This morning was my first alligator spotting while running in Starkey Park/Suncoast Pkwy trail. Others have spotted them before but this was the first for me. Much of the route looks fairly dry with pine trees and palmetto fields but there are a few sections with small ponds and swampy looking water. Just past the water stop on the Suncoast trail, there is a wooden fence overlooking some water. I saw something splash so I stopped and looked. Near where I saw the splash I spotted something just barely sticking out of the water, might have been mistaken for a rock or a log but I looked closer and could see eyes. Turned out to be a pretty big gator that others have seen at this spot. I didn't have my phone or a camera so the picture above is actually one taken at nearby John Chestnut park. Anyway, the run itself was pretty big. I wasn't feeling too motivated so it was nice to run with a group, especially at the beginning when I just sort of hung on behind the other runners. Started out with Joe M, Bob, Rick, and a few others. Stopped briefly at the 4 mile stop where Victoria, Jorge, and Eudair had caught up to us. I had stopped on my way to Starkey and picked up their stuff from where they had parked. A bunch of people turned around at this point and I continued on with Victoria and Eudair out to the end of the Starkey park trail, then I headed north onto the Suncoast trail. Rick was already on his way back (he had taken off from us at two miles, that guy is pretty fast!). I went out to 7.3 miles, then turned around. Stopped briefly to look at the gator, then topped off my water at the nearby water stop before picking it up for the return trip back. I ran the last 5.6 miles between 7:13 and 6:46 pace. Average pace: 7:48 Stuck around for a bit for a smaller social hour as a number of people are in Boston this weekend. Offered to give Jorge, Victoria, and Eudair a ride back to their cars. I was cleaning out the back seat when I looked and saw the 3 of them had jumped into the truck bed and wanted to ride there. Ok, why not? Felt a bit like high school, even though I didn't actually have a truck in high school, but if I had I might have done something like this. Fortunately no one fell out of the back and I tried to be careful going over the speed bumps while still in the park.
| 