Day 120: 12 Miles In Miami

I'm in Miami on business and took myself outside today to run 12 miles in 2:34'05". That nets a pace of 12:50 per mile, which is only one second slower than the pace I achieved running 11 miles. My Nike+ told me I burned 1,400 calories. Woo hoo!

It's sunny and hot down here in South Beach. I bought some lovely rose hip sun block at the gift shop ($8 for 4 oz... oh the insanity!) and set out early on a route that would take me on a loop around the whole of the island. I've been to Miami countless times, but have never ventured off the strip; I was expecting to see interesting things but I had no idea the kind of variety I was in for!

I am staying at the super swankers Fontainbleau at 43rd and Collins, so started my run there and went south along Collins to South Pointe Park, which is just below 1st Street, at the southern most tip of the island. Then I turned right up Alton Road and continued to 41st Street, turned right again and crossed the island back to Collins. When I hit the Fontainbleau I'd completed 8.5 miles and so went inside to finish with 3.5 miles on the treadmill.

I'd initially intended to run the whole thing outdoors, going all the way up to 63rd Street and looping back down on Collins, but the sun was so strong I was going through more water than usual (44 oz by the 7th mile and had no place to stop and fill up again above 41st Street). Also, my sunblock was melting off in pools of sweat as I roasted in the rising sun. I kept reapplying but 4 oz only goes so far and I could feel my eyelids sizzling... I'm all for getting tan, but a burn is no fun, especially on an airplane. So, I consulted my map and rolled with it and took it indoors for the last part. No biggie.

The run itself was amazing. I got to see the "real" Miami, the one you whiz past in your taxi but had no idea was there. Within minutes I passed my first Orthodox Jewish couple walking. She was in the usual frumpy attire and he, full black coat and an elaborate "lamp shade" style fur hat that was at least 24" in diameter. Seriously.

In contrast, I was wearing the most body revealing running outfit I own. Tight black spandex camel-toe inducing shorts, and a tight V-neck tank top. With this I was wearing my big water belt with a white hotel hand towel hanging down from it in the front. Super attractive! I'd never leave my apartment looking like this in NYC, but for 12 miles, in a place where I know nobody, I figured I'd just wear my highest performing gear and check my vanity at the door. Of course, walking through the hotel lobby was a dangerous proposition... but I took the risk.

The religious Jews on the street didn't seem to notice me. They were in their own world, bickering about something as they walked along, he slightly in front of her. I'm guessing they also didn't notice (or maybe weren't even aware of) the rest of the Miami I know. Their home was just 20 blocks from the Blue Door, but they will never know its pleasures! That made me sad for them, and grateful that my own grandfather, though very religious himself, encouraged my mother to be Conservative, and she in turn encouraged me to be Reform... I'll probably encourage my kids to be Conservative or Reform, and Buddhist! Every generation gets to add a little spin!

Along the way two separate women age 60+ saw me and stopped what they were doing to cheer me on enthusiastically! "Go girl! You look great!" one said bending at the knee and giving me two big thumbs up! Now, I did NOT look great but I knew what she meant and her words were like a booster shot. She looked a little like my friend Kristen's mom and it made me think about how much I wished my own mom were supporting me. A thumbs up from her would probably make me fall apart with happiness! I guess I just have to get my thumbs up where I can. Thank you to that kind stranger.

I met the second lady at a big intersection where we were both crossing. She asked me how far I was going, how long I'd been running, why I started... I kept thinking we were done but then she kept asking more questions. When the light finally turned white, she smiled so broadly at me and sent me off with a, "Good for you!" and that sustained me for another mile. She was wearing a workout suit. I wondered if she'd ever been a runner. I think for the rest of my life, whenever I see a runner who looks like he or she needs encouragement, I'm going to give it enthusiastically! It really does help.

In the last leg of my run I passed several Orthodox Jewish families coming home from shul with their gaggles of children all dressed in Purim costumes. Now, in my world, when you dress for Purim, it's as one of the characters from the story of Purim. I've been Esther. I've been Vashti. Who wouldn't want to be a princess! But not these kids. I guess since they probably don't celebrate Halloween, at Purim they were allowed to go as whatever they liked. In one family with 7 kids under 10 (parents both looked no more than 25...you do the math), there was a green faced witch, a robot, Charlie Chaplin, Raggedy Ann, a ballerina and a doctor! The seventh kid was a very little boy who hung back from the group and wasn't wearing a costume.

At an intersection, we all stood waiting for the light to change and I also hung back, slightly embarrassed about my attire. The little boy turned around and stared at me for a moment before he asked in English with a strange little accent that made him seem like an 80 year old from Brighton Beach, "What are you dressed as?" I blinked, surprised to hear him speaking, and then said, "I'm dressed as a Marathon runner." "Oh," he said and kept staring. I added, "Boo Haman!" and stamped my feet, "Yay Maccabees!" and cheered. I thought if he was scared of me, it might help for me to let him know I was one of the Tribe. I don't think he bought that though. The parents vaguely turned around and noticed the exchange but didn't seem to care. I had the passing thought that they were trying to lose the little boy, the runt on the end who talked to strangers and either didn't want to, or wasn't allowed to dress up for Purim for some reason... Then they were all off and I quickly ran ahead of them thinking it would have been funny to have written Haman on the soles of my shoes today.

One little trick I'd like to share from today's run. I stopped to fill my water bottle in a hotel lobby's bathroom at one point and the taste of the water was so bad... I got the idea to drop a Sport Bean into the water and that was quite successful. One bean and the entire 22 oz tasted like a refreshing lemonade. Highly recommend!

Right now, my hips, legs and knees ache. Even my boobs hurt. A lot. That's a new one. My left foot (where it's bled before) isn't in great shape. No bleeding today, but a lot of pain. I don't think I've felt this worked-over in a very long time... I know it was 12 miles, but I'm surprised by how much my calves throb. I had to go right to work after the 12 miles, so I was standing for 6 hours. And then after work, I walked home on the boardwalk - about 3.5 miles in flip flops. I know. I'm crazy.