April 2011 (b)

Hare-Racing Experience 5k/kids run Saturday April 23 U.S.F. Tampa Fl
Was looking forward to this Easter time event and even had my mother in law drop my daughter off for the kid's race. I will have to say this event is for a great cause the Epilepsy Service Foundation so I will try and keep it nice, but I will not do this event again. It was the 19th year of whomever puts on the event, but I did not enjoy it at all. Maybe it was a one year snafu because of some construction or something else I d onot know, but problems where everywhere.

First packet pickup. One table for everything got things backed up quickly. Race started late because of it. Course was one loop around soccer stadium and then two loops through the trees with soft sand. Allot of kids up front that you had to get through .Runners were going in and out of each other with some on first lap walkinf and others on second lap running trying to get through. One kid got knocked down that I heard. Came back around soccer stadium underneath the stands towards the finish. Then the yhad the mile run which you ran 3 laps with each time you passed you go a straw to hold to to slow what lap you were on. The lap went in and out through the crowd waiting for awawrds. The little kids race then started and went about 15 yards and as the guy said "Ran around me" and then back to teh finsihline. I almost pulled my daughter out with all the kids ina small space running, but wanted to get medal. Then as they finished there othe rkids passing out the medals as the runners dogged getting hit by them. Awards took forever and I heard allot were incorrect. The boy we saw win the mile race overall di noy get an award since he had drooped a straw even thou veryone saw he way out in front of the rest.

Like I stated do not want to be negative whe na great charity is involve, but wanted to give a review. Hopefully most will be fixed, but we will not be back..

Desoto Parade Run 5k Saturday April 30 Bradenton Fl
"Run before the Parade"
One of my favorites. You can read my review from April 2010 on the usual  race details. This year thou I would be running my own pace. So my goal was PR. After the disappointing time the Saturday before I was hoping for a better event. This year they had some parachuters come in for the start of the parade so they were landing as we took off. I felt good and relaxed as went out of the football stadium and onto the street crowded with parade watchers. They really cheer you on at these early parts of the race and it does inspire you. I reached mile 1 at 6:32 and had no intentions of losing much ground. Kept trying to keep the same pace as I was able to pick off a few runners heading towards mile 2. Passed it with a 2 mile pace of 6:57. So lost some ground, but still not to bad.

Third mile with the only small hills you contend with slowed me some.I kept trying to keep the pace , but came through mile 3 with a 7:15 pace. That left me 40 seconds for the final 1/10, but with one last small hill and the turn right before the finish I came in at 21:27. Missed my PR by 3 seconds. Close, but no cigar this time! Still I was happy with my time with breaking 21:30 for the third time.

Sadly that was only good enough for 7th in my age group (fast older runners there that day) and 27th overall out of 262. Still like this race and on will be on the calendar for 2012.

April 2011

Race For Sight 5k Saturday April 2 Ybor City Fl

This event is a fundraiser for the Lions Eye Institute and is held in Historic Ybor City. It is great event for a great cause. It starts at Centennial Park and makes its way down 4th st and continues on Nuccio Parkway for a out and back returning to 4th street and the park.It is mostly flat with just a slight incline and decline. When you turn back on 4th st heading to the finish the sun is just coming over the trees so it was a little hard focusing on the course. Glad I decided to wear my sunglasses. Only problem was my Garmin battery went out so I did not get any times or distance except for the mile markers on the course. I paced myself by noticing other runners I knew and where the finish in front or behind me normally. Using that I ran a pretty good race coming in at 21:38 which I thought would place, but found out there were some fast runners there that day. I was fifth in my age group and 43 out of 493.

Group putting it on did a great job with markers, water, and food afterwards. Being in the park they had vendors there with Spanish food since it was in Ybor City. Cotton shirt. Would do again if schedule allowed, but will make sure Garmin battery works!!


Run Like You Care 10k/5k Saturday April 16th Lake Wales Fl
Ran this race as we were out of town planning to go to Bok Tower after the race. This was the first event put on by the Lake Wales Care Center and they did a good job on their one. It was held just off of Lake Wales and started at Kiwanis Park. The park had restrooms, playground, and even a skateboard park so my son was excited.

The 10k and 5k started together with the 10k runners going around most of the lake and returning back to the start before doing the 5k course. I think that confused some of the runners, but more on that later. The 5k started off at the park and then turned on Tower Blvd which had a major uphill. You turned left onto a bike trail. You followed the bike trail which had varying ups/downs to just passed the 1 mile mark. Then onto 4th St, Sessoms Ave, 3rd St, and then onto E Park ave which was a nice downhill to the lake. You followed the sidewalk along the lake back to to the finish line. Not the best in scenic views on a course and multiple elevation changes, but not to bad.

Like I stated the 10k and 5k runners started together, but you quickly found out who was in which race when the 5k runners turned right on Tower Blvd. Going uphill I noticed I was right with the lead group of 6. As we entered the bike trail 3 of the runners separated themselves from us. As we got closer to the 1 mile mark 1 of the runners with us fell behind. First mile was right on pace at 6:35 with trying to lower my 5k PR.  Keeping what I thought was an even pace I was leaving the other runner with me as I closed in on halfway. I noticed as I went on a steep uphill to the halfway turn on Park that my pace was off. The downhill helped, but second mile was a 7:10. Still okay thou. This is where either the confused runners part comes in or I did not notice the runners who had caught me.

As I was entering where the sidewalk goes around the lake I thought looked back and did not see any runners behind me. I did notice that there were some 10k runners coming back from the first part of thier race which joined together at this point for the next mile (and end of thier first 5k). I was with a pack of about 5 running this last mile of the 5k thinking I was the only actual 5k runner. My last mile was 7:18 which did not leave enough to PR, but as I passed the point where the 10 k runners were suppose to turn only 1 of the 5 turned. The other 4 kept going through to the finish line.  Like I stated I did not notice anyone behind me as I came to sidewalk and did notice the 10k (?) runners joining me so it was confusing. I think some of the runners thought they were running the 5k course and ran the first part of the 10k course instead. Of course that was pretty much flat instead of the steep inclines that I endured.

Either way I finished in 21:40 second in my age group and 8th overall out of 102. They was some water and fruit/bars, but they ran out before all runners were done. We waited awhile before the awards were to be given when it was stated that the medals that were ordered did not come in before the race. OOPS!! That was a new one on me. No awards? Oh well they did mail them as stated. Cotton shirt. Mile markers and water at halfway. Would consider doing again, but is to long of a drive.