GASPARILLA DISTANCE CLASSIC – February 22 & 23, 2025

 

Is it too much to ask for a race weekend under 70 degrees?

 

Apparently not.

 

For all of you folks who don’t live in South Florida, I’m sure it’s hard to imagine running in 80 to 90 degrees all year round…It’s brutal.  When the temperature drops below 70°, it’s a joyous occasion.  Mount Dora was amazing, but after years of running Miami, I know that was too much to ask.  On the other hand, Gasparilla has produced brisk weather on several occasions; when I saw the temperature would be in the high 40s/low 50s for both race days, just imagine my surprise and delight.  It was time to pack the winter gear!

 

Alan drove up with me for the second year in a row.  This year, he and I would be walking the 5K (after I ran the 15K) on Saturday.  Alan recently had back and lower leg issues but felt ready to take on the challenge…one step at a time.  Due to a scheduling conflict, the Embassy Suites Tampa Convention was not the host hotel this year.  I was able to secure a room (thank you Susan), but it wasn’t quite as chaotic as previous years (the traffic on the drive up was not bad, so that was a bonus).    We made our way over to the expo and picked up our shirts and bibs.  I purchased a quarter-zip, but nothing else caught my eye.  We made a trip to Publix for “Pub-Subs” and Gatorade, and it was lights-out pretty early.

 

 

 It was 48° when I got in my corral for the 15K on Saturday morning.  3,382 runners entered this race, and we were off and running at 7am.  I wore compression sleeves under my short sleeve shirt.  I also wore my Hoka Carbon X shoes, since I’ve been having a tough time finding an heir apparent.  I did 6.5 miles the week before in my brand new Hoka Skyward X, which is supposed to be the replacement for the Carbon X.  Unfortunately, I started having pain in the metatarsal on the outer part of my left foot.  This was the same issue I had in Miami when I wore the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer v3.  Thank goodness Nordstrom Rack still has the Carbon X in my size (for a reduced price) so I can continue to run pain free until Renee and Steve help me figure this out.  It was very overcast, and the wind was at my back for the first part of the race.  As the sun started to make an appearance on the way back, the wind was now blowing in my face; that helped keep the temperature down.  In fact, I never took my sleeves off!  One added bonus…since it was so overcast, the race photos came out amazing.

 

 

 

 

Alan met me after the race, and we made our way to the starting line of the 5K.  7,434 runners/walkers entered this bad boy, with many start times to accommodate the large turnout.  Alan and I entered a “wave” specifically for walkers, so we were the last to start.  Alan had an easy time with the walk, but he dogged me because I cost him 30 seconds when I stopped to pee 😂😂😂.  After the race, we went to the after-party, which was now back at the original location.  The park had been under renovation for the past few years, but it was now bigger and better than ever.  After a couple of well-deserved beers, we showered and changed; it was now time for lunch.  We decided to give Hattricks another shot.  If you remember from a previous blog post, we went there several years ago, and it was an epic fail.  This year, it was the complete opposite.  The service was great, and the food was even better.  Back to the room for a power nap; now it was time for supper.  As always, we would be meeting up with Erin.  This year, she was bringing her boyfriend Steve.  They have been together for a long time, but I’ve never had the chance to meet him.  We went to Jackson’s Bistro, which is just a five-minute walk from the hotel.  We had a great time catching us, and Steve is a really nice guy.

 

 

 

 

Race time for the half marathon was 6am; it was 53° when the race started.  As I waited in my corral, there was a really annoying pacer (an experienced runner who can run at a set pace for a long time and sets the speed so the other runners can focus on running.  A race pacer usually carries a sign highlighting a specific competition time for the race).  She was acting like a total elitist/diva/Karen and was complaining that many of the slower runners should have been starting more towards the back.  Little did she know who she was standing next to.  I turned on my podcast (The Jim Cornette Experience) to help drown her out.  3,811 ran this race, and it took around 12 minutes for me to cross the starting line.  I was not as sore as I expected, and the feet were holding up just fine.  I took my sleeves off around three miles into the race, and it seemed much warmer than the day before.  The sun also came out in full force, but I had the wind in my face most of the way back.  Lenny called me around the six-mile mark, and we spoke for close to an hour.  After that, I spoke briefly with Glenda.  It was a very enjoyable run, and the cooler weather really made a difference both days.  Alan and I grabbed breakfast back at the hotel, and it was on the road back to the 9-5-4.

 

 

Alan plans on going again next year and walking the 5K.  Let’s hope we can get him to run.

 

 

 

 

MIAMI HALF MARATHON – January 2, 2025

 

 

…Well, this could be the last time.  This could be the last time.  Maybe the last time.  I don't know.

-       The Rolling Stones

These were my exact thoughts as the months, weeks and days leading up to the Miami Half Marathon quickly approached.  It’s not as if I had lost my love for the race itself, it was the “process” that was making me want to part ways after 14 years.  The going to the expo down in Miami Beach the day before, the getting to the race at 4am, the waiting for our corral to start after 45 minutes, and the no food at the end were all contributing factors.  Plus, this year Lindsey was on a “sabbatical,” so she wasn’t running with Elaine and me.  Besides all if that, half marathon #100 was quickly approaching, and I could “afford” to drop this race.  I tried my best to put those voices in my head aside and focus on why I entered the race in the first place…I LOVE RUNNING!!!

 

On Thursday morning, I get a call from Lenny (one of my closest friends).  I knew right away why he was calling:

 

Lenny:             Hey dude!

Me:                  Hey dude!  You’re calling me early; it must be bad news.

Lenny:             It is.  Harriet just passed away.

 

Harriet is Lenny’s mom, and the call was somewhat not unexpected.  She lived a long life (91) but was spiraling downhill for a long time.  Traditionally, a Jewish burial takes place withing 24-48 hours.  They believe the soul inhabits the body and that when a person dies the spirit returns to God. It is for this reason that it is of utmost importance that a Jewish funeral occurs as soon as possible after death, as the body's “returning to earth” is tied to the soul's ability to return to God.  Funerals are not conducted on the Sabbath (from Friday evening to Saturday evening) or on major Jewish holidays. The funeral is scheduled immediately after these periods. Since she passed away on Thursday, the funeral looked as if it would be held on Sunday.  Was this a self-fulfilling prophecy?  Lenny was on the way up to Coral Springs to be with his sister and would let me know the details as soon as he found out.  I immediately called Elaine; she totally understood the situation.  She had come down to Florida earlier in the week and was spending time with family.  Lenny called me Friday morning and told me they had to push the funeral up one day…Monday.  I would be able to do the race but would have to miss a big event at work.  I take photos every semester for the Career Fair, which was scheduled at the exact same time as the funeral.  Sonia (my boss) could not have been more sympathetic and understating; she would have her assistants cover for me.

 

Elaine and I drove to the expo on Saturday morning; It was very nice and well organized.  The race shirts were a unique color (coral), with an equally unique design.  We walked around for about an hour, with no purchases on my part.  In years past, we would meet up with Lindsey’s friend Robert and have lunch on South Beach.  This year, we drove back home and had lunch at Spanky’s Cheesesteak Factory.  Best Chicken Philly Cheesesteak I’ve every had (and I’m not just saying that because they are a client of Glenda).

 

Sunday morning was the usual getting up around 2am and out the door by 3:30.  Lighter than normal traffic, even at that hour.  Elaine and I decided to go to our corral when it first opened, rather than sitting in the car.  We were in “G” this year, which was the earliest starting corral I’ve ever been assigned for this race.  We struck up a conversation with Eric, who was wearing the same running shoes as me.  For the first time, I would be running a race in shoes not named Hoka or Brooks.  I purchased a pair of New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer v3, which is a carbon-plated shoe just like the Hoka Carbon X I have been wearing (only way more attractive).  I ran with them a couple of times before the race, so I felt confident the shoe would not do me in.

 

16,146 runners (2,946 full; 13,200 half) were pleasantly surprised that there was not as much time between the start of the corrals (probably my biggest criticism).  Add this to our earlier starting corral, we were off and running at 6:27 (we typically start at 6:45).  It was 72°, and I was excited to run.  Elaine stayed with me the entire time, since she was not doing the full marathon this year.  Sadly, she walks faster than I run.  My pace was pretty slow, with my puppies barking several times during the race.  They were hurting during the week, so I will reserve judgement about the new shoes until next time.  The course is beautiful, but boy was it hot!  Especially since it was in the 50s the previous week (it was 82° when the race ended).  The shocker of the day was that I only had to pee one time, and it was around the 10.5-mile mark.  I told Elaine I may not do this race again, but she shut me down pretty quick.  If we do it next year, we will shell out the $30 to have them mail us our bib and shirt, so we don’t have to go to the expo.  No food or Gatorade at the end (just bananas and snacks), but I think this was a conscience decision this year.  We make it home quicker than usual, and Elaine was out the door and on the road to visit her son in Sarasota.

 

 

 

The funeral on Monday was very nice.  I love Lenny’s family and friends, and Lenny’s speech had everyone in tears laughing.  Thank really lightened the mood on such a sad occasion.

I guess there’s a good chance I’m doing Miami next year.