ARRRRGH YOUR READY TO RUN...BY YOURSELF?
It was finally time for the Gasparilla Distance Classic. The most exciting, relaxing, and hectic weekend on my race schedule. Only one thing was missing this year…no one in my running inner-circle signed up for it. Lindsey was staying in New York, Elaine was skiing in Utah, Doug was on a cruise, and Glenda was too overwhelmed at work to go with me (I even tried to bribe Rachel to drive down from Tallahassee). But all was not lost…Mary was coming in from Ocala with Cynthia and Michele. I told her I would need her to be my babysitter for the weekend, and she was up for the challenge. This would all change on the Thursday before the race. Mary called me to say she and the gang would not be coming to Tampa. Pneumonia (Cynthia), broken bones in the foot (Michele), and exposure to Covid (Mary) had taken the three of them out of action. I asked both Jen and Pam if they wanted to meet me, but it was not enough advance notice for either one of them. I was very disappointed, but I am my own best company. My friend Erin (whom I’ve known since fourth grade) lives in Tampa and was free to see me Friday afternoon.
I arrived at the hotel around 3:30pm on Friday and made my way to the expo. To get into to Tampa Convention Center (and the races for that matter), you would need to show proof of vaccination or a negative test. They put a bracelet on my wrist and told me not to take it off for the weekend. I met Erin outside the building, and we sat and talked for over two hours. She had knee replacement surgery recently and was not up to walking around inside. Once she left, I went in and picked up my race packet. The shirts were exceptional (as always) along with the jacket they give you for doing one of the challenges. There weren’t as many vendors as in past years (same with Miami), but I did buy a sweet looking Gasparilla sweatshirt. After I put my “booty” away in the room, I walked over to Publix for a “Pub-Sub” and other goodies for supper. I went to sleep early, with the 15K starting at 7am on Saturday.
Let’s go through the numbers for the weekend:
15K: 2,482
5K: 3,799
Half: 2,701
8K: 2,435
The 11,417 runners were considerably less than the 27,275 runners from two years ago, but Susan also put a cap on the races this year for health and safety reasons. That notwithstanding, it’s always exciting when such a large group of runners line up for the starting gun. The temperature was about 65° when the race started, and we were off. I usually start in the middle of the corral, but this year I went all the way to the back. Let’s face it…that’s where I’m going to finish, so why not avoid the crowd? I ran an exceptionally strong race and only stopped to pee one time! I also used my new Flipbelt running belt (as mentioned in my last blog post) and I really liked it. I only carried one 11oz. water bottle, so I make sure I stopped and hydrated at all the water stations. Once I crossed the finish line, I caught up with my “pirate” friend Christine and took several photos with her. They moved the after-party to a spot across from Publix, which is right by the finish line. There was music and free beer, but no food this year. No worries…I still had half of my “Pub-Sub” from the night before. I was now faced with the biggest decision of the weekend…What was I going to do to entertain myself Saturday afternoon? After showering, I made one more trip to the expo. I bought a pirate hat and shirt, which I obviously missed on Friday. I dropped them off in the room and took the trolley to Ybor City. I had lunch at the Tampa Bay Brewing Company; I have to say, it’s been a long time since I’ve dined in a restaurant by myself. They have a beer called “Smooth Pontoon,” which has the texture and taste of a smoothie. Sadly, they did not have enough on tap for me to get a “to go” can or two. There was a nice street festival going on that day (the roosters were also out in full force), so I walked around for about an hour. After a 15K, two beers, and some sightseeing, this little boy was tapped out (no pun intended) and ready for bed. The half marathon was starting at 6am on Sunday, and I was “counting sheep” by 8:30pm.
I forgot to mention that I ate a few too many cookies before I went to sleep and was still feeling the effects when I got up at 4:30am. I was also a little sore from the 15K and sightseeing on Saturday but was still excited for the half marathon. The temperature was about the same as the day before, but at least we start before the sun comes up. They did a thorough job of checking to make sure everyone had on their wristband before entering the corrals. Once again, I moved towards the back and avoided most of the crowd. When we were under way, my stomach felt much better. That being said, I know it was not going to be the same “walk in the park” as the 15K. When I got to Bayshore Blvd. (around five miles into the race), I felt as if I were on cruise control. It’s hard to explain; I wasn’t struggling, but I wasn’t running strong either…I was just running. It was sunny, but not super-hot (I stopped to pee three times). I called Glenda with about three miles to go, which made time go by quicker. I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face, and half marathon #81 in the books. I hung out with Christine for a while, but I had to shower and make that exciting drive back to the 954.
Susan and her crew put together a professional and well-organized race weekend; I’m counting down the days until next year.
This time, I hope I have some company.
One last note...I did not see Meb in the elevator this year.
