Perdido Beach Half Marathon - 3-2-2024 Half Marathon #49 for me.

 What better way to get in a training run than at a race. 😁 Or that's what we tell ourselves... 😎

Penny found this race several weeks ago and sent the group a text asking who all was interested.  It turned out that March, 2 was a busy weekend for several in the group so it ended up only being me and Penny that were able to travel.  We decided to make it a short trip.  Just one night away from home.   We left on Friday afternoon after working, and headed on down to the beach.  It RAINED all day on Friday! Lots and lots of rain.  The road conditions were terrible.  The forecast was calling for slight rain on Saturday also.  We were not thrilled about that and prayed it would change.  

We made it just in time to get to packet pickup before 6pm.  There was no expo.  Just pick up your packet.  We stayed at the host location which was Perdido Beach Resort.  If you've never stayed there, well let me just say.. it's NICE.  Rooms were only $150 a night.. which that was race rate in March...  Penny  has stayed there in the summer with her hubby and she said the rooms are no where near that cheap. 😁😑  We decided to just eat at the restaurant there and not venture out due to the rain.  We were in bed early.. like 8pm 😂

Saturday morning we woke up and no rain, but the visibility was so bad you could not even see the ocean water from our room.  It was so HUMID.  My stomach had bothered me off and on during the night so I went ahead and popped 2 imodium tablets first thing.  The race started right out the main entrance of the resort.  It was so nice that we had stayed right there.  We chatted with my coworker, David for a few minutes and then it was time for the race to start.  

waiting to start... notice the FOG

waiting to start .. man it's FOGGY

They counted us down till 7am and off we went.  The Perdido Beach pass was directly down from our resort and start line.  We knew we had to cross that bridge like 4 times! Yes, you read that right... 4 times!  David and I had looked at the map at work and tried to figure out what all the looping meant, but we were not real sure.  Well, they had excellence volunteers with signs that kept you straight.  Across the bridge you went, then down under and across the road to the other side, down to Flora Bama, Cross over at redlight, back to Bridge, down under and over and back to Flora Bama and then back to cross bridge one last time..  I think if I would  of had to cross that bridge one more time... I might of cried.. 😂😁  

With the visibility being so bad due to fog, there was nothing pretty to look at! No ocean view while crossing the bridge, etc.  You could barely see 50 feet in front of you.  Not to mention it was HOT and HUMID.  OH and guess what???   I got sick!  I knew something wasn't right with my stomach.  I blame it on that dang fudge I got at Buccees!  I should not have eaten 2 pieces Friday night before bed!  Penny stopped with me the first time and waited.  The next time,  I told her to go on so she finally did and we got separated.  I ended up stopping 3X for the bathroom and felt so sick to my stomach the whole race.  I was so sad and mad!  I kept thinking if I feel like this in Boston, how will I run 26.2 miles when I'm about to die just trying to finish 13.1 miles!  It was not a good feeling!  It's weird how some races, you'll feel awesome and some you'll feel like total crap!  It just wasn't my day!!  Penny on the other hand that had been battling PF and not running much for 2 weeks was on FIRE.  I could barely keep up with her that first few miles we were together.  Usually she'll say she's chasing me and she's telling the group to pull back and hang around the 11 min pace... well NOT this time.. She was full force on GO! 😍  I'm so proud that she had a good race.  Yep, her foot hurt some, but otherwise she ran really well with no breathing issues, etc.  She had a good day.  

She was waiting for me at the finish line. 💓 

Penny with her medal.. and that pink blur in background is me finishing

That's me in pink coming in

Boy was I glad to be done!  I had to head straight to the bathroom.  It was just one of those days!  After I walked around and cooled down a bit, I felt better.  We decided to sit and listen to the awards to relax before heading back home.  I'm glad we did because guess what?  Penny placed 3rd in her age group and I placed 2nd in my age group!  I tell you that was all GOD.  I ran like crap, felt like crap and somehow placed!  I think all the fast 5-59 year olds stayed home that day. 😀😍  So what felt like a really awful day, turned into a better day.  I rarely ever place at half marathons or marathons.. so it just made me feel better on a really bad day.  I give GOD all the glory for allowing me to finish that race.  I could have easily quit and said I'm not running anymore because I feel so sick, but I didn't... sometimes you  just have to push through it.  🙏😀  I was glad we had just stayed one night and came on back home so I had a chance to rest on Sunday before back to work. 

me on 2nd place for 55-59 age group

David on 2nd and Penny on 3rd 

with our cups we got for placing... pretty cool.

The bridge hills! 

my coworker, David.. we rarely take pics at races.. he's FAST and usually long gone by the time we finish.  Glad we got this one.  

So that's a wrap on half marathon #49 ...  Up next in 2 weeks is #50... Run the Rainbow for the Children in Jackson.  Another training run to get me ready for Boston... just 42 days away! 

We also ran in honor of 22 year old Laken Hope Riley, who was a nursing student brutally murdered last Thursday after running near a lake on her campus in Georgia. We wore pink to bring awareness of this tragedy. #LakenRiley #thepowerofpray