Long run at Clearwater Beach area with Dixie and a few bridge hill repeats at the end for fun. We met nearby at 5:25 and rode down together to Coachman Park. We were running at 6:00 sharp and set out on an easy pace. We went up the Clearwater causeway bridge and then after we went down it we were talking to a couple of other runners and asking them about tips on the route. One of the guys said he was going to run on that route and asked to tag along. It was a beautiful morning with spectacular views of the Gulf and intracoastal waterway. We headed south onto Gulf Blvd. and then crossed over the Sand Key Bridge. Each of these bridges rose up about 75 feet above the water with a pretty steep grade. There were lots of runners out, some by themselves and several groups of runners. The guy tagging along with us, Greg, knew all the places along the way that had water fountains - a big fancy hotel on the beach that didn't seem to mind runners stopping inside, some beach access areas with fountains, and a community park building with a drinking fountain attached. We continued down Sand Key until we got to Belleair Bluffs Road and crossed another bridge back onto the mainland. At the bottom of the bridge was another hill, not quite as high as the bridge but pretty good. We went through Belleair and headed towards the golf course at the Biltmore resort. Dixie told me to go on ahead, so I picked it up a little bit and continued north back to the Clearwater Bridge. Ran down and back up three times before running back the rest of the way over it to get back to the parking lot. Average pace: 8:16
Finally caught up with my blog! | 