Bayway Bridge Bash

I could not resist the chance to walk the now opened bayway bridge in Pinallas county. I like bridges, well actually i love the fact that most of them span waterways. I'm not so keen on the ones that cross gorges no matter how spectacular the veiw. My paradoxical fear of heights  would have me paralyzed at the thought of looking down into that kind of abyss. Just give me the soothing effects of h20 with the sun bouncing off of it and Im happy. That's why i traveled across central Florida to get my walk on in St Petersburg. This one time only race over the areas newest bridge seemed worth the effort to me.
Everything went well from the dieections i got off google to the packet pickup.I made it to St Pete arriving at the downtown location of the regional running store sponsor. It could have been a nightmare as the street it was located on was a construction zone. Luckily there were plenty of parking meter spaces on the adjacent street. I thought i would zip in and get the packet but nooo. The shoes (in my best mars blackman voice), i couldn't resist them. I have wide feet and that makes finding shoes tough as most companies seem to think women only need medium widths. While sitting in the store waiting to get my goodie bag I looked around at a shoe selection larger than what my local store offered. I might add their service was better too.That resulted with me being fitted and taking home two pair. Even with my shoes being on clearance i left nearly two hundred dollars lighter, ugh. The lady that waited on me was surpised i got two but no regrets on my part. I needed them and gas to drive over fifty miles each way to the closest city to me and look for and purchase shoes comes to about the same thing if im lucky enough to find a pair. Plus i hate shopping especially for shoes. Thus the reason running stores sponsor races and running groups, it brings in sales chi chang right out of my pocket. Mission accomplished i hit the road to find a parking space at the free lot organizers assigned us and headed to the race.
First impression of the event was it was not organized well. They had shuttles but it dropped you off at the location of late registration and pickup at a coumtry club close to the race start. To think i sweated over parking only to find out unlike what was stated on the website i could have gotten closer by parking on the greens. I thought that was a little odd because most places are extremely protective of there golf courses but perhaps they planned to resod in the future. With an half an hour to spare I walked around a bit which meant navigating around a pool (who throws a pool party with no food just drinks). I was crowded i was bored so i decided to make my way towards the bridge. You had to walk to the start line across a busy highway but the real disappointment came when i found out we would not run the bridge as advertised. It was supposed to be a one time thing yet when the horn sounded, off we went up the bridges pedestrian walkway. Major dissatisfaction boiled within me. I didnt drive all that way to do a bridge crossing that could be made at anytime. It was billed as a once in a lifetime chance to run the actual bridge and false advertisement wasnt the only mishap.
I managed to sprint to the structure but the steep incline to me out and i started walking. I struggled to make it while dodging people who were not in the race but standing on the bridge watching us, the sunset and boats. They were on bikes and some had kids and or dogs running about . Honestly it was a free for all but on the decent it was cool as the spectators cheered us on. I will say the overall course was plesant dispite the above stated but not even the fast dowm hill and the beautifull sunset as we made our way over the dunes could erase the hazzards on the beach itself. If you were fast you got a nice run on the shore, if not like me you got a dark beach. It was pitch black out there no stars and I would have welcomed a full moon. A runner next to me kept me company and used her phones flashlight app to guide us (thank you Katarina). With limited visability i had to walk the last mile. I did have my own headlamp but thought the course would be marked with at least some glow sticks or border lighting,i mean it wasn't a trail run. It was my biggest mistake of the day,there were no markers or people to tell you where to go. We dodged holes large enought to lose small children in. I have never been on a beach with that many holes. The lights from some of the hotels lite the diatance not the beach, thank goodness for an "anr trail" of walkers to follow or it would have been worst. I was at that point amongst the party people and fun bunchers. They weren't using timing chips so it didn't really matter when they arrived back. I finally made it to the dark finish line glad it was over and sorry about the time.
After getting my medal which had a ribbon that was to short to fit comfortably around my neck i checked out the food line. It was one line that was way to long and it was for both food and beer. Both race participants and spectators were in line. You could buy food if not in the race and i ean into one girl wirh a big plate of bbq she was taking home to her boyfriend. She told me at one point she was confused and had free dood from a private party. Noone was around to tell her which line she was supposed to be in. I ended up leaving thirsty and looking for the shuttle.
After walking from one side of the building to the other i found people i caught the trolley down with waiting in the parking lot. Enjoyed stricking up a conversation with an older man in his eighties while waiting on the ride. We talked about Tony Bennett, retirement and staying healthy in later years. I don't know it I'll be active let alone running at his age but ita something to shot for. After about twenty minutes a lady in the crowd waiting with me yelled we were in the wrong location we had to make it to the front of the hotel. During the crazy scramble that ensued to the front of the hotel we realized there was a gated garage the bus couldn't get through between us and the front of the hotel. It was 8:30 and the organizers said 9 pm was the cutoff time, not that any of them were around. That episode was followed by false hopes of the shuttles arrival as one guy standing by the curb thought a city shuttle was ours and over fifty people crammed up closer towards the driveway to get on. When we learned it wasn't ours there was a mad dash by many for minivan taxis" charging four dollars a head plus fare. I decided to take my chances on the free ride. It was the right call, i made it back safely, thanked the driver who did a heck of a job and headed home.
Overall it was not a totally bad time, i did managed to run a mile and change before walking a first. Alsi got new shoes but still feel jipped about the bridge. I could have done the virtual version but its like that sometimes. I entered and finished a 5k received some bling and got new kicks not to shabby a day, life is good