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<span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">Warning long</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">Summary: 2nd Marathon</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">3:50:52 Chip</span></span><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">PR by over 18 minutes from 4 weeks ago</span></span><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">310 of 984 finishers (field also had 2000 half marathoners)</span></span><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">51 of 133 in division</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">I signed up for Gasparilla as a redemption run for having a disappointing to me inaugural marathon at Disney last month <a href="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum//showthread.php?t=19390" target="_blank">http://www.kickrunners.com/forum//sh...ad.php?t=19390</a>.</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">I figured with about 10 degrees cooler and less humidity I could achieve my realistic goal time of 3:50 or at the very least break 4 hours. So I signed up for Gasparilla while still early in the 2nd week of my Disney recovery after reviewing the logistics of getting to the 3 or 4 Florida marathons near me in February. Gasparilla was picked mostly because of a race morning bib pick up so I did not have to be away from family for more than necessary.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">Winding down to the race weekend I was having second thoughts about the race. I did not feel as strong as I did for Disney due to lesser miles during the 4 weeks between events. My two longest runs were 12 and 10 miles (any more than that likely would have hurt me). I did not consume myself with carb loading either until Saturday before the race. Also, I had to attend a get together out of town on the east coast with my wife’s family on Saturday before driving up to Tampa. Basically 7 hours of driving all day around the south and west end of the state of Florida.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">I get checked into the hotel a little after 10 PM on Saturday. I wisely overspent and stayed at the Marriot across the street from the convention center (race package pick up) and about 0.25 miles from the starting line.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">Race morning was perfect weather, about 55 degrees with a nice breeze. I picked up my bib at 5:00 AM and had plenty of time to relax back in my room for another 30 minutes before walking towards the start. I find the 3:50 pace setter and wait about 10 minutes for the start. (I like this smaller race format BTW)</span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">Race starts 2 minutes early by my Garmin time, and wanders quickly over a small bridge into a nice residential neighborhood. Not much to see yet due to darkness. We share the course with the halfers for the first 7 miles, so it was moderately crowded at times near sharp turns but not too bad. I get ahead of the 3:50 pacer as it was too crowded to run near her. The course wanders back to downtown right by the finish line and the halfers split off here. The next part of the course was about a 5 mile out and back that was pleasantly not very crowded. It brings us back to the starting line at about mile 12 and we merge with the back end of the halfers for about 2 miles going onto another out and back on Bayshore Blvd. This of course is a 14 mile leg round trip.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';">I was able to hold pace very well through 22 miles. Then the last part of the return out and back was right next to Tampa Bay with about a 15 knot headwind all the way to the finish line. As soon as I lost tree and house coverage after the 22 mile marker I felt my level of exertion pick up and could see my splits drop around 20 secs per mile. I was looking for anyone to help wind break (not break wind) for me but there was not anyone near me. Only a few people past me early in this stretch (including one guy who used me to wind break a bit) and none of them were tall enough or slow enough to assist me. So I moderately struggled and was wondering where the 3:50 pace setter was (with an outside thought of using her group to help with the wind). She finally caught me a mile 25 and she only had two runners still with her. Well by then my legs had enough and I could not hold pace the last 1.2 miles.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">I missed going under 3:50 but I am satisfied with my result. I could not have done much differently. I learned a lot from Disney and was able to apply it to this race but mostly cooler weather, low humidity, and the breeze all help me reach the goal. Unfortunately, the breeze turned into a strong headwind at the end.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">I liked the course and the smaller field overall. People seem friendlier in the smaller fields during and after the race. The race seemed well organized with plenty of gels, Gatorade, and water stops. On the course a few areas of brick pavers and steel grate bridges were annoying. The last four miles back in along Bayshore was cruel with the wind and it would have been tough also if it was a hot day as well since there was no shade. Cool pirate medal and good Columbian restaurant grub post race.</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">Splits from my Garmin</span></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">1 8:46</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">2 8:46</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">3 8:51</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">4 8:54 (long?)</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">5 8:43</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">6 8:35 (avg)</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">7 8:35 (avg bridge)</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">8 8:44</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">9 8:39</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">10 8:50</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">11 8:34</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">12 7:57 (short)</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">13 8:49</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">14 8:48</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">15 8:44</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">16 8:41</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">17 8:41</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">18 8:45</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">19 8:46</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">20 8:50</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">21 8:46</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">22 8:49</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">23 9:10 (15 knt head wind starts)</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">24 9:07</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">25 9:03</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">26.2 11:54 (9:37 pace very dead legs)</span></span><br><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size:medium;">3:50:52 Chip</span></span>
