This was my fourth year out at the Gasparilla Distance Classic and it certainly won’t be my last. Every year has been memorable! It’s a huge race (four actually) and an even bigger party. Every year I have the pleasure of meeting and spending time with part of my extended running family. Gasparilla, as its name implies, is pirate themed. The medals, the decorations and even the costumed runners argh all thusly inspired. The expo is hopping and fun, reminding runners that here in Tampa, it’s all about the booty! Every year I find my friends from Roo Sport here, and of course make friends at other booths as well. I spent a good deal of time with my new Boston-based Vice Cream friends. Good people, and yes… ice cream is my vice! I started mentally planning trips to some of the Florida Road Races in the bay area, as well as Philly. I haven’t been there in a while, need to go back and run it! I had the pleasure of meeting runners from all over. Some were only running the 5K. Others were just as crazy as me. There are no shortage of challenges here, up to and including the Michelob Ultra Challenge. Start off with a 15K on Saturday morning, and quickly follow up with a 5K. Then on Sunday the half marathon, and after a lactic acid nurturing break, finish up the weekend with an 8K. Yes, this is what I do for fun.
I knew I wasn’t going to be running any spectacular paces this weekend. Quite frankly, I didn’t care. I was here to have fun! So I went out and ran a comfortable pace. Well, not exactly comfortable: my injuries have been flaring up all month long. Regardless, It was a great race. I ran steady, I ran strong. For this first race, running along Bayshore is fantastic. A wide street with beautiful views, completely closed to cars and with a large grassy median stocked with multiple aid stations. This is a great place to run! Much of the surface is concrete, so it’s a bit less forgiving than asphalt. I’ll admit, I wasn’t looking forward to all the pounding this would force my messed up legs and backs to absorb. All the more reason why I wasn’t pushing myself too hard. Just have fun, thats why I was here.
Next up there was a short break. The sun was out in full force now, so it was getting quite hot. Kept myself hydrated and found my way into the start corrals. Just for fun, I was going to play race frogger today: start in back, and weave through masses of runners. I wasn’t going to PR anyway, and this allowed me to enjoy the company of various runners I normally don’t get to run with. Plus it pretty much guaranteed negative splits. Each mile was significantly faster than the last. Running like this is not conducive to a fast time: pace is up and down as you run nearly as much sideways as you do forwards early on. It’s easy to get boxed in, especially behind pace walls. I really want to look into running races as a pacer. I’ve found it to often be more rewarding to guide another runner to their goals, than to hit intermediate targets myself. When I do, someone kick me if I don’t keep my pace groups from spreading out and blocking other runners from passing! I love this event, but I do wish the first wave of the 5K wasn’t so spread out. Thousands of runners: with expected finish times from sub 15 all the way up to 24! And then there are several other waves to follow. I’d love to see this split a little more evenly pace-wise. Wave 1: 7 and under pace. Then split the rest of the waves proportionately based on the number of runners. Yes, wave 1 would be smaller. But with huge races like this, it’s inevitable that some runners who want to compete, get stuck in the back or middle of the corral… and then when the gun goes off, they can’t run their pace. Today, that didn’t bother me, but I’ve definitely be in the position before where it kept me from my goals.
Now with two races complete, it was time for day one of the party! I enjoyed some of the chow, and since my brain still can’t handle the loud music and party atmosphere, went back to the expo instead. Not quite as loud, and for me just as fun! While there I heard rumors that Meb might be running the race at mere mortal pace. If true, I’d still have to pick up my own pace to hang with him. Now that would be cool! I was ready for day two!