A Rainy 16 Miles in Tallahassee
Four Very Important Lessons I Learned on my 16 Mile Run This Morning:
- Always know your route before you leave for your run. Relying on your fuzzy memory of neighborhoods in the dark will get you very lost.
- Tallahassee has HILLS. Orlando does not. Enough said.
- Running in the rain actually isn’t that bad.
- If you are going back and forth on running with in a jacket, chances are you really don’t need the jacket.
When I naturally awoke this morning at 4:30am to the sound of rain outside the first thought I had was “Please, please stop before my run in an hour.” The rain gods decided to meet me halfway. It wasn’t a full on rain, but there was definitely that light rain mist in the air at the start of my run that lasted on and off for the duration.
The rain created a dark hazy fog that stalled the sun from properly rising and letting light fill the sky. The first half of my run was very dark and not even 2 miles in I got lost. I was running an old route I used to run all the time when I lived in Tallahassee, but somewhere along the way I made a right when I should have made a left and got lost in the darkness of a neighborhood I was now unfamiliar for.
For the first time I actually felt afraid on an early morning run and felt trapped. I had my cellphone with me and knew Derek was only a phone call away or I could GPS myself out of there. Eventually I did find my way out and ended up in a completely different area then I was expecting. I didn’t even know those roads connected!
From that point of the run on I stayed away from the neighborhoods and stuck to familiar main roads to guide me where I needed to go. The rest of the run was a breeze and despite the monstrous hills I had to attack the majority of the way, I felt great!
Before I left for the run I ate this very large Promax Bar that the company had sent me to review for the blog.
For the last week I have been quartering the Promax Bar and eating a quarter before my daily runs. I intend to have a full review up sometime next week, but I will have to say eating this bar before my run was great. It was very filling, but not so much so where it gave me stomach aches and it kept me full of energy for all 16 miles.
After my run I snuck in to our hotel breakfast buffet and found an Apple to nibble on while I packed up.
Derek and I finished packing, loaded up the car, and met one of my old college roommates and high school friend, Jordan, for breakfast at Canopy Road.
Jordan and I have known each other since we were two, but we didn’t become BFFs until we both ended up at FSU. Jordan stayed in Tallahassee after she earned her degree and is now an RN at the local hospital.
She works crazy hours (7:00 pm – 7:00 am) so its hard to keep in touch, but I am glad I got to see her while I was in town. I think the last time I saw her was a year ago this month!
Jordan and I during our brief stint as roommates circa 2005.
Jordan and I this morning circa 2009.
Canopy Road is a hole in the wall restaurant that focuses on breakfast and lunch. I was very tempted by the Sweet Potato Pancakes on the menu, but when I asked the waitress how they were and she told me they are good if you enjoy sugar I knew hey may be a tad rich for my liking.
Instead I had the Pancakes Combo Meal that came with two pancakes topped with strawberries, 2 scrambled eggs, and a side of fruit in place of the meat option of the meal.
I demolished it all and then proceeded to steal Derek’s country potatoes and ate 1/4 of Jordan’s omlette. I was a very hungry girl after running those 16 miles this morning!
After breakfast we headed out of Tallahassee. Derek was a trooper and drove while I passed out in the passenger’s seat. 
We stopped in Gainesville for a quick lunch at McCalister’s.
I really wanted the Sweetberry Chicken, but its not on the menu anymore. 
Instead I used the ‘Build Your Own Sandwich’ option on the board to recreate my own version of the sandwich.
Harvest Wheat Bread, Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Tomato, Lettuce, Onion, and Roasted Red Peppers.
With a side of fruit.
I ate half the sandwich and am saving the other half for later.
I am going to press publish on this post when we reach Ocala. That is where Derek and I will separate and I will have to pick my car up to complete the journey to Orlando on my own. Boooo….
I am looking forward to picking Maddie up from my Sister’s. Apparently she hasn’t been on her best behavior this weekend and really misses her Mommy.
Don’t worry Maddie, Mommy is on her way!
Hey girl! Nice job on the long run!!!!!! Glad you found your way out of the scary situation- feeling lost always makes me totally nervous (especially when I’m on foot and not in a car). Love toasty sammies. Sorry you have to separate from Derek but I’m more than sure that little girl of yours will be SO excited to see ya!
Nice job on the 16 miles. Pancakes are the best way to celebrate
Looks like an awesome weekend! I always look forward to your blog posts!
Congrats on the run!!
I love the outfit you are wearing!!! SO cute!! I wish the weather in Toronto was as nice as Flordia
Maddie is going to be so happy to see her Mommy
Have a great day!
How did your legs do with the long car ride after your long run? I feel like mine would have gone crazy (well, as much as legs can go crazy…:-P)!
Great food reward for a great run! I ran in the rain last week it’s an interesting experience. There is nothing more scary then being in an unfamiliar place alone running. Good for you for keeping going and keeping a phone on you. I always run with one just in case.
Have fun with the warm welcome Maddie will give you when you get home!
great job on the run! your breaky and lunch both look sooo yummy
jenna
Running in new areas can certainly be a challenge – glad to hear that it worked out though. Oooooh and that sandwich looks amazing!
Congrats on the run!
That sandwich looks awesome, I love cranberry sauce on sandwiches
Mmm I like the Thanksgiving spirit in your sandwich!
congrats on the run. I am rain wuss, but you are right, it’s not so bad.
Ha ha, I love how different you girlies look. College pictures are great, aren’t they?
Glad you survived the run, it definitely is scary to run in a sort of familiar, but still unfamiliar place. Good for you!
Awesome long run – congrats! The post-run food looks delicious. I can’t wait to read your review of the protein bar – I’m trying to find one that works for me. Usually I just go with peanut butter toast and a banana.
Happy running!
yikes that must have been scary getting lost in the dark! good thing you found your way to the main streets again.
I hate the rain, so way to get out there! Seriously, sometimes I think I’m going to melt, haha.
Love the before and after shots. The “after” reflects much better fashion choices, definitely!
Honestly, I’m a little scared to run outside, especially since I moved and now live in a little town with lots of forest and dark creepy corners. Main streets are the way to go. Unfortunately, I don’t have too many of those around here
I was in Boise this past week, and ran on their greenbelt in the early morning dark. I debated the wisdom of my decision to run in the dark by myself in a strange place, but thankfully nothing happened to me, except having frost on my clothes when I got back! Running in strange places can be really scary, even if there’s no real danger!
Sounds like you had a fun weekend in Tallahassee. I did an internship in central Florida back in college, so the names of those town take me back, oh, about 10 years!
You should’ve called while you were in Gainesville! Would’ve been perfect since I couldn’t see you when I was in Orlando on Friday.
Great job on your run, despite getting a bit lost. Not fun at all! Oh how I miss McAlisters! They have the best tea!
Have a great Monday!
Danielle
You are definitely an inspiration of working out and eating right! I loved the flashback picture. What inspires you to stay fit?
great job on the run…man i can’t wait to get back to FL so we can run those long run together!!! i need a running parter1
Hills are KILLERS! Great thinking knowing your route -for safely and to know whats ahead of course.
That sandwich looks DELISH. I gotta get the cranberry out, yum!!!
Meghann- HEy miss beautiful runner!!!!
So I had a 20 miler yesterday in the RAIN, I did not like it at all, by the end my hands were freezing. I am glad I did it though because you never know what the weather will be like for the marathon day!!! Oh and by the way, do you like cinnamon? If so ask for some in your pancakes its AMAZING!!! oh mccalisters I like there chocolate chip cookies, and there honey mustard I get it on the side of my turkey sandwich and dip it, another AMAZING thing. To be honest I prefer Jasons deli over mccalisters purely for the yogurt and AMAZING salad bar.
WOW- what a difference 4 years makes! I love college pictures… your friend looks so different that I wouldn’t have recognized her if you hadn’t told us that it was her!
Your lunch-time sandwich looks so delicious! Congrats on finishing the 16-miler in the rain, not an easy task. I ran 10 miles in the pouring rain last weekend and looked like a drowned dog when I finished
16 miles- I am SO impressed! I just ran my first half marathon today and can’t imagine having to run much farther than that! I watched those that ran the full 26.2 as they ran across the finish and they looked like they were in such pain! One day I hope to be able to do it. You are an inspiration for sure- keep it up!
I’m terrible, I never want to touch rain during a workout – I’m terrified of slipping.
Most days I don’t miss Tallahassee – I left there two years ago now – but once in a while it comes to mind, like its hills. I always had good workouts there.