Postcards from Lower Alabama

Greetings from LA!
Ahem... that's Lower Alabama - southern Alabama, along the Gulf Coast - for those of you who aren't from around these parts.

Coastal Florida and Alabama are known for their snow-white sand beaches. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach do not disappoint.

Gulf Shores, AL

The locals have a sense of humor, and life here revolves around the Gulf of Mexico. So it's no surprise that the free newspaper "Mullet Wrapper" is named for how it gets used... What self-respecting angler would waste money on newspaper to wrap fresh-caught fish when this one is free?

The local free newspaper: Mullet Wrapper

Lower Alabama boasts Lambert's Cafe, home of the "throwed rolls." (No, that is not a typo.) Lambert's employees serve bread by throwing it to customers, and owners coined the "throwed rolls" tagline.

Be prepared for a raucous dinner, complete with birthday and anniversary announcements over the PA and servers who play practical jokes on customers, including faux pitchers of iced tea that get "dumped" on unsuspecting victims. (Not that I would know from experience...)

Lambert's employees getting ready to throw rolls at customers

Lambert's is also home of heart attacks served on plates. I ordered "hog jowls" - thinking it was the most adventuresome item on the menu. When served, my plate appeared to hold 2 pounds of bacon, surrounded by a sea of side dishes. A single plate could feed an entire basketball team (and give them all high cholesterol) or could satisfy one hungry runner after a marathon...

Heart attack on a plate

But don't let the cholesterol fool you.

Fresh produce is easy to find in Lower Alabama. Farm stands dot the roadsides. Summer brings fresh sweet corn, tomatoes, peaches, squash, watermelon, and a variety of other fruits and vegetables. In the hour drive between Pensacola, FL and Foley, AL we passed at least half a dozen roadside stands (and stopped at one to stock up on corn and squash).

Farm stand on Highway 59 near Foley, AL

Lower Alabama also has its share of beachfront bars that double as live-music venues. The Hangout is one of the most famous. Hubby and I whiled away a few hours sipping cocktails and listening to live music at the outdoor stage. The Hangout's motto is "be nice or go home" and the relaxed beach attitude could soothe even the most stress-addled brain.

The Hangout

Other local favorites include Flora-Bama (the very first stop Hubby and I made when we moved to Florida) and LuLu's Homeport (which hosted the 2011 Gulf Shores Half after-party).

On the running front, I must admit that I did no running on this trip. That said, I have run the beautiful and scenic Gulf Shores Half Marathon around Shelby Lakes in Gulf State Park.

In addition to some fantastic races, Lower Alabama is also home to a couple of active running groups, including the Orange Beach Running Club and LA Fleet Feet. The Fleet Feet group meets (conveniently) at The Hangout every Tuesday night for a 3-6 mile run.

Where have your travels taken you recently?

Race Report: Gulf Shores Half Marathon

The start: Low key starting area with maybe not enough port-o-potties. The Gulf Coast Half Marathon at Gulf Shores was definitely a small race (fewer than 500 runners) but what they lacked in pre-race frills, the organizers more than made up for in post-race awesomeness.

The bad: I'm having a hard time thinking of anything negative. So I'm going to stop trying. (Quitter, I know. But this is good quitting.)

This is the best half marathon I've run. Ever. And I don't throw around terms like "best" lightly, at least not with races.

My only complaint today: the weather sucked, but that's not the race's fault. With fog as thick as pea soup, this was a warm and wet 13.1. As one runner told me while we were waiting in the port-o-potty line, it was "not a PR kind of day." But that's ok... because it was an awesome-race kind of day!

When I said "thick fog" I meant it...
Note that you can't read street signs.

The good: Where do I begin...
Spectators were few and far between, but water stations were frequent (one at almost every mile) and the water station volunteers were wonderful. Seriously, a girl could get spoiled with this kind of course support. The Gulf Shores half might have ruined me for other races...

LA Parrotheads water station.
They even had a live parrot!

Water station mascot.

The course was gorgeous. Even in the thick fog, or maybe because of it, the run covered some beautiful scenery -- coastal dunes, salt marshes, pine forests. I want to go back to this part of Alabama when I have time to stop and enjoy the view.

9 runners who look just like me!
(Hubby found a new feature on his camera. I am a fan!)

The finish: Holy after-party, Batman! (Or should I say "Lulu?")
Jimmy Buffett's sister, Lucy, runs Lulu's Homeport in Gulf Shores, Alabama, and man does she know how to throw a party!

The entire indoor/outdoor restaurant was open to runners, which meant plenty of seating and plenty of food. Runners and guests had access to unlimited jambalaya, red beans and rice, fresh fruit, cookies, beer, and sports drinks. And even more important, race-walkers had plenty of hot food still available when they finished (all too often the food is gone by the time walkers wrap up).

A live band played tunes for a couple of hours. If the guests weren't doing the "post-race shuffle" it would have felt like just another vacation day at a beach resort.

My race: If you've been reading awhile, you know I don't run well on hot-and-humid days. But I still shaved 4 minutes off of my last half marathon time. I'm convinced that on a cooler day I'll be able to break 2 hours.

The weather put a damper on my A-game goals, but I solidly accomplished negative splits. I ran smart in the first half, and strong in the second. Unofficial results have me at 40 out of 215 female runners, and I had a smile on my face (almost) the whole time.

I can't wait to go back next year and move up the ranks!
(Hell, I'd go back and run this race again next weekend if they'd let me. It was that good.)

What's the best post-race party you've ever been to?