running in Florida
I missed my long run this weekend, so I’ve been trying to make up for it in Tampa. There’s a boardwalk right outside my hotel, and I asked the front desk how long it was, to get an idea of how many loops I’d be running. They estimated a mile. It was really 8/10 of a mile.
The humidity is something that one must get used to when running in Florida. It was STICKY and I had a difficult time with it. I was sweaty after a mile, much less when I finished my hour workout. I was a little concerned with the “beware of alligators” signs that are posted along the boardwalk, but I didn’t run into any gators. I did, however, see a lot of other cool wildlife. Various birds that we don’t see in the mountains of North Carolina.
Because of the alligator warnings, I ran really fast, and only six miles. I had no desire to risk my life on a work trip.
This morning I woke up early and planned on running on a treadmill at the hotel. Little did I know that so many people would have the same idea. I took one look at the fitness room, realized every machine was taken and I headed outside to the boardwalk. I think that’s the beauty of running. At least I (almost) always have a back-up location for my workout.
It’s a good thing I didn’t take to the streets while in Tampa. According to a story in today’s USA Today, Tampa-St. Petersburg is number 2 in pedestrian traffic deaths. Maybe I should be fearing the drivers, rather than the alligators?
