SEASIDE STUFF

A portion of our group just had an amazing experience with a road trip and extended weekend revolving around the Seaside Half Marathon & 5k. This has been a building tradition among our southern sole sisters with Floree and Hazel holders of the longest streak of attending this event at seven years. This blog post author enjoyed her second year and a few of our group got to experience their first year. The SSS majority is in between the 2-7 year participation. The weekend obviously is centered around the actual event so a quick few words about that..the run is held on a Sunday (1^st one in March) and is an out/back on 30A. It sells out fairly quickly. The run itself is pleasant, not really hilly compared to Georgia, and features fab swag (tech t-shirt, medal and the coveted Vera Bradley bag-choosing between two designs).

 The after festival is so much fun with great food & beverages, music and if the weather is good, an amazing recovery place-to-be. Wrap around this great run experience with a road trip, fun eating & beverage experience, the beach, bicycles, warmer weather, shopping, more beverages, delicious restaurants/bars and a really nice house for us all to stay together (8-10 southern sole sisters under one roof) within walking distance of EVERYTHING..and did I say, lots of beverages?!

I will stop short of describing what actually happened on our most recent trip and leave that for cherished, funny memories and lots of photos (Instagram posts) and treat it like VEGAS.

 Other than a salute to all that is SEASIDE, this post actually has a different intended and important purpose…to save us from RECREATING THE WHEEL and to capture our Seaside preparation and planning wisdom somewhere for reference next year and the year after that and so on. Nothing is ever written in stone but it was often heard, over our glorious weekend, “We have to remember that for next year”. Besides capturing that stuff, all of our Southern Sole Sisters have not yet experienced Seaside and we have been fortunate to continue to expand our tribe, so these tips may come in handy for continued Seaside newbies.  As I write this post, please know it is the combined wisdom as told to me by you, my southern sole sisters. Furthermore, this post will be edited and reedited until it reflects all of your thoughts. You can post them as comments or email me and I will weave them in.

THINGS NOT TO FORGET TO PACK & WHAT DID WE WEAR RACE DAY

• Start with the single most important item as told to us by Hazel…SUNGLASSES– The back part of the out/back is brutal sun in the eyes wise during the run event.
• Pearl says, “As for packing, I will always bring a hat for the run.  I also liked having a light wind breaker.  I bought one of those light scarves and loved having it the rest of the trip to burrow down when the breeze blew off the ocean.  March 1 is still cool.  Pearl forgot her beans so she recommends beans, if that is your preferred fuel source, as they only had gu on the course.
• Bathing Suit could be considered..some do, some don’t. Didn’t use it this year but some did last year.
•  Yoga clothes – just in case we want to pick up a yoga class with the more seasoned Seasude residents who we want to grow up to be..
• Pre-run foods like oatmeal as well as any snacks, bars and special beverages you want for the weekend.
• Cause we always ask ourselves, "what did I wear when I ran this last year?"..most of us have worn over the past couple of years, tank tops, capris, some with long sleeve or shrug over and for Hazel, gloves this year. Add your race number, cap, sunglasses & put money/credit card* on you for important post race purchases.

This is why you might need money. Mimosas Modica Market ROCK!

•  Race Day, we pack a bag, without valuables, that contains towel for post-race lounging in the grass and some warm overclothes. Leave bag in post race area....

GETTING THERE

Travelling to Seaside by CAR has been the preferred mode of transportation. This year, different pods of SSS set off from the Atlanta area 5:30am on Saturday to arrive in Seaside around 11:00am. N (Seaside is an hour behind Atlanta). With limited road traffic, one or two stops along the way (Starbucks in Columbus), it was commonly commented that it felt fast and the timing was perfect. Not only did it land us before the crowd at Great Southern, it allowed our group to choose between brunch and lunch menus which is a short window at one of our favorite restaurants. This also placed us with full bellies ready to attend packet pick up which began next door at 12pm.

You can also get there by PLANE. Pearl has done this multiple years in a row and tried different airports. Here are her thoughts:

I have decided that I prefer flying into Panama City (ECP) airport.  It's only 30 min away from Seaside.  Ft. Walton (VPS) is about an hour away from Seaside by going through Destin.  The positive for this airport may be food or shopping options in Destin area.   

LODGING ARRANGEMENTS

Houses for rent must be rented for three night say minimum and typically for desired area and size, houses have been renting for around $3,000. The last two years, we have rented a house that can accommodate over 10 people from 360 Blue Properties and have had wonderful experiences. This year’s address was:

848 Western Lake

Pros for this house was definitely the proximity to the starting line (Left only 10 minutes before race time, to not use porta potties…PRICELESS). Comfortable, very nice accommodations.

Cons were bathroom arrangements. One bedroom with four bunkbeds did not have access to bathroom unless travelling through other bedrooms or going downstairs.

104 Buttercup

Pros-best common area ever, with long dining table that could easily accommodate our large group.  Better bathroom access

Cons-sort of. Some sleeping arrangements were in separate guest house.

If you have previous years places to make note of.. Or if you know of one, that should be considered for the future years… send them my way.

EATING, EATING AND PLANNING TO EAT

A few random thoughts to take or ditch. Great Southern could become a great tradition. Already mentioned earlier, two years in a row this has been a first stop. They have brunch and lunch, which our group, split down the middle on who ordered what…and amazing Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s to start our trip off right.

A few years in a row, we have dined in the night before the run and found this was nice because we could accommodate different food needs (which some of us are more finicky what we eat before 13 miles…this blogger for one) and we can control the ingredients that might come back to haunt us (garlic, anyone?). This was our menu this year and recipes are in a coming section. The night after the run, we have thought, in the past, we would be uber party girls and enjoy a gourmet dinner out. Well give us one experience of closed restaurant even though we had reservations and then zombie stoned waiter…we changed it up this year and had dinner IN. Picked up Pizza By the Sea and most declared it divine while dining in comfortable clothes or even pjs. Again, nothing set in stone but it was suggested we write this down..so there ya go.

ARRIVAL BRUNCH/LUNCH at GREAT SOUTHERN

PRE RUN MENU-EAT IN

·         Seaside Chicken

·         Roasted Carrots

·         Orzo Salad

·         French Bread

RUN DAY DINNER (après run) –PIZZA BY THE SEA & DELICIOUS SALAD MADE BY FLOREE & PETUNIA

COMMUNITY BRINGING ASSIGNMENTS AND SHOPPING

In our planning for the trip, we have recycled the list of what we are bringing (folks just sign up) for those important house community needs like Toilet Paper and then we have a Grocery Store trip when we get there. These lists modify a bit from year to year but again in the not to work too hard in planning, here are lists from this year.

GROCERY LIST FOR SEASIDE

Bananas - one bunch about 8

Oranges - big navel -6

Lemon-2

Coffee fixins - half and half

Skim milk - half gallon
Chicken Thighs- boneless skinless 4 + lbs

Onions- 2 sweet onions

Beer- blue moon- 12 pack

Hard cider

Orzo-box

Sundried Tomato- jar

Feta- 4 oz container crumbled feta

Basil- bag of

Romaine lettuce heart (comes in bag/ box of 3)-1

arugula (box of)

shaved parmasean in plastic container (thick shaving) not powdered-Over with the cheeses. 

French baguettes of some other kind of bread with dinner

Carrots whole - 2 on bag in produce

Ben & Jerry frozen greek yogurt with blueberries, graham cracker/Bluish container - 2 pints

BROUGHT BY US (divide/volunteer/assign)

Seasonings- Hazel

 Salt/Pepper- Hazel

Olive Oil- Hazel

Aluminum pans-

Aluminum Foil-

Stevia-

Coffee-

hand washing soap-
Clorox Wipes-

Toilet Paper-

Paper Towels

Napkins
Dishwasher tab
trash bags

Laundry detergent/dryer sheets

RECIPES..this section is still a work in progress

ORZO SALAD from FRANCES -I don’t have a recipe BUT everyone knows I don’t cook so it’s one of those that anyone can do. 

Ingredients:

Orzo – Think I only did 1 lb

Sundried tomatoes pack in oil (the ones you find in a glass jar near canned tomatoes)

Fresh basil

1 package of Feta or equivalent fresh parmesan (believe we did feta and I like it a little better than parm)

Olive oil

Cook the orzo.

Take about ¾ jar of the sundried tomatoes and put into a blender or food processor (all the rentals should have a blender)

Add all the basil that comes in the package (removing stems and breaking apart the big leaves)

Add a little more olive oil (maybe 2 Tbls)

Blend until the texture is not smooth and runny but the tomatoes and basil are really chopped.    You’ll need to run the blender, mix with a spoon, repeat etc..

It won’t look like a lot but it goes a long way.  Mix with the orzo and add the feta. 

Oh – and I like the salad better the next day after it’s been chilled.  Great for leftovers!!!

SEASIDE CHICKEN from HAZEL

11/2-2lbs. Boneless skinless chicken thighs (amt depends on how many you are feeding) I sometimes add skinless chicken legs for the kids.

1-onion

Olive oil

Season All

Paprika

Vegetable broth (enough to cover chicken

Pyrex dish (size again depends on how many you feed)

Preheat oven to 375

Put chicken in Pyrex and lightly season both sides with SeasonAll. Arrange chicken in Pyrex and drizzle with olive oil. Slice onion into rings and arrange on top of chicken. Pour vegetable broth over chicken - enough to cover chicken. 

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Cover and bake an additional 45 minutes.

MARGARITAS from BLANCHE (makes 4)

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup Cointreau or Patron Citronge

1/2 water

3/4 cup silver tequila

1/2 of an orange (squeezed)

She made double batches at the beach!  Enjoy

More editing and adds to come to this particular post but hopefully it is helpful to ease future planning. Girls, here’s to many more fun adventures with our Southern Sole Sisters where it be in Seaside or in the many miles we share together.  Sadie