Angel Oak and Bohicket Marina

WHEN: April 21 & 27, 2013

WHERE: Johns Island & Seabrook Island, South Carolina

In an effort to keep up with these blog updates, I am combining what I originally planned as two posts into one.  The first part is on Stacie's and my first visit to Angel Oak, here in Charleston (Johns Island).  The second part is of my second 10K that I ran in April, also here in Charleston (on Seabrook Island).

Angel Oak - one of the oldest living organisms east of the Mississippi (estimated to be as old as 1500 years)

How does one fit it all in a single picture?

You can only truly appreciate its size in person

Approaching the giant, marveling at its sheer size

A family of four, to provide scale

Standing next to history

(This tree may have been 1000 years old when Columbus landed in America)

The arms of Angel Oak, stretching out as if to hug those standing beneath its canopy

I imagine Robin Hood (or some other medieval character) to be standing on or near the tree in this picture.

As is common with live oaks (especially one this size), the limbs grow out and towards the ground due to their massive weight.  Once the limbs reach the ground (acquiring needed support), they begin growing vertically again.

The limb on the bottom right is a good example of this growth pattern

This was the trunk's "thin" side

How cute is she?

After Angel Oak, we headed to Seabrook Island (our first time there).  It is about an hour drive from our house and a private island that some celebrities have homes on (Reese Witherspoon and Dan Marino come to mind, but there are others).

Bohicket Marina on Seabrook Island

Tiger Woods' yatch (Privacy) docked at Bohicket Marina during the PGA Championship last year

:)

Driving to Seabrook Island at 5:30am for the Bohicket Marina 10K race (April 27).  A pretty drive, especially at twilight.

Bohicket Marina Village

Taking a peak at the finish line

Beautiful sunrise on the marina

Pre-race warm up run around Seabrook

Clouds rolling in towards the end of the race.
I placed 9th overall but more importantly, I beat the rain!

The drive back in daylight

Post-race (May 2009, April 2013) - look similar?

I am still actively running but have no races planned until October, which will be another 10K.  I plan to run my first marathon on Kiawah Island in December and perhaps my 2nd marathon in January (the Charleston Marathon).  That seems like a long ways away and summer here is not a fun time to run, with all the heat and humidity.  Nevertheless, I better keep running if I plan on running 2 marathons back-to-back!

2013 Cooper River Bridge Run

WHEN: April 6, 2013
WHERE: Charleston, South Carolina

My blog has been running about 2 months behind reality so far this year.  This post is no different.

I wrote this post over a month ago but never bothered to publish it.  It's been a struggle to keep up with my blog.  Now, with several posts pushing and shoving to be the next in line, my procrastination has caused my blog to reach critical mass. It was either publish this post now and move on to the next (and quickly) or never regain control of my blog, at least without skipping several months of this year.

I have every intention of publishing yet another post tomorrow (Monday) and hopefully another by week's end.  We'll see if I have the stamina.  And if I don't, I fear this blog will never catch up to reality this year.

- PAUSE -

- BREATHE -

Okay, here we go...

"I got over it."
(One of the popular slogans of the bridge run.)

I did it! My first competitive race in 4 years.  I began running back in January and have kept up with it in preparations for my first race (of two) during the month of April.  I enjoy running (for the most part), but without a race on the horizon I have no will to run with any consistency.  The Cooper River Bridge Run is the first 10K (6.2 miles) I have run.  Now I have run two in the month of April (more on the second race in my next post...spoiler alert).

The Cooper River Bridge (April 2012)
When this bridge was completed (July 2005), it was the longest cable-stayed bridge in theWestern Hemisphere (2.5 miles).  Today it is the second longest, and stands 525ft. tall.

LIVE webcam(s) view of the bridge.

At the expo on Thursday night (April 4), picking up my bib, race packet, and checking out the dozens of vendor booths.

At nearly 40,000 participants (45,000 last year), the CRBR is one of the top 10 largest competitive races in the US (and 3rd largest 10K).

Due to late registration (in February), me and my coworker (who ran with me) were towards the back and did not have our names printed on our bibs (sticker only).  Corral H was the last of the "runners" section (just in front of the walkers and those with strollers), but we moved up to Corral E (still in red bib zone) to get a better spot.

Our view from Corral E, looking forward.  Most of the participants were behind us.

The sun coming up just before the start.

Our corral walking to the start line.
The cellular signal was completely jammed at this point, with over 40,000 people trying to use any nearby cell towers (phone calls, social media, running apps, etc.).  In fact, 0.3 miles of my race was not recorded, possibly as a result of the cell signal (or lack thereof).

Around the half-mile point (the bridge on the horizon)

Starting up the bridge (mile 1.5)

Let's hope the bridge holds up!
I could not tell while running, but people who have stopped on or spectated from the bridge before say there is a definite shaking/swaying of the bridge from all the runners.

Almost to the top

Running down King Street, around mile 5

The hoards of runners never thinned out.  Even though we started near the middle of the runners, I thought that after 5 or 6 miles we would have been out of the crowds.  It was stop/slow down/zig-zag running the entire 10K.  Not ideal, but all part of the experience.
(Next year, I'm registering earlier and getting a better spot in line.)

Waiting in line for my favorite BBQ after the race (and free at that).

This ambulance was going about 0.0001mph through this crowd.

Americon-Idol contestant (2012) and local Charlestonian, Elise Testone, performing in Marion Square following the race (she also sang the National Anthem at the start of the race).

Perfect day for a run

Yep

I have never seen more buses in one place (outside of Washington DC).  I think there were 200 buses that shuttled participants to and from the race.

The race course

Official results from the CRBR app

Saw this competitor (and his Up costume) later that day on Instagram.  He had the walking cane with tennis ball feet and all.

Also from Instagram.  Biking back up the bridge after the race, balloon style (no easy task).  Not sure if this is the same guy or not.

Post & Courier front page (April 7)

Special insert in newspaper - pictures and stories from the race, plus the top 10,000 male and top 10,000 female finishers.
(look at all those ants people on the bridge)


I made it in

Later in the afternoon we attended the annual Flowertown Festival (one of the largest events in the southeast).

Needless to say, I was sick of crowds by the end of this day.