Manatee River 5 Mile Run

For a final race of 2011, this was all a race should be! Loved the warm temps, hung around for the awards/brunch afterwards and then headed to the beach for the afternoon. Very relaxing way to end the year! As described, this is a scenic adventure on hard shell packed winding trails through a variety of native ecosystems including beaches, lagoons, salt marshes, mangrove swamps, tropical hardwood hammocks, coastal strands and finished on a paved 1.5 mile roadway to the finish and great post race party. 

Flattest course I've ever run and it's through a  Preserve called Emerson Point at Snead Island.  The amenities were ample post race and a much larger turnout than I expected (631 runners posted).  The t-shirts were Tech Shirts with the waffle weave material, both male (crew neck) and female (v-neck) shirts available. I would highly recommend this event to anyone and as an added note - GET THERE EARLY on race day!  The START line is .75 miles from Parking and the packet pickup on race day is heavier than usual due to the race's location and the holiday! 

I logged in a total of 7 miles at this event, 5 for the race and two commuting by foot to registration, parking and the start/stop lines. Fantastic job by organizers and Volunteers!  This is definitely a 5 Star Event all around and a race I hope to repeat in 2012! 

CHIP TIME: 1:17:40 

St Pete Women's Half Marathon

Official Time:  2:48:11

I spent the morning of December 13th sifting through races looking for a year end 5K, hoping to meet a New Year's Resolution that I have been carrying since 2008.  I realized while sifting that I had not posted my thoughts about this race - the St Pete Women's Half - an event I truly enjoy and have participated in two years in a row.

The reason for my hesitation...?....

I contracted a nasty stomach virus at this race.  Lasted 5 days.  Could not eat solid food and was limited to only Powerade as a fluid (stomach would not hold water, believe it or not).  The nausea, cramps, fever, etc were intense and needless to say, this impacted my view of the race.  When I hit mile 7 I doubled over with cramps, found a restroom (for the third time) and stumbled back on to the course only to encounter several other ladies suffering from the exact same malady.  Without hesitation each said they got sick after drinking the Gatorade at the earlier water stops.  One poor lady was sitting on a curb, youth runner in tow, unable to get to her feet.  My heart goes out to them.  Little did we know at the time that our suffering was only beginning.

I can now put this on my "Been there, done that" list and move on...

It isn't an uncommon experience for runners and I have no idea why it is tied to the Gatorade but I don't intend to repeat the performance *chuckle* once was more than enough.  Three of us were picked up by the trailing vehicle at Mile 7 and transported to a turning point slightly further in the race.  We were asked by the Race Director NOT to complete the event.  The turning point was a split between the finish line and a four mile section that included Tropicana Field.  Very disappointing.  The community of St Pete (Vinoy to be specific) does not like the road closures on Sunday morning so the time limits have to be enforced.  I get it, I do, but that doesn't make me happy with the turn of events since Tropicana is one of the highlights of the course.  I didn't complain though, I hurt far too much to even contemplate that section much less finish it, so I headed for the finish line and was awarded a medal by a beautiful young lady in military uniform.  Go USA!

My total distance covered (via Garmin) was 9.2 miles, start to finish. My official time was 2:48:11 which included three lengthy port-a-john stops (lines) and one slow ride in an SUV.  I am not listing this as a PR but am grateful we were allowed to finish and post times for the event.  

This race is well managed and mapped on a gorgeous course.  I would never discourage anyone from participation and cannot place blame of the contaminated Gatorade on WRM, after all, the water stops are managed by volunteers.  It is what it is and I'm sure it was not intentional.  

I will however make a mental note to provide my own water/fluids during a half in the future.  Sealed bottles pre and post race are safe but the powdered mixtures served from reused milk containers or sports coolers do not guarantee cleanliness or adequate temperature requirements.  Water should be a different story, depending, of course, on whether it comes from new distilled gallons or tap water stored in containers.  Thanks to this race, I will be paying attention going forward.

Happy Trails to all !

Tampa Police Memorial 5K

 

Gorgeous day in Tampa Bay!  A cool early morning breeze made the weather perfect for this fundraising event.  Several times over during the course of the morning I was told "this race supports a good cause".  The community truly comes out in force to stand with the local Tampa Police Department.  

Today's route was a walk for me, just enjoying the crowds, the sights and getting away from my desk for a few hours.  I was in/out in an hour and five minutes.  Several of us parked blocks away and walked up within seconds of the Start gun which was easily accessible from any metered parking spot in downtown Tampa.  I had a trip planned after the race so I was thankful for the convenient location.  

The post race amenities were plentiful, the door prizes had tremendous drawing power for the crowd and the actual course was flat, with the exception of one bridge/hill that was steep but quite short.  Race Place (website) ranks this race quite well and deservedly so.  Definitely on my repeat list.

CHIP TIME:  47:13

Susan G Komen 5K

 Always an honor to support the Susan G Komen Foundation 

in their efforts to raise awareness and promote research for 

Breast Cancer. This was the Tampa/St Pete race and 

an absolutely gorgeous 70° day!

The energy was palpable at today's race.  Far more participants 

than the race results depict.  Many came out as walkers 

making the event, once again, a huge success!

This was my first race since July 15th.  I have missed several outings for various reasons and it felt good to be outdoors in a massive crowd once again. The course was completely flat and ran around Vinoy Park.  Police officers did an excellent job with coning off all traffic and keeping a safe environment for all.  

I started at the rear pace sections and attempted to take the sidewalks, like many others, and run around the 20:00 min paced crowd, but to no avail.   Overall though, after many stops and starts I finished with a less than 15 min per mile pace which I am more than happy with. I really enjoy the social aspect of events like this and am thrilled to be part of the support system around this tremendous cause.

If you've never attended a Susan G Komen race event, by all means, add it to your to do list.  It's a heartwarming experience to see the survivors, those currently being treated and those who run for loved ones lost.

OFFICIAL TIME:  46:55

Sunsets at Pier 60 5K Series

 

The West Florida Y Runners Club (WFYRC) puts on a wonderful summer series at Pier 60 in Clearwater Beach, FL.  The series is beachfront, out and back, very well managed, and complete fun for anyone at any pace. The sponsoring group is very friendly and does an outstanding job at making everyone welcome!

I would recommend the group or the series to anyone. Bear in mind though, it is on sand, it is manually timed and sponsor participation on race day is limited (usually only Red Bull shows up) but then that's the beauty of community races.  It's all about friends, family and fun. Not to mention the glorious view on a Friday evening.

This was Race #3 in the series and one I was determined to be on time for, having been late to the previous two races.  My nieces and I hit the 60W at 6pm.  We arrived at Pier 60 at 7:15pm very, very disappointed as this should have been a maximum 30 min drive.  I asked if I could start that late and was told to go ahead.  A family of four actually started after I did.  Seems I was not the only runner sitting on the 60 in bumper-to-bumper traffic.  Several runners got there just before I did and turned away, not wanting an off time (manual timing does not allow or adjust for late starts) and uncertain if the route markers would still be in place for the whole course. This I was told by one of the registration workers.

I ran with the family of four (a father and three sons) and they finished a few minutes ahead of me.  The turn around point had been moved early (most races allow an hour before take-down and this would have been approximately 45 min from the original start time) and one of the young sons ran an additional mile past the turn around point without realizing it.  Poor kid. The five of us were the last to finish and we had to ask for timing cards (manual method of entering finish times) in order to get credit for participation. The family finished at around 8:03pm, I was 8:08pm and the entire course had been removed. It took 5 minutes to locate the blank timing cards so that my run time would be registered on the website result listings. 

While I do not blame WFYRC for the traffic, nor do I expect them to halt a start time every Friday night when it's known that traffic hindered several runners, nor is it reasonable to ask volunteers to stay longer than they initially expected, nonetheless, it would have been nice to have some form of alternative or back up plan for situations like this. I know it can't be unusual, Clearwater is quite busy every summer.  I almost wonder if it wouldn't be better to bump the start time to 7:30 solely for this purpose.  But again, for the locals, it would not be in their best interest and I'm sure WFYRC has heard this suggestion before.  Outside of two dedicated club members - one standing at the turn around and  one at the finish line for an hour and a half - there's not much else that could be done.

The short version of the point I'm making is that while I dearly enjoy this series, it isn't realistic for anyone that lives or vacations outside of the Clearwater area, North or East, to attend. Traffic has consistently precluded a decent drive or arrival time and the race does not accommodate late arrivals. 

I filled out the timing card with the actual start and finish times and was still given the unadjusted numbers.  I'm not complaining, for an $8 race on a Friday night, this is probably as good as it gets.  Kudos to WFYRC for persevering against the odds to keep this series in motion.

OFFICIAL TIME:  1:05:00  (manual and unadjusted)

ACTUAL TIME:  49:00  (using Start Clock and watch)

Sunsets at Pier 60 5K Series

 

What a week!  This is a race I should have skipped and didn't.  I'm glad I was out there and getting exercise but my efforts were by no means noteworthy.  I had caught the flu virus the week before and was suffering through the worst of it days prior to the race.  I showed up anyway.  Something to be said for perseverance.  For those of you that have caught the flu bug (v. 2.0, the non-winter, late spring, early summer version) my heart goes out to you. Nasty stuff.  For those of you that can run record times with flu symptoms, more power to you.  I am not yet that empowered.

Having been a late starter to the first event, I left earlier for this race, to no avail.  A traffic accident on I-275 cost me over a half hour delay so I was once again late.  This time much later than the first time, I could no longer see the runners when I headed out for the start.  I did however take my Garmin and timed myself.  Garmin gave me 53:19 which is not good compared to my usual times but not bad considering it was the first time I'd been outside my front door since arriving home Tuesday.  I did overtake the last place runner who, bless her heart, still managed to finish in under an hour but chose not to turn her results card in (manual timing). She was glad to have finished but I suspect was not a fan of running on the sand, especially not for a first 5K.

This is a wonderful series with a great support group to manage it.  I would recommend the series to anyone with the caution of Friday evening drive times, parking at Clearwater Beach, and the challenge of running on sand (yes, it is hard, sand is pliable and there is usually uneven terrain all the way through due to changing tides) but for $8 a race, its an extremely good workout in great company!  The reggae bands are wonderful and the awards ceremony takes place on the same pavilion as the band.  There is also an inflatable slide / bounce mobile for kids and the usual beach attractions in the area.  Not too shabby for a Friday night!

OFFICIAL TIME:  57:35  (full walk)

Sunsets at Pier 60 5K Series

 

After eight days of non-stop travel and a hectic schedule, I was very much ready to unwind with a strong 5K.  This was a perfect ending to a wonderful week of friends, family and tourism.  The race begins underneath Pier 60 and is a simple out and back directly on the sand next to the waterfront.  I kicked my shoes off before the first mile was done!  There is nothing quite like a beachfront run through a well maintained area with lots of vacationers.  We passed two weddings in progress along the water, both brides in full wedding gowns, one groom in a tuxedo, the other in the ever so romantic European linen khaki trousers and un-tucked white linen shirt.  Wedding parties and photographers were present!  Runners were told at the start that all beach-goers have the right of way, so the race had a unique challenge of dodging and/or pausing for others en route.

It's amazing being last in any race.  People know you're not going to win it so they don't mind stopping you to ask questions or comment.  "How far do you have to run?"  "What kind of race is this?"  "How far do you have to run?"  "How many times will you have to do it?"  "How far do you have to run?"  Lots of New Yorkers in Clearwater, FL.  They're easy to spot... one, they're proud of their home state (shirts, bags, etc) and two, they're the ones in black, standing at the water's edge, talking on their cell phones.

My timing was unimportant and not in sync with my usual scores.  I arrived on time but due to parking unavailability, I hadn't picked up my bib in time to start with the group.  I actually started 7-8 minutes after the official start gun went off.  I was truly standing at the start line for the kickoff but wasn't wearing my bib, and in this type of race, I needed it so that the course wouldn't shut down prematurely thinking all runners were in.  To my amazement, I caught up with the tail end of the group.  I passed the last two runners to finish 278th out of 280 total.

I drove from Tampa to Clearwater in about 45-50 minutes.  Not a bad drive at all on a Friday evening and was 20 min early for the 7pm race start. Parking in this area is very limited and can be costly.  A motel lot next to Pier 60 charged $10 per vehicle regardless of length of stay. The metered parking and street parking were completely full.  This leaves seeking out parking at venues not on the oceanfront. Needless to say, I will be much earlier for race #2.  I found a friendly motel several blocks down and walked back up to the race start.

For an $8 race, I'll have to say, I was most pleasantly surprised. The sponsors and hosts for this event are spectacular!  Runners and Hosts alike were most friendly and encouraging throughout the entire event.    It is manually timed but with a digital clock at the finish.  Time cards are given out when a finisher crosses over and are turned in to the registrar for awards presentations.  The t-shirts are white tech shirts with the logo just as you see above and are quite lovely.  The entire series (4 races over the summer) was only $35 - a complete bargain for which I have zero complaints.

Very much looking forward to Race #2 in two weeks!

OFFICIAL TIME:  54:59

Results:  Sunsets at Pier 60 #1

Divas & Dudes 5K

 

My timing sucked. Out loud! However, that is the only thing about this race that wasn't absolutely perfect!  The course was held in downtown Sarasota, FL at Payne Park.  The route covered gravel, concrete sidewalks and grassy fields.  It was a double loop and supporters could see runners at nearly every turn of the course from the main auditorium (outdoor).  

The park was immaculate with very easy access. Post race refreshments were plentiful, a DJ was present, goody bags were loaded (cashews, Bio-Freeze, chapstick, letter opener, free Chick-Fil-A coupon, free Jimmy Johns coupon, etc) and race results were calculated within 10 minutes of the final runners completion.

Overall, a beautiful day to be in Sarasota  :)

A special recognition should be given to the race organizers and volunteers of this run.  They did an outstanding job managing the event and making each and every runner feel both welcome and supported!  This race will definitely be on my 2012 calendar!

OFFICIAL TIME:  46:57

123 Finishers

1st Male Overall 17:51

1st Female Overall  24:24

I Love "Mothers" Day 5K

 

PRE-BLOG NOTE:  Happy Mother's Day to my Mother and all the other hard working, under appreciated Mom's today!  My Mother's Day family plans will take place in a few weeks as a combined Mother's/Father's Day event in a different state, so until then ~ Lots of love to Mom, Dad and the Fam!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you ever ran a race where you knew before it started that this would be your first and last?  Ever finished that same race with an uncertainty as to whether you liked the event or not but still knew you had no desire to repeat it?  This was one of those.  The mixed emotions are not necessarily the result of a poor event but rather the hodge podge of particulars related to the race overall.

+ The location is fantastic. John Chestnut Park had ample parking, lovely scenery and a wide asphalt trail for the course.  Easy to locate in Palm Harbor with even easier access in and out of the park.

-  The course was an oddity.  Out, back, out again but further and then back for the finish. Mile markers, yes, course volunteers en route, no.  One water station with tepid "Nestle" flavored water.  (Those that truly can taste the difference between Nestle, Dasani and Aquafina know what I mean.)

+  Flat.  Totally flat. No complaints whatsoever.

-  Manually timed.  I mean seriously manual.  A volunteer stood at the finish corral to hand out notecards (764 to be exact) at the finish line, in numerical sequence, with instructions to add your name and your finish time and turn in to Registrar.  This particular aspect was actually my biggest disappointment and the source of my 'no return' verdict.

+  Saucony Technical Shirts.  Major positive aspect.  Logo was really cute, pink Superman emblem with Mom across it.  Impressed.  Newton running socks were free and given out to all who crossed the finish line.

-  Post Race amenities.  While they were more than enough and an ample selection (doughnuts, cookies, bananas, chips, water, Coca Cola products, MIX protein drinks, etc) the coordinators (one in particular) actually yelled at a family for allowing their small children to eat a banana pre-race.  Get real.  Ever have kids lady??

+  Family event.  100%.  All ages present, and a kids fun run.  Lots of walkers for this race and since it was a park, there was a playground (large) for the kids to be entertained while the adults finished their event.

-  Sponsors.  This has limited sponsorship.  To the best of my memory I only saw two or three vendors present.  For family style community events, this is the norm and often preferred.  It is a matter of preference for runners.  Vendors are twofold for many of us.  One side of the coin - they are sales oriented quite often.  Other side of the coin - they bring tremendous support and encouragement to the running community as well as those life saving magnetic chip bag thingeys.

+  Photographer.  This event did have a local photography company present. Cards were handed out liberally telling runners which website to use for photos taken at today's event. 

-  Shirt Sizing.  For those that pre-registered and listed their shirt sizes, adult XL was all that was available for pickup on Sunday morning (line lasted until race start) before the race.  While the site guaranteed all pre-registrants a tech shirt, they somehow failed to have kept appropriate sizes for the pre-registered.  Walk up registrants were given tech shirts until the allotted amount was exhausted, leaving sufficient shirts for the pre-registered but in the wrong sizes until that supply was diminished.  Many pre-registered runners did not receive their shirt, their socks or the sunglasses (as promised in the race promotion) and were quite disgruntled with the coordinator's response. As always, if you're a fan of "I got the shirt" then early packet pickup is a must.

+  Cost.  This race is only $17 if you pre-register, 20% less if you register as a family of 3 or more. For many, this is/was the deciding factor, especially given it is a flat race.  It is also no doubt part of the reason for a successful turnout.

-  This is a FOR PROFIT race.  Failure to meet expectations is unacceptable. The event was hosted by Premier Racing Institute and does not encourage participation in their other events.

+/-  Digital clock apparatus.  There was one. Only one. It was at the Finish Line.  For a race with a turnout over 500 people, this and the lack of chip timing is, again, a disappointment. 

+/-  Awards presentation.  Actual trophies are given to "Mother" categories only.  The amount of time taken to calculate those handwritten, manual finish time cards was excessive.  Many runners, myself included, simply left.   Some of the elite runners, who would have also won for their finish times, also left early, directly after crossing the finish line.  It's not that we aren't a patient group, its that we've been to events where this is a non-issue.

+/-  START Line.  Baby strollers were not given specific entry points, nor were walkers and in this instance, if you're at the rear of the start off, you hear the horn and wait, wait some more, walk, walk some more and then walk across the start line and wait for the crowd to thin so you can actually run. Since it is geared as a family event, some have genuine appreciation for this.  Others would rather see organization.

For those that read my posts, I've missed four races in a row recently due to traveling and scheduling conflicts so this was a sigh of relief to have broken my streak.  I did walk the majority of the course and ruled out a PR early on due to the crowd, small children on the course and the loss of time at the START (manual timing rarely allocates for varied start times).  

I would never discourage anyone from participating in this race, I would simply state "cool shirts and good exercise"

OFFICIAL TIME:   43:58

Race Results Click Here

764 Result Cards were handed out at the Finish Line

513 Cards were turned in for scoring to Registrar

360 Females posted

153 Males posted

Florida Beach 5K

 

This race took place in Ft. DeSoto Park on the Gulf of Mexico in St. Petersburg, Florida.  For those that have never visited the park, it is ranked #1 in the nation. It has seven miles of powder white sand beaches, more than a thousand unspoiled acres, year-round sunshine and all the amenities a beach lover could imagine.

 The park also has a paved trail open to walkers, runners, bikes, roller blades and skateboards.  It was on this trail that most of the Half Marathon route was covered and portions of the 5K.

The race began at 7:05 AM for the Half and 7:20 AM for the 5K.  The early start was in an effort to avoid the heat.  On this particular day, the temperatures were perfect and the heat was not a concern.  The Sunrise was in its early stages as we crossed the start line and the route was as flat as any I'd ever run.  Absolutely perfect for a run!

There were 684 runners in the Half and 322 in the 5K and more than enough parking for all.  This race is ran in March (for Spring) and again in October (for Halloween) as part of the Florida Gulf Beaches Road Races.

All runners received Tech Shirts and chips.  Timing was ranked on Gun Time but Chip Time was included in the overall results.  Post race amenities were appropriate for a race this size in this type location.  Lots of water, soda, beer, pasta, bagels, bananas, cookies, etc and a few vendors with race appropriate merchandise.  The park is also kid friendly with swings, sliding boards and play sets.  Parents that brought their children for the event also had ample entertainment for the little ones.

Definitely on my list of "Best Race Ever" courses!

CHIP TIME:  47:03

Gasparilla 5K

 

 Absolutely gorgeous day on the Tampa Bay!  The Gasparilla Distance Classic is rated one of the best races in Florida and that title is well deserved.  Even with a huge turnout (10,828 crossed the Finish Line for the 5K) race results were accurate and posted quickly, disposable chips attached to bibs for easy setup. Medals for all runners, water, fruit, soda, 5 Hr Energy, and convenient parking access. Temps were mid 70's and the view across the water made for a very enjoyable run!

The Expo that precedes race events is also worth mentioning.  Several excellent exhibitors and lots of bargains for all.  Publix does an outstanding job as a sponsor for several Florida races and this was no exception.  The "Pirate" shirts available from Sports Authority are definitely a wardrobe collectible!

CHIP TIME:  43:26

Finishers: 10,828

Event:  5K

Min. Time:  14:53

Avg Time:  38:48

Max Time:  10:25:15

Females 45-49:  564

Min Time:  19:24

Avg Time:  42:46

Max Time:  3:14:48

Ocean Isle Beach Bridge Run 5K

This was my second year running this race, temps were high 30's, low 40's at the race start and I thoroughly enjoyed the improvement (wind chill was 10° last year)! Absolutely fantastic race! If you’re looking for all the bells and whistles (sponsor giveaways, timing chips, etc) this race doesn’t have that – but for a good reason. 

Funds go to support a local church that feeds families in need in the Shallotte NC area. The race is timed using barcodes on the bibs which are scanned as you cross the finish line. What makes this race spectacular is the comraderie! You won’t enjoy meeting a group of runners any more than you will this group – and they come from all over – Raleigh, Eden, Wilmington, Charlotte, Calabash, Lexington, as well as SC, NJ, PA, TN, etc. and they greet each other like long lost friends. 

The route runs over an inlet bridge (OIB) which is not too steep for even the most amateur runner – and the view from the top is breathtaking. You can see for miles, both the community and the ocean. The remainder of the route (for both 5K and Half Marathon) is predominantly flat. 

174 runners turned out on Saturday morning for the 5K.  I will make mention here that this is the second race in a row that I have noticed a new trend.  The number of walkers turning out has increased, for this event alone there were approximately fifty.  Kudos to those who have taken the initiative to improve their health and well-being.  Health is wealth!

Scores were 18:41 (M) and 20:38 (F).  Both winners were 36 years of age and finished 1st and 5th respectively, proof that running isn't always about youth.  6th place overall was a 60 year old Male with a time of 21:22.  Hoo-yah!!

This event hosts a half marathon also and 232 runners turned out.  Top Scores were 1:13:34 (M) and 1:27:46 (F). The male winner was 27 years old, female winner was 36 years old.  Lucky day for several 36 year olds!  January and February host very few local races thus this is definitely a must-do for the avid runner in the Carolinas.  Wishing continued success to the race directors of OIB Bridge Run events!

CHIPTIME:  49:13 (walk)