RUN? I Thought You Said RUM!!!! || Gasparilla Distance Classic 2022
Now that that business is out of the way…I DID IT… in my EIGHTH Year running this event and my SEVENTH doing it down Bayshore Blvd I’ve finally ran the gambit of events and completed MY FIRST HALF MARATHON!!!! Okay so technically I did a virtual for charity back in 2016 but that was run in seven mini increments so it’s officially counted as Half #00 in my Race Log and the time doesn’t count when it comes to listing PRs (as it was six mins or so under this one)
I took a half day Friday but ultimately decided to wait and hit up the Expo Saturday Morning because while like I said above things were looking good on the pandemic front, you needed to show a proof of covid vaccine or negative test within the past 72 hours and so I figured one less day that band needed to be tied to my wrist the better (plus why make an extra round trip drive to Tampa if not needed.
There were a good amount of booths that were already closed up and unfortunately there was no sign of the new event mascot to be seen however I did manage to get three more bondi bands, a visor to shield me from the following days heat, and an event headband as well as my bib, shirt and a few fun freebies
As well as… you know the name wall
Though the Highlight of the day HAD to be the large group of people dressed in inflatable dinosaur costumes crossing the road as we were heading back to the car. Did they run the 5K dressed like this? The 15K? Something Else? That’s an answer I wish I knew
We stayed at the Tampa Airport Fairfield once again which with the early morning wake up call was quite convenient. The race was to start at 6AM with corals closing at either 545AM or 550AM depending on what page you read in the digital guide. Knowing that I wanted to use a REAL Bathroom at the convention center before I staged, I arrived early. I don’t know when exactly I was dropped off however by the time I physically entered the convention center it was 457am. I lingered in there for about 15 or so minutes doing my business, pinning my bib on, taking some bad selfies…before heading toward the staging area….
There is no significance to the above picture, just how pretty is night mode
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As I got to an intersection there was a small crowd hanging around a bank of port-o–lets and I started wondering if I was in the right place when it was soon announced that they were still setting up barricades and Half staging would begin momentarily. I waited maybe ten minutes in that spot before grabbing a cup of water and heading to the actual coral. The guide said there would be four corals of 500 runners for under 2 hours and four corals of 500 runners for over 2 hours but honestly there was just one barricade break for 2 hours or less (red bibs) and one for 2 hours or more (blue bibs) I assume like when I ran the 15K that challenge runners could seed themselves.
It was 65 at race start with an estimated high 70s predicted by finish and so here is my “Flat Me’ OOTD
I decided not to mask up in corals due to the above mentioned needing a wristband that said you were negative or vaccinated in order to run and passed the time by reading message boards about the transportation drama going on at another half two hours down the highway.
This brings us to 6:03 AM and I was OFF
Since this was the half the first leg of the race was an adventure all on it’s own as before Bayshore we headed to Davis Island and at 0.32 miles we reached a brick road. As you know from my Promise Run recaps I get very weary about speeding down those as I’m worried that a brick will be raised and I’d face plant and I was grateful that it was just for about .10 miles and that was it.
From crossing the start to reaching mile marker 1 it was roughly 14 mins
The entertainment that I documented this leg was a stilt walker dressed as a pirate, a pirate spinning fire batons, and a self induced lip-sync along as well as a water stop….
SEVEN FOOT FRAME RATS ALONG HIS BACK WHEN HE CALLS YOUR NAME IT ALL FADES TO BLACK….
I reached marker 2 in roughly 16 minutes (30 lapsed)
As the sunrise was lighting up the sky there was a saxophonist in the distance
As well as a family cheering on from their driveway with a great sign
And an accordion player at the second water stop however I stupidly skipped it as every person I walked up toward was handing out Gatorade and before I realized it I had already pressed on and was soon at marker 3 in 17 minutes (47 elapsed)
My UNOFFICIAL 5K Split was roughly 49:01
I reached marker 4 in roughly 16 minutes (1:03:00 elapsed)
As we rounded out the Davis Island portion en route to Bayshore after the water stop it was like deja vu with another saxophone, stilt walker and fire spinner
I reached mile 5 on Bayshore in another 17 mins (1:20:00 elapsed) just narrowly beating the buzzer of having to be shouldered so the road could reopen.
There was another fun sign and even a mime as we began the main event.
At the next water stop it was one where we were handed a gel… I decided to place it in my pouch as I didn’t know how that would taste and opted for a whole foods fruit roll instead.
I reached mile 6 in 18 mins (1:20:00 elapsed)
I took a visit to the DARK SIDE
And couldn’t help but dance a bit under the misters at the next hydration station before noting my UNOFFICIAL 10K split of 1:42:11 which would be a PR by seconds
Okay so it’s all downhill from here well metaphorically speaking as I crossed the halfway timing arch… my official halfway time was 1:50:19
At the next hydration stop I think it was the point where I decided to suck it up and from here on out alternating between JUST water and water AND gatorade despite the only flavor worse that Lemon Lime being White Cherry in my opinion (yes I’d rather drink BLUE)
There was another on course musician I noted before finally getting to mile 7 in 18 mins (1:56:00 elapsed)
I passed where the 8K Halfway mat was to be erected and my favorite colorful installation
There was a rogue screenshot on my camera roll so I assume it was taken one of the few times my fitbit run tracker decided to pause (which is why I’m going by time stamps of photos not actual screenshots)
Also in this leg I almost got run down by the first of what would be two strollers that passed me while I was running…
I reached mile 8 in another 18 mins (2:14:00 elapsed)
There were two more hydration spots before we got to the turn around point meaning the finish line was proverbially just around the corner.
I reached mile 9 in 20 mins (2:34:00 elapsed)
I noted my UNOFFICIAL 15K time of 2:39:24 roughly 20 mins over my PR but a minute shy of last years virtual run…also this marks the longest I’ve ever been in a timed race… however at this moment I also noted a pace car coming up the opposite end of the road.
Now unlike Disney if you are over 16 m/m they don’t do a hard sweep however due to road closure permits and needing to open the road for the 8K there are certain checkpoints and while I attempted to sprint a little harder I knew it was a slim chance I’d make it another 2 miles in less than a half hour and so I just took it all in and rolled with the punches…
There was another hydration stop and musician on the side of the road before reaching mile 10 in another 18 mins (2:52:00 elapsed)
YEA… not making it to mile 11 in under 3 hours even even if the clock started with the last person crossing the start like the “pacer” clock does when it comes to the Balloon Ladies.
And so a few minutes later there was a roadblock assumingly where the 8K turn around was set to be. There runners were instructed to UTurn back to the side of Bayshore that had initially been run down earlier so that we’d be on the 8K route… also keep right as to not cross the 8K timing mat…
Once I got to the opposite side of the road I paused for a moment to take my second fruit roll and to adjust the pinning on my bib. At this point moving forward I was wondering if I’d be able to see where markers 11-13 would be since now I was on the opposite side of the road…also I wondered what runners support would be in store especially at the point on the race where I mentally needed it most.
There was a chest of ice at a station that was closed off …god an ice pack would of been so useful in that moment as would water… the problem… the next station I passed was for the 8K and I was told I couldn’t grab a cup of water…
Another 20 mins later (3:13:00 elapsed) and I spotted marker 11 across the road….and while there was two miles to go Tiana singing in my ears that I was “Almost There” was reassuring though if I wasn’t going to be able to hydrate I knew I wasn’t going to make it…
I casually paused to catch my breath a bit and watch the pace car coming up the road with the 8K “Winner” in toe…
It was almost a half hour since the last hydration station where I was able to hydrate when I passed the next one and pleaded with the volunteers to let me grab something. Thankfully they let me grab two cups of water and one cup of gatorade or else the next golf cart to pass me would of been my friend.
I passed the Star Wars characters entertaining the 8K runners and this comforting message
Okay…did I miss the 12 mile marker than…No..as within the next two minute span the pace car and 8K “winner” passed me and I spotted the 12 mile marker across the road signaling that this leg was another 20 mins (3:33:00 elapsed)
I reached another hydration stop which since I was officially mixed in with 8K runners I didn’t even need to plead for mercy and so I grabbed two waters to drink, one to dump on my head and lingered some under the mister before pressing back on looking at an UNOFFICIAL 20K time of 3:37:52
I never did see that 13 mile marker but as I reached the shoot I got emotional weather it was the moment or the lyrics being sung into my ears “Look at where you are…Look at where you started” okay maybe a bit of both. Anyway, I tried to make a run for it but the muscle in one of my legs began to pull and as I limped across the finish line one of the volunteers pulled me aside and gave me a lanyard to a VIP tent. Than as I moved through the finishers shoot there were no Half cooling towels and I wasn’t even offered an 8K one. I was handed an 8K medal and I shook my head telling them I ran the half. (I would of been livid if I paid for and ran 13.1 miles only to be rewarded for 4.98 of them) I made my way over toward the tent and had some water and a soda and a banana (as well as grabbed a few half towels) before making my way back to meet my party.
My OFFICIAL time was 3:54:55 with a pace of 17:55 m/m . My FitBit is being weird and when I screenshotted at the finish line it was registering 13.72 miles in 3:52:51 while today when I went to log things it said I only ran 13.06 miles in that same time… I’ll stick to what my official time said… also, I’m counting this as an official PR as even though the Half Blood Prince Half was done in less time it wasn’t a true half as it was run segmentally.
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UPCOMING RACES:
Promise Run Virtual 5K March 5th
Springtime Surprise Everest 5K March 31st
Mayfair May 7th
MARATHON A MONTH
January:
7:58:00
February:
8:13:07
FitLife Project:
Psychological Needs x2
PRS
1M {15:26} 3K {30:59} 5K {42.46} 8K {1:13:59} 10K {1:42:52} 15K {2:19:09} HALF {3:54:55} FULL {7:08:15*} *virtual full run in increments
RUN THE YEAR
371.96/2022 Miles
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