Me, Kristin's Grandma Elena, Kristin For my Boston Marathon buildup this year I only did one tune-up race and that was the 15K at the Gasparilla Distance Classic in Tampa, Florida on February 24th. They have a 15K and 5K on Saturday and a half marathon and 8K on Sunday. The race has a rich history and has seen 8 world records set in the 15K. Over 30,000 compete in the weekend races. My girlfriend Kristin ran the 5K last year and her Aunt and Uncle have participated in the 5K as well in the past. I haven't done a 15K before so I figured it would be a fun new distance.
The training for my ninth marathon and fourth Boston was going great leading up to Gasparilla. Since Gasparilla wasn't my goal race I didn't taper for it. In the three weeks before the race I ran 72, 83, and 77 miles a a week. I knew Tampa was going to be warmer than anything I had trained in so far with the unseasonably cold winter we were having in North Carolina which included several snows. My first 20 miles long run of the training cycle was done in Umstead State Park with about 8-10 inches of snow on the bridle trails.
The training for my ninth marathon and fourth Boston was going great leading up to Gasparilla. Since Gasparilla wasn't my goal race I didn't taper for it. In the three weeks before the race I ran 72, 83, and 77 miles a a week. I knew Tampa was going to be warmer than anything I had trained in so far with the unseasonably cold winter we were having in North Carolina which included several snows. My first 20 miles long run of the training cycle was done in Umstead State Park with about 8-10 inches of snow on the bridle trails.
Met Meb for second time Kristin and I arrived in Tampa on Thursday and stayed with her Aunt an Uncle. I did an easy 5 miles shakeout in their neighborhood Friday morning. They have a great neighborhood for running because it is shady from all the trees hanging over the roads and greenways. We went out to the expo Friday afternoon to do packet-pickup. The expo was nice; not too packed and not too crowded but still a lot of vendors. We met Meb and and he signed two books, Meb for Mortals and Run to Overcome. He also posed for photos. Meb is such a class act, great guy, and the perfect ambassador for the sport of running. We also met Bart Yasso and Kristin got his new book, Race Everything.
Race morning soon arrived. The 15K starts at 6:45am and the 5K starts at 9:30am. Kristin's Uncle Tim took me to the 15K. We arrived around 5:30am and parking was easy in a deck close to the start. I appreciated him getting up and going out to the race much earlier than he needed to for his race. It was already 70 degrees and humid at 6:20am when I went off for an easy 1.5 miles warm-up after doing my dynamic stretching. Sunrise wasn't until 7am or a few mins after so at least it was going to be dark a bit longer. I was fortunate to get the elite/seeded start for the 15K. They do a great job with the waves and seeding at Gasparilla making sure no one sneaks into a higher wave than their projected finishing time or the race result they submitted.
The race started at 6:45am and after going across a short bridge the first quarter mile we turned left and got on Bayshore Blvd. My A goal was sub 56 minutes. I ran the first mile right at goal pace of 5:57. Mile two slowed some to a 5:59.
The sun was now rising at our backs and I noticed a slight headwind going out. They had misting stations set up and running through those was nice. I tried holding sub 6 pace but was slowing down already. I ran miles three and four in 6:05 and 6:11. The course briefly gets off Bayshore after 4.6 miles and does an out and back section before returning to Bayshore for the rest of the race.
Race morning soon arrived. The 15K starts at 6:45am and the 5K starts at 9:30am. Kristin's Uncle Tim took me to the 15K. We arrived around 5:30am and parking was easy in a deck close to the start. I appreciated him getting up and going out to the race much earlier than he needed to for his race. It was already 70 degrees and humid at 6:20am when I went off for an easy 1.5 miles warm-up after doing my dynamic stretching. Sunrise wasn't until 7am or a few mins after so at least it was going to be dark a bit longer. I was fortunate to get the elite/seeded start for the 15K. They do a great job with the waves and seeding at Gasparilla making sure no one sneaks into a higher wave than their projected finishing time or the race result they submitted.
The race started at 6:45am and after going across a short bridge the first quarter mile we turned left and got on Bayshore Blvd. My A goal was sub 56 minutes. I ran the first mile right at goal pace of 5:57. Mile two slowed some to a 5:59.
The sun was now rising at our backs and I noticed a slight headwind going out. They had misting stations set up and running through those was nice. I tried holding sub 6 pace but was slowing down already. I ran miles three and four in 6:05 and 6:11. The course briefly gets off Bayshore after 4.6 miles and does an out and back section before returning to Bayshore for the rest of the race.
On Bayshore approaching finish After doing the turnaround I expected a tailwind coming back on Bayshore since it was a headwind going out. I was planning to get back to sub 6 pace with the help of a tailwind. However, once back on Bayshore I was greeted with a stronger headwind coming back. I have plenty of experience running on the water back home at the beach but I've never had to run in a headwind both directions. Just the shape of the Bay I guess. That mentally kicked me in the head as I was hot, tired, and slowing down far too early. I ran mile 5 in 6:13.
I knew my A goal was out of the question and my focused turn to running tempo pace in the conditions. I was still having to grind and use a lot more effort than what should have been needed to run miles six and seven in 6:06 and 6:11. After that the wheels came off and I was done. The last 2.3 miles was a struggle to even run marathon pace. I could only manage to run 10-15 seconds a mile slower than marathon pace. I ran miles 7 and 8 in 6:37 and 6:32. I ran the last 0.3 miles at 6:13 pace. I finished in 57:55 for 49th place overall out of 5,369. I placed 5th in my age group (35-39) out of 244.
It was not the race I wanted. I chalk it up to the weather and having fatigue from the previous three training weeks. I didn't tolerate the heat and humidity well and the headwind going out and mostly coming back was tough and did me in. After my race I headed back out on Bayshore for a long cool-down of 5.2 miles to get in 16 total for the day. I saw Tyler Pennel, a Zap Fitness Runner and friend, out doing his shakeout run before doing the half marathon on Sunday.
I knew my A goal was out of the question and my focused turn to running tempo pace in the conditions. I was still having to grind and use a lot more effort than what should have been needed to run miles six and seven in 6:06 and 6:11. After that the wheels came off and I was done. The last 2.3 miles was a struggle to even run marathon pace. I could only manage to run 10-15 seconds a mile slower than marathon pace. I ran miles 7 and 8 in 6:37 and 6:32. I ran the last 0.3 miles at 6:13 pace. I finished in 57:55 for 49th place overall out of 5,369. I placed 5th in my age group (35-39) out of 244.
It was not the race I wanted. I chalk it up to the weather and having fatigue from the previous three training weeks. I didn't tolerate the heat and humidity well and the headwind going out and mostly coming back was tough and did me in. After my race I headed back out on Bayshore for a long cool-down of 5.2 miles to get in 16 total for the day. I saw Tyler Pennel, a Zap Fitness Runner and friend, out doing his shakeout run before doing the half marathon on Sunday.
Met Sara Hall The 5K was brutal for everyone. It was a lot warmer at 9:30 than it was for my race. Kristin and her family still enjoyed it. Her Grandma, Elena, placed third in her age group (85-89). That was the highlight of the races for us; so proud of her!
The next day Kristin's Uncle Tim and I went back to watch the half marathon. It was a really fun. Tyler placed 4th in the half marathon in 1:04:17! The women's race was exciting and we saw a close finish between Sara Hall and Stephanie Bruce. Sara out-kicked Stephanie by one second for the win and new course record of 1:12:01! Meeting Sara Hall after was so awesome too!
I would do Gasparilla again. Maybe next time I'll do the half as it starts at 6am so you're running in the dark before sunset for an hour which would help keep it cooler. Gasparilla does a great job with all four races and it's a fun event. It was my first race in Florida so another state is done. I think I would like to do a race in all 50 states.
Race Gear
Socks: Smartwool Ultralight low cut socks
Shoes: New Balance 1400v4
Shorts: New Balance Impact 3" Split Short
Singlet: North Carolina Flag singlet
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
Watch: Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses: Rudy Project Tralyx
The next day Kristin's Uncle Tim and I went back to watch the half marathon. It was a really fun. Tyler placed 4th in the half marathon in 1:04:17! The women's race was exciting and we saw a close finish between Sara Hall and Stephanie Bruce. Sara out-kicked Stephanie by one second for the win and new course record of 1:12:01! Meeting Sara Hall after was so awesome too!
I would do Gasparilla again. Maybe next time I'll do the half as it starts at 6am so you're running in the dark before sunset for an hour which would help keep it cooler. Gasparilla does a great job with all four races and it's a fun event. It was my first race in Florida so another state is done. I think I would like to do a race in all 50 states.
Race Gear
Socks: Smartwool Ultralight low cut socks
Shoes: New Balance 1400v4
Shorts: New Balance Impact 3" Split Short
Singlet: North Carolina Flag singlet
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
Watch: Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses: Rudy Project Tralyx
RSS Feed