During a recent visit with my sister and brother-in-law in Florida, my husband Bill and I thought it would be fun to incorporate a race into our trip.

A quick internet search turned up the Pump House Run, a trail race, in Apopka. Initially, I thought about signing up for the 5K, but Bill had other ideas. He suggested we do the eight-mile race, so that’s what we did.

We were instructed to line up 10 minutes before the race start. The Star Spangled Banner was played, an enthusiastic volunteer led us in some pre-race warm-up exercises (optional) and the eight-milers were off, just after sunrise. The 5K race began 10 minutes later.

At the beginning of the race, we ran on a paved bike path which sloped slightly downhill. While I enjoyed the downhill start, I knew that meant an uphill finish. We ran on the paved path for about a half mile, then transitioned onto a flat, unpaved trail.

The surface of the trail was packed dirt, but it actually had the consistency of rough concrete. It was very easy to run on.

Before the race, I hoped to be able to finish the race in 1:15. I never look at my watch during a race, preferring to run by feel, but considering the surface we were running on, I thought my goal could be within reach. I settled into a pace I considered “comfortably hard“.

The lakeshore path’s scenery was pretty and I entertained myself watching Florida’s exotic flora and fauna. At one point there was an anhinga, a kingfisher, and a great blue heron all in one field of view. Even weeds growing among the grasses by the lake are pretty in Florida.

To read the rest of the report, please go here:
https://meditationsinmotion.wordpress.com/2020/02/06/pump-house-run-trail-race-review/