Clearwater Marathon Race Report
(better late than never)
(Garmin stats: 26.46 mi, 03:27:06, 07:49 pace)
Miles 0-5: 7:50, 7:20, 7:27, 7:30, 7:09
Last year I ran the first mile too fast, so this year I was hoping that if I ran the first mile a little slower I might have a better overall race. I also had a goal to make the first mile the slowest mile of the race. Other problem I had last year was cramping in my calves starting about mile 17, goal was to avoid that also. First goal was easy enough except I had to run a little faster than I wanted after stopping to retie one of my shoes. First mile finishes at the top of the Clearwater memorial bridge and then has about a 1/3 mile downhill for the start of the second mile, so it felt easy to get onto a faster pace. Third mile was flat and fourth mile was mostly flat except for the end where it finishes part of the way up the Sand Key bridge. Fifth mile had a good section of downhill on the bridge followed by the big group of Striders manning the Sand Key water stop, loudest cheering second only to Boston near Wellesley College.
Miles 6-16: 7:24, 7:26, 7:25, 7:20, 7:27, 7:32, 7:32, 7:16, 7:26, 7:29, 7:48
These were all pretty good miles. I was running behind a pack and feeling pretty good, eventually caught up to many of them. I went over the Park Blvd bridge back to the mainland and new there were a few slightly uphill miles ahead but was feeling pretty good.
Miles 17-26: 8:21, 8:16, 8:18, 8:43, 8:31, 8:31, 8:46, 8:30, 8:24, 7:59, 0.35 @7:13
My pace dropped and I couldn't seem to get it back as I approached the Pinellas trail. Honestly, it was a nice day out and I was overcome with the urge to enjoy the day and just take it easy. But only half of me thought that, the other half wanted to continue on. At about mile 20 I heard a voice from behind, "are you ok buddy?" - it was Joe, cruising by on his way to a big PR. I was also playing tag team with a guy doing a run walk, which helped. Everytime I thought I was way ahead and come back and pass me up. And then there was Oliver, who has been beeting me throughout the year at various races. But really no nicer guy out there. When he passed me I managed to stop slowing down after I hit my slowest at 8:46. Towards the end of the last mile it felt like a real race. Running up the street, getting close to the helix back down toward the finish line:
Summary notes:
Great conditions, started out reasonable (7:50 pace), then picked it up. Got faster during the mid miles, until about mile 17. My pace dropped and it became hard to hold the new pace. Finally, at about mile 21 I actually used my math brain which said keep it under 9:00 for the rest and I'll stay under 3:30 which became my new goal. I tagged team with a guy doing run-walk for the last 10 miles and eventually stayed ahead of him but he later thanked me for helping him speed up each time I past him.
Great to see Joe breezing by me about mile 20 and finishing 4 minutes faster than me. Cheering support was awesome with the Striders water stop on Sand Key, the mobile cheering squad who intercepted me about 5 times with two little ones along to help. Boosted by seeing Chris Coffin at mile 22 who I was too dazed to see and finally Jamie and Cynthia at mile 24.
Late in the 20's Ollie passed me and I managed to keep him in sights until the end - it was a good tow to the finish with last mile at 7:58.
Also, I didn't cramp up this time, just 11 minutes slower than last year.
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