- December 20, 2024
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I was envious of the well-dressed women that ran Granada Bridge every morning until I tried to become one.
I tried to wake up before the sunrise. I really did.
But a combination of too many fruity alcoholic drinks plus a late night "Friends" marathon kept me from getting my necessary 11 hours of sleep. So technically, I didn’t crawl out of my bed until 8 a.m. — but still, that’s pretty early.
Despite my lack of zzz’s and slight dehydration, I decided today would be the day I ran the Granada Bridge. Every day, I passed a group of bikers or two stay-at-home moms bravely walking, running and sprinting up that two mile route. As a young woman trying to finding her place in the world and lose her freshman fifteen, it was time I joined them.
With some angry rap music blasting out of my headphones, I started my hike up the bridge. Instantly, I regretted drinking last night and not waking up for the intensely hot Florida sun.
I made it up the to top of bridge before I had to take my first breather. A clan of creepy men in a plumbing van gave an encouraging honk as I started dry heaving over the railing. I returned their gesture with that finger my mom always told me not to give.
I continued my trek downhill, which turned out to be a lot easier to run, and made it to the end of the bridge without stopping or falling. The only way I was able to make it up the bridge again was a loud All Americans Rejects song and a cute puppy at the top of the bridge that I just had to pet.
I almost stopped for another breathing break but then I remember my ex-boyfriend sometimes drives on this bridge and I had to look like I was enjoying my run and not wanting to throw myself into the Halifax River.
As I made my descent down one final time, I realized that I had actually, sort of done it. Maybe I wasn’t going to be one of those women that put themselves through this psychotic exercise every morning. But it’s good to know I can shake up my routine of coffee and Cocoa Puffs every now and then.
I took a million breaks and walked WAY more than I ran but I wasn’t dead or in the river so to me, that’s a victory. A victory I will brag about and over-exaggerate for years to come.
