Skyway 10K run

One of the things I love most about racing is the experience.  In the past, I've always been trying to get a better time, be faster, not stop to walk, so I didn't really get to experience the race as much... I was rushing through it, not wanting to stop and admire what was around me.

Well, on March 3, 2019, I ran a 10K.  Which is monumental because the last actual run I did was a 2 mile slow run around my neighborhood on February 6!  So with no real running for the past month, I ended up run/walking a 10K, and finished only 10 minutes slower than my fastest 10K time. 

This 10K?  It's called the Skyway 10K.  The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is a four mile long bridge that connects St Petersburg to Bradenton. It's a massive bridge, and driving over is an awesome experience.  So when the opportunity to run over it arises, you jump at the chance... especially as the race is limited to just 8,000 runners.

It's an awesome experience.  And you know what's the kicker?  I ENJOYED every minute of it.  I allowed myself to stop.  To take photos.  I marveled at the scenery.  I told fellow racers that I liked their outfits.  I was not worried about my time.  When my body felt like it needed to walk, I let it walk.  When I felt myself recovering, I started to run again, and I reminder thinking "oh yes I am strong, that recovery was good and now I can run again!"

The race experience was magnified.  It reminded me of why I love running.

It was such a cool experience to run up a bridge... ascending 200 feet in the air over the course of 1 mile, and then running down. I finished that race feeling like a bad a$$, despite my slower time. 

I don't remember thinking "oh my god I'm dying", ever, and I recall distinctly in every other race that I had that thought at least once if not twice (or more!).

Now, just because I wasn't running doesn't mean I wasn't working out. I had been completed Beachbody workouts - in particular Shaun T's Transform 20 and The Masters Hammer & Chisel, so that likely kept me in fighting form. And I don't recommend that everyone run a race without any training... I'm saying that, for me, the experience of slowing down was almost as important.

I feel pretty awesome.  Maybe I'm done running long distances, maybe I'm not.  But whatever I am, I LOVED being OK with simply enjoying the ride.