Back to the race. Packet pickup was a little confusing with having to go to different tables for bibs, bag, and shirt. The packet pickup was at the Walden Lake Polo Field and near the finishline and parking, but the starting line was about 1/4 mile up the road. I had made my way up to the starting line and did my warmup sprints getting ready to go at designated start time. Problem was they had to wait for all the signups to come 1/4 mile up the road so the race started 10 minutes late. Do not like to warmup then cool back down.
Route goes out Mud Lake Rd, down Golfview Dr, onto Timberlane Dr (next to golf course), and finishing on Griffin Blvd. Difference between this and the Plant City YMCA race around Walden Lake is that you run entirely on the streets. It is mostly flat with just a few ups/downs. Nice subdivisions and surrounding golf course make for a pleasant route.
Wanted to keep it under 22 minutes again and with (again) nice Florida weather I felt good going out. The Leader Sebastian H (who will be in my age group next year --Boo!) went out on his own. Next were 3 high school runners. I followed in a group of 4. Passed mile marker 1 at 6:40 and started to reel in one of the high schoolers. At the Halfway point as I was passing him another high schooler and and man started to surge ahead of me. Water at 1 3/4 mile mark. Mile 2 was a 7:07 pace and started to think about the man that had passed me. Figured he was above 40 and thought he would be overall Master winner so I started to surge to try and see if I could catch him. Pulled within 15 yards at about the 2 3/4 mark, but I think he noticed and put on a surge himself. After surging so much and seeing him pull away I coasted for a third mile of 7:23 and finished in 21:50. Under 22 min which was the goal. Finished 6th overall out of 237 and first in age group for third time this year.
Nice race and would be better if they improved the 1/4 walk to the start. Great amount of strawberries at the finish which wil lalways make up for it! Ample water/gatorade also. Cotton shirt. Will do again in 2012.
You know there are just sometimes in life where you prepare yourself to do something and a couple of things just crumble it to pieces. I knew this would be a fast course since it went out on Bayshore Blvd like the Secret Service race and others so I had been training make this my PR besting my 21:38. Being said I will not do this event again.
It starts at the St Pete Times Forum (hockey arena) and packet pickup was very chaotic. Long lines and go to multiple tables for packets/bibs and chips. More volunteers are needed or day before packet pickup would help. This is the 10th year so you would think it would not be a problem. A plus of course is being able to use the arena bar/grill restrooms thou.
Race started in front of arena, but this one takes you around the arena and through a parking garage. Then over the Platt St bridge heading out and back on Bayshore. Using my Garmin I noticed it went out in the parking garage, but came back on with time and distance still going. Felt good and seemed I was running a great pace. Passing first mile mark noticed it was a 6:31 mile which was fastest first mile. Didn't seem to slow down and we went down Bayshore and made the turnaround. Bad place for the water station as you are turning and people going for water. I bypassed the water as usual and hit mile two wait a second mile pace of 6:55. Felt like this was going to be my day and even be able to make a run at 21 minutes. As I was coming up to the Platt St bridge I noticed I was nearing 3 miles on my Garmin, but knew I still had allot of ground to cover. Passed 3 mile with a 7:05 pace which would be 20:31 with a 1/10 to go, but again knew there was more than that left. My mind was getting frustrated and let a few pass me by. On my Garmin I hit 3.1 mark with a 21:13. Turned into the parking garage for the finish and clocked in at 21:48 which would not have been upsetting except my Garmin showed 3.23. I checked with a few others and they all had it long. Again 10th year and the distance is long?? Finished 5th in age group and overall 37 out of 704.
They also have a 5 mile that started after the 5k (why start the longer one after?) and a kids run. Then came the wait for awards. The wait became unbearable even thou they stated there was computer problems. The problems were they had so many walkups and they only had one person to input them all in the system. Needless to say I think it took about 2 hours or close to it for the awards. Nothing to do , but sit and wait. Only reason we stayed was to see if my son had placed and door prizes. You did get hockey tickets if you did the event, but if you were not signed up together the seats were not together. You could trade them in, with yes another line to wait in. Nice tech shirt, medals, and door prizes, but like I stated will pass on doing it again.
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