Month: May 2018

Racing season is pretty much over here in Florida. Summer is rapidly approaching, and with that our temperatures are rising. It’s starting to get HOT! I don’t mind running in the heat though… I actually quite enjoy it. Racing is another matter! The hotter it gets, the slower those times end up being. With that in mind, the inaugural Sandbar Half Marathon, benefitting the local YMCA, was the perfect ‘end of season’ race for Southwest Florida.

The course, an out and back on scenic Manasota Key, is flat and large portions of it are shaded. This makes for a great chance to PR and see just how much you’ve improved over the season. Word to the wise though: if you are planning on chasing down that PR, watch your tangents. Although almost the entire course is on the same street, there are lots of gentle curves in the road. While my GPS put the course right at 13.1, the course was not certified this year. Race organizers, however, did indicate that was something they’d be looking at for next year.  With this being an out and back, you pass each aid station twice, so there was plenty of on course support.

This wasn’t just a fast course though! It was beautiful. Around half the race is run down a beautifully landscaped road with a great tree canopy, while the entire thing is surrounded by spectacular ocean and bay-front homes. You pass directly alongside the beach for a bit on the way out, and again on the way back. Finally, after an almost two mile loop at the south end of the key, you take a quick right and almost immediately are across the line. Then it’s time for relaxation, and celebration at the title sponsor: Sandbar Tiki and Grille. The beer flowed freely, and there was a delicious hot meal waiting, all to the backdrop of beautiful Manasota Key and live music. It was truly an awesome vibe. Even if you aren’t chasing down a PR, this is still a great event!

Yet despite the potential for a fast time, the beauty of the course and the afterparty… none of those were what struck me the most about this race. Instead it was the community. With around 600 athletes racing in both distances, this was quite a crowd for an inaugural event. And those athletes, the organizers, sponsors and local community were all super friendly and supportive of each other. I’ve said a million times that running, and races, bring out all that is good in humanity. This was a perfect example of that.

As I raced down the course, I was pleasantly surprised by how many of the local residents were out on lawn chairs cheering us on. Manasota Key is a very small community, so while there weren’t masses of spectators, the percentage of community engagement was impressive! Rather than get all up in arms about runners bogging down the only road, they embraced this event. The race course was not closed to traffic, yet this small community’s support made that a moot point. I probably only saw a dozen cars during the entire time I was running. Although runners were racing across both sides of the roads, drivers were patient and respectful… clearly this isn’t Miami! It was incredible to see this handful of drivers keeping a significant distance behind runners, inching along at times under 5mph, and waiting patiently until there was wide open road to pass. I never thought I’d say I felt comfortable running a race while sharing the lane with traffic, but thats exactly what happened here. It’s amazing what can be accomplished with mutual respect! While this may not be possible as the race grows (and I suspect it will) for now everything is perfectly balanced.

It wasn’t just the support of the locals that made this a spectacular day though. The entire community here was awesome. On out and backs, I always make it a point to cheer on the runners across the road from me, and I’m never the only one that does. Here it seemed like everybody was doing it! Mutual support of one another as we each pushed to run our own race… together! Then during the awards ceremony, race staff indicated they were short some medals. Last minute signups blew past expectations for total participants (which I think was reasonable considering this was the first year of the race). To make the situation right, they promised runners they’d be ordering and sending out medals to those who didn’t get them. Since there were still a few people out on the course at this point, I knew exactly what I had to do. I went back to the finish line: the last person on the course was just as deserving of getting a medal as I was. I’ve got plenty, waiting a bit for my next wasn’t going to hurt me! As if on cue, she finished a minute later and I handed her her medal! “Congratulations on a job well done!” You know how I said the running community rocks? Well I wasn’t even the only runner who went back to the finish ready to give up my medal. This community of runners, my team, is one I’m quite proud of! The Sandbar Half Marathon was a great event to celebrate a season of successes and support! Congrats to all who were involved this year, and looking forward another great run next year!

I absolutely love running barefoot on the beach, so the USA Beach Running Championship has been on my radar for several years. Today it served as the perfect capstone to a month of meaningful races – Boston, OKC Memorial and now this! It has certainly been a fantastic month, and I’m more than happy with my overall performances.

Today I intended to win. When I first heard that there was a barefoot beach half marathon division a few years back, I knew I had to go there and win it! That had my name written all over it. So this morning, when I unsurprisingly woke just a few minutes before my alarm… I was ready! I jogged the three miles to the start of the race, checked in quickly and immediately slipped off my shoes and went out to the beach. It was beautiful! The sun was about to rise, and the dawn glow lit the horizon. Runners were milling about, and volunteers and race staff were scuffling with last minute preparations: You can’t exactly leave the timing mat out on the sand overnight, especially with the race designed to be at the lowest tide! That low tide meant the sand was hard packed, making it much more suitable for fast times, but the wind over the past few days had washed in lots of seaweed and shells. As we prepared for the start, barefoot runners were advised to tread carefully lest we step on something we’d regret. I wasn’t too worried as I’m used to running barefoot.

We lined up to start the race. My friend David, who dominated last year, wasn’t here this year. Maybe, just maybe, I could win the barefoot division and be the first overall finisher. That would be pretty sweet. From previous race results, I knew it was a possibility. But the stars would have to be perfectly aligned. I’d need to run one of my best races ever. Unlikely, but certainly possible. You know I don’t mind the long odds!

I toed the line right near the front and took off. The competition quickly spread out. Running on the sand is a very different workout than road racing, so I wasn’t at all surprised. Two young guys immediately took a comfortable lead, and I was not too far behind in third. There was a bit of a gap behind me. “Not too bad” I thought… 3rd overall and first barefoot. I could live with that! And if I got lucky, as the pain hopefully dulled a few miles in, I could try to work my way up and catch the leaders. Unlikely, but still possible. All the more fun!

We raced down the sand as the sun rose to the east. Those with shoes tended to stay a little further west. I welcomed the water splashing against my feet! The sand here was a bit more challenging than what I’m used to at home, but what I was most concerned with was those shells. As I ran, I tried to avoid them a bit. But I had no concerns about stepping on them when I needed to. With all my beach miles, I’ve toughened up my soles quite a bit! It was worth it to feel the sand between my toes.

The first two miles I was right where I wanted to be, and I felt good. Far from pain free, but I was moving well and definitely enjoying the moment. As I approached the third mile I got a side stitch on my right. Bummer! I tried the breathe out when that foot lands trick, but it wouldn’t go away. I’d have to run through it. I kept breathing out on the right hand side, but that cramp just got worse and I slowed considerably. I heard the crunch of shells as a runner gradually approached. There goes my overall podium, but whew… he had shoes! At this point, I knew I wasn’t going to catch the first two runners unless they completely burnt out. But I WOULD still win the barefoot division!

As he passed me, I tried to hang behind him for a bit but that cramp was too much. My feet were mostly OK, but those shells made things a bit rougher. I knew I’d likely have a blister or two to show for this effort… but not on the main running surfaces. Instead, it was the joints of the toes I worried about. They weren’t used to racing through slightly protruding hard objects.

I had to be careful running at the water line, as every once in a while I was running through ankle deep water as a wave came in.  I had also missed an aid station earlier because the table couldn’t be set up that close to the waterline. It was hot, hydration was necessary. I moved a tad inland as I approached the third water station, grabbed a cup, took it down quickly and attempted to throw the empty in the nearby trash can. Littering a beautiful beach is a very bad thing! Not sure if I made that basket, but at least I was close enough to make the volunteers job easier. Shortly after another runner passed me: I was hurting.

But the pain was meaningless. It was discomfort. It would pass: I would make it! I passed mile six. The halfway turn-around wasn’t too far off. The lead runner, now on his way back flew by! He was a mile ahead, and we were only halfway in. I needed to up my game! The runner up had fallen back a bit, but still seemed out of reach. As I approached the turn, the two who had passed me looped back. Both were in striking distance. I took the turn myself, and made a conscious effort to push the pace. Another barefoot runner was only a couple minutes behind me: If I faltered, I would fail. That barefoot division was mine to lose.

So I stepped it up. I pulled myself back to seven minute range. I knew I could hold that pace. Yes… I’d never raced this distance on the sand or barefoot before, but barefoot beach running and the positive energy of a foot race… how could I not celebrate this fusion of two of my favorite things?! On the bright side, the stitch made it a lot easier not to notice the normal back and leg pain. Left foot, right foot, breathe in, breathe out. Simple. The stitch subsided a bit. My pace increased proportionately. I’m at a solid pace again for a bit and then… revenge of the stitch! My right side was in agony! Left foot, right foot, breathe in, breathe out. I reminded myself that the barefoot division was still mine to lose. Left foot, right foot, breathe in, breathe out. Left foot, right foot, breathe in, breathe out. The stitch subsided just enough… one of the runners who had passed me was in sight.

Now I had a target. I’d catch the two who passed me, and minimize the gap between number two as much as possible. I ran through another patch of shells… so be it. I was gonna have a few blisters anyway. Now I was doing a little bit of weaving as well… the 10K runners had started a bit after the half, and many of them were still out on the course. For the most part it was easy to move around them, but it did make it hard to see how far ahead runner number three was. I caught up to number four. I knew I’d catch that other guy: I still had a few miles to go, and despite the pain I was on a roll. I skipped the last few water stops. Too many people around, and it would have slowed me too much. Gradually my next target came into view. No hesitation! I raced right on by. I hugged the water line, just running right over the shells at this point (I knew I’d have a few blisters either way).

Finally the finish was in sight, with a chute lined with beautiful conch shells. I moved up from the water line just a bit and sprinted through! Mission accomplished: First barefoot AND third overall! Now time for the afterparty! Chilling on the beach, with a backdrop of a Hawaiian band and even some hula dancing… now this is my kind of party. Plenty of food, and some creative drinks. I’m used to seeing post race beer, but mimosas and screwdrivers? Now thats a party!

Now the dilemma for the day: third overall, or first barefoot? Since the results are treated as different races, it had to be one or the other. On international barefoot running day, it was an easy choice for me: Barefoot Beach Running Champion! I even got a bottle of bubbly to celebrate, along with my seahorse finishers medal and conch shell trophy! Next year, perhaps I can earn a tougher choice: first overall, or first barefoot…