The expo Friday & Saturday was very windy, a sign of what Sunday’s event would entail. The Pacer tent was positioned next to our PBRR tent which was nice, I tended to both most of each day with help on each side from club members and pacers.
Sunday I arrived at 4:15 am to move the tents to their spot on the berm overlooking the START/FINISH line. I had some help from the K2 Road Sports guys, it was a challenge getting the weights and tents positioned properly. The wind wanted them badly! Anne Carroll and Bryan S. came early to watch the tent, that allowed the pacers and our runners to have a safe place for their phones and keys while they ran. The pacer pic was on time, then I made a last visit to the restroom before lining up and speaking with runners.
Sara Hughes, my star runner from Space Coast half two weeks ago found me, she wanted to start with me then speed up to a sub-2 hour finish. Kimmie, my hairdresser, came to my group saying the 2:05 half finish was just what she needed for today. As I gathered a group of friends and others that had run with me in previous years, the sky opened up. Sheets of rain and wind blasted the athletes as they waited for the National Anthem to be sung (well done!) and the race to begin. We waited as the rain slowed and finally began running into the NE wind.
I had a full group of half marathon runners, plus some marathoners that planned to stay along with me the whole way. Michelle and Julia were happy to have someone that would help them get close to 2 hours, even though they hadn’t trained for that speed. Julia was in her first ever marathon, Michelle in her second 26.2 race. They were friends and came to the event together. I also had a guy named Bob, who completed Ironman Florida last month in something near 6 hours for his run segment. His marathon PR was 4:50-ish so he looked to stay with me to get a personal best time.
Another guy in a Puerto Rico singlet was with my group for the first 20 miles, then he broke away a to a great finish, I didn’t get his name.
The “dark miles” (first hour) went by smoothly, our first mile wasn’t too far off the 9:30 pace we would have to average to get our goal time. We were running against the strong wind for the first 2 miles, then we ducked out of the way into suburbia. I held my sign low by my head as it was buffetted by the wind plenty of times. For nutrition, I drank The Right Stuff at home before the drive, and Maurten 160 on the drive to WPB. I had salt pills and 4 Maurten gels with me for the day. Even though it wouldn’t be a physically demanding race, the humidity and weather could make 42,000 steps arduous. My group was nicely formed behind me on the first 4 miles up to the Manatee Lagoon. I told stories and explained about the “King Tides” that never really made an appearance on either of the day’s two laps. The road by Currie Park had been newly repaved as of the last 10 days, that was nice. That’s been a bad section pf road in past years, good to see that repaired. We saw the lead runners and motorcycle escort, that’s neat because at this race I sometimes know a few of the frontrunners.
My group was going along confidently at the turn around and then back down towards Northwood neighborhood. I took salt pills at every four miles and a Maurten gels at 5, 10, 16, 20. I had to have over 10 runners with me approaching mile 6. We now came out of the neighborhood and ran with a side breze or tailwind.
Now in daylight, the run south towards the START/FINISH area looks different. We stayed together at the proper pace, I reminded the half marathoners that we do run next to the Finish area at our Mile 8, they’d get a chance to see friends and family and the energy boost of the music and race announcing. Then we pass the lively relay exchange station, also providing a boost with good cheering and encouragement. Maybe some in the group didn’t gather that this is my home race, one guy said,”I’ve never heard so many cheers for the pacer, even more than for us runners!”
Next we went under the Okeechobee bridge and south – watching the race leaders pass us on the other side of the road. Most of the group was still along with me, pacing at a good 9:3x minute per mile average. It’s 2.5 miles south on well-shaded Olive Avenue then 2.5 miles back north to the end of Lap #1. People in the half marathon were happy to hide out of wind on Olive Avenue. My two marathoner gals, Michelle and Julia stayed right with me and close.
We ran up thru Sunset Park area and back onto windy Flagler Drive. I prepared the half marathoners to go straight and get their medals. A few ran ahead once they can aroound the Phillips Point buildings and saw how close we were to the end for them. We came up around the Meyer Amphitheater stage and probably crossed the timing chip mat a few seconds later than perfect pacing – we slowed coming up to the Lap #1 course split.
Kimmie was a few steps behind us but later sent me a text saying how helpful it was running start to finish with my group. She had started with me in previous years but faded back.
Text from Kimmie after the race…
Second lap – we ran as a group of 5, the two ladies Michelle and Julia right alongside. Michelle spent a few miles running about 200m ahead of us, but she would drift back to be at our pace before the final miles. I continued the gel every 5 miles and salt pill each 4 miles fueling. I had Gatorade at a few aid stations only when I couldn’t get water. Sometimes the volunteers weren’t ready and I plucked a cup off of a table myself. It occurred two times on the first lap, I was always able to grab fluids on the second lap with a smaller number of athletes on course. We ran up to the Manatee Center again and kept the core 4-5 runners at the 9:30 ish pace. I didn’t see all of the mile marker signs but I did know to look for the newly made course marking nails in the grouynd near the curb. The course was redone in prep for the possible change to “King Tide” conditions.
We ran back down the route to the START/Finish area, now wind aided just like the first time. My two girls were in good spirits, I reminded them to hydrate and stay ahead of the thirst and keep eating their gels. Once past the race area, Julia and I were running together south and right on time as we passed the Mile 22 sign. A runner in all black clothes, Angel, came up and began running with us at Mile 22. He lasted about a mile and a half before he stopped to walk. We hit the southernmost turnaround and saw him walking towards us.
Another runner came to run at our pace, his name was Miles. He reported he began his day with Ricardo’s 3:30 pace group and here he was looking to scratch out a 4:10+ finish. Like Angel, he lasted a mile with us then faded off the pace. Michelle was back with us now and I reminded both girls they could leave whenever they wanted and get a better time. Julia took that advice, pulling ahead at Mile 24.5. Michelle stayed with me until the final big curve on the course, then she chased her friend down. They were both very happy and appreciative of the pacing. I asked them to wait by the finish for a good picture together, which we did.
Upon coming down the final straightaway, the familiar friends at the Relay Exchange area cheered me in, I think some may have taken a photo but I wasn’t sent any. I high-fived kids on the side of the road and came thru close to the 4:09:30 goal pace, another Palm Beach Marathon done!
-dm
drun4fun 