Santa Twilight 5K - My Version

Saturday was supposed to be the culmination of my 9 weeks of training for a 5K. However, the weather didn’t cooperate. All week, we were warned of big storms over the weekend. Bad winds and rains were coming into Central Florida from the Gulf of Mexico then heading south. I got emails from the Santa Twilight 5K that they were watching the weather and would make a decision about cancelling. 

As the week progressed, the weather looked milder, but not good. Saturday, we woke to 20 knot winds and rain sprinkles, then bands of rain. Our first stop was at a gated community for an estate sale which was touted as having good plants and great pots. All I saw was the sad detritus of people gone. We moved on to Gideon's Bakehouse to pick up my order of Kris Kringle (white chocolate) and Von Krampus (dark chocolate with Andes mints) cookies, half for us and half to take to Utah. I also bought 5 kinds of cookie bites, all for us, no sharing, unless the Christmas spirit hits me.

In Winter Park, my parking karma was good, finding a space right off Park Avenue. The rain was back to sprinkle. Now time for our brunch and my annual Santa’s Winter White Latte at the original Barnie’s. My plan was to eat, then walk to Central Park to hear the Merry Tuba Christmas. Not a tuba in sight, so we assumed the show had been canceled. 

The rain and wind started up again as we drove home. My latest email from the race officials was that the 5K would start as planned at 6:00 PM, but they weren’t putting up the sparkly decorations. About 3:00, I made the call that we would drive to Clermont, pick up our shirts and race bibs, then come home. The rain had dropped back to sprinkle.

We’d never been around the town, so I drove along Lake Mineola, then circled back to the Suncreek Brewery for Hey There Sunshine and Sol Splitter IPAs. Nursing our beers, we debated whether I should run. Grant didn’t have his tennis shoes, so he was a no-op, but I had on my sneakers. Perhaps I should give it a go. No running shorts, however my long top and tights plus the race shirt and my rain jacket would be fine in the sprinkling rain. I’d worked hard for this. I should do it.

A couple, dressed in Mrs and Mr Claus costumes with clear ponchos over, came in. She was sure there would be a window of 30 minutes at start time with no rain. Her weather app showed a clear spot. I needed more like 50 minutes, but what the hey. Yes, I would run. As we went to the car for my gear, the rain began coming down. Nope, that’s not for me. Note: According to the race results, 297 hardy souls of the 302 starters, finished the race. About 700 of us had better sense than even try.

We drove home, the lane markers hard to see in the pouring rain. My rain gauge showed 3 1/2” so far. 

It was still crummy weather Sunday morning. The storm had moved south. Patten said the Fort Lauderdale boat parade had been cancelled. As was our turn as ambassadors at LAWD. Deborah from Audubon figured only the diehards would come, no first timers. We lazed around.

So this morning, I got up and ran my private 5K, following the Run Among the Lakes course here in Windemere. Jogging 2.14 miles, then alternating walking and jogging, I finished the 3.2 miles in 51:27, a 16:04 minute/mile pace. That’s 1:20 better than 2 months ago. And maybe my bones are getting harder. My next Dexa Scan will show.