Running With Pirates, Yogis & Mouth Breathers!

Whazzzuuuup? I hope all my American friends had a great 4th of July holiday weekend – and my foreign friends had a great normal weekend! I, myself, and me participated in an unofficial race. Not so much a race, but more a social run…but we did get kewl homemade medals afterwards!!!

I like my nike mustache, or is it a muswoosh?

The course was  10kilometers, but for our Chicago Marathon training, we needed 10miles, so we tacked on another 4 afterwards. I’m glad we did, cause we found a big ole pirate ship!

I had to invoke the right of parley.

Almost Just as good, I also ran into some other run buds in the last stretch. Soo coo to go for a run in a different part of town and still literally run into friends on the roads.

A. Pickle on my right and an ole Ohio high school bud turned Texan on my left.

Speaking of Chi-town, the training is slowly picking up. It feels kind of good again to be running mediumish runs during the work week. The 4am wake up calls blow, but #whaddyagonnadoboutit? Gotta get em done!

Yes, I was so rungry that I tried to eat a tree.

And of course, I always like hitting up some of the local social runs to incorporate into the training.

We ran and then sat in big red chairs, duh.

Even though I’m all the tired from it all, I’m still keeping up with the cross training – either at the gym or in the department store.

I wear that I squatted a little lower right after this pic was taken.

OK, there’s more but I’ll save it for the next post. I really am planning on being more diligent about blogging – especially as the training increases. But if you want to keep up quicker, just give my Instagram a follow! Like a dude who eats a lot of bananas, on there I’m pretty regular.

Howzit? Training going well? Can you guess what the pirate ship was for? Do I ever close my mouth in an IG photo?

-Scott

Key West Half Marathon Recap

It’s a two sided medal, it’s a wine stopper, it’s fun and functional.

Ahh, the Florida Keys. Who doesn’t love em? Key West in particular, has always been a magnet to the funky-fresh folks.

Closer to Havana than to Miami.

If you haven’t been, well, it’s kind of like a tropical and clean New Orleans. If you haven’t been to New Orleans, well, it’s kind of like an anything-goes sort of haven – full of good food, strong drink, history, openness, tolerance, and zero inhibitions. Both cities were home to pirates, poets, performers, and parties. Needless to say, I love it!!!

Two similar cities. Only separated by 630 miles.

In case you get lost.

And I’m glad to report that the Key West Half Marathon & 5k had the same feel to it that the island has – laid back, scenic, inclusive & fun! Peeps could even register under a “walker division” – can’t get more inclusive than that.

The fun feel starts at the race expo, which was held at a seaside bar and oyster joint…DUH!

Ain’t I purdy?

I was so excited at the expo, because it meant we got our race shirts! They are so over-the-top amazesauce!!!

The shirts….I heart them! And check out those bibs!

And if you’re so inclined, there are plenty of shops next door to load up on souvenirs.

Yeeeeah buoy!

From there, there were plenty of good joints on the island to get your carbo-load on.

My sis with our sushi grade raw tuna “nachos”

The eggs in the restaurants were very fresh.

The artwork in the eateries was very high brow, as my sis and her bae recognized.

My sis with some key lime pie, natch.

The whole pie.

And of course, there were good bevvies to wash it down with…

Key West beer, why not?

My sis and a Moscow Mule at Louie’s Backyard.

Hog’s breath is better than no breath at all. So they say.

Anyway, on to the race! It started at 7am over by the boat docks. Very laid back – no formal corrals, no pre-race formalities…

Can you spot me? Hint – white Ohio University shirt. Photo courtesy of http://www.fotobyfreas.com

I was a little worried going into the race. I was in good shape, but I’d been training in Dallas in 20-30 degree temps. Race morning it was in the 70’s with 90% humidity – 90%!!!!!!!!! OUCH!

But it was time to race, and hahaha, there wasn’t even a race starting horn – Someone must’ve said, “Go.” cause all the sudden, we were off!

I started my gps about a 1/4 mile into the race. My bad.

The course took us down famous Duval St., past the Southernmost Point marker, then an out and back along the beach.

Our friend Carrie caught me on the course. Throwin Dueces! Or maybe quotation marks cause I was feeling “great” in the humidity.

I crossed the 10k mark at 48:34, but it was all I could do to maintain that pace in that humidity. Shortly after, the wheels fell off. I was taking walk breaks to dump cold water on my head at each aid station.

Anyway, on the way back we went past the Hemingway house, the lighthouse, the A1A Mile Marker 0, and through Mallory Square (where everyone goes to watch the sunsets).

Photo I took of one of their famous sunsets.

The race eventually ended at the boat docks. But I was really hurting in the humidity. However, I sucked it up the last couple miles to finish at 1:50:00. A full 5 minutes slower than the Dallas Half last month.

At the finish, smiling on the inside. Photo courtesy from video from http://www.wildsideonline.com

I was hoping to break 1:40 at this race, but with the humidity, it wasn’t meant to be. I really did push hard though – so much so that I was very sore the next day.

That said, it was the same for everybody out there, and so I was still able to finish 27th in my age group and 201st overall (out of 3-4000 runners)!!!

See, I told you the race ended at the boat docks. Sweat much?

Even though I didn’t have the race I hoped for, I still had an absolute BLAST! It was so SCENIC! The volunteers were WONDERFUL! And the post race party was OFF THE CHAIN!

Before we could really get turnt up, I had some other friends and family finishing the race that I went back to root for!

Some friends.

Some family – my ma.

Sister’s bae.

My dad’s first half marathon!

My sis also ran, but I didn’t get a pic of her finishing. But we did get a selfie with the race announcer. This guy was THE.BEST.MC.EVAH! He was cracking us up with gems like, “This is the best day of our lives!” And I think he called me “dude” when I crossed the finish line.

Michael the Boston radio DJ. Solid dude. Perfect match for the Key West laid back attitude.

With everyone finished, it was time to party!!!

We had fun.

Da Key West crew.

The post race concert was Howard Livingston & the Mile Marker 24 Band. I’ve heard him before on Jimmy Buffett’s Radio Margaritaville. Such a great performer!!! He even made us margaritas with a modified boat-motor-blender at one point.

Howard on stage.

Did I mention all the beer was FREE?!?! That probably led to us making some new friends. Like when I photobombed some stranger’s selfie because Howard had jumped off stage to be in it!!!

Selfie stick, Howard Livingston, PirateBobcat Photobomb. Love this pic! Thanks to Elizabeth T.F. for sending it my way.

Hahahaha, the race photog actually got a pic of us taking a pic of ourselves.

From there it was on to Duval St. where we could proudly display our medals and shirts.

Da Key West Crew all cleaned up.

Yet another patio bar to celebrate on. I figured I’d wear loud shorts with my screaming shirt.

The patio drinks led to even more selfies. Well, that and narcissism.

Look, a coconut tree and a coconut head.

And I even tried my best to copy RunColbyRun and her high angle, partially-obstructed-face selfies, but I couldn’t master the master.

So sexy.

So to sum up, it was a blasty blast!!! If you are ever thinking of running the Key West Half Marathon, I say DO IT!!!!

And besides, you can’t run all the miles until you run the first one…

Mile Marker 0. Yes, I was in Birkenstocks.

Good times people, good times all around!

How bout you? Ever run Key West…or do you want to? What do you think of the swag? Ever go on a runcation?

-Scott

Jimmy Buffett Concert Tailgate = Tropical Christmas in May.

Most runners I know do their long runs on Saturdays.  Why not?  You’re usually not at work and other people are doing it too.  I usually do too.  But not this Saturday.  No way.  No way whatsoever.  Why not?  This Saturday is the best day of the whole year….it’s the day of the Jimmy Buffett Tailgate Party!

My ever present Jolly Roger at last year’s show. We fly it upsidedown – no prisoners!

If you’ve never been to a Buffett concert, you don’t know what you’re missing.  It’s not about the show itself – most people at the party don’t even have tickets.  It’s about the day-long (or several day-long) tailgate party.  Yes it is.  It’s the one day of the year when a tropical vacation comes to you.  It’s the one day of the year when nobody gives a flying crap.  There’s no drama allowed.  There’s no politicks.  There’s no jealousy.  There’s no possessions.  There’s no negativity.  And when you remove all of that stuff, all that’s left is positivity and laid backness.

People at a Buffett tailgate are just happy.  It’s almost like a big tropical hippie commune landlocked in a North Texas parking lot.  “Hey stranger, have a drink.”  “Thanks, you want some of our crawfish boil?”  “Why yes, yes I do…Hey, that guy has an ice sculpture shot dispenser, let’s go meet them.”  “Excuse me, ma’am.  Can I borrow your bike – rickshaw for a while?”  “Sure, when you bring it back – I’ll probably be over at that pirate ship.”

It goes on and on all day.  RV’s as far as you can see.  Boats.  Makeshift beaches – sand dumped in parking spaces.  Hawaiian shirts.  Bikinis (or less).  Cannons shooting out Jello shots.  Motorized coolers.  Kids.  Elderly.  It’s beautiful.

This is NOT an uncommon sight at a JB concert.

The vibe is so great.  It’s like all you have to do that day is smile.

To be honest, I am a fan of JB’s music.  Always have been.  I  know not everyone gets it.  But I find most of them only know his big songs like “Margaritaville” or “Volcano”.  They’ve never chilled out to “Tin Cup Chalice”  “Coastal Carolina”  “Pacing the Cage”  or the like.  But it doesn’t matter this day if you’re a fan or not.  We’re just here for fun.  But if you are a fan like me, then hey, bonus!

Like I said, most people there don’t have tickets.  They’re just their to grill out, hang out, make out, drink out, whatever out.  I stopped buying tickets years ago, but I still get in to the show every year.  I get free tickets somehow.  Either someone is too drunk to go in.  Someone has extra tickets they got stuck with.  A stranger just gives them to me.  Worse comes to worse, I’ll buy one CHEAP from a scalper.  And I don’t mean a typical scalper…I mean the guy who looks like a parrot threw up on him that is standing by the entrance with a ticket he got stuck with.  You can usually get a good deal from those guys.

Just a couple of melon heads.

Anyways, I’ve been going to these shows annually – sometimes multi annually for the past 20 years.  I can’t even count how many shows I’ve been to.  I’ve seen him every where from Vegas to Dallas to Charlotte to Ohio.  Each time awesome.  And over the years we’ve got the system pretty well down.  We know how to maximize our set up to ensure the most time is allowed to get our party on.  I made the mistake this week of listening to Radio Margaritaville and they played an interview with Jimmy where he talked about all the crazy stuff he sees at his concerts.  The crazy stuff he sees in the parking lots.  It got me too pumped up.  I have been literally shaking with anticipation.  I cannot wait until we get there!!!

I hope if you’re around that you join us.  Just experience it and it will blow your mind and you’ll want to come back.  Who couldn’t use a tropical vacation right about now?  Who couldn’t use an escape from life for a day?  Come on out!

Fins up!