14,168 runners, walkers, and baby joggers in today's race.
This event is listed in Running USA's Top 100 Largest Races.
(runningusa.org)
There were four separate start times.
- 09:00 AM < 35:00 Finish
- 09:30 AM > 35:00 Finish
- 09:50 AM Strollers
- 10:00 AM Walkers
To make the first start time group anyone could estimate a finish time less than 35 minutes. To be at the front of this group (actual START line), runners had to be seeded. An application form must be submitted proving a prior finish time of 20:00 or less. All others fell behind this group.
This was my 4th year running Gasparilla and I totally love it! Crowd and all! It is a flat course, beautiful scenery, well managed, massive event. Even parking was improved this year. All the lots I saw, within a half mile of the START were maxing at $10. Lots of free parking at meters for those willing to get there early. I have zero complaints about the course, the staff, the volunteers, the city or the amenities.
I do however have concerns about the START process. It didn't work this year. And yes, I know this was probably the largest turnout yet for the Gasparilla 5K but the START process is still flawed. Organizers were right to break it up into groups but they failed to compensate for the actual size of each group.
With this many people on a course that is ONLY 3.1 miles, waves are a necessity.
Each group (minus the Elite / Seeded runners) should have had 1-2 minute intervals within the start, meaning 9:00, 9:02, 9:04, 9:06 etc allowing several hundred at a time in each wave to avoid overcrowding. This is the ONLY method that works with a crowd this size.
Having just finished the Hot Chocolate 15K in Atlanta with over 5300 runners and a course 3 times the length - the 1 minute interval starts were used for this EXACT reason. The organizers have learned from years of experience. Gasparilla 5K was a much larger crowd and a shorter course. Nothing but chaos on the course in the first two waves which spread into the third start time. I actually saw strollers passing people from the second wave meaning the crowd had caused a major slowdown for ALL regardless of speed or start time.
Somebody in Tampa puuhhllleeeeaaase fix this!!
We love the races!! We love the course, the Expo, the shirts, the booty! Everything! Just don't makes us swarm like ants all over each other while trying to view your beautiful bay!!
I spent equal effort and energy running laterally and forward. I should have had a PR for this race. Completely impossible. I started in the second wave aiming for a 36:00 Finish. Didn't happen. The roads were very wide and very full throughout the entire 3.1 miles. It is hard to complain though when surrounded by sunshine and seagulls. I'm writing this in the sole hope that someone will listen or seek out the process details of other large events. Gasparilla should be in the top 10 Best race events nationwide. A little tweaking will bring it closer and I am thoroughly convinced it is a recognition well deserved. While I may be chatty about the 5K masses... I was blown away by the beauty and joy of the Half Marathon on Sunday (different blog post). This is definitely a noteworthy event!
This years shirts were bright red polyester tech. The shirts were a no-name brand made in China (literally no name in the collar or on the shirt for the manufacturer). There were NOT the waffle weave tech as the shirts of 2012 (my all time favorite 5K shirt). They were however very good tech shirts, unisex with a liberal fit and a strong design. Very complimentary for the event and the given destination. (I will make mention here, the Half Marathon shirts were brand name better quality, again, relative to distance and entry fee - see my Half blog post).
(Front)
(Rear)
Weather was perfect - overcast and in the 70's. Light drizzle off/on and a bit of rainfall around the 10:15 AM mark.
Post race amenities were water, bananas, fruit cups, yogurt (if you could find them). The FINISH area was overcrowded to say the least. Long line for the fruit smoothies on the right hand side, while fruit was available on the left hand side - neither of which you could tell until you reached that point due to overcrowding. Again, a Wave Start with Intervals would fix this.
Publix was once again an anchor sponsor for this event. Their Expo 'freebies' this year were the plastic pop-top containers and a deck of cards detailing healthier eating choices.
The Expo itself was a success. Lots of vendor turnout, including a McDonald's booth with a Prize Wheel, an ice cream vendor with free samples, an juice vendor with free samples and a fantastic BBQ vendor with multi samples throughout the day!
I will pause to mention here - I only paid $25 to enter this race. Price only goes up if registering the weekend of the actual race. That's a steal, all things considered.
Lots to see and do in Tampa during the Gasparilla races. The speaker on Saturday said that visitors alone brought in over $4mm in revenue for the city of Tampa over the weekend. The Expo is hosted at the Tampa Convention Center, on the bay, and this year, if you walked outside the Convention Center to the bay area, the Gasparilla Pirate boats were 'parked' (I know, wrong word, pardon my blondness) alongside the outer visitation area.
Just a beautiful weekend to be in Tampa Bay
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