Category Archives: Sundays in My City

Working the Women’s Half Marathon

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I hadn’t planned to run the Women’s Half Marathon this year since Space Coast Marathon falls a week later.    Then, I heard my friends at Suncoast Running sponsored two water stations at this Women’s Half Marathon and needed about 3 dozen people to help work the stations.  I jumped at the chance to be part of a race without the training and roped my friends, Chrissy, Faith, Michelle and Raffi into helping too.

I have always wanted to give back to the sport that has given me so much.

I loved witnessing the different emotions (joy, elation, pain and exhaustion) as a spectator.  I had felt those emotions many times.  Sometimes all those emotions in one race.

We cheered and celebrated their victories while serving them water with smiles.

For me, working the water stations at the Women’s Half Marathon was far more enjoyable than running it and I would definitely do it again, if they’ll have me.  Hopefully, I didn’t scare anyone with my crazy pimp hat dumping feathers in anyone’s water or my loud mouth boisterous cheers and praise.

*Droid photo submitted to*

Unknown Mami

 

Sunrise Through the Trees

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As I mentioned in my Friday Food Fight post, my family and I spent the weekend camping in Hillsborough River State Park. Camping or not camping, I’m always up before the sun and my family, but then I capture moments like this.

Catching a glimpse of a sunrise through the trees is always sweet moment while camping, besides s’mores of course.

Psssst…While you’re visiting here, don’t miss my giveaway which ends tonight at midnight.

*Droid photo submitted to*

Unknown Mami

Run TBay Giveaway

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While I cheered and photographed my friends participating in Longleaf Triathlon, my pals at Suncoast Running gave me something else to cheer about when they hooked me up with this shirt.

Isn’t it cool?

Now Suncoast Running wants to give one Run DMT reader something to cheer about too!

For a chance to win this fun, fitted Run TBay t-shirt, add a comment below. One lucky winner will be selected at random.

Contest ends Sunday, November 13 at midnight.

For additional entries:

  • Blog about the Run TBay Giveaway and link back to Run DMT.
  • Follow @denisermt and @SuncoastRunning on Twitter.
  • Earn an additional entry each time you tweet:  Enter to win a shirt from @SuncoastRunning and #RunDMT. Ends 11/13 http://wp.me/pigkS-3eC #RunTBay #giveaway @denisermt
  • Like Run DMT and Suncoast Running on Facebook.  Each “like” is an additional entry, so be sure to add a new comment for each “like”.

*Photo also submitted to*

Unknown Mami

Snapshot Sunday

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These photos were taken at the end of a very long and fun day at SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular.  You can read all about our fun here.

Today, I’m linking up over at Gone Bananas for Kirsty’s new meme called, Snapshot Sunday.  If you have a photo or photos you ‘d like to share, post it and then link up over there.  (Sorry for the lame poem.  It just flowed out me like that.  I’m a poet but didn’t know it.)

Unknown Mami

Race for the Cure 2011 Recap

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I always enjoy the Race for the Cure 10K.  The course is gorgeous.  The distance is just right.  And for a slow runner like me, there’s no pressure.  Just me and tens of thousands people doing good in the ‘hood to raise money and awareness for breast cancer.

This year, my friend, Heather joined in the fun for her first 10K race.  I warned Heather that I often walk the water stations and not to feel bad if we separated, especially since I have a tendency to take a lot of photos while I run races.  Imagine how fast I could be if I didn’t take so many photos?

But I truly love taking photos while I run, because I capture moments like this.

 And it makes my race recaps just that more entertaining.  Otherwise, I’d have no evidence of this sweet handsome officer who volunteered to be my boyfriend.  I couldn’t resist capturing the moment.  I love a man in uniform.  Poor guy doesn’t even know what he got himself into.

But I digress…

The weather was perfect for our race.  With no humidity, it felt cooler than the forecasted 71 degrees.

The first part of the course led us along the St. Pete Pier which is always my favorite part.  As we ran towards the sunrise, the sun appeared to smile like a spectator cheering for us as we ran by.

From the Pier, we ran along the waterfront and passed the new location for the Dail museum and airfield.  This part of the course had a strange odor, like hot garbage.  Maybe they were melting more clocks for Dali’s exhibits?

Then the course led us through the streets of downtown St. Pete which was the largest portion of the 10K with a subtle incline. Thankfully, there were water stations just after each mile marker to walk it off.

The last mile, led us along the bay again and then finally to the finish line.

Chip Time 1:04:44

Overall 479

Div 34/77

Garmin Time 1:04:49

Ave Pace 10:14

Max Pace 7:26

I was really pleased with my time.  It’s my fastest 10K time post-baby.  Heather finished about 1 minute before me and as I expected, she did great (1:03:36).  I don’t even think she broke a sweat.

This fast crew (Jackie, Tara and Scott of Suncoast Running) finished about 15 minutes before Heather and me.  Even if I stopped taking photos during races, I could never be as fast as this lot.

But from what I understand, my running friends secretly enjoy their own personal paparazzi at all the races.  And for that, I’ll keep on flashing snapping and running.

Unknown Mami

Summer Vacation 2011, Day 1

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On Day 1 of summer vacation, the kids and I piled into the swagger wagon and headed to Honeymoon Island, which is one of our favorite local beaches.  The girls and I love the beach so a day trip there seemed like the best way to start summer vacation.

Although Little Lion Man loves the water and the sand…

…he enjoys anything with wheels more.

After splashing in the sun, we visited the Nature Center for a scavenger hunt, which the girls love because park rangers always award them with a small bag of seashells.  While the girls hunt through the center, I enjoy rereading the history of Honeymoon Island.

In the 1939, Life Magazine held a contest where couples could win a two week stay on the island.  After which Hog Island became a popular destination for young couples, hence its name change to Honeymoon Island.

At today’s visit, the park ranger shared two treasures that another visitor recently found on the beach: a Lighting Whelk egg casing and a large sea sponge.  The girls were very intrigued, especially when the park ranger said some tiny hidden eggs were still attached inside the casing.

Fun in the sun mixed with a little learning.

It seems we’re definitely off to a good start this summer!

One Hand, Two Hands Drumming on a Drum

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Dum, ditty, dum, ditty, dum, dum, dum

Thanks to the children’s book, Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, my little monkey loves drums. So when I heard Drum Magic was making an appearance at The Shops of Wiregrass for their kid-friendly entertainment Wiregrass Wednesdays, I had to bring Little Lion Man to see it.

And of course, he loved it…

…because it had a really great beat and it was easy to dance to…

…and the instruments tasted so yummy too.

Unknown MamiSweet Shot Day

Easter Sunday in My City

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Our church looked amazing Easter Sunday!

 I used the landscape setting on my Droid in an attempt to capture the whole stage and altar.

 

But I forgot to change the setting back to portrait when I asked a fellow churchgoer to take this photo of my girls and me.

 

 

And it was still set to landscape when I took this photo of the sunset, which actually worked out quite well.

 

 

Unknown MamiSweet Shot Day

A Black and White Sunday in My City

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Since I had forgotten to stick the memory card in my camera, I decided to snap a few photos with my Droid while waiting in line for the trolley at Iron Girl.  When I snapped this photo, I didn’t realize this would be the line we would wait in for over an hour. 

 

In the background you can see the Clearwater Memorial Causeway, the first bridge of three we ran over during the race.  Although it’s difficult to judge the height of the causeway, it’s high enough for large boats to pass under it.  Years ago, the Clearwater Memorial Causeway was once a draw bridge.

 

 

I also didn’t realize my camera was set to “black and white” until someone offered to take this photo of my friends and me.

 

 

While trying to find the “normal” setting, I learned my camera has all sorts of cool effects, such as sepia and negative, and settings as well like, landscape and sport.  See, you really do learn something new every day.

 

Unknown Mamithe long road

Pint at The Pub

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After picking up my Iron Girl race packet at Fit2Run at International Plaza, I stopped by The Pub for a pint.  I was pretty bummed that my race shirt was too small, so I drowned my sorrows in a Breckenridge Vanilla Porter or two.  I gave my race shirt to my 9 year old and I quickly got over it.

 

 

Unknown MamiSweet Shot Day