2012 Bolt Run Race Review

Yesterday was the 11th annual Bolt Run put on by the Tampa Bay Lightning which benefited the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

 It was a great race for me. Felt comfortable the whole way placing 3rd overall and could have taken second if I had wanted to put out the effort at the end. My time was 19:25 due to the course being long. They took us further down Bayshore than they should have messing up everyone's times. Would have loved to have run the right length to see what time would have been.

 Once again, the Bolt Run finds a way to screw things up. After last year's fiasco, it was much better but is getting to the point where if it weren't for the free hockey tickets, I wouldn't bother running it.

 As always, the race amenities were great. One of the best food spreads after any race. Plenty of fruit, pizza and beverage. Shirts were nice as well. Unknown to me and I think to a lot of people there, no age group awards were given. Only top 3 which basically makes the event a fun run for everybody. I was told after the race that they didn't do age groups due to complaints about how long it has taken in the past to get to the awards.

 If they would organize the race correctly, this would not be an issue. The Bolt Run consists a 5 mile, 5K and 1 mile. The 5K starts then the 5 mile starts 30 minutes later. They need to swap this or start the races at the same time. This would allow for the awards to get started in a timely manner. Or, they could just ditch the 5 mile race and stick with the 5K which most people run anyway.

 Odds are, we will probably run the race again next year. Hopefully, the race gets organised correctly like most races and becomes the shining event that it should be.

Jenny, Chris, Emily and I with Thunderbug after the race.

My Road to Boston

With just over two weeks to go until the Boston Marathon, I thought I would reflect on my journey to get to this point.

For some reason, in late 2007, I decided to start running again certainly with no thoughts of ever doing a marathon. I have been quoted as saying that “I will never run a marathon”. My only goal was to have fun, get in better shape and enjoy the competition racing provides. It turned out to be and still is great stress relief and a place I can go to be by myself.

My first race was the Bolt Run 5K in February 2008. This was my first race since just after high school. It was a fun family affair that everyone enjoyed. The free hockey tickets were a nice excuse for everyone to run and was a day we all still talk about. My time was 24:43 getting under the goal of sub-25 minutes. It was a painful experience and I was sore for half the week after.

With more training, the race times slowly came down throughout 2008 which was encouraging. Sometime that summer, we picked up a FL Race Place Magazine from a race that had an ad for the inaugural Daytona Beach Half Marathon. We like NASCAR and thought that would be so cool to run at and on Daytona Speedway, but it was a half marathon! At that point, I had only ever done one back in high school and that sucked.

For the first time ever, I really started learning how to train and how to run. I successfully ran Daytona and enjoyed the experience while being no worse for the wear. It didn’t suck too bad!

Around this time, I saw ads for the Disney Marathon. Crazy thoughts started creeping in my head that I never thought would. I was already faster than I was in high school (I really sucked, I was the kid who got lapped during the mile races at track meets) and starting to enjoy running more and more. I finally decided to do it. I could run the race and take Jenny to Disney knocking out two birds with one stone! When I first mentioned this crazy idea of mine, she laughed and gave me that “are you nucking futs” look, she maybe said it too!

Somewhere between deciding to run a marathon and actually doing it, I learned more about the Boston Marathon. I also learned about the qualifying standards and figured no way in heck would I ever be able to pull that off. Amazingly, something deep in my head wondered if maybe I could.
I got schooled pretty good at Disney 2009 cramping my way through the last miles finishing in 4:20-something. Felt bad for Jenny and Tommy waiting at the finish so long. I didn’t do myself in and didn’t get that “I’ll never do this again” feeling. Good thing since we had already planned to go to Wisconsin to visit Jenny’s friend Carrie for their Relay for Life and run the Green Bay Marathon in May.

Green Bay went much better improving to 3:38. Still cramped but made it further before it happened. Starting outside and getting to run around the inside of Lambeau Field was so cool!

For 2010, planned a fun trip to Kentucky for the Kentucky Derby Marathon in Louisville. But first up was an unplanned marathon. The 10th and final running of the Gasparilla Marathon in Tampa was two months before and I thought I would give it a go since it was a dead flat course, it was the last one ever, and would be a good BQ attempt. Almost everything came together. The weather was great, I didn’t cramp but finished in 3:16:08. That’s right, 9 seconds too slow to qualify for Boston!

It was on to Kentucky two months later. This trip was taking Jenny back to her hometown across the river in Charlestown, IN. This was also our first big family camping trip. We stopped for a couple nights in North Carolina where I had my biggest running highlight ever to that point. After leaving home at 11PM and arriving an hour before a 5K race in Cullowhee, NC at Western Carolina U., I won my first race!

With the breakthrough at Gasparilla fresh on my mind, I went for another BQ attempt at Kentucky. Unfortunately, a few things like warmer weather and a couple hellish hills conspired against me and I reverted back to a time of 3:50 cramping my way over the bridge to Indiana and back. But, as usual, I didn’t toast myself, could walk myself to the car and enjoyed the rest of the day.
For BQ attempt number 5, I planned the Space Coast Marathon in Cocoa, FL. The course is flat and the weather is usually good. Plus it is a cool space theme that we all love.

Everything was coming together. I had a great Summer/Fall racing season, the weather was 45 degrees at the start and my confidence could not have been higher. I knew I was going to do it, everybody told me I was going to do it, and I did!! Ran a pretty flawless race finishing in 3:10:23 five minutes ahead of my needed qualifying time which proved to be a good thing with the new registration process for this year’s race. I sat on Cocoa Beach happy and satisfied that I was finally a Boston Qualifier.

So, here I am, just two weeks away from completing a journey that I never thought possible and still can’t believe. All the preparations are pretty much done. I am ready to go, ready to run my heart out, soak in and enjoy the whole spectacle of an event so big. Boston, here we come…Me and my Minions!!

Maybe this has just been a quest not to be that inadequate feeling, slow high school kid of 20 years ago…And it feels so good! That slow kid has been replaced by a bigger kid full of confidence that he can do things that he didn’t think possible.

Strawberry Distance Challenge 5K Race Report

Ran this race for the 2nd time which takes place in the Walden Lakes development in Plant City. The race is a nice little low-key race with a fast and accurate course.

I went into the race with the mindset of trying not to blast a time and just run fairly comfortable. Ended up finishing in 18:30, 3rd overall and 1st in my age group. Got a medal and a ticket to the Strawberry Festival for the effort.

Should have ended up 5th overall, but one guy who is faster than me re-injured his foot and dropped out after 2 miles. Then, the kid who won MADD Dash the other week took a wrong turn down a road and finished a minute behind me. The kid in front of me also took the wrong turn, but the police officer there caught his attention. It really was a bad spot if you didn't know the course. There was not a sign or marshal present. There was a police cruiser at an angle in the median that made it appear like you should turn, so I can see how someone could make a mistake.

Finishing up with some finely dressed fruit!

2012 Dade City Kumquat Festival 5K Race Report

In a nutshell, I won!! 17:39 Mile splits: 5:57, 6:20 (uphill most of the mile), 5:47. The course was short. They didn't go as far down the road behind the school as they should have and did last year. So, unfortunately, this does not count as a PR but it sure was nice to see sub-18:00 on the clock for the first time.

Beautiful morning for a race, temperature was right at 50 degrees. Doesn't get much better.

The kid who usually wins this race is off to college, so that left me to take on a couple of high school kids. One stayed with me until the turnaround by the school just after mile 1 marker. From there, I was on my own chasing the police escort.

This was my 2nd ever win. It is so much fun actually coming in first and having the crowd clap and cheer as you come in.

The day didn't start off too smoothly as far as the race organizers went. When I got there just after 7 o'clock, there was a line of people waiting to register. They didn't have any forms or t-shirts. Instead of standing and waiting, I went ahead with my usual warmup before registering. I found out that they had only 15 people pre-registered and I am not sure if they ordered any extra shirts. I told them they should try online registration. They said they did on Active.com. I've never seen it on there. I checked when i got home and it wasn't on there. The only thing for Kumquat was for the 5K/10K walk that is a completely separate event. Funny, for both races I have won, I didn't get a shirt for either of them! The organizers should know and be prepared for at least the same number of people as in past years (it's not like this is a 1st year event).

They have a really good 5K course that isn't flat and not so hilly that all can enjoy. They just need to measure it correctly!! They also need to quit with the double dip prizes. I ended up also getting a medal for 1st in my age group.

This could really be a great race that attracts a lot more people if they would market and run it right. Along with the Kumquat Festival, it makes for one of the most enjoyable race days.

And they're off!! 

Rounding the turn for home.

Nice trophy for the collection!

Six Months Until Boston!

Yesterday marked exactly six months until the Boston Marathon. Time to get down to business!!

The next two week will be getting back into the swing of things adding in a couple longer runs before a full 24 week buildup.

Rattlesnake Run Race Review

This past Saturday was the 32nd (I think) annual Rattlesnake Run 5 miler over the hills and through the woods of San Antonio.

Bested last years' time by 1:24 posting a 31:29 good for 2nd in age group and 12th overall.

I took a bit different approach to the race this year. I went out very conservative as the 1st two miles is where you can ruin your day if not careful. First two mile splits were 6:24 and 6:29. The race starts on a small but steep hill for about 50 meters. As you get down the road, you peel off into an orange grove and run behing St. Leo University. You really have to pay attention to your footing and also jump a ditch along the way. This leads you to the make or break hill. It is a 3 tiered hill that isn't real long but is steep. Take this one too fast and you will be gasping for air.

You get some time to recover with only one small hill leading up to the 2 mile mark.

Mile 3 has the next big hill that gets you coming and going. After taking a turn, you have a nice down that goes straight into the up. Run further to the turnaround and do it again. If you can get through here in good shape, you can cruise the final mile where it is mostly flat to downhill with one incline before a downhill finish. I did the last mile in 5:56, so was better than I expected but pretty much as planned.

Nice burnt orange shirts this year. Medals were the same design but different color than the last two years. They are one of the nicer medals you will get.

For only $20, one of the better races around. Wasn't as many runners this year though. Didn't seem like there was as many people at the festival either.

Next up is the Tower 10 miler in Clermont in 3 weeks. Looking forward to a fast time on that one!

2011 Miracle Miles 15K Race Review

Posted a new PR of 01:00:29 for a 6:29/mile pace at last Saturday's Miracle Miles 15K in Orlando.This was 2:27 better than last year and 1:06 better than Gate River earlier this year. I placed 2nd in my age group and 23rd overall out of 1700 runners.

This was the first race in my new Newton MV2s and they performed really well. This was also the first time I ran a race without socks. I had tested the day before with no issues, so I figured it would save some weight from the socks getting wet and sweaty during the race. Worked out pretty well, didn't have any problems with my feet.

They changed the course quite a bit this year. I like this year's course much better. It seemed to go through some more neighborhoods. The previous course was kind of boring. Seemed there was more small rolling hills in the beginning versus the end last year. I didn't have my Garmin with me so wasn't able to map it as run, but I did map it on Map My Run and it came out to a whopping 9.5 miles as compared to 9.36 last year. Kinda ticked as I would have been sub-60 minutes if the course would at least have been the same length as last year.

The weather was hot again. With the 2nd half of the course being mostly in the full sun, that doesn't help. The last stretch through buildings was a nice refresher before the finish.

Was really disappointed with the age group prizes. We got spoiled last year with a pair of Sea World tickets. Sea World was there again, but only supplied maybe 10 pairs to top winners and top charity teams. The age group winners pretty much got shafted with getting a thin made in China metal bottle as a prize.

At least the race raised over $30,000 that goes towards the neonatal hospital, so that is good.

All in all, a good day. Will see if I make it back next year. This race isn't worth the effort to reward to be a must run, but if it fits into my schedule then maybe will do it again. It is a good race with nice shirts and other amenities that will please most people.