For this one, like most in this event’s history, I knew it would be warm. All the bouncing around leading up to Sunday wasn’t of concern to me. I had been doing some of the recommended “stay off your feet” even with expo and all the PBRR duties we undertake because of being associated with the race and its management.
The whole weekend was fun and full of activity. I was on expo duty Friday and Saturday. Our new PBRR colorful tent was a hit at the pre-race expo and on the Start/Finish line all day Sunday…
I arrived Sunday at 4:05 am, parked at my office which is 6 blocks from the start/finish line area. I helped with the setup of our club tent on the hill next to the race. Then to the water stop that PBRR was co-hosting with U.S. Polo Assn. the new title sponsor to help get the tents and some of our volunteers in place. We were also responsible for beer sales and receiving tips, that whole area thankfully was setup Saturday afternoon. I took a short jog with maureen and Kerry down to the Truist bank on Flagler Drive and back in hopes that this would stir up any need to visit the restroom. All this had to happen BEFORE we took our team photo and got in the corral. I had a water bottle with me to start and no concerns about fitness or nutrition prior to the launch.
The race started on time, perhaps one of the new improvements made! I had a man named Darren with me; he wore a blue golf polo shirt in the corral. I thought he might have been with WPBF news, nope, he moved from Maryland and has some shirts to get rid of as throw-aways he exclaimed. I also had in my group a local gal named Grace who was in the half marathon, my friend and hair maestro, Kimmie in for the half, a tall guy named Atley running 26.2, two “new to the area” girls doing the marathon named Erica and Graciella, plus a few young girls in matching red sports bras and bottoms. These two were very active posting on social media as we waited in the start area. I had already drunk 80mg of SIS Beta Fuel on my drive in to downtown, I’d eaten an apple and a Salt Stick capsule. I had both the capsules and the chewable salt with me; I took them at good times during my whole race.
We started and didn’t have too much of an issue getting to the proper 9:20-ish pace in the first mile and a half. My pacer stick came with a pace chart, plus I had one on my belt. Each was created in a very small type font, so I wasn’t too concerned with my splits for the first few miles. I knew at a glance we were doing things well in the dark. I heard the event had over 30% more entrants. There were 2700 half marathoners and 1100 marathon runners. The additional athletes this year meant that once Flagler Drive thinned out on the north side to become a smaller neighborhood road, we really had a thick line of runners using up the width of the road. Atley, Darren and Kimmie were steady and always with me. I chatted a bit about where I knew the street had some rough patches of concrete so that people would watch their step in the dark. Once we got up near the Rybovich Marina, I spoke about the hot new restaurants in town and some of the very large yachts and their owners. It was up here right about at mile 3 where we encountered a water stop that was definitely not ready for us. They didn’t have a lot of volunteers, and many cups were just lying on the table filled for the taking. It was kind of like a “help yourself” hydration station! We continued at the same pace up to the Manatee Lagoon turnaround spot, then we became the parade on the way back down south. I saw the other pace groups and many friends coming at me. Prior to mile 5 it had become lighter out due to the sunrise. I was able to check in with our total time and found we were merely 3 minutes off perfect pacing. I encouraged all of my runners to start using their nutrition when we left manatee lagoon, I took my very first Neversecond gel right around mile five. I reminded my squad to stay ahead of their thirst, taking small water at each station because the cups are only 5 oz and they’re never full ~ so you’re really not getting a lot of hydration whether you choose Gatorade or water.
It was good encountering Maria Urso and her pace group, she was wearing the “Happy Birthday” sash and tiara we got for her. I think many of the other pace groups also chimed in and had their runners wish her a happy birthday with each out and back we encountered. We headed south and thankfully still had good cloud cover as we returned to the wide section on Flagler Dr. adjacent to the under construction Currie Park. We were good and on pace all the way back to the start and finish area, Miles 7-8. This is one of the more exciting places because we get the most amount of spectators, friends, family and music from the DJ and announcer stand. Next we passed the relay station where I know plenty of the runners, and onto the South segment of the course once crossing under the Okeechobee Rd. Bridge.
At this point the south section of Flagler drive was not in the sun. We glided through those 2 1/2 miles staying within 5 or 6 seconds of ideal pacing. I was now picking up a few people who could not stay with Prasantha’s two hour group. I encourage them to run with me and when they got to the Family Church steeple, they could dash in for their final 3/4 of a mile. Some of the half marathoners were very grateful for the assistance and I kept reminding anyone with the red colored bib number that we would be favoring the left side of the road to go around the back of the stage area while the half marathoners went on to their finish. I saw Kimmie had fallen back maybe 100 meters but gave me a wave as she ran towards the finish line. My marathoner group went into the shade on Narcissus Ave to begin lap #2.
The second lap is interesting because the road looks completely different, there are so many less people compared to the first go around. It was interesting to see the lead marathoner coming at us as we ran past the north bridge. This means that this runner was approximately 6 miles ahead of us already! I make sure to point out these things to the runners in my group. At Mile 14 I had Darren and a tall lady who just ran next to us but didn’t chat or acknowledge anything I said. I think with music in her ears because I never found out her name. The sun started to come out, but at this point it was behind us. There were breezes swirling around and the day was definitely noticeably humid. I remembered to take the salt chewable or capsule pills at a regular interval of approximately each 4 miles. I wasn’t feeling any problem having taken another gel at mile 10 and now I was lining up to take a third SIS Beta gel near mile 15. We made our way on pace back up to the Manatee Lagoon as a small group. Darren was running strong sometimes a tiny bit ahead of me, but we always manage to come back together again. We saw other pace groups coming now north towards us. They were also smaller than before. The morning clouds had provided our final bit of shade as we turned around at mile 17 to head south. We were also hiding behind some of the condos and neighborhood trees. Once we got to the wide section of Flagler Drive (near mile 18 and 19), we were still on a good pace but now fully exposed to the sun on the four-lane wide street. Darren was doing good next to me but really wasn’t as chatty as he was in the first half. I saw a few people I knew at the very active aid station staffed by the William T. Dwyer High School runner kids. It was time to bear down and stare at the sun which had now risen higher than any of the clouds. We had no more tall buildings to hide behind on Flagler Drive, it’s a nice long palm tree lined avenue. We passed mile 20 and then back through the exciting segment near the race headquarters. A few other folks had dropped down from earlier pace groups but they usually didn’t stay with me too long. I had a very good welcome back to the main event area, this came from even more spectators and the half marathon folks who had already finished their race. I did not take a gel at Mile 20, it didn’t feel like I was missing anything or in need of any more energy. We headed south under the bridge and onto the sunny 2.5 miles for miles 22 and 23. On the way back up after the turn around, I felt the inside of my right leg tightening up. I thought this was a bit unusual usually it’s the smaller muscles that start to pucker first, like Achilles and lower calf area. I was running alone with Darren in Mile 24 when I said to him that I would be walking through the next aid station because I made sure I got good fluids and the cup of water over my head.
When things become challenging physically, there seems to be a point where you have to decide whether it’s better to stop and address what’s happening, or just shut up and continue. The hope is that you don’t get “paralyzed” by cramps or pain another mile down the road if you decide not to stop. I thought by pausing and then slowly picking back up (only 30 or 40 meters behind Darren) I would be able to catch him. But then the other leg also started acting up and feeling a strain in the large adductor muscle that runs up the inside of your leg. Now I had to decide if I was going to try and wobble through this thing to the next aid station or take planned run and walk breaks to stay somewhat near my assigned pace. Darren was still in sight because the road is straight and very well lit by a full and hot sun.
I alternated between running and walking about the last mile and 1/4 of the course. When I got to the shady final finish straight away at Mile 26, I really had both legs cramping up hard. I walked again a short bit and then ran down the final finishing corral. I finished late in 4:09. I was pretty locked up when it was time to walk out of the finishing chute and up the small hill to our club tent area.
I knew it was going to be hot out, and I did all the things I would normally do to support this activity for four plus hours in this weather. I don’t know if it was a weekend full of hopping around running around and doing many things but it was surprising to me it’s such an easy pace to still have leg muscles acting up. I took the gels I took the salt pills and I drank plenty of water on the course.
The 21st running of this race, done and wrapped!
-dm
drun4fun 