I AM A RUNNER

I AM A RUNNER because I know what effort feels like, and I embrace it. I AM A RUNNER because I value and respect my body. I AM A RUNNER because I am willing to lay it all on the line. I know that every finish line has the potential to lift my spirits to new highs or devastate me. I AM A RUNNER because I know that despite my best efforts, I will always want more from myself. When exhaustion gets tired. When agony doubles over in pain. I will still be out there…Running. I AM A RUNNER because I run. Not because I run fast. Not because I run far. When a physical challenge becomes a mental challenge… you keep going until you break through it!

[gatorjbone]

GASPARILLA DISTANCE CLASSIC – February 22 & 23, 2020

Just when you think your favorite race weekend could not get any better, the bar is raised to a point that would be hard to beat.  I’m getting a little ahead of myself, so let me start from the beginning.

One of the classes I teach at FIU is Multimedia Production I (RTV 3531).  An assignment the students have to do is to record and edit a chroma key segment, also known as a green screen.  I always provide them an example to follow, so I recorded and edited one myself.  My segment was called “I Am a Runner” (catchy title, just like this blog).  I talked about my favorite race weekend, so no script was necessary.  In fact, I actually “nailed” it on the first take.  Once it was edited and posted on YouTube, I sent the link to the race director Susan; I thought she would get a kick out of it.  Boy…was that an understatement.  Susan called me and said the video was AMAZING.  “And when I say amazing, I mean amazing in all caps.”  Not only that…she also asked if she could post the video on the landing page of the race website.  I was thrilled and honored, and told her I would help with any videos she may need in the future.  I sent her the link to this blog, in which she replied: “You continue to amaze me with your lovely words about Gasparilla.”

While Running the Mayberry Half Marathon, I convinced Elaine to enter Gasparilla; it would be her first time.  Lindsey was on the fence for the weekend, mostly because Miami was moved up one week this year.  After twisting her arm for several months (and taking care of her race entry and airfare), she succumbed to my pressure.  Elaine also helped in turning up the heat.  Mary and Doug were all in as well, and we then got word of a special guest appearance by Pam.  THE BAND WAS BACK TOGETHER AGAIN!  This would certainly be a weekend to remember.

Everyone would be arriving around the same time on Friday except Elaine.  Her flight was coming in at 10pm (she could not find a direct flight any earlier 😩).  The host hotel this year was the Embassy Suites Downtown Tampa, which is connected to the convention center where the race expo is held.  This is the first time since I’ve be doing this race weekend that I would be staying here; boy…it did not disappoint!  Lindsey, Mary, Pam and I grabbed lunch, as Doug was still in route.  He met us at the restaurant, and we made our way to the expo.  I called Susan in the hopes of meeting her in person, but obviously she was super-busy (I would continue to pester her throughout the weekend; I’m really sorry for being such a noodge Susan).  I really liked the race shirts this year.  They were very colorful and a departure from previous years.  The challenge jackets were colorful as well, but I miss the windbreaker style from four years ago.  Asics was now providing the official merchandise for the races, replacing Under Armour.  They were selling really snazzy looking compression sleeves, but ran out in the first few hours.  I hope they eventually replenish their supply.  This is a great expo, with lots of good vendors, and plenty of room to walk around (Miami Marathon…please take note). 

The weather for this weekend was pretty cold, which was great for me, but a bummer for Lindsey.  As we made our way down for supper, the temperature was around 51˚, and extremely windy.  On top of that, our dining experience was extremely unpleasant (I won’t mention the name of the establishment, as that’s not really the purpose of this blog.  I’ll say it was a sports bar, and leave it at that).  Besides waiting 30 minutes to be seated, we also waited one full hour until our food was served.  Our server acted nonchalant (as if it were her first day on the job), and the manager didn’t really seem to care.  He gave us 50% off the bill, but we felt as if he should have not made us pay anything at all.  On a positive note, the food was very good.

Hereis the breakdown for all four races:

5K       12,022

8K         4,723

15K       5,480

Half       5,050

A total of 27,275

As we met in the lobby at 6:30am on Saturday morning, there were two “medical updates.”  First, Mary had deferred her race entries, and would not be running this year.  Second, Lindsey had been having knee pain, due in part to a tight ITband.  Her status for the Michelob Ultra Pure Gold Challenge (15K on Saturday and Half Marathon on Sunday) would just have to unfold.  It was 41˚ at the start of the race, with not very much wind at all.  The running strategy was as follows: Pam would run with me, Elaine would run with Lindsey, and Doug would do intervals.  The gun sounded at 6:45, and we were off.  It was great to do a race with Pam again, as we always have the best conversations when we run.  I had recently purchased a percussion hammer, and worked myself over for about 20 minutes before the race. Wow, did it make a difference!  This race was effortless for me, and I only needed to stop twice to pee.  This may be a PPR (personal piss record).  The wind was at our back for the first part of the race, which was a good thing.  As it became warmer towards the end, it was good to have that cool breeze in our faces.  My time was pretty slow, but extremely enjoyable.  As we met the others at the finish line, Lindsey told me her knee started to hurt after the first mile, and she had to walk the last two miles (sadly, she still finished ahead of me).  I was saddened to hear that she would have to skip the half marathon on Sunday, but I’m sure she was bummed out more than any of us.

                  We made our way back to the hotel for breakfast…and what a breakfast it was!  You name it; they had it (and it was included in the price).  Jen drove up for the day to spend some time with us, and she got there just in time for a cup of coffee.  Lindsey, Elaine, Doug and I moseyed our way to the after-party for a well-earned beer and live music.  They had really good looking coffee mugs, but you needed to finish in the top ten-percent of your age group to get one (I guess I’m going to have to bug Susan one more time).  Just in case you were wondering, I did see Meb once again in the elevator; this makes six years in a row.  I told him my video was on the website, and I was trying be more Gasparilla famous than him.  Lindsey told me back in the room that I am embarrassing.  After a shower, we went back to the expo, since Elaine had not been able to go on Friday.  Lindsey and I each bought a medical-grade massager (and by “each bought,” I mean I foot the bill for both of them).  It looks like something you would buff your car with, but it really digs deep into your muscles.  We did an early supper at Columbia Café (where else?), and were joined by Jen and Jay (Pam’s sister and brother-in-law).  The food was excellent, and the service was even better.  Back at the hotel, we were in time for happy hour (also included in our stay).  I had a glass of wine for the road, and was in bed by 8:30.

The half marathon was starting at 6:00am, and I woke up around 4:15.  I went to town on the percussion hammer, and met everyone in the lobby at 5:30.  The weather at race time was 52˚, so no jacket was needed.  I wore compression sleeves and a short sleeve shirt.  Pam informed me that she would be running with Elaine today, so I would have to fly solo.  It was probably a good thing, as I didn’t expect my bathroom good fortune from yesterday to hold up again.  True to form, I had to stop and pee after one mile.  Lindsey had told Elaine to look for the iconic saxophone player around the two-mile mark; as anticipated, he was there.  They must have shuttled him ahead, as I saw him jamming out again four miles into the race.  The sun was out in full force after five miles, and I was able to take off the compression sleeves.  I was not sore at all, but I did stop at almost every port-o-potty.  Truthfully, it was more because I was running “lone wolf,” as opposed to really having to go.  I saw Elaine and Pam after their turnaround, so they ran with me for a few steps (what a magnanimous gesture on their part).  My pace was actually quicker than the 15K, and the weather was outstanding.  The course is beautiful, and I truly felt blessed to be there.  I even stopped to take a photo with some of my closest Star Wars friends.  We all met up at the finish line, and the medals were outstanding (as always).

                    Breakfast back at the hotel, a quick stop to Publix for Pub Subs for the road, and off to Tampa Airport to drop off Elaine and Lindsey.  Elaine loved the weekend, and plans on entering again next year.  I had asked Susan to consider me for race ambassador for next year; she told me I am already an ambassador.

How can you top greatness?  The Gasparilla Distance Classic always seems to know how.

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[gatorjbone]

MIAMI HALF MARATHON - February 9, 2020

#miamifamous…For the tenth time.

The Miami Half Marathon was my first, way back in 2007.  After a four year hiatus, I entered again 2012, and haven’t missed this event since.  I’ve run with the usual suspects, and I've run “lone wolf.”  That being said, I have never run a race of any distance in a shoe not named Brooks…That was all about to change.

The Brooks Beast is a maximum stability shoe, and the only thing I’ve run in since 2010.  The shoe is very comfortable, but is severely lacking in color selection.  I’ve asked over the years if there were an alternative I could try, but I’ve been told over-and-over again that “nothing compares to the Beast.”  When it comes to “styling & profiling,”  I can wear virtually anything, which drew my attention to a pair of blue and orange Hoka Clifton shoes in Runner’s Depot.  I’ve admired Hoka from afar, but now was my chance to legitimately purchase a pair.  They were surprisingly comfortable, which inspired me to buy the Carbon X (white with green trim). After wearing them a few times, I can boldly say…they are the most comfortable running shoes I’ve ever owned!  Alas, Steve (the manager of the Coral Springs store, and an overall great dude) informed me that the Carbon X was primarily a racing shoe, and would not be good for me to run in.  A few day later, I read an advertisement about the Hoka Gaviota 2, which is a stability shoe.  I read several articles, but none that compared it to the Brooks Beast.  I then consulted the ultimate authority, Renee.  She explained the differences between the Gaviota and the Beast, which mostly went right over my head.  Since the Carbon X and the Clifton were so supportive, and I knew I could return the Gaviota if they didn’t work out, I bought a pair in a dark blue/green, and did a three-mile run during the week. All was good.  I did eight miles on the weekend, and was convinced I could wear them for the Miami Half Marathon.  I ordered a second pair in…wait for it…ROYAL BLUE.  Can you believe it?  Running a race for the first time ever in a shoe not black or grey?  As a Hollywood fashion plate, this was monumental for me.

I picked up Elaine and Lindsey at the airport on Friday, and we went to lunch at…you guessed it…Bento.  We then went to pick up my new royal blue beauties, and I bought a pair of the Hoka Ora, which is their recovery flip-flop.  Glenda had already been working late, because of tax season, and we went to supper around 7:30 at Bonefish Mac’s.

We woke up early on Saturday, as I wanted to take Elaine to a breakfast place in Parkland that Rachel recently turned us on to.  It’s called Carmela Coffee Company, and their avocado toast is outstanding.  After our meal (and a quick tour of Parkland), it was on to the expo.  Renee and Runner’s Depot once again stepped up to the plate, and hired a bus to the expo and back.  For a race of this size, the expo was once again a disappointment.  It’s the same reason every year…Mana Wynwood.  The venue is too small for the amount of traffic coming through, which is why they should go back to the Miami Beach Convention Center.  Lindsey had the foresight to make lunch reservations at the Wynwood Diner, but it surprisingly wasn’t all that crowded.  Glenda made vegetable lasagna for supper, and I was in bed by 7:45.

My alarm was set for 2am, but I was “up and at ‘em” by 1:45.  The race was moved up one week this year to accommodate the Super Bowl (it’s usually the last week in January).  We left around 3:15, and parked around 4:15.

MEMO TO SELF:  Make the left turn at NW 5th Street.

We were in corral “I” this year, which was curious to us all.  Lindsey and Elaine are significantly faster than me; why were they so far back?  The weather was around 65°, with no threat of rain.  18,567 runners took their mark (15,431 for the half; 3,136 for the full), which was 1,660 more than last year.  Once the gun sounded at 6am, it took us close to 45 minutes for our corral to start.  If I had only one complaint about this race, this would be it.  Can’t we purchase a fast pass?  Elaine and Lindsey both said they would run with me, but that didn’t last too long.  Lindsey took off after a couple of miles, and I set Elaine free of her prison sentence shortly after that.  I hate holding them back because of lack of speed, and all of my bathroom breaks.  I got a lot of complements on my shirt, and of course a lot of “you are my inspiration” because of the brace.  It’s all good; I like to be engaged with my fellow runners.  The sun stayed under cloud cover for most of the race, which certainly helped.  I looked good, my shoes looked good, but I was running really slow.  I saw a sign in the crowd that said something like “You have a 💩-ton of miles left.”  This was hilarious, and it was even funnier that we all saw it during the race.  With around two miles to go, I struck up a conversation with a woman that I had been running the same pace with for most of the race.  We were good motivation for each other, as I was able to cross the finish line pretty strong (I don’t know about her).  The medals were very nice, and a departure from the design of previous years.  The after party is always good, with box lunches and plenty of snacks.

               Lindsey and I went to the car to change, and then went back to the finish line to wait for Elaine.  I wore my new Hoka flip-flops, but they really cut up my feet.  Hoka had a booth at the after party, so I sat with them and picked their brains about all the different running shoes they make (and complained about the flip-flops).  Elaine eventually crossed the finish line, and we made our way back home to the 954.  She flew home later that night, and Glenda was kind enough to take both her and Lindsey to the airport.  I would normally go in late to work on Monday, but I had an event to cover early in the morning (yay me).

Another year of being #miamifamous.  We are all signed up for next year.

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[gatorjbone]

MOUNT DORA HALF MARATHON - December 22, 2019

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.  Glenda’s birthday, our anniversary, the holidays, and of course…the Mount Dora Half Marathon.

I am a big fan of this race.  I’ve participated all eight years, and I absolutely love the course. Glenda and I left around noon on Friday, with Rachel declining our invitation to tag along this year.  Friday was our anniversary (38 years), and I’m sure “G$” would have had other plans for the weekend.  The cottage we usually stay in at the

Historic Mount Dora Inn

was taken, so Melanie put us in the “Tin-Roof” cottage.  It’s a two-story building, which meant we would have to schlep all of our bags up a flight of stairs.  That notwithstanding, it was extremely nice, and we kept the windows open the whole time.  The temperature was predicted to be in the high-sixties/low-seventies for most of the weekend, with very little rain…except for race time.  Based on all forecasts, there was a good chance I could be running in a monsoon.  In fact, the race sent out emails earlier in the week preparing us for the soggy conditions.  I’ve run in the rain before, and was not going to let this “dampen” my fun (see what I just did there?).  We stopped by

The Cellar Door Tasting Room & Wine Bar

for an anniversary drink, and then supper at the

Goblin Market

.  We haven’t eaten there in about five years, mostly because it’s tough to get reservations, and the youngins don’t really dig the menu.  We sat outside, and took advantage of the cooler temperatures.  We then walked around to check out the lights, which are truly second to none.

  The one real drawback to coming to Mount Dora is that there isn’t much to do locally.  This year, Glenda and I were determined to make the most out of our Saturday afternoon.  After deciding on the local flea market and antique mall, Melanie suggested we visit Blue Spring State Park.  Since I’m very much into the “great outdoors,” this was a no-brainer for me.  On the other hand, Glenda needed a little more convincing.  We did our usual brunch at

One Flight Up

, where I solicited the opinions of as many people as I could.  They all have very favorable feedback of the park, and I think I was starting to sway Glenda.  We then walked across the street to

Donnelly Park

to pick up my race packet.  I had a long conversation with the race director Vicky (who is super-nice) about how this race has not succumbed to big corporations trying to take over the management of the event; this gave me even more appreciation of her hard work in keeping this a first-class event.  I told her that I would be running in my Hanukkah shirt, and may be the only Jewish person in the race.  Vicky quickly reminded me that she was Jewish, and there were 50 families who are members of the

Traditional Congregation of Mount Dora

(she was actually missing services to work the expo).  She then introduced us to legendary marathon great

Bill Rogers,

who is a regular at this race.   It was now time to hit the road, and make our way to our outdoor adventure.

Blue Spring State Park

is a state park located west of Orange City. Activities include canoeing, SCUBA diving, kayaking, fishing, camping, hiking, wildlife watching, and swimming. The spring in the Park (Volusia Blue Spring) is the largest on the St. Johns River. Thanks to its relatively warm temperature of 73°, the spring attracts many Florida manatees during the winter months.  Believe it or not, I have never seen a manatee out in the wild; since it was manatee season, the park was closed to all water activities (not that we would partake in any of them).  It was about a 45-minute drive, and the park was not crowded at all.  We walked along the boardwalk, and were able to see a good number of manatees.  The weather was great, and I could tell that Glenda was glad she let me impose my will on her.  Back in Mount Dora, we did some shopping, and then did an early supper at

The Frog and Monkey

.  This was a first for us, as our usual spots had too long of a wait.  It had not started to rain yet, but if you looked at the radar, you could see the impending doom.  Since we slept with the windows open, I could hear the rain starting to come down around 1am.  I didn’t sleep much that night, and the rain never stopped.

       As my alarm sounded at 5am, it was still raining.  Not hard, but enough to consider breaking out the poncho.  The plan was to wear the poncho before the start of the race, and maybe take if off once the race started (weather permitting).  The starting line is only 5 minutes from the cottage, so it would truly be a race-time decision.  As I started to walk over, the rain had totally stopped.  It was truly a holiday miracle!  I had not taken my poncho out of the package yet, so I stuffed it in my pocket, just in case. 

796

took to the starting line, which was 44 less that last year.  Considering the forecast, I would say that was a win.  Apparently, I was not the only Jewish person entered in this race, as my Hanukkah shirt attracted many others of the same religion.  Once the gun sounded, it started to rain again.  Since it rained all night, the course was wet, but there were no puddles.  I was a little winded in the beginning, but nothing too serious.  I don’t particularly like wearing a hat when I run, but it was necessary.  The rain was constant for most of the race, but only sprinkles.  The inclement weather kept the sun at bay, but I wish it were a bit cooler.  I was running very strong, and really enjoying the sights.

  As I reached the ten-mile turnaround, there were three things that were glaringly obvious: First, there were a lot of runners behind me (which was great for my ego).  Second, I was definitely going to finish under three hours!  Third, the rain had totally stopped.  With a little more than one mile to go, the three-hour pace group caught up to me.  I looked at them and said…

NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND

, and pulled away from the pack.  I crossed the finish line with time to spare, and Glenda was there to snap some photos.  The finisher medal was very nice, and totally different every year (which I totally appreciate).

       This was arguably the most enjoyable Mount Dora weekend ever.  Next year, the race is actually on our anniversary.  I can’t think of a better way to celebrate...

...I’m sure Glenda can.

[gatorjbone]

WESTON ROTARY RUN FOR TOMORROW - December 8, 2019

They say there are only two things that are certain in life…death and taxes.  I say there is a third…me running super slow.

Maybe it’s the knee brace; maybe it’s me getting older, but my times have really gone south of the border over the past year.  I still feel great and run strong, but my times are not reflecting the effort.  It's not an issue with me, since I don't do any "speed" training, but it would be nice to see if I still “had it.”  This race, which I have run multiple times, would be the perfect course to give it the gusto.

With a start time of 6:20am, I was up bright and early.  I got to Cypress Bay High School around 5:40am, and felt pretty energized.  The temperature was around 64°, which is a far cry from the 34° in Mount Airy a few weeks ago.  362runners made their way to the starting line (132 less than last year), as I focused on keeping a steady pace.  Once we were off, I felt really good, but of course I was bringing up the rear.  My goal was to finish under three hours, which up until last year would be a no-brainer.

You can read previous blog posts to get the lay of the land for this race, but it’s basically a super-flat out-and back course.  A sobering realization came during the turnaround…there were not that many runners behind me. I was ahead of the three-hour pace group, so I still had that going for me.  I was enjoying the race, but when you are as slow as me, it’s like running in a ghost town.  I was very focused, but then the unthinkable happened around the ten-mile mark…the three-hour pace group passed me!  I didn’t panic, as it seemed as if we were both on track to break three hours.

With about a quarter mile to go, it was going to be close.  Of course, my favorite part of the race kicked in…NOT!  The Kids One-Mile Fun Run was released (see previous posts), just as I was making my final push.  I quickly darted to the other side of the road to avoid all of the congestion, only to realize there was no way I was breaking three-hours.  I crossed the finish line 32 seconds away from my goal. I was disappointed that my efforts didn’t pay off, but they give the same medal to the person who finishes first, as they do to the person who finishes last (12 runners finished behind me…thankfully).

What didn’t disappoint me was just how much I still enjoy running.  Mount Dora is next up, which will be a challenge.  But I’m up for it.

After all…I am a runner.

#gatorjbone

#jaysandhouse

#sandhouserunningclub

#iamarunner

#marathon

#halfmarathon

[gatorjbone]

MAYBERRY HALF MARATHON - November 16. 2019

Sheriff Andy Taylor: Anybody here know why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace. I now pronounce you man... Opie Taylor: I know why they shouldn't be married. Sheriff Andy Taylor: Opie, what're you tryin' to do? Opie Taylor: I'm speakin' now so's I won't have to forever hold my peace. Deputy Barney Fife: You're not supposed to speak.

Opie Taylor: Then why did he ask?

— Opie Taylor (Ron Howard), The Andy Griffith Show, season 1: The New Housekeeper

Mount Airy is a city in Surry County, North Carolina. The town is widely known as the home of actor Andy Griffith. The town is believed to have been the basis for Mayberry, the setting of the TV shows The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry RFD. The community holds an annual "Mayberry Days" celebration during the last weekend of September. Three Ford Galaxie police cars, painted to resemble those used on the show, give rides to tourists; a barber shop has been named "Floyd's."  The Andy Griffith Museum, founded in 2009 by Emmett Forrest, attracts 200 visitors a day. The 2,500-square-feet museum, located half a mile from Griffith's childhood home, houses the world's largest collection of Andy Griffith memorabilia.

At this point, you may be asking yourself why in tarnation am I going on about this in a running blog? If you don’t know by now, the Andy Griffith Show is my all-time favorite; the fact that there is actually a Mayberry Half Marathon is incentive enough for me to enter.  That fact that Elaine lives very close to Mount Airy (and has run this race before), is just icing on Aunt Bee’s cake.  The Gators usually play a home game the same weekend as the race; this year the game was away, so I was excited to enter.  I’ve been to Mount Airy many years ago, and remember just how charming the town was.  I really never thought I would have an excuse for another visit. Elaine and Joe graciously offered to let me stay with them, so I flew up on Thursday.  Other than the fact that this would only be my third race outside the Sunshine State, the weather would be much colder than this Florida boy was used to.  Once off the plane, I was greeted with temperatures in the forties.  Joe picked me up from the airport, which was almost an hour from their home.

Our first stop on Friday was to Salvation Coffee Co.  The place (owned and run by Jim Young) is geared towards a more mature crowd, including veterans, although anyone, of course, is welcome — including hipsters. He wants it to be a place where people can come in, relax, enjoy good music and, of course, a good cup of coffee.  It was a really good cup of coffee (especially on a cold day), and I struck up a conversation about comic books with a guy who was a bigger geek than me (hard to believe).  After an enjoyable lunch at Mediterranean Grill, our next stop was to a running store in Chapel Hill called FleetFeet.  They had more apparel than shoes, but I was able to score a pair of gray running shorts (I’ve been looking for that color for a long time).  We than drove around Elon University, which is pretty close to where Elaine and Joe live. I of course had to stop in the bookstore to buy a jacket; you just can’t have too many of them when you live in South Florida.  Elaine made a delicious supper, and I went to bed pretty early.

The race time was Saturday at 8am, but Elaine and Joe live around 90 minutes from the starting line.  We were out the door around 5am, and picked up our race packets around 6:30am.  The race shirts were very nice, and the volunteers were even nicer.  With the temperature around 34°, we sat in the car most of the time.  Joe had registered for the run, but had recently been having knee issues; he was there for moral support.  399 runners took their mark on the main street of “Mayberry,” led by a Mayberry Sheriff Department police car from the show.  We ran through downtown for the first half mile, and then into a park.  Most of the race was on a concrete trail, with a river alongside of us.  The course was an out-and-back, and very flat.  With so few runners (and me being extremely slow), Elaine and I did not see many other participants, especially on the way back. The weather was delightful, with virtually no wind the entire race.  The scenery was exceptional, and I felt great the entire time.  The good news is that we did not finish last, as there were ten runners behind us.  I appreciate the fact that Elaine prioritized running with me over her finishing time, as she is much faster than I am (what a surprise).  Joe was waiting for us at the finish line, and snapped a few photos.  The medal was nice, as it was shaped like a sheriff’s badge (I’d expect nothing less).  We walked around town for a bit, ate lunch, drove home, and watched the Gators destroy Missouri.  The perfect end to a perfect day.  I flew home the next day, and back into eighty-degree temperature.  Talk about a reality check!

   I enjoyed this race very much, but would not necessary recommend it as a destination race.

That is of course…unless your close friends are part of the destination.

[gatorjbone]

RACE FOR WOMEN’S WELLNESS - March 23, 2019

In the words of Patti Labelle: “Ooh oh ooo oh, I've got a new attitude.” Yes, I ran this race again, even though I besmirch it all of the time.  However, I had some pretty good reasons to register this year:

I needed a race to get to Half Marathon #60.  I could have done Ocala, but this was more convenient.

They dropped the price around $20.  As I’ve mentioned several times in past blogs, this was a really overpriced race: now it was in the ballpark.

Most importantly, it’s for a really good cause.

There you have it.  Half marathon #60 would be right in my backyard…literally. This post is going to be short, sweet, and right to the point.  I decided to change my attitude, and just enjoy the race.  It was probably going to be the last of the season, and I wanted to end on a really high note.  Doug was running as well, so I was looking forward to seeing him.  The start is literally five minutes from my house, but I got there early to get a chance to visit with Doug before we started running.  Doug and I have gone in opposite directions in terms of finishing times, so running together was highly unlikely.  The temperature was 54°, which was amazing for the end of March.  419 runners entered the race, but it didn’t look like that many as we made our way to the starting line (Doug estimated around 200, and I can’t judge a crowd at all).  As soon as we started, I felt great.  The good vibes, along with the weather, seemed like a recipe for success.

I was really enjoying the race this year.  No Debbie Downer attitude, and digging the scenery.  I texted Glenda and Rachel around the nine mile mark to make sure they were in position to cheer me on as I passed the house.  They were already in place, with smiling faces, and a Diet Mountain Dew for the last three miles.

    I really ran strong at the end, and crossed the finish line in a full sprint.  I met up with Doug, and he was proud to inform me that he had a PR.  My time was not great, but it was a really strong race for me.

      I’m guessing I’ll run this race next year.  Ooh oh ooo oh, I've got a new attitude.

[gatorjbone]

GASPARILLA DISTANCE CLASSIC - February 23 & 24, 2019

Coming off what can only be called a disappointing race last week, it was now time for my favorite race weekend…Gasparilla.  This is a top-notch event, and just an overall party weekend.  We would have a smaller crowd than usual, as Doug was globetrotting on vacation, and many of the Turtles were going to Southern California in a few weeks.  The great news was that Lindsey would be flying in from NYC to run with her old man.  Mary had signed up for the weekend as well, but she was still suffering the effects of her cold from last week.  She was still coming up, but only as a cheerleader. I got to the hotel around 2:30pm, and to my surprise and delight, the room was actually ready.  The Westin Tampa Waterside is a great place to stay, and our usual “go to.”  Lindsey’s flight was coming in around 3pm, so I walked over to the expo to pick up our race packets.  The race shirts were outstanding (as usual) and the challenge jacket was black with gold trim (which is great if you are a Steelers fan).  There was a brand new challenge this year: “The Michelob Ultra Pure Gold Challenge.”   This consisted of the 15K on Saturday, and the half marathon on Sunday.  This was the challenge we had been waiting for, but I guess Michelob needed to come out with a new beer first.  We always walk the 5K on Saturday, and I’m not a big fan of an 8K right after a half marathon: this was perfect.  Lindsey arrived around the same time as Mary and Cynthia, so I met them back at the hotel.  It was back to the expo for more intense shopping.  It was a pleasure to actually have room to walk, since the venue was pretty large.  I bought a couple of shirts, because the 200 or so that I already own is not enough.  Lindsey and I then took a walk over to Publix for food, drinks, and cookies.  We met up with Mary and Cynthia for an early supper at Jackson’s, and then back to the room for an early lights out.

  We met Cynthia in the lobby around 6:15, as we made our way to the start of the 15K.  Here is the breakdown of all of the races: 15K – 6,483 5K – 13,511 Half – 6,194 8K – 5,157 31,345 participants in all, which was a little less than last year (199).

It was pretty warm, but Lindsey was very excited to be out of the cold.  We were off and running, and I felt great right from the start.  The temperature was now around 73°, but it felt hotter than that.  We were running under “Code Yellow,” which meant that extra precautions would be taken for the heat.  There were water stations every mile, and sprinklers throughout the course for a quick shower.  I have to say, the volunteers at the water stations were really on point.  We played a game throughout the race, not unlike what you would play during a long car ride.  Instead of looking for license plates from other states,  we tried to come up with the top five songs you would expect to hear during a race. This was the final poll (in no particular order): Living on a Prayer, YMCA, Eye of the Tiger, Don’t Stop Believing, and Uptown Funk.  Celebration received honorable mention. Not the most scientific of polls, but it certainly kept us preoccupied.  As we crossed the finish line, it felt as if the temperature could be 90°.  That notwithstanding, we ran a strong race.

          It was now time for some food and beer, all before 9:30am.  The after party for this race is always excellent, with live music to groove to while you re-hydrate.  We hung out for pretty long time before going back to the room for a shower.  It was now around noon, and we headed over to Columbia Café for lunch.  We typically eat here for supper, but there wasn’t much of a wait.  Lindsey and I split a pitcher of sangria, which really hit the spot.  With a good amount of adult beverages in our system, we revisited the race expo.  I was able to persuade an unsuspecting volunteer into giving us a shirt for the 5K, even though we didn’t run the race.  We really liked the color, and I was pretty persistent.  We napped for a couple of hours, and then headed out for supper.  Mary and Cynthia had picked up Pub-subs earlier, so they were staying in.  Haidee was now in town, and invited us to join her.  We politely declined, as the restaurant she selected was a few miles away.  We decided to eat a Fergs Live, but they were closed due to construction on the road.  That would have been nice to know before we walked over there.  We went to our “Plan B,” but they were closed for renovation.  At that point, we just went to Publix, and shoveled down our food back at the hotel.  The half marathon was starting at 6am, so it was another early bed time.

We met Haidee in the lobby at 5:30am.  Cynthia was entered in the “Lime Cactus Challenge,” and would be running the 8K later in the morning.  Since the half marathon starts at 6am, we would get to run in the dark for about an hour.  It was just as hot as Saturday, but it seemed more humid.  Once the race started, I was just not feeling it.  I wasn’t hurting or tired, but I felt very lethargic.  I asked Lindsey if she would be okay if we did intervals (3 x1), and we agreed to wait until we got off the island (around mile 5) before making that final decision.  The sun started to rise, but it was very cloudy…thank goodness!  I could see that Lindsey was really making an effort to slow down and keep pace with me, so I told her to just run her own pace.  The heat felt trapped inside my body, struggling to get out.  Once off the island, I did make the switch to intervals, but I was feeling better at that point anyway.

     The cloud cover continued throughout the race, which make it a little more enjoyable.  I made an extra effort to stay more hydrated than usual, which really payed off.  The 8K participants were all lined up for the start of their race, and they cheered me on as I crossed the finish line.  I wasn’t very pleased with my finishing time, but was grateful that I got stronger as the race went on.

    Elaine called me later in the week to see how the races went.  Believe it or not, she had never run Gasparilla.  I told her that if I could only participate in one event per year, this would be it.  I might have convinced her for next year.

[gatorjbone]

FIVE POINTS OF LIFE HALF MARATHON - February 17, 2019

I don’t think I have ever been this conflicted about writing a post for my blog. It’s that feeling that no matter how lightly you try to tread, no matter how much you try to sugarcoat, no matter how much of the benefit of the doubt you try to give…it’s still not going to come out well. Let’s begin by beating this dead horse one more time:

This is my favorite race.

It’s Gainesville.

It’s running through the University of Florida campus and downtown Gainesville.

I set a PR for a full marathon during this race.

I’ve participated in this race more than any other.

It’s not the most attractive course, but it’s MY COURSE.  The only thing that could sour me on this race would be if they were to totally changed the course, and move it out west. That’s exactly what they did. Mary had signed up for the race, and was excited in participating for the first time.  She even convinced Pam to run with us, so I was really stoked.  In mid-January, Mary texted me to say “The one time I decided to run Five Points, they no longer run thru the stadium.”  I called her immediately, and said that you just run through the concourse, and not through the actual stadium.  What she said next shocked me to the core. The entire course had changed, and they were moving everything out to Celebration Point (a new destination experience, off Archer Road & west of I-75).  Celebration Point?  This was nowhere near UF or downtown.  I sent an email to the race director Ricky, but really…what could he say?  I’ve heard that the university wanted them to change the weekend of the race, and that the sponsorship to move the race out west was too good to pass up, but I don’t want to speculate on any of that.  The race would now be totally flat, which was a total disappointment to this South Florida boy. As much as I dreaded some of those colossal hills, it was still part of the charm of this race.  The course map did not look particularly exciting, but I would run the race before I passed judgement.  On the bright side, I would still get to hang with Jen, Mary, and Pam for the weekend.

I left the “954” around 6am, and drove straight to the UF Bookstore.  Jen had some errands to run, so I would meet up with her later.  Mary called me, and she sounded awful.  She totally lost her voice, and was really sick.  She was not going to be able to run with us, but would drive up with Pam for moral support.  This was a total bummer.   After a few purchases for Glenda and Lindsey (nothing for me), I met Jen at the Hotel Indigo Gainesville-Celebration Pointe, which was where I was now staying.  This hotel opened in October, and I must say…it is beautiful (and very reasonably priced).  The expo was located inside the hotel, but it was very small.  The race shirt was very nice, as it always is for this race.  My only criticism was the shirt was a 60/40 (cotton/polyester) blend, which means I won’t be able to wear it while running.  In my opinion, any race shirt for a marathon or half marathon should always be 100% polyester.  Save the cotton for a 5K.  We grabbed lunch at Miller’s Ale House (also located in Celebration Pointe), and then off to VegFest.   Gainesville VegFest is presented by North Florida Veg Events, Inc., and is a celebration of a healthy, sustainable and compassionate way of life.  VegFest is dedicated to informing and inspiring the community to make healthy food choices.  The event took place in Depot Park, which is very close to where Lindsey used to live.  The park was very pretty, with lots of vendors, music, and people with dogs.  Still feeling full from lunch, we passed on all of the healthy choices.  Jen dropped me back at my hotel, as I got ready for round two…Dinner with Paula and Bill.  I hadn’t seen them in quite some time, and it was good to catch up.  I was really tired when I got back to the room, and went to sleep around 9:30pm.  The race started at 6:15am, and the ladies would be meeting me around 5:30am.

  I slept well, but of course I woke up before the alarm.  Pam and Mary were right on time, but Mary really looked like death warmed over.  I told her to stay in the room and try to sleep while the race took place.  She could then meet us at the finish line later on.  I didn’t need to tell her twice, as she grabbed her box of tissues and hit the sack.  It was 64° as we made our way to the starting line, which was not at the same location as the full marathon.  It was obvious where the race started, but not if you were staying in the hotel.  In my opinion, a few signs (or volunteers) pointing the way would have helped.  600 runners were entered in this year’s race, which was 82 less than last year. So much for the excitement of this new course and branding campaign.  We decided to do intervals (3 x 1), since Pam had not run in quite some time.  After exchanging pleasantries with Ruth and Bill G., it was now time to start the race.  It was still dark outside, and we had the “pleasure” of running west on Archer Road for the first four miles.  With nothing to see anyway, I guess it was better to get this part of the race over with first.  Archer Road is only one lane each way, so cars heading west were literally driving in the middle of the road.  Although there were cones for the cars, it was still a bit of a concern for the runners.  We then turned into Halle Plantation for the next 5.5 miles.  Halle Plantation is a very pretty and upscale neighborhood, and my ultimate port of call when I retire.  At this point, Pam and I had not seen any other runners for a few miles (a volunteer did shout out "you have nice skin." but we didn't know which one of us she was referring to)..  It was very quiet, with literally no crowd support at all.  In addition, there was a glaring lack of signage in terms as to were you were supposed to run.  It was pretty obvious, but with no life in sight, a first-timer to this area might have been nervous.  In addition, the lack of police presence on many of the side streets had a few rogue cars enter the course.

Once out of the community, it was onto Tower Road.  We then ran down some weird streets, which was okay with me.  Our pace was very slow, but I felt really good as we crossed the finish line.  Mary was there to greet us, but she wasn't feeling any better.  The after-party was nice, with music and pizza.  Mary and Pam went to breakfast, and I got ready for the long drive home.

    My final thoughts...Since the medals and shirts are “Gator” themed, I think the course should have taken on the same personality.  Where were the student volunteers and cheerleaders?  Where was Albert?  In fact, if we did not see a building that had the Shands Hospital logo on it, you may not have known you were in Gainesville.  I won’t be too harsh on the water stations, but improvement is needed there as well. In the words of Avril Lavigne…‘Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?”

[gatorjbone]

MIAMI HALF MARATHON - January 27, 2019

There was a cloud looming over our heads this entire race weekend…and I mean that literally.

If you are a loyal follower of this blog, you know that the Miami Marathon and Half Marathon is kind of a big deal.  It’s a big race, with a big race feel.  I sign up way in advance, and friends travel near and far to stay with me.  In recent years, Elaine has become a regular.  Now participating in her third straight year (and four in total), she would be making the trip from her home in North Carolina.  Lindsey signed up before she moved to New York, but she was coming down as well.  Who wouldn’t want to leave sub-arctic weather to run the streets of Miami?  Even if the temperatures should “drop” into the fifties, it’s still a win-win situation.  With a long-time proven track record for success, what could go wrong?  How about nonstop rain the entire weekend.

Lindsey noticed over a week out that it was going to rain the entire weekend.  As the race got closer, the forecast wasn’t budging.  There was some genuine concern, but we all know how it goes in South Florida.  It could be raining on one side of the street, and dry as a bone on the other.  That having been said, the forecast looked pretty bleak when Elaine and Lindsey landed in the 954 on Friday.

It was off to the expo on Saturday morning.  Renee from

Runner’s Depot

once again provided bus transportation.  I love the fact that they offer this service to their customers, and we were on the road at noon.  This also gave us an opportunity to sleep in a little, since we would be getting up so early on Sunday.  The weather was nasty, but it wasn’t raining when we got to

Mana Wynwood

.  This was the third consecutive year the expo was held in this convention center, and I think it is time to go back to the

Miami Beach Convention Center

.  The venue is too small, and it’s hard to move around.  I was able to find a jacket in the official merchandise section, but checking out the vendors was more like a cattle call.  After about an hour of fighting the crowd, we took a trip over to the

Wynwood Walls

, and then grabbed some lunch at

BND Burger

.  We went back to the expo, since we still had some time to kill before the bus arrived at 4:30pm.  The crowd had thinned out a bit, but it was still packed like sardines.  It rained the entire way home, so we ordered in supper.  I was pretty tired, and went to bed around 8pm.

  I set my alarm for 2am, but of course I woke up early.  It was raining, but not very hard.  We were out the door at 3pm, and hit rain the entire drive down to Miami.  Not a monsoon, but nonstop nonetheless.  As we pulled into the parking garage inside the American Airlines Arena, it was sprinkling lightly.  The temperature was around 67 degrees, and we decided to stay undercover as long as we could.  We met a couple who had traveled from Trinidad to participate in their first marathon.  I hooked them up with ponchos, and they were forever grateful (they took a selfie with us.  I can’t imagine where that photo may turn up).

We moseyed our way over to our corral around 5:30am, and the rain had completely stopped.  I have run in pouring rain many times before, but never to start a race.  Once you get going, it’s all good; the prospect of standing in a downpour for over 30 minutes or more before the race actually begins seems like a nightmare.  It’s has never happened on over 22 years of racing, but all streaks are made to be broken. The streets seemed rather empty, as I’m sure many of the runners were waiting until the last minute to jump into their corrals.  I personally would never drop out of a race because of the hostile weather conditions, but I know a lot of folks who do (Mary and some of the Turtles were running the

Celebration Marathon and Half Marathon

the same time as us, and she said it poured the entire race).  Elaine was in the same corral as Lindsey and me, and we met a few students who were going to school at FIU.  They were running their first marathon, so I had to instruct them on “the ways.”

   It was now time to start the race, and still no rain.  If it would just hold out until we started going, I would be thankful.  For some reason, the race stared about ten minutes late. 

16,907 runners

(2,850 for the full; 14,057 for the half) waited patiently as the gun finally sounded.  It took us close to 30 minutes for us to get to the starting line, but still no rain.  Lindsey decided to run without me in an effort to try and PR the race.  Elaine was running the full, so I didn’t want to hold her back.

As we ran over the bridge, it was very windy.  Not coming right at you windy, but enough to make you struggle a little bit.  The streets were not as wet as I thought they would be, and the temperature was now in the low seventies.  There had been construction on the course the past few years, but not this time.  I don’t like it when you have to run south for a few miles as a temporary detour.  It almost seems as if it’s an out-and-back when you see the other runners ahead of you running in the opposite direction.  This year, I got to experience all of the scenery this course has to offer.  I felt really good, but my pace did not reflect that.  I was moving very slowly, but the lack of rain (and sunshine) made it a complete joy.  The sun did make a couple of guest appearances, but just for a few minutes at a time.

     The course ran a bit long (according to my Garmin), as I crossed the finish line at 13.41 miles.  It was very congested, so it took a few minutes until I was able to get my medal.  Lindsey was waiting for me, and she did in fact PR the race.  The post-race party was very good, with a nice selection of food and drinks.  After stuffing our faces, we walked back to the car to change into dry clothes.  Still no rain, so we went back to the finish line to cheer on Elaine.  Not much rain on the drive home, but who cared at that point?

  It’s hard to imagine that the biggest takeaway from an exciting race weekend like this would be the rain (or lack of), but it was definitely the talk of the town.

KEEP TRACK OF MY RUNNING ON

[gatorjbone]

MOUNT DORA HALF MARATHON - December 16, 2018

Seventh time’s a charm, but is it the last charm?

I have participated in this race every year since it’s inception.  The first two years, I stayed with Jen, and drove to Mount Dora the day of the race (it’s only one hour away).  The past five years, it has become a family tradition.  Unfortunately, I may be the only one in the family that feels this way.  With Lindsey coming to town from New York, and Rachel finished with finals at FSU, I just assumed everyone would be on-board with this mini-vacation.  Boy, was I wrong.  Mount Dora was played out, and no one really wanted to go.  Most surprising was Lindsey, since she had never run this race.  On top of everything else, I reserved a two bedroom cottage at our usual go-to spot, the

Historic Mount Dora Inn

. Since these reservations were made a year in advance, I did not factor in the  new living arrangements for both the youngins.  This race weekend also falls right in the middle of a potential vacation not named Mount Dora.  With all of this taken into account, I don’t know if this race will be in any future plans.   Rachel eventually changed her mind, and would go up for the weekend with Glenda and me.  Lindsey had made plans, and would hold down the fort in the 954.

We left around noon on Friday, and vowed to find something interesting to do on Saturday.  It only takes a few hours to walk through downtown, so we thought we would venture out to some of the surrounding areas (Clermont, Leesburg, etc.).  Wine tasting was definitely an option, but the weather didn’t look as if it were going to cooperate.  We didn’t hit any rain on the way up, but you could see it had poured earlier in the day.  The cottage was really nice; a big step up from our usual one bedroom bungalow.  A Sandhouse family tradition in Mount Dora is to watch holiday movies on the Hallmark Channel (mostly because there is only one television, and football is not an option).  The rain started to come down again, so we would take to the TV, and try and eat supper around 7:30.  We made reservations at

Café Gianni’s

, which is literally a five-minute walk from the cottage.  The rain eased up enough for us to go, and the food was fantastic (as always).  Our server suggested we go to

Oak Haven Farms & Winery

on Saturday.  They have strawberry picking and wine tasting, which is right up our alley.  We walked around to see the holiday lights, which are truly second to none.  The rain started shortly after that, so back to the cottage for an all-night Hallmark Channel marathon.

    We slept in Saturday morning, and made our way out around noon.  The race packet pickup was right next door, and the shirts were a total departure from the previous races (I say that in a good way).  It had rained during the night, and the prospects of seeing the sun were slim and none.  On our way to grab a bite to eat, we stopped in

The Cellar Door Tasting Room & Wine Bar

.  After a couple of glasses, we staggered over to

One Flight Up

, which is another one of our usual spots. It was now raining on and off, and Oak Haven was closed for the day.  We dodged the raindrops, as we did some shopping in the downtown area.  We actually made some purchases, including bath balms, wine (of course), and candles.  Back at the cottage, it was more Hallmark Channel movies, and napping.  We went to

Jeremiah’s

for supper, which was a new experience for us.  It is about one-half mile from the cottage, and I guess you could consider it a sports bar.  The food was good, but our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. Back to the room, I went to sleep, as the Hallmark Channel marathon resumed.

The race started at 7am, with the starting line less than five minutes from the cottage.  The temperature was around 60°, with very little chance of rain.  I made the decision to wear a long sleeve running shirt, which I instantly regretted once I walked out the door.  The high for the race would only reach around 63°, but it just didn’t seem so cold. 

840 runners

stood tall for the National Anthem, which was 137 less than last year.  I think the inclement weather may have kept some of them away, and there was a half marathon in Jacksonville the previous day (once again, speculation on my part).  Once we were off and running, I was immediately in bad shape.  It’s hard to explain, but I felt as if I were having a panic attack.  My heart was pounding, and I was out of breath.  I considered doing intervals, but would give it a few miles before I would make that decision.  I slowed the pace down a little, which didn’t seem to help as much as I would have hoped.  Slowly but surely, the feeling started to go away.  As I was passing Mount Dora High School (around the three mile mark), I was feeling much better.

  This race has a good amount of hills, so I really didn’t want to do intervals.  I just walked up most the hills; that seemed to do the trick (the course flattens out after the six mile mark).  I was now filled with lots of energy, and was able to make up for lost time.  The sky was totally overcast for the entire race, and rolling up my sleeves allowed me to run in comfort.  I texted Rachel and Glenda when I was one mile from the finish, so they could get themselves in good position to take some photos (they did not let me down).  I sprinted the last quarter-mile of the race, and felt great crossing the finish line.  Considering the bad start, my time was not too far off from Space Coast and Weston.  On top of everything else, I had a negative split.

    I was sad that this may have been my swan song, but I booked reservations for next year…Just in case.

KEEP TRACK OF MY RUNNING ON

[gatorjbone]

WESTON RUN FOR TOMORROW HALF MARATHON – December 9, 2018

Okay, I know what you’re thinking…Why in tarnation am I doing this race again? If you are a loyal reader of my blog, you know what a debacle last year’s race was.  If not, read the post from last year, and you’ll be all caught up.  In a nutshell, the Mayor’s Challenge 1-Mile Walk ended in the same place as the half marathon.  It was a logistical nightmare finishing the race, let alone getting your medal.  When the emails stared to pour into my inbox for the race this year, I contacted the folks in charge to express my concerns.  To my surprise and delight, steps were taking place to clear up the chaos from the previous two years.  They were very gracious, and even offered me a discount code if I would give them one more chance.  This was apparently a very big issue, and I’m guessing many runners threatened not to enter this year unless changes were made.  With this sticking point apparently resolved, I gladly entered again.  I’ve run this race many times, and it falls on a weekend that never conflicts with anything else. I went Friday afternoon to pick up my race packet.  They moved the location this year to Weston Regional Park.  I’ve never been there before, but all I can say is WOW!  What a beautiful place.  The entire city of Weston is very pretty, but we don’t venture there very often.  The race shirts were nice, and I asked one last time about the Mayor’s Challenge 1-Mile Walk.  The volunteers assured me that there would be no issue this year.

The race started at 6:20am in front of Cypress Bay High School.  As I approached the starting line, the crowd seemed a bit lighter than usual.  494 runners (compared to 623 last year) may have been a result of the confusion from last year, but that’s just conjecture on my part.  The temperature was 73°, and we were underway.  The race is basically an out-and-back, with lots of pretty homes, golf courses, and water to look at.  I felt good the entire time, and ran a pretty strong race.  Having no sun in the beginning is a big help, but you run west for the last half of the race, so a hat is standard equipment.  As I crossed the finish line, I was delighted to see the kids and their parents in an entirely different location.  Not having to fight the crowds as I finished was something I always took for granted.

I’m happy things are back to normal, and plan on entering this race for many years to come.

KEEP TRACK OF MY RUNNING ON

[gatorjbone]

SPACE COAST HALF MARATHON - November 25, 2018

I can now cross another race off the bucket list.  The question is, should it have been on the list in the first place? This seemed like the longest summer ever, and my running was very laborious.  Global warming (if you believe in that sort of thing) made every weekend run torture, with intervals being the only saving grace.  I plugged along nevertheless, and the first races were finally upon us.  The Flanigan's Rockin' Rib 10K was up first on November 18th, and was a great warmup for the half marathons that would lie ahead.  Renee from Runner’s Depot always does a first-class job with this event, and this year’s race was no different.  Vista View Park welcomed 1,665 runners, including my long-time friend Doug.  The shirts and medals were very nice, and I had a very enjoyable run.

  Next up was the race that started it all…Tamarac Turkey Trot 5K on Thanksgiving morning.  What made this even sweeter, both Lindsey and Rachel were in town for the holidays.  Lindsey and I would run the race, with both Glenda and Rachel cheering on 1,805 runners at the finish line. Another enjoyable race; now on to bigger and better things…Space Coast.

  This is a race that everyone has talked about since the day I started running.  I’ve never heard anything but great reviews, and it was something I was encouraged to add to my running bucket list.  Legend has it that the race sells out in a matter of days, and I should jump on it early.  One drawback…it is Thanksgiving weekend.  You know what that means…UF vs. FSU.  That limits my entry to even years (when the game is in Tallahassee), and Lindsey and I decided early on that this would be our year.  We registered right away, and picked the new North course.  That’s right, there were now two courses, with the full marathoners running both.  Since my childhood friend Doug (who has been running Gasparilla with us the past few years) lives in Titusville, getting him to register was an easy sell.  Rachel was headed back up to Tallahassee on Friday to go to the game, so Glenda was all in on going to Cocoa Beach with us. We left Friday afternoon around 1:30pm, and arrived at the Four Points by Sheraton Cocoa Beach around three hours later.  Jen had stayed there several times, and it was one of the host hotels for the race.  The room was very nice, and we grabbed an early supper at the Sandbar Sports Grill (another recommendation from Jen).  We walked on the beach for a bit, shopped at the giant Ron Jon Surf Shop, and capped the evening off by indulging in some outstanding key lime pie at Florida Key Lime Pie Company. The expo opened at 9am on Saturday, and we wanted the get there bright and early.  The UF/FSU football game was a 12 noon kickoff, and we didn’t want to rush.  The expo was at the Radisson Resort at the Port, which was very close to our hotel.  I assumed that the expo would be big, kind of like Gasparilla or Miami; boy was I wrong.  Considering the amount of runners entered in this race, the expo was extremely small.  Brooks was a major sponsor, but the merchandise was pretty weak.  That being said, the race shirts were outstanding.  We met up with Doug, stalled for as long as we could, and made our way back to the hotel.  With more time on our hands before kickoff than anticipated, we went back to the Florida Key Lime Pie Company.  Besides the deserts, they had an extensive selection of wine.  Since Glenda and I have recently become wine “connoisseurs,” we purchased six bottles for our new wine rack.  We sat down for lunch in the hotel’s sports bar to feast and watch the football game.  During halftime, we went back up to the room. Glenda and Lindsey would nap, and I cheered the Orange and Blue onto victory.  Another walk on the beach during sunset, supper again at the Sandbar Sports Grill, and back upstairs for an extremely early bedtime.

  One of the advantages of staying at a host hotel for the race was the shuttle bus that would pick us up and take us to the start.  The disadvantage to this was the bus was coming at 4am!  There would be a second bus at 4:45am, but it was suggested to go for the first one.  We were downstairs at 3:50am with 30 of our closest friends.  It was after 4am, with no bus in sight.  The person in charge seemed very pensive, and we knew that something was just not right.  Apparently, dispatch for the busses for all the guest hotels did not get the memo that the race was starting at 6am.  It was now just after 5am, and everyone (I’m guessing around 50 runners) were all downstairs, and in a mild state of panic.  Ten minutes later, three busses arrived, and we scrambled to get a seat.  The starting line was only 15 minutes away; you could hear a collective sigh of relief when we got there.  We met up with Doug, who would be running the South course.  

The race started by Cocoa Riverfront Park, which is located by Cocoa Village.  It was very pretty, and the street was roped off for the South course (on the left), and the North course (on the right).  5,533 runners (4,712 for the half; 821 for the full) took their mark, and we were off and running.  Lindsey had not run too much recently, and we debated doing intervals.  I set my watch, but we would only do it if we were hurting.  Thankfully, we ran the entire race.  We never actually looked at a course map, but I guess we would be running past the space center.  Boy was I wrong.  The entire race (which was an out-and-back) had very expensive homes on one side, and water on the other.  The closest we got to anything was the vehicle assembly center off in the distance.  Don’t get me wrong…the course was very scenic; just not what I expected.  It was comparable to Gasparilla or Mount Dora, but I was hoping for rocket ships!  It was foggy most of the morning, which kept the sun at bay.  I had a relatively easy run, but Lindsey had some shin splints early on.  The finisher medals were outstanding, and we also got a beach towel.  The best part of the race…I beat Doug 😀.  The after party was amazing, with everything from pancakes to pizza (and of course beer).  Doug was nice enough to drive us back to our hotel, where Lindsey took a shuttle to the Orlando Airport.

         All in all, it was a fantastic weekend.  I’m not really sure what all the hype was about, but I would certainly recommend this race.  Nice course, outstanding bling, and a great way to end your Thanksgiving weekend. KEEP TRACK OF MY RUNNING ON

[gatorjbone]

GEORGIA HALF MARATHON - March 18, 2018

Georgia on my mind…but Lindsey in my heart. Full disclosure…I have really enjoyed having a “running buddy” for the past two years.  Sure, Lindsey is much faster than me, but it was a pleasant change from the “lone wolf” life.  I did this race two years ago, and was anxious to try it again.  Lindsey was totally onboard, and we booked our flights.  It was a few weeks before the race when a bittersweet turn of events would put her participation in jeopardy.  Lindsey accepted a new position with the Weather Channel, and would be moving to New York.  Her first week was right before the race, but she was determined to do whatever she could to fly into Atlanta.  After exhausting every possibility, we came to the somber conclusion that breaking the bank was the only way to get a flight from NYC to Atlanta on such short notice..  Rachel was already committed to a USY convention in Tampa, so it literally looked as if I would be “flying solo.”  In a truly selfless act, Glenda stepped up to the plate and offered to be my companion for the weekend.  It was smack-dab in the middle of tax season, and she had been putting in outrageous hours at the office.  Nevertheless, a weekend away was a good remedy to recharge her creative batteries. We flew in Friday afternoon, and stayed at the Hyatt Regency.  They were the host hotel this year, as there was a good amount of construction going on in front of the Omni.  We really liked this place, and the layout is very reminiscent of the Contemporary in WDW.  We grabbed lunch at Max Lager’s, which was less than one block away from the hotel.  The food was excellent, and we polished off the meal with their famous Fried Cheesecake.  Yes…it was as good as it sounds.  We then went to the expo, which was conveniently located in the hotel.  WHAT A DISSAPOINTMENT!  Two years ago, the expo was at the Georgia World Congress Center; I made several purchases, including two jackets.  The expo this year was tiny, and I couldn’t even make a pity purchase.  I would expect an expo like this for a race with 1,000 people or less; not nearly 7,000 runners.  The race shirt was very similar to the one from two years ago, but at least it was green for St. Patrick’s Day.  Back up to the room, Glenda pretty much passed out, and I watched the NCAA basketball tournament.

  We made plans to have lunch on Saturday with Susan, Betsy, and Mark.  They all live in Atlanta, and it was a great opportunity to get together.  Betsy and Mark picked us up at the hotel, and we met Susan at Marlow’s Tavern.  With the St. Patrick’s Day parade taking place, the trip to Marlow’s was a bit more time-consuming (and scenic) than expected.  We had a great time catching up, but for some reason, I wasn’t feeling that great.  We checked out the start and finish of the race, as it was moved just a bit because of all the construction.  A couple offered us their tickets to the CNN tour; it pretty much sucked.  Back at the hotel, it was now my turn now to pass out.  It got too late to go out for supper, so we ordered in some chow from room service.

    The race start on Sunday was at 7am, with my particular wave going off at 7:12am.  6,563 runners took their mark (1,008 for the full; 4,555 for the half), with the temperature around 53°.  For reasons I can’t fully explain, I was a little disappointed in the course two years ago.  I think my expectations were too high at the time; I realized it later on.  This year, the plan was to soak in each and every mile.  Unlike the previous day, I felt great.  This course was very scenic, and there was no shortage of hills.  Nothing like Mount Dora, Ocala, or Gainesville, but I knew I would be feeling it several days after the race.  Some of the more picturesque highlights include Georgia State University, The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, and Georgia Tech.  All I can tell you is that every inch of the race was aesthetically pleasing; how did I miss that last time?  I felt strong from start to finish, and I can honestly say it was one of the most enjoyable races of my running career.  Glenda was waiting for me as I crossed the finish line, and she was in good position to take a photo.  The medal us just okay, but they did have chocolate milk for the finishers.  The after-party took place in area between the Atlanta Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola.  They had some good snacks, but we needed to get back to the hotel to catch our flight.

      The trip home was very eventful, but not in a positive way.  Some of the highlights included: spending an hour going through TSA, Glenda losing her iPad (thanks TSA), and the television not working on the plane (thanks JetBlue). This is a race I hope to do again, but only of Lindsey runs with me. KEEP TRACK OF MY RUNNING ON

[gatorjbone]

GASPARILLA DISTANCE CLASSIC – February 24 & 25, 2018

My favorite race weekend had finally arrived. Going into my third half marathon in a row, the excitement known as Gasparilla was upon us.  My only concern was how my knee would hold up on back-to-back days of races.  It had been fine the prior weeks, but you never know about these things.  Doug would be joining us again this year, but not the fabulous ladies of Ocala (we banned Doug from our room because of the snoring fiasco from last year).  They all had prior commitments, but I was sure it would just open up the floodgates to create new shenanigans. We met Doug at the hotel around 3pm, and made our way over to the expo.  As silly as this may sound, I really look forward to seeing the race shirts for the first time at the expo (some races show them to you prior to the race weekend).  They are always spectacular, and did not disappoint again this year.  They went in a different direction for the challenge jackets, as it was more of a raincoat than a windbreaker.  Nevertheless, it was very nice, and the colors weren’t too shabby (orange and blue).  Spoiler alert…I did not buy a jacket from the official merchandise booth!  I know that’s shocking, but it looked too similar to last year’s model.  This is a very nice expo, and I was able to pick up some accessories.  We later got together with some of Doug’s friends at Fergs Live, which is right across the street from the hockey arena.  It was not crowded at all; I wish we knew about this place three years ago!  A quick stop back to the expo after dinner, and then lights-out for our big day tomorrow.

  Here are the numbers for the weekend: 15K:       6,511 5K:         13,206 Half:       6,303 8K:         5,524 Total:     31,544 (around 400 less than last year).

The three of us signed up for the Amber Challenge, which is everything except the 8K.  We met up with Terri at the starting line, which was a very pleasant surprise.  She agreed to run with us during the 15K, but I don’t know that she truly knew what she had signed up for (I have become progressively slower, and then there are all the visits to the bushes).  Lindsey was going to run by herself, and Doug was sticking it out with me.  I made my first bathroom trip around two miles into the race; that was the last I saw of Terri  😎.  It was extremely hot and humid, but the conversation helped us overcome the “swap-like” conditions.  Around the four-mile mark, we decided to do 3 x 1 intervals.  This really helped, even though my knee was feeling great.

            Once the race was over, Doug told us he would not be running in the 5K.  He had some free money at the Hard Rock Casino, and would be gambling instead.  Lindsey and I walked the 5K, which seemed to take forever.  We grabbed our celebratory beer at the “after party,” and went back to the hotel room to shower.

    I received a message from Erin, whom I’ve known since fourth grade.  She lives in Tampa, and wanted to meet us for lunch.  This was very exciting, since I hadn’t seen her since our last high school reunion.  Once Doug came back, we met Erin and her daughter at Columbia Restaurant, which is a mainstay of Gasparilla race weekend.  It was fun catching up, and Erin’s daughter was truly a breath of fresh air.  We took them to the expo after lunch for some free ice cream samples, which really hit the spot.  After we said our goodbyes, it was now down to business…nap time!  We were out for a pretty long time, so we ate supper in the hotel.  The service was very slow, but they made amends by giving us our food for free.  Despite our extended slumber, we had no trouble falling asleep right away.

The half marathon started at 6am, which was an hour earlier than Saturday’s 15K.  This was a good idea, as it was going to be another scorcher.  Lindsey was going to run with me, and Doug wanted to try and stay with one of the pace groups.  Lindsey and I had predetermined that we would run 3 x 1 intervals, but she could take off anytime she became bored. Once the race started, I was pleasantly surprised how good I felt (it must have been the nap).  No pain at all in the knee, and bathroom breaks were at a minimum.  There was a good amount of cloud cover before the sun came up, but that was short-lived.  This may have been the hottest half marathon I’ve ever run (85° when all was said and done).  We saw fellow “Turtles” Amy, Debbie, and Liza early on, which is always an added bonus to any race.  Lindsey left me at the nine-mile mark, and I was dripping like a faucet.  As I crossed the finish line, I could not get over just how good my knee felt.  Not even one twinge the entire weekend.  Of course the medals were first-rate, as I mugged for as many photos as possible.  Walking over to the food area, we saw many runners holding bunches of bananas.  Our initial reaction was why so many?  It became obvious, as some very overzealous volunteers were giving them out that way.  I felt like a schnorrer walking back to the hotel.

              This Gasparilla Distance Classic traditionally coincides with Disney Princess.  I would like to give that race a shot, but I can’t imagine giving up my annual trip to Tampa.  This is why I run!

  KEEP TRACK OF MY RUNNING ON

[gatorjbone]

5 POINTS OF LIFE HALF MARATHON - February 18, 2018

“The second part of the “Reunion Tour” brings me back to my happy place. It had been two years since I’ve participated in this race, since scheduling issues put it up against Gasparilla.  Lindsey had Jacqui’s wedding, so I would be making the drive up to Gainesville by myself. I booked a room at the Hilton University of Florida, which is literally right across the street from the start of the race.  I obviously could have stayed with Jen (or Paula and Bill), but I’ve never had a good enough excuse to stay at this hotel.  I drove up Saturday morning, and met Jen and Mary at the Hilton.  They were not running in the race, but they were kind enough to meet me for lunch.  The expo was right next door, so I picked up my race packet before we stuffed our faces.  I will say one thing about this event…the design for the shirts and the medals are always very creative.  Unfortunately, the quality is always lacking just a bit; it is understandable.  With 653 participants (77 for the marathon, and 653 for the half marathon), they would probably be financially hard-pressed to do something on a more grandiose scale; I am certainly not complaining.  We met Mary’s son and daughter-in-law at the restaurant (both very nice), and then did a bit of shopping at the UF Bookstore.  I picked up a sub at Publix for supper, and stayed in for a night of college basketball.  Not having to get up super early was certainly a benefit of staying so close.

Making my way to the starting line, I spotted Terri, Tara, and Debbie.  It was nice to see some familiar faces, even though we would not be running together (they are all faster than me).  The temperature was around 67°, which was about 8° warmer than originally predicted.  Once we started, I knew it was going to be a great event.  As I’ve mentioned countless times before in this blog, I LOVE THIS RACE!  Being in Gainesville really gets my adrenaline going, and the knee could not have felt better.  I was originally going to do intervals, but scrapped the mission way before the gun even sounded.  I really took the time to soak in each and every mile, which made those enormous hills more bearable.  I met some really nice folks along the way, and the crowd support was not bad at all.

    It was all smiles crossing the finish line, and I’m always impressed with the post-race food assortment.  After a brief walk back to the hotel, I was on the road.  This is a first-class event (Ocala should take notes).

  This was my eighth time participating in this race; I hope there are at least eight more opportunities. KEEP TRACK OF MY RUNNING ON

[gatorjbone]

26.2 WITH DONNA HALF MARATHON - February 11. 2018

The “Reunion Tour” kicks off with half marathon #50. Due to scheduling conflicts, I have not been able to participate in this race since 2012.  If you are a loyal follower of this blog, you know it was around 18° when the race started (and it never really warmed up) when I last ran in Jacksonville.  Once I signed up for this year’s event, it seemed as if everyone else followed suit.  I’m not saying I’m a trendsetter, but it was quite a coincidence.  Mary’s sister was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, and she was running the full marathon in her honor.  She also formed two relay teams, so she would have lots of company throughout the race (both Pam and Elaine would be joining the party as well).  Since it was apparent that all of the cold weather had made its way out of Florida, we could expect some tropical conditions during the race. I picked up Lindsey from work on Friday afternoon, and arrived at Cyndy and Al’s house around 8pm.  Elaine drive down from North Carolina, but she was staying too far away to meet up for dinner.  We ate at Bento (of course), and spent the rest of the evening watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Saturday morning, we met up with Pam, Elaine, Mary, Tara, Haidee, and the rest of the Turtles at the expo.  The race shirt was extremely nice (long sleeve), but the expo was sub-par. They had some official race merchandise, but only with the breast cancer ribbon; not the race name.  As we parted ways with the ladies, Cyndy and Al took us to the Mossfire Grill for lunch. The food was very good, and we were joined by Lindsey’s friend Jordan.  He works for the city of Jacksonville during many events, and the two of them have been friends since there were “tweens.”  We walked around one of the parks after that, ordered in pizza for supper, and went to bed before 11pm.

The race route had changed since the last time I participated.  The DONNA Full Marathon, Half Marathon and Marathon Relay events now start at ATP Tour Blvd. in Ponte Vedra Beach. The official race finish, and the finish of breast cancer, is at Mayo Clinic.  Al graciously volunteered to drop us off and pick us up for the event.  We got to the start around 6am, and immediately met up with everyone.  There were two unexpected surprises for this race: Jill came down from Georgia to participate, and Pam would be running the full with Mary.  Pam had not trained for a full marathon at all, but wanted to give Mary support, in what could only be described as a totally selfless gesture.

    As 3,423 runners made their way to the start (722 for the full; 2,701 for the half), the temperature was now 67°.  The race started in waves, but it only took us about ten minutes to get going. If you care at all about four beautiful beach communities in Northeast Florida along historic coastal A1A, then this is the race for you.  The crowd support was fantastic, with many of the residents setting up tables outside of their homes.  They were offering everything from water, Gatorade, and Jell-O shots, to words of encouragement.  Despite the fact that my knee felt good (and I had lots of energy), I seemed to be running in slow motion.  Mary and her squad caught up to us two miles into the race, so we ran with them for the next few miles.  They were doing 2 x 1 intervals, and it allowed me to keep pace with everyone.  Once we got to the point where we split up (the full marathoners went straight and the half marathoners turned), Lindsey took off on her own.  I continued to run my sluggish pace, but was truly enjoying myself.  The last three miles were over the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge, and I ran the entire time (except the uphill parts).  I crossed the finish line very strong, and met up with Lindsey, Jordan, Cyndy, and Al for some post-race celebration.  In a move that had us all scratching our heads, there was free beer for everyone; you needed a drink ticket for water and soda.  After packing and showering, we had lunch at the Flying Iguana in Neptune Beach.

      On the drive home, Elaine called us to report that Mary and Pam had finished the race.  They had to walk the last few miles, but no physical ailments were reported.  At the end of the day, smiling faces, pride, and no regrets. The “Reunion Tour” continues next week, as this young man returns to the promised land. KEEP TRACK OF MY RUNNING ON

[gatorjbone]

MIAMI HALF MARATHON - January 28, 2018

Miami “Not-So” Famous. To the best of my recollection, this was the eighth time I’ve participated in this event.  With the exception of two years ago, I have always had to pleasure of running with at least one guest “celebrity” from out of town.    This year would be no different, as I picked up Elaine from the airport on Friday morning.  Unfortunately, some of the enthusiasm would fade, but I’m getting a little ahead of myself. We went straight to Runner’s Depot from the airport. They were putting on their own “mini” expo, with everything 20% off.  I purchased a pair of running shorts, which will be proudly featured in my race photos.  I asked Renee if we could take the early bus down to the expo on Saturday around 10am, and come home on the late bus at 4:30pm.  She was very willing to accommodate us, and would let me know later that day.  We met Glenda and Joyce for lunch, and got the word from Renee that it was a go.  Yay…I wouldn’t have to drive to Miami two consecutive days! After the debacle last year at Marlins Park, the expo was moved back to Mana Wynwood.  Rachel had never been to Wynwood, and wanted to spend the day with us for food, fun, shopping, and photography.  The expo was pretty crowed when we got there, but it was fun being able to take our time, and look through all of the merchandise.  For some reason, Lindsey and I were put in the last corral, but we were able to straighten it out and move ahead a little bit.  Since most of the corrals were already at capacity, we were only able to go from corral “K” to corral “J.” After our shopping spree (which included a jacket, a hat, and a shirt), we grabbed lunch at the Wynwood Diner.  I must say, the “Brioche French Toast” was the best French toast ever!  It was now time to visit the Wynwood Walls. The Wynwood Walls was conceived by the renowned community revitalizer and placemaker, the late Tony Goldman in 2009. He was looking for something big to transform the warehouse district of Wynwood, and he arrived at a simple idea: “Wynwood’s large stock of warehouse buildings, all with no windows, would be my giant canvases to bring to them the greatest street art ever seen in one place.” Starting with the 25th–26th Street complex of six separate buildings, his goal was to create a center where people could gravitate to and explore, and to develop the area’s pedestrian potential.  At this point, I became Rachel’s personal photographer, and was able to capture the beauty of both her and the walls.  Once we arrived home, it was an early dinner, and an even earlier bedtime, in anticipation for the big day tomorrow.

      We arrived in our usual parking spot around 4am; the temperature was a delightful 65 degrees.  Elaine was running the full, and was in one corral ahead of us.  16,585 runners entered this race (13,732 for the half, and 2,853 for the full), which was around 500 less than last year.  Lindsey wanted to run by herself and try to PR.  Translated..."You're too slow for me."  Once the gun sounded, it took about 45 minutes for us to start the race.

  I felt really good, and the peeing was kept to the minimum.  I had no pain in my knee at the start, so it actually felt okay to run up the bridge.  I caught up with Amy and her friend Yvonne around the four mile mark, as we were making the turn to run on South Beach.  Even though I was running pain free, my pace was unusually slow…even for me.  I was a little disappointed, but I’ll take it over a swollen knee anytime.  I started to feel a bit tired around nine miles into the race, but I think it was because of the heat (it was now around 74°) more than anything else.  Considering my last race was 32°, you could probably consider this a heat wave.  With two miles left to go, I caught up again with Amy & Yvonne.  They were walking, so I assumed they were doing intervals.  Amy told me that Yvonne was having major IT band pain, and she could not run.  Since my time was shot to hell at this point anyway, I decided to be a Good Samaritan and stay with them.  Amy and I had a really good conversation, but we really felt bad for Yvonne.  With one-half mile left, I decided to run it in for the cheesy photo-opp.  Lindsey met me at the finish line, and was grinning ear-to-ear.  It didn’t take a psychic to figure out she must have set a PR.  The post-race food was very good, not to mention the medals.

         We walked back to the car, changed into dry clothes, and met Elaine as she crossed the finish line.  She was not happy at all with her finishing time, but it certainly wasn’t terrible by my standards.  All excuses aside, it was 25° when she left North Carolina.  I took Elaine to the airport later that night, and another successful Miami run was in the books.  Of course, she would be signing up next year.

At this point, I would be ending the blog with a clever line or two.  However, there would be a very disturbing set of events that would forever put an asterisk on this race. Later that night, Lindsey and I were looking online at our race photos.  For some reason, we could not pull up anything on Elaine.  Not even her finishing time.  We let her know; she thought it was odd as well. Elaine called me on Monday, and was beside herself.  She received an email back from the President/CEO saying: Hi Elaine, Determined by multiple points on the course and unrealistic paces in your time you were disqualified. DISQUALIFIED???  ELAINE??? The same Elaine who gave a homeless person sleeping outside the parking garage $10 earlier that morning?  Elaine is one of the most law-abiding citizens you will ever meet.  In fact, when the two of us ran this race back in 2014, they prematurely closed the Rickenbacker Causeway. This would have knocked two miles off of the race.  The two of us looked at each other and said we are not taking a medal for a full marathon if we do not run 26.2 miles.  We then proceeded to make up our own route to get the extra mileage in.  Yeah…that Elaine. Her response was brief, and to the point: Dear Josh: Please see the 3 attachments.  The first one shows my start time and overall finish as well as the course.  The next two pictures are my laps, mile by mile.  As you can clearly see I did not deviate from the course.  I would like a full explanation as to why I was disqualified as well as a full refund.  This is not acceptable.  I look forward to hearing from you in the morning. Sincerely, Elaine Trettel (who does not cheat) If I just looked at the mile-by-mile times (not knowing it was Elaine), I would think the runner probably stated out too fast, and ran out of steam towards the end.  Of course, Elaine stopped to shoot (and post) several videos & photos throughout the race.  I held off publishing this blog until the final verdict was in: Hey Elaine, All is updated. It wasn't my call the RD had you out. But now you are back in because of this data! Thanks for supplying that. Best Regards, Josh Stern President/CEO In the end, the “good guys” always prevail!

KEEP TRACK OF MY RUNNING ON