State #39, Skidaway Island Optim Orthopedics Half Marathon, Savannah, GA, 3/24/18, Part 2

Thankfully, my pre-race sleep was much better than the previous night, and I woke after a pretty solid 7 hours of rest. My morning routine moved along nicely with coffee, stretching, dressing, packing, breakfast…the usual. I realized about ten minutes before I planned to leave that I needed to call the front desk to have my rental car taken out of the valet lot (the hotel was valet parking only). Of course, I couldn’t find the valet ticket with my claim number on it! Grrrr! Now I was worried I’d leave late and miss the start of the race. Thankfully, they were able to sort it out for me, but it was a little bit of a challenge due to the fact that there was another car that looked just like mine. The parking attendant asked me what year mine was (like I knew that! Or if mine was a newer model…again no clue.) Luckily he figured it out in the end and I was on my way.

Skidaway Island is about 15 miles or so from downtown Savannah, but the drive takes a little over a half an hour. Leaving just past 6 am, that would put me at the race location by 6:30 with a start time of 7:00 am. The drive was easy, but as I got within a mile of the parking, traffic was backed up, and the minutes were ticking away. Having eaten my breakfast on the road, I also was feeling the uncomfortable effects of that along with the three cups of coffee I’d had back at the hotel. Let’s just say that I needed to park my car and get to the porta potty fast! 

It seemed to take forever to get in to the parking lot, but I finally did. I grabbed my stuff and jogged over to the bank of johns. Not a moment too soon, either. Grateful that I averted that crisis, I headed to the starting corral. 

Starting line view.

The line up for the Skidaway Island Optim Orthopedics Half Marathon was pretty informal. Group 1 was the “fast marathoners” who stepped off at 7:00 am sharp, followed by my group the “fast half marathoners"—2:15 and under who went off two minutes later. Just before we started, the race director, a lovely young fellow named Dan, read a runner’s prayer and also sang the National Anthem. He did a great job, too! Off we started.

It was pretty dark out right up to the start of the race, and then dawn started to show up just enough to help us see where we were going.The first three miles of the race were along the main road we drove in along, which was pretty desolate but was lined with forest on both sides. The trees smelled delicious. I’m not sure if they were pines or cedars or both, but the air was so lovely. The temperatures were cool in the low 50’s, and the woods were just awakening with the sounds of birds. It was magical. Add to that a canopy of trees heavy with the quinticential swamp moss and a sprinkle of palm trees and you can just imagine the beauty I was experiencing. 

Mossy tree near race area.

At about mile 3 we took a left turn in to The Landings property. This is a huge residential gated community. The surroundings were similar, almost making me think of a nature preserve, but with a paved walking/running path that ran through the property. Large, beautiful ranch and plantation style homes lined the streets in the community, but because the trees were so large and established and lush, it felt like a magical and enchanted land. 

The running path snaked along and eventually left its parallel of the main street to instead run along a creek that lined the back yards of many homes. It was serene and beautiful (and completely flat!) all along this way, and the creek led us to a golf course that was equally beautiful. We carried along in this way until about mile 5. 

Mile 5 brought us out to the water and a combination of dirt/paved path. The views here were stunning. We popped out of the golf course at the edge of a large marshy expanse that led to the water and on the horizon an amazing pink sunrise was just starting to show. We were still running along a path that led along several homes. What a lucky view they have every morning! It was an extreme pleasure to run this stretch.

Mile 6 took us away from the water and back into the neighborhood area, largely on streets for this bit. The homes were lovely and were varied in style, making it interesting to view all along the way. Somewhere around mile 8-9 we got back on to the snaking paved path and golf course area. I read after the race that there are 5 golf courses in The Landing! I have no idea if this was the same course we saw on the way in or not, but it was still so beautiful. By mile 10 we were heading out of the The Landing and turning right on to the main road back the way we came. 

I was feeling pretty good, as I hadn’t seen the 2 hour pacing group pass me by yet. Hoping for the best, I tried to keep my stride short, my steps quick, my breathing rhythmic, and my shoulders tall and back straight. Paying attention in this way, I cruised to the finish line to see 1:55 on the finishing clock. Yahoo! 

Just in the last little stretch before the finish line, a woman came sprinting past me. I yelled to her to kick it (she already was). I pushed a little harder at the end, too, and was just thrilled to be sub-2. Safely sub-2. I got my medal (super nice one) and progressed through the finisher’s chute. The other great finish line goody was a towel that converts in to a car seat cover. It was the perfect thing to wrap up in to stay warm in the cool temps. I did a bit of walking then had to hit the porta potties again—crazy day for pooping! 

Waterfront views near finish area.

I stretched a bit after that and then did a bit of walking around the finish line area. We were staged in the marine biology research area. I walked down to the water where a dock and some boats were located. It was a beautiful vista, and all along the way were the trees laden with the spanish moss. It was such a lovely surrounding. 

I checked the race results a bit after that and found that I finished 4th in my age group. I had just missed a third place prize…only to find out that the woman who sprinted past me was the one who beat me out! Well, good for her and better luck for me next time. 

Finish line selfie.

I stopped to let the race director know that it was a first for me to see the race director sing the National Anthem. He laughed saying that it was an easy way to save money! Too funny! I congratulated him on a fantastic race, and it was. What a beautiful area Savannah is. When I eventually arrived back home, I remarked to my husband that I could easily retire there. Yup. Could.

Pano shot of finish area waterfront.

One last bit of note on this trip…I arrived at the airport and returned my rental car, and as I was leaving the parking garage, walking toward the terminal, I spied a familiar face. Cute as a button, I smiled and walked up to this fellow and said, “Are you Vern?” He answered, “Yes,” and girl geeking out, I managed to to tell him how much I have enjoyed his work on HGTV over the years. Vern Yip. Outside the Savannah airport terminal. Just standing there. Adorable Vern. He was probably a little freaked out by my babbling, but I’m just glad I had the courage to say a few words to him. What a fun way to end the trip!

Georgia/Savannah was such a great place to visit. I’d definitely travel here again to take more time to soak up the downtown area and historical information. The Skidaway Island half marathon is a fantastic way to get your GA mark in for the 50 states club. Fast, flat, scenic as can be! Highly recommended! Thank you, Savannah, and I will be back!

Official race results.

Towel, number & finisher's medal.

Georgia card.

State #39, Skidaway Island Optim Orthopedics Half Marathon, Savannah, GA, 3/24/18, Part 1

I arrived so late in Savannah due to some major issues with flight delays. I’ll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that if the airline promises they will put you up in a city you weren’t planning on staying in, don’t walk away without some kind of written proof. Misinformation, delays, new connections and hours later, I thankfully arrived in Savannah unsure that I’d get my original hotel room. (I had canceled it on the way thinking I’d be stuck in Charlotte for the night. Rookie mistake.) Thankfully the folks at the Hilton had me covered. I slept the best I could given the very late arrival.

My rental car was a Mustang. Look at the horse light on the ground!

I'm not a car person, but it was a pretty cool ride.

Next morning, I wanted to get in as much of Savannah as I could. but first I had to go pick up my number at a Dick’s Sporting Goods store a drivable distance away. It went well, and I grabbed a hydration belt while I was there, as I had read in the race write up that there weren’t tons of water stops in this race. Better to be prepared, but I have NEVER run with a hydration belt before. 

I got back to the hotel just around lunch time  Arriving back at the hotel, I brought my groceries to my room, and then started out on foot.

A very dear friend of mine, Terry, who frequents Savannah due to family connections gave me all kinds of recommendations of things to check out. But seriously, this city is filled with amazing things steps from every hotel doorstep! I walked around the immediate block(s) of my hotel and found countless boutiques filled with clothes, jewelry, artwork and all kinds of other artistic endeavors. Cute cafes and restaurants were sprinkled in, and on nearly every corner was a city square or park honoring or memorializing some famous Georgian and/or Savannah native. It was all so charming and lively! 

One of the art museums in the area, Telfair Academy.

I walked along the shops, making purchases here and there, and then found a terrific sandwich shop, the Goose Feathers Cafe. I enjoyed a delicious lunch and then decided to seek out the Italian restaurant in the area Terry recommended for dinner. As I walked around the corner to where the restaurant was, the street was blocked off for filming. I learned from the restaurant staff that Will Smith was filming his latest movie just a few doors down! I booked a reservation for later that night and continued on my exploration of the city. 

Movie set.

I decided to head toward the waterfront area next. 

Scenes along the Savannah River. 

The waterfront area runs along the Savannah River. More shops and artisan markets are located along this stretch, as well as a self-guided historical walking tour  that you can make as you follow along the placards that line the river. Lots of Civil War history was detailed, such as Sherman's march to the sea, as well as other historical facts about the area. My timing was great, as I was able to watch an enormous container ship head up the river. Now that’s not something I see every day!

Container ship on the river.

Riverboat.

I walked out to the famous statue of the “waving girl” who welcomes the ships in to the harbor, then I turned around and walked the length of the river back to the hotel area near where I was staying. 

I stopped in a terrific shop called the Savannah Bee Company that sold all honey related products. Since our school theme is bees, I had to check it out. They sold every type of honey, flavored and natural, as well as many products made with honey (soaps, lip balm, hand lotion, candy, etc.). Everything was amazing! I ended up purchasing an edible honeycomb square that I thought would be awesome with cheese and crackers at our upcoming Easter celebration. I also picked up some lip balm for my principal and Tupelo Honey for my husband. The shops all along this area were really fun to check out.

After the shopping, I went back to the hotel to relax for a bit before dinner. The restaurant I chose, Bella Napoli Bistro, was only a short walk from the hotel. When I made my way out, I made sure to leave a little early so I could check out the movie filming. I watched from across the street for a little bit. They were filming in a storefront that looked like it was a coffee shop or maybe a bike shop. It was hard to tell with all the scaffolding and lighting that was set up. I didn’t see Will Smith or any other actors I recognized (which isn’t saying much, as I never know who anyone is…). So I headed to the restaurant.

Park across the street from the movie set.

As luck would have it, I ended up being seated at a table in the front window, so I could keep an eye on all the action outside while I had dinner. It was fun to watch all the comings and goings of the various workers. It really is amazing how many people contribute to the making of a film. There were people everywhere outside manning various posts and taking on countless responsibilities. Since I was dining alone, it made for a more interesting time. 

When I finished and paid, I headed outside and watched the filming again from a corner across the street. Eventually, the folks helping with crowd control made us leave, probably because they were finishing up for the night. No spotting the stars for me tonight. Oh well. It was still cool to watch how they did everything. 

I walked back to my hotel a different way to see some other streets in the downtown area. I passed by parts of the art college and Leopold’s Ice Cream where the line was long. Must be a good spot…someplace to try next time around, as I was plenty full from dinner. 

Line outside Leopold's.

I stopped in to a couple more boutiques on my way back to the hotel, and in one I struck up a conversation with the shopkeepers. I told them about the race at Skidaway Island, and they mentioned that some of the Vietnam scenes from Forrest Gump were filmed out there. Cool. In fact, they said that Savannah is known as “Hollywood South” because so many movies are now filmed there. Apparently, there are tax breaks for filmmakers to come to Georgia, and since the weather is really nice most of the time, it makes for ideal conditions for filming. Who knew? I ended up buying some earrings for my mom and a bracelet for myself in their shop. It was a fun stop.

After that, I walked back to my hotel. Along the way, I passed by some of those dreadful bicycling bar trolleys (Ugh!). The gangs pedaling them were loud and obnoxious, and I thought if that was going to continue all night long, I’d have some sleeping issues. 

Luckily it turned out that wasn’t the case, or if it was, they weren’t pedaling outside my hotel window. Thank goodness. It had been a terrific day exploring Savannah, and I was looking forward to a great race in the morning. 

Three months away from the blog!

I'm just logging in today for the first time since February! Holy cow, I feel so horrible! I didn't mean to be away from blogging for so long, but the March-April-May time frame has been ridiculously busy for my family and I. Don't worry...I've been keeping up with my running, thank goodness, but my food plan has strayed quite a bit with all the family events we've had this spring. Not a great excuse, but let's just say I'm feverishly trying to slim down this week before my monthly WW weigh in. I am looking forward to getting back on track and really following the program. It has been awhile since I have. With all the great summer produce coming soon, I'm excited to load on the fruit and veggies. 
So, I've run two more half marathons in two states since February, and I've got my posts for those in progress. I'll be posting a barrage of race write ups right after this post, and hopefully after that I can keep up with the blog at long last. Now that all of our springtime events are over: Easter, golf committee meetings, First Communion & party, school golf tournament, Mother's Day, anniversary trip, and family trip (and with the end of school and softball season coming), I think I can finally devote more time to health, wellness and blogging. Stay tuned!