Everything about my Florida vacation was perfect – great weather, lots of running, tennis, and beach time, good food and quality time spent with good friends.  There was even a Broadway show, boat ride and French artist exhibit thrown into the mix.  Couldn’t have asked for more.

While I was gone, I also celebrated my birthday!! I entered the last year of my decade.

And I ran a 5k in Florida.

Then when I returned, I ran a team 3.5 miler and today another half marathon.

Two Weeks Ago:

• Sunday –  Mother’s Day and recovery from my mountain race the day before.

I started my day at the gym

Then I decided to take one last peak at the tulips in the park before the crowds arrived for the Tulip festival.

After I finished packing, we visited my mother-in-law and then went out to dinner.

• Monday – My BIRTHDAY. 

My friends and I took a very early morning flight to Fort Myers, FL, rented two cars, stopped for a quick lunch and then drove to our two rented villas in Naples.

After a relaxing afternoon at the pool, it was time to celebrate.

I asked to have dinner (at the Ritz) at sunset…

• Tuesday – My friends started the day with a tennis lesson. However, I went for my first Florida run.

After my run, I joined them for some tennis doubles (surprisingly I remembered how to play)

As planned, we spent the afternoon at the beach where we had lunch, chatted, cooled off in the Gulf, read, relaxed and planned dinner.

• Wednesday –  I continued the pattern.

While my friends had a tennis lesson, I went for a run…

After my run, I played doubles and then we took off for the beach

For dinner we drove to a Mediterranean restaurant in Estero (sorry no pix).

• Thursday – As vacation protocol dictated, my friends took a tennis lesson while I ran (a different route each day)…

I joined them for tennis after changing out of my sweaty running clothes…

Back to the beach for relaxing and cooling off..

However, tonight, we headed to Fort Myers for dinner theatre. The dinner buffet was excellent and the show (In the Heights) was fantastic.  I had seen it on Broadway and these performers were even better!!

• Friday – Another pre-tennis run..

Tonight was book club night. So instead of driving to a restaurant for dinner after the beach, we stayed at World Tennis Center and ate at their poolside restaurant.

I chose the book (because there was tennis element to it) but we all agreed after a lively discussion that this (Apples Never Fall) was not Moriarty’s best books.

• Saturday – Since I had a race scheduled for the next day, I did not run but went for a long walk.

We played doubles after, of course but instead of going to the beach (since we had several activities scheduled for the evening), we stayed at the pool.

Lucky for me, in town there was a special Toulouse-Lautrec exhibit (love French art). There were over 150 of his drawings/posters.

After the museum, we walked to an Italian restaurant where we had a delicious dinner followed by Kilwin’s ice cream.

• Sunday –  Race Day!  Tropicool 5k.

Note to self: schedule your race at the beginning of a vacation (when you are not exhausted.)

One friend dropped me off at the start….

I did my best… but it was so HUMID that I thought I would throw-up.

Not my fastest, for sure but I did win 2nd in the Senior Grand Masters Category.

Another friend picked me up after the race.   Believe it or not, I was just in time to join my friends for tennis.

We then ate a quick lunch before we headed to Punta Gorda for a boat ride on the Peace River.

Afterward, we walked/shopped at Fisherman’s Warf and then had dinner.

On our way home, we stopped to see a noted tennis person (who now lives in Naples). She owns an amazing house with unbelievable memorabilia (from tennis players and musicians.)

Last Week:

• Monday – After a last morning walk, we headed to the airport where we returned our cars and had lunch before our flight home. Though there were predicted thunderstorms, we arrived home safely and just a little late.
• Tuesday – Definitely needed a vacation after my vacation. I was pooped!

First thing- back to the gym after a week off.

Amidst the unpacking and laundry, I squeezed in a lunch run

After work, I met some friends for a windy walk on the rail trail.

• Wednesday – I considered another gym morning but I was exhausted from all that unpacking and laundry.  Returns from vacations are tiring.

I did gather up enough energy to join the STEM group after work for run/walk.

• Thursday – Back to the gym on this rainy morning…

I was feeling headachy and worn out all day.  And when there was a late day shower, I decided that I would DNS tonight’s race (an evening one with teams that you work with)..

Then the rain stopped and the sun came out… a sign that I should just go… I could always walk it as many participants do.

So I parked in town and almost had to run 1 mile or so to meet my team.  I bumped into so many people that I knew at this race (almost 4,000 participated).  It was VERY humid so I took it slow… had a fun time.  So glad I didn’t stay home.

• Friday – A true rest day after running 3 days in a row.

I started carb loading early – went out to dinner with family to celebrate my birthday and my hubby’s.

• Saturday – Another rest day.

Originally I thought we’d go boating but it was my hubby’s b-day and he wanted to play tennis.

So I went to the gym…

then I joined my running friends (who had already run, walked or biked) for brunch.

The rest of the day was spent grocery shopping. cleaning and gardening (and sweating) …

Not very restful. lol

• Sunday –  Race Day!  Steel Rail Half Marathon!!

This was my PR half marathon but back in 2017.

A lot has changed since then… a pandemic, over 30 half marathons and legs that are FIVE years older.

I do not expect to come even close to a PR especially since 90s are predicted (and the race doesn’t start until 9:30 am!!!!!).

But I do plan to have FUN (and hopefully not succumb to the heat)!

Stay tuned.  (Check out IG.)

This Coming Week on the Run– 

• Monday – gym, Freihofer Training Challenge Run (FTC)
• Tuesday – rest day, walk, DOWNTON ABBEY movie!!
• Wednesday – gym, STEM run
• Thursday – run, belated B-day dinner out
• Friday – gym, rest day, mah jongg
• Saturday – rest day, walk, boating?
• Sunday –  Miles on the Mohawk 10 Mile Race

This Coming Week on the Blog – 

• Tuesday – Tropicool 5k Race Recap
• Friday –Workforce Challenge Race Recap

---

I am linking up with Kim and Deborah for

I encourage you to do the same. Grab the graphic, drop your link on the host blogs and play along! Please be sure to always comment on the HOST’s blogs, as well as visit and comment on as many other blogs as you can.

Happy Running! How is your running going? Any in-person races run or planned? Any vacations?  Are you enjoying summer temps yet? Please share.