2020 Caribbean Cruise...Pre-Cruise Days

The Run Florida race crew

Every running cruise we have ever done includes a pre-cruise "warm up" and run, where those who choose to come and meet up ahead of time, get to know each other and run a race together.   Sometimes it is a race that is already happening at the venue, like last year when we ran the Tropical 5k, or the group organizers work with a local group to put on a race just for us...like the Run Florida 5k, 10k and half this year.  But I'm getting ahead of myself....

First we had to get here, which require a trains, planes and automobiles kind of day...

Temperature on departure morning

We started with the Van Galder bus to Chicago...fortunately we timed everything well so that we weren't hanging in the cold tooo long. As we sat on the bus we saw the announcement

for next year's Caribbean Cruise (and oddly started planning our costumes...so I'm guessing we will be doing that too). 

In due time we arrived at O'Hare and our flight to Ft. Lauderdale was thankfully uneventful, as was the cab ride to our hotel.  

Once here we checked in and took a peek out the window.  

It looked something like this :)

We checked in checked in and got our race shirts, bibs and beach towel, as well as our trip packet.  We also saw John, Jenny, Cathy and Pam and some fellow cruisers.  It has been like old home week...seeing not only the crew, but many people we have cruised with before.  It's like meeting up with your second family. 

Fun race number...yay alphabetical order!

Race morning started early as we had to meet up with the group to walk to the race start at 6:30 a.m. There are about 120 in our group, but only about 50 came in early to do one of the three distances.  I did the 5k, and Glenda did the Half marathon. 

In following our personal tradition we were dressed in outfits we referred to as "tutu tropical." 

Our tropical tutus were festooned with iridescent parrots

We have fun outfits/costumes for each of the 5 races during this trip. 

The 5k and 10k courses were out and back, while the half did multiple out and backs...so we got to to see everyone.  And it was along the beach, so there were great views as well. 

Overcast, but warm and humid (80 degrees warmer than the day we left Wisconsin)

I thought this window on the beach was kind of neat

I broke the tape at the finish (everyone did, it was one of the perks of the small race) solidly mid-pack on the 5k and got my medal from John Bingham himself. 

The race medal

I got water and a banana and settled in to people watch and wait for Glenda to finish the half.  I had tucked my little Canon PowerShot camera in my skirt pocket and decided to take some photos while I was sitting on the wall waiting and chatting with other folks.  Got some photos of fellow runners, as well as just some "atmosphere."

Coach Jenny chats with runners at the finish area

Glenda finishes the half marathon first OVERALL

Once Glenda had smoked the competition and come in first in the half, we hung out for awhile before heading back.  

I would be remiss if I did not take a moment here to give a shout out to Team in Training who worked with Jenny and John to make our race happen.  They did an absolutely outstanding job, from the friendly volunteers to the post race snacks, to the ice cold water and gatorade at the water stops.  The race was a joy. 

We had to make a little tourist stop on the way back to the hotel...

Glenda is ladylike in the big beach chair

I'm a little more Edith Ann (with apologies to Lily Tomlin)

The day became blustery and rainy, so we spent most of  the rest of the day indoors, eating, watching  basketball and just generally chilling (it is a vacation after all). 

There was a celebratory seafood lunch

The day ended with a welcome reception where we got to meet more of our cruise mates, Glenda got her award for winning the race and there were greetings and announcements....

And a bit of libation

Tomorrow we board the ship for more shenanigans...

Glenda says this pic looks like I'm ready for those shenanigans

10 ways to #win

You may be a back of the pack runner like me and think you can never win.  You may be a fast runner and feel discouraged because you didn't win. At the end of the day we cannot all be the same and only one person can cross any finish line first...but there's more than one way to #win...In fact I have come up with 10.

Age group first in a small triathlon

1. Actually be the one that crosses the finish line first overall or in your age group or category.  Placing in the race, your group or category counts too. We all understand this one...it is most often what we mean win we talk about winning.

My 5k PR was run as an "interloping American tourist " in Victoria Park, London, UK 2013

2. Have a PR (personal record) or PB (Personal Best) regardless of how you placed.  This one is pretty easy to understand too.  I once PR'd a race..and came in last!  It's all about who shows up.  But a PR or PB is a win, no matter how many people were faster or slower. 

My goal for this race was to run/walk a new more aggressive ratio for the whole race. Nailed it!

3. Meet your goal for the event. Honestly, it doesn't matter what your goal is...could be trying something new, running negative splits or even slowing down because you are running this as a training run.  Whatever it is, when you nail it....that's a win!

I have a number of finish pictures with this same expression, upright and with a small.  Every one is a win. 

4. Finish upright and with a smile wanting to do it again. This may sound simplistic..but honestly it's huge.  I usually set 3 goals for every race, and this is always one of them.  In my mind, anything that will encourage me to remain active is a win.

This is my wife Glenda and my granddaughter Maeve running a Girls on the Run 5k...and if you look along the fence, there I am cheering them on (I raced too, but finished early as Glenda ran with Maeve)

5. Encourage other people. There is something very special about cheering other people meeting their goals and making their dreams real.  And it doesn't really matter if it's cheering your family or a friend, or high fiving a total stranger...it's all good!  In empowering others you can empower yourself...and, friends, THAT is a win!

This race was at altitude and I struggled...but that is why I used it for this saying, because that is what I did. That and let the mountains pull me along

6. Celebrate every small victory.  Even in a bad race, there is often a victory or more than one.  Often they are tiny, "kept going when I wanted to sit down and cry," "learned an important lesson," or "was really able to appreciate that popsicle at the finish."  These victories may be infinitesimal and you may have to look very hard, but they are there and it is important to celebrate even these wins. 

One of my favorite ways of keeping it fun is running in costume.  I always try to make the costumes very run-friendly

7. Have fun! Make yourself and others happy. I run in costume sometimes, I choose small out of the way and unique races sometimes,  I do all kinds of things to keep it fun.  That doesn't mean I don't work hard or try hard, it just means that I prefer to treat my races as playgrounds (and if you don't think that is serious...really watch kids some time) not proving grounds.  Bonus...having fun can be infectious and when your fun makes someone else smile or laugh out loud...that's rocket fuel to keep you going...and that is a win!

This is my crew at Disney last February.  Me, Glenda, Maeve and Maeve's mama Aurora hiding behind us

The Flying Monkey Brigade conquers one of the several tri relays I did with various friends last summer

8. Share the experience with friends and loved ones. Time spent together is always a win.  Building each other up, sharing the joy (and the occasional pain) is a win too. And sometimes you are introducing someone to the sport...that's an extra special kind of win.

Working hard and loving it!

9. Enjoy what your body can do. I have a shirt that says "Someday I will no longer be able to do this. Today is not that day."  And at 62, for me, any race day that is NOT "that" day is a win.  Sometimes it just amazes me that this creaky old diabetic body with the cranky back and the sore hips can do this at all...and even more amazing is how strong it sometimes feels.  WIN!

Just one example of meeting up with others at distant races, this one in Lexington, KY

10. Be embraced by a community of runner and triathletes, fast and slow, all over the world. Finding one's "tribe" is a win.  Just sayin'