

Casino Bridge Runs & Harley Half Marathon - Triple Challenge - 22.3 miles in 2 days.

 

First race of 2021

Casino Bridge Runs & Harley Half Marathon (my 40th half marathon) - Triple Challenge - 22.3 miles in 2 days.  The pic above is from last year, but it's a nice shot to show you the bridge we crossed from Biloxi to Ocean Springs. 😃  AND since I did all 3 races, I did that bridge 3 times! 😵

Not all of the PPRF group made the race.  Ronnie & Be are still trying to lay low due to Covid, Penny was already signed up to do the Big Beach Marathon in Gulf Shores, Misty had toe surgery, and Jessica had several things going on so it was just me, Felicia, Candy and Michelle.   Michelle only ended up doing the 10K and then traveling on the Gulf Shores and doing the full with Penny at Big Beach on Sunday.  Michelle wants to try to do a marathon each month this year if possible. 😀😮  Candy and Feleica only did the 10K on Saturday and the half marathon on Sunday with me.   I was the only one in the group that did all 3 races... 10K at 7:30am on Saturday followed by the 5K at 9am on Saturday and then the half marathon on Sunday.   That was not my original plan however.  I had signed up for the Diamond challenge which was the 10K & 5K for the Casino Bridge run way b4 I knew anything about the Harley Half marathon.  When the girls found out about the half marathon they begged me to sign up with them.  By now the organization had announced a triple challenge combining the Harley half with the 2 Casino Bridge runs or you could do a double challenge by doing one of the Casino Bridge runs with the Harley Half.   That is what Candy & Felicia did and since I was already signed up for the 10K and the 5K, I ended up with the triple challenge. 😄

The weather on Saturday was nice.  It was cloudy and not too cold.  I ran the 10K at a steady easy pace and then walked / jogged the 5K to stretch out the legs... which doing that bridge 2X didn't give much of a stretch on the old legs.... 😂  I did however, do yoga in my hotel room that afternoon to stretch them out.  Also got in some shopping in downtown Ocean Springs. 💗  Found some awesome wedding gifts for my daughter 👰 and basically just enjoyed walking around in the sweet town of Ocean Springs. 💕

A few pics from Saturday:

Headed to the start line.

Ran into my old Ironman training buddy, Jason.  He's carrying the US flag. 😍  Girls all masked up at the start line.  Everyone had on mask until they got off running.  Then you were spaced out and could removed your mask.  Safety first! 

WE Finished! Michelle wanted a pic at the palm tree b4 she had to leave. 

                                             Ran into Nestor at the start of the 5K! 

Also ran into the "King" after the 10K, Rod!  He's been so wonderful over the years sharing race info for not just Team Run4TheKids, but many races.   

Shirt and 2 medals collected for the day.  

Shopping in downtown Ocean Springs Saturday Afternoon.  I love the town. It's has lots of art stores and just a great cool vibe in downtown.  Found some wedding gifts for the daughter. 💕

Took this pic while coming back from Ocean Spring shopping.  You can tell how cloudy it has gotten as the day went on.  Calling for RAIN on Sunday.  We are hoping it doesn't rain for the half! And thinking of doing this bridge 1 last time... ha 

Sunday morning... Half Marathon:

Candy and I waiting to go to the start line.

Start line... You can tell everyone at the Coliseum is spaced out and in Mask.  Safety first.  The young girl between me and Felicia is only 14 and was doing her first half marathon!  She's from Hattiesburg and her mother left her in our care that morning as we waited to start the race.  Sweet girl!  

We Facetimed with Michelle and Penny during the race as we were all running.  They were running Big Beach marathon.  This was right b4 the RAIN started!  The rain started around mile 5 and did not stop until the last mile!  At first it was just a light rain off and on and then around mile 9 it became a downpour.  At times it felt like ants hitting you!  Feleica had gotten something in her eye around mile 5 and could not get it out.  Her eye was so irritated that she was squinting trying to see.  When the heavy rain started I gave her my visor so she could half way  keep the rain from hitting her in the eye causing more discomfort.   I know she was miserable!  But she did not stop.  She told me and Candy to go on and leave her around mile 10 or 11, but we said "NO".  We don't leave a runner behind.  We drag them on to the finish. 😀 Candy tried to see if she could see anything in her eye, but her eye was so irritated and red that you couldn't tell.  and I know eye irritation is so painful!  I felt so bad for her.  

WE finished! Whew that was tough in the rain and man that WIND picked up big time when we had to come back across that bridge! 

I was disappointed in the medals.  Actually we were disappointed in several things.  They really have several things to improve upon at the race!  I know this was the first year for them to combine both race days together, but the Casino Bridge has been around for a couple of years and they still need to learn how to do packet pickup, medals, shirts, etc.   I've got several tips that I hope they send us a post race email so I can share them.  😏  If you notice in the pic below there are two diamond challenge medals!  Yep, they gave me the 2nd one for the "triple challenge".  When I questioned the lady about it she said oh the medals are the same for the double and triple challenge... 😢  this made no sense to me!  Plus I didn't get a 5K medal!!  When I crossed the finish line they didn't hand me one like they were other people and I asked why and they said it was because I did the 10K!  I've never heard of this!  Either that person was wrong.. which I don't doubt because at packet pickup different ladies told me, Michelle and Candy all 3 different things!!! It was so unorganized concerning shirts, the 1/4 zip jacket and the tie die shirt!!!  Michelle is still furious she did not get a tie die shirt.  She had talked about that shirt for weeks! And when we questioned them at Packet pickup, they all gave us different stories...... and Felicia didn't get a timing chip in her packet!!  She's fairly new to racing so if I had not said something when were at the vehicle about a chip she would not have known she didn't have one!   I've worked races and worked a packet pickup at an Ironman race.... you must train all your volunteers to know what they are doing and most importantly they must explain stuff to the runners that are in their packets!  They should have made every runner aware there was a chip to be attached to their shoes.  But the ones that worked when were were there did not mention that at all!  I've give them credit since this was first time for combined races and I will say everyone along the course was supper friendly and helpful, but if I had to grade them I'd give them a C basically on organization.   

Not to fond of the skull on the medal.. 😂  but glad the good Lord blessed me to be able to do all 3 races with no major problems.  I was thrilled to be in the race atmosphere again!   I just love being around a ton of people all thriving to cross that finish line! 

 This weekend was a blessing and I owe it all the him! 

and that's a wrap for the 1st race of 2021!