7 1/2 miles in Punta Gorda, FL

A rare cool morning in sunny, tropical Punta Gorda, Florida found me rising early (while on vacation?!) and eager to go for a run. It's been a week and a couple of days since the challenging Olathe Marathon and I am recovering suprisingly well! So I grabbed my tunes and headed out the door (while my family still slept!). There were many people out enjoying this fine morning. They were walking, biking, golfing and playing tennis. (The ratio of runners in this retirement community is much smaller than other forms of exercise, but their love of the outdoors and physical activity is much the same.)

My route took me two miles toward Charlotte Harbor, skirting the town's quaint, artsy downtown. Then I followed the lovely waterside park to the 1 1/2 mile long bridge which spans the width of the harbor. The incredible hike up the arch of the bridge was quite a workout but necessary as it is steep enough to allow the many yachts and sailboats to pass under, on their way to the local waterside shops and restaurants, or to voyage all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. The scenery from the bridge is motivation enough to get the running shoes out. There is water as far as you can see. Fishing boats were already anchored and I was hoping, to no avail, to get lucky and spot a dolphin or two playing in the early morning current. There are no shortage of exercisers on this bridge not only for the fabulous scenery and great workout, but also for the commraderie of like-minded neigbors.

After reaching the bottom of the bridge on the opposite side of the harbor, I got to turn around and enjoy the views all over again! By the time the bottom of the bridge came, I was already 2/3 done with my run and looking forward to a Rockstar and leisurely cool down. So I ran the streets of downtown on the way back and when I reached 60 minutes, I just happened to be at a convenience store. So I got out my sweaty two dollars and gave them to the clerk who gingerly took them by the very tips of his fingers, with a look that said "really, lady?". The runner's high had kicked in, and I just smiled big and said "thanks!". I walked out, opened the Rockstar and sipped and sung along to my tunes for the couple of blocks back to my family's home. What a great run!