I took my time... before sitting down to update my blog for this weekend's races. Two new PRs (both the 5K and the Half) after taking a solid month off from running. I am stoked!
OFFICIAL TIME: 39:01
I walked less than one mile during the 5K. Felt good. The time off helped as well as a new job which effectively forces me to work out muscle groups that I would not otherwise have exercised.
Life is good.
The Expo was phenomenal, as always. Publix never fails to disappoint as a race sponsor. Tech shirts were new colors for 2015, the 5K was a powder blue short sleeve and the Half Marathon was a bright yellow long sleeve. Definitely keepers.
The event shirts (not the race shirts) were provided by Under Armour this year (sold only at the Expo). While I am glad to see the upgrade in quality, I did not personally like the overall selection - male or female. The styles leaned well towards trendy rather than practicality and for myself, it is a commemorative purchase meant to be comfortable more-so than anything else. As a point in case, all of the 2014 / 2015 shirts that were leftover from prior races were offered for sale after the close of this year's race (website only) sold out. No. Stock. Left. A new design (I Ran For The Booty) was added to the website just as the prior year's stock depleted. When I left the Expo mid-afternoon Saturday the Under Armour products seemed to be novel but not a 'fan hit' (full racks everywhere). I love the Pirate themes and the logos for Gasparilla, again, the UA leaned towards trendy styles more than Gasparilla gear. Says a lot about "what people want". And we know...
It's all about the shirt...
The course was, as before, an out and back, TOTALLY FLAT, very doable route. One of the many reasons I repeatedly return for this series of races. This year 14,122 persons crossed the 5K Finish Line with a recorded time. AWESOME SAUCE!
The only challenge this year (change is a constant with a race size that is continually growing in numbers) was the post race meals provided for runners. I missed it both days... so did others. To keep the Finish line corral from overcrowding (a good idea) the post everything (except water/bananas) was moved to the Party area, a hefty walk on Saturday with an early close time. It was the closing time that got most of us. The Expo was between the Finish and the Post Race area, allowing the assumption that runners could find post race items at the Expo. Once realizing that was incorrect, it was a bit of a hike to the meal area. This would have worked if the area had remained open until all runners / walkers had exited the field, detoured the Expo and actually arrived in the Post Race Area. Better signage for this change would have helped as well, but the closing time was what got many of us. I know the race organizers will get feedback for this so I'm trusting next year this aspect will go smoother. The line for the Sunday post race meal was absolutely unreal! I found it but refused to stand in line for an hour or more for 'rice and beans' (which I do not doubt was excellent), it just did not move well enough to accommodate the number of persons present. Again, I expect nothing but more positive change in the future. Gasparilla does not disappoint!
Looking forward to next year!
I RUN FOR THE BOOTY!
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