“Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?” – The Cranberries
This was the theme song that was playing through my head as I was making my way up to Tampa for the Gasparilla Distance Classic. I was feeling puny all week with flu-like symptoms which included coughing and diarrhea (“It’s coming out of me like lava”). This was the first time I could remember being sick prior to a race (and would have to run on back-to-back days without any milage under my belt the week before). My close friend Alan (whom I’ve known since fourth grade) made the trip with me, and graciously volunteered to drive. What a blessing! Of course, what would a trip to Tampa be without taking at least six hours or more? You guessed it…One traffic jam after another. We left at 11am and did not arrive until after 5pm. We did stop in Ft. Myers for a quick lunch at Cracker Barrel, for some much-needed nutrition. After checking into the hotel, we made our way over to the expo. The race shirts were very nice (as always), but no purchases were made. We walked over to Publix and picked up some Pub-Subs for supper. I went to bed very early, but literally did not sleep at all. I think I was very uptight about how it would go on Saturday. I know that if I still felt this bad, it could make for a long weekend. Alan snores pretty loud, and self-imposed himself to the other room.
To my surprise and delight, I woke up Saturday morning feeling great. What a turnaround! Not only that, but the temperatures for the weekend were also ideal. As I entered the corral, I spotted Aaron, my running buddy from Mount Dora. This was the first time he was doing Gasparilla, and we were both looking forward to a great run. The temperature was around 57° when we started the 15K (2,727 total), and my adrenaline was really flowing. I set my watch to do 2 x 1 intervals, but it was not necessary. I was running very strong, and only stopped to pee once towards the end. I made sure I hydrated all week, and especially during the race. Alan met me at the finish line, and we made our way to the after-party for a well-earned brewski.
After breakfast at the hotel, we took the trolley to Ybor City. Alan had not been there before, and we enjoyed the street festival going on. After a few hours, it was back to the room for a well-earned nap. We had an early supper at Jackson’s, and I was able to fall asleep pretty quick. I was hoping for the best on Sunday; everything seemed to be trending in the right direction.
I woke up at 4am with lots of energy and still feeling great. The temperature was around the same as Saturday (57°), with 3,568 runners competing in the half marathon. Lauren from Runner’s Depot spotted me, and we started the race together (she’s much faster than me, so that was that). I was going along great, but not as great as the day before. Aaron caught up to me around the five-mile mark and we stopped for a quick selfie on the bridge. It was about seven miles in that I decided to do intervals. This turned out to be a wise decision, as it made the race a bit more enjoyable. Glenda called me around this time, and she kept me company for a good portion of the race. More potty trips on this day, and I was surprised how well it was going (considering how down in the dumps I was feeling on Friday). The medals were of course outstanding, and I could have not asked for a better weekend.
A large debt of gratitude to Alan for his company and his support.
