This is the 32nd annual Shamrock Classic and is put on by the Brandon Runners group. Another great event! It is held in Sabal Park which is a business office complex. Of course being close to home helps run this on a Sunday so I can run and still make it to church.
The 10k starts at 8am and the 5k starts at 9am. The 10k is two loops of the same course the 5k is on. You start out and turn onto Craigmont Dr. Then turn right on Princess Palm Ave for 1/4 mile turnaround continuing back west on Princess Palm Ave. Turn left on Riga Blvd. Then Right onto King Palm Ave for halfway water station. After 2 mile mark you come onto Queen Palm Dr for the rest of the race to the finish.
With a hamstring :"strain" earlier in the week did not know what to expect. Held off going out to quick and did first mile 6:50. Then were a few small up/downs on the course, but nothing to worry about. Second mile I kept an even pace and I ran a 7:11. Final mile the group I had been running with either sped up or fall off so I just kept an even pace not wanting to hurt the strain and ran a 7:19 mile. Finhsed up at 21:48 and no worries from the hamstring. Finished third in my age group and 32nd out of 221. Did not stick around for post race party or awards since it was off to shower and get to church.
Like I stated in the Brandon Half Marathon/5k review in Dec 2010 I will always put this one and that one on my schedule if possible since the Brandon Runners group always does a great job!
The 10k and the 5k starts together. In decision where the starting line was since there were a couple of lines painted on the road made everyone have to back up. The announcer did not have a bull horn so it made it very difficult to hear instructions. Some were still making thier way back from the Portalets that were about 200 yards away. Thought they could be closer.
My goal for my first 10k was to break a 8 minutes pace or 49:43, but just finishing is always the main goal. Off we went thou starting out on going uphill on Ridgedale road. Down and back up before the turn on Druid Hills road which had a nice downhill. Turn at the first mile mark onto 52nd rd. Being my first 10k I wanted to store some for the longer race so I went out in 7:54 minutes for the first mile. Turning on Whiteway you run flat to about the 5k halfway mark and water station. There is where I knew I was in for the long haul since the 5k turns down a side street making its way back.
I picked up the pace the best I could with the rolling hills as we past 113th Ave, Riverhills Ave, Bannockbum Ave, and Sleepy Hollow Ave. I passed mile 2 with a mile pace of 7:20, mile 3 with a pace of 7:37, mile 4 with a pace of 7:43. Got it going a little better with a mile 5 pace of 7:37. Started to feel it around now with just over a mile to go and an uphill climb, but helped having another runner next to me. We ran the next 3/4 of a mile together and I ran the 6th mile in 7:54. He sprinted the final 2/10 ahead of me and I pushed knowing I was going to easily break my goal. Finished in 47:42 which is a 7:41 pace--almost 20 seconds faster than my goal for my first 10k. Funney when I finshed I was filling out my card and the guy running with me asked my age and when he realized we were different groups he stated he wished he would have known he did not have to beat me and he would not have sprinted. Second in my age group and 28th out of 191 overall 10k runners.
They had water afterwards, but they were letting people grab multiple flats of strawberries so they ran out. Had to ask someone if I could have a couple of thiers. Also the awards ceremony took a long time getting started also. Then they would start and stop to do door prizes which made it last longer. Why not do the door prizes as people are waiting in the awards to be given out?? Age group awards were medal with the emblme , but are hard to see. Great scenic course makes this one to do, but the disorganization will make me think twice about doing again.
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