Bank of America Gasparilla Half-Marathon - RunHalf Marathon

OK this was a HUGE PR for me on a lot of levels. Definately a breakthrough run/race. My attainable goal for this race was to have no 12 minute miles. CHECK. My next goal was to beat my Disney time. CHECK. Next was to break 2:20. CHECK!!! ANother silly goal...to have my 1/2 marathon time less than the winning female marathoners time. CHECK!! My 1/2 time was also faster than the winning mmale marathoners time too so YAY ME :) As I was racing I was kind of hoping to break my Disney time by 10 minutes but I'll take a >9 minute PR ANY DAY!!!! Plus I was 12 minutes than last year at the same race....WHOOP WHOOP!!!!!

The first mile of the race was unbelievably crowded. It amazes me because Disney was much LESS crowded and there are about 1/3 the people in Gasparilla but it is waht it is. I was doing pretty ecnet passing people and weaving thru the crowd until the bridge that is in the first mile. Its really narrow and extremely crowded. No chance to pass people. Over the bridge and into Davis Island. Too bad the run starts so bloody early because its really pretty over there. At anyrate it remained quite crowded the first 3 miles or so. I was taking mile splits on my watch but I really couldn't see them because it was so dark.

About 3 miles in the crowd started to thin and we ran past the yacht club where I used to sail. People were starting to pass me but I kept saying to myself....do your own thing run your own race at your own pace. I carried my water bottle as usual and started out with accelerade. I wanted to refill before I got off the island. My in race goal became to get off the island before the sun came up. Refilled the bottle around mile 5 with gatorade...ICK it was WAY sweet. COuld they POSSIBLE offer a flavor BESIDES lemon lime on a course? Also took a gel about the same time.

Over the bridge as the sun was coming up YAY ME :) that is about mile 6 but they don't have it marked. Then they routed us a differnt way this year...more bridges up and around teh convention center. The metal on teh bridges is NOT foot friendly..OUCH!!!! Passed mile 7 probably about 1:11ish into the race and doing the math in my head knew I had a chance for a huge PR.

I was so happy with how good I was feeling. Cardio wise I was totally fine. I usually am. Energy wise I was good too. AND my legs were not feeling like total POO. This is a major triumph for me. At Disney my legs started feeling like crap about mile 5 and by mile 7 I was taking walk breaks. Mile 7 my legs were still feeling fine so I was so happy.

Came over the bridge and back onto Bayshore. ABout mile 9 or 10 I filled the empty part of my bottle with water to water down the gatorade. The ONLY walking I did was the 2 aide stations where I refilled. Did my second gel about mile 10ish. Around mile 10 the 1/2 marathon 2:15 pace group passed me......I thought YAY...I will try to keep up with them....I managed that for a while and just tried to keep them in my sites. I guess I zoned out for a while because they were gone. I was DETERMINED to have no 12 minute miles. My legs were still feeling pretty good. It wasn't until about mile 12 that my legs kind of started feeling rubbery which is infinately better than at mile 10 like at Disney. I really wanted to try and kick it up a notch the last 1.1 miles. Somehow the 2:15 pace group went by me again. I was going as fast as my little legs were go but when they are that fatigued its not that fast.

Run thru shoot, the usual stuuf, chip off, get medal (VERY cool this year)get mylar. I wasn't that inrested in waiting in line for food. I got a banana and a diet coke and went right inside to get my dry things. Went to the car and drove home. I had to get to Sebring to drop my cats off at my parents so I couldn't linger.

Nada. I was a great race for me and I did my very best.

nothing just got my dry stuff and walked back to my car.


Lack of consistent run training and endurance but I made a huge amount of progress in a very short period of time. I couldnt' be happier


This was a huge breakthrough for me. Positive contributiong factors (esp over Disney) include 1-weather, it was MUCH cooler 2-I was better rested 3-My legs felt so much better 4-I fueled and hydrated better I think.

I spent a lot of the race trying not to think about last year. We ran with a big silly group last year and in a lot of ways that time was a turning point for me. This year all that is seemingly over and the race brought back some now painful memories for me. Despite that I was able to put it all aside and concentrate on having the best race I possibly could, so I am proud of myself for not only physically doing well but being mentally tough and not letting 'stuff' bring me down.

It was a much different experience. I think there are good and bad things about ruuning solo and running in a group. The group was fun but as I am usually the slowest one I ALWAYS feel terrible for holding people back and not letting them do their very best. For me running solo this year was a really good thing. I've been through and incredibly tumultuous year both professionally and personally and for the most part started with this race in 2007. Its all hurtful but I'm trying to move forward. Like I always say you gotta paint with the colors God gives you.