The Long Run

BDR Safety Harbor Half Marathon

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Location:

FL,

Member Since:

Mar 20, 2007

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

PR's:

  • 1 mile : 5:43 (3/2017)
  • 5K : 18:34 (12/2011)
  • 5 mile : 32:03 (5/2010)
  • 10K : 39:29 (11/2013)
  • 11K: 46:47 (July 2008)
  • Half Marathon : 1:26:47 (11/2012)
  • Marathon : 3:06:34 (02/2010)
  • 50K Trail: 4:34 (01/2012)
  • 50 Mile: 8:34:48 (4/2012)
  • 100K: 11:06 (2/2012)
  • 100 Mile: 24:19:44 (1/2022)

Marathons:

  • Treasure Coast Marathon (FL) - 3:39:51, Mar 2021
  • Towpath Marathon (OH) - 3:35:26, Oct 2019
  • Jacksonville Marathon - 3:31:10, Dec 2018
  • NYC Marathon - 3:49:12, Nov 2017
  • Marine Corps Marathon - 3:27:00, Oct 2016
  • Utah Valley - Jun 2016
  • Marine Corps Marathon - 3:28:12, Oct 2015
  • Pocatello Marathon (ID) - 3:32:25, Sept 2015
  • Chasing The Unicorn (PA) - 3:31:20, Aug 2015
  • Run for The Red (Poconos) - 3:30:40, May 2015
  • Boston - 3:24:42, Apr 2015
  • Clearwater - 3:27:04, Jan 2015
  • Clearwater - 3:16:17, Jan 2014
  • Boston  - 3:27:00, Apr 2011
  • DesNews - 3:10:57, Jul 2010
  • Gasparilla  - 3:06:34, Feb 2010
  • Space Coast - 3:11:29, Nov 2009
  • Estes Park  (7500' and up) - 3:52:19, Jun 2009
  • Boston - 3:17:22, Apr 2009
  • Niagara Falls - 3:19:21, Oct 2008
  • San Diego RnR  - 3:24:18, Jun 2008
  • Jacksonville Marathon -3:21:24, Dec 2007
  • Chicago Marathon - 3:35:08, Oct 2007
  • Disney Marathon - 3:52:34, Jan 2007

 

 

 

 

Short-Term Running Goals:

 

  • Sub 40:00 10K
  • 2:59 Marathon
  • 1:25 Half Marathon
  • 18:30 5K

 

Long-Term Running Goals:

Maintain my health and continuously seek to improve my fitness. Maybe someday get under 3:00 for marathon. More importantly, I'd like to figure out what my maximum ability is and reach that.

I'd also like to find the right balance in life and use running to enhance and improve myself.

 

Personal:

Dad of  three (welcome Charlotte Dani on 8/10/20) awesome kids and stepdad to three almost as awesome as my own kids.

I have a brown dog named Stella, and three cats - Catty, Tortie, and Esperanza.

  (old lines that were a little out of date but couldn't quite bring myself to removing them completely:) Also, have one wonderful brown dog named Sammy and just added a grey tiger cat (Catty) whose life started out rough but now has a better home.

I've recently started another blog so I can easily add lots of pictures and so other non-FRB users can leave comments:

Forward Progress!

 Also, for 2012 I started a blog to write down each day one thing that I am grateful for

Grateful Blog

 

Love living in Florida but love to travel and see the country and rest of the world.

 

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:This week: 20.88 Month: 54.08 Year: 342.30
Brooks T7 Lifetime Miles: 202.78
Brooks ST5 Lifetime Miles: 403.91
GoMeb Speed3 Lifetime Miles: 483.77
Brooks Pure Flow Lifetime Miles: 160.60
Brooks Launch(lobster) Lifetime Miles: 782.98
GoMeb Razor Lifetime Miles: 468.00
Race: BDR Safety Harbor Half Marathon (13.109 Miles) 01:41:28, Place overall: 40, Place in age division: 2
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
1.196.117.000.000.000.000.0014.30

BDR Half Marathon Race Report

Time: 1:41:28, Overall place 40, Age group (50-54) place 2

I signed up for this race about a year and a half ago thinking it would be in March 2020, but it was postponed until this past weekend.  Forgot I'd signed up for it but my son noticed and mentioned it to his Mom.  I almost signed up for the 10K on Saturday at last minute prices, so glad I'd gotten into the half for only $40.  However, wasn't planning on running a half and wasn't really trained but I've been doing enough running to be able to do reasonably ok, maybe even better than expected.

Morning was a little warmer than expected, cold front was on its way (would be cooler by the end of the race).  Warmed up a little with 1 mile easy jogging and attempting a few strides, but they felt kind of flat.  I saw Jenny and Tom and several other people as I went back n forth between my car, packet pickup, and warmup.

This year they had a 1:40 pace group.  I thought that sounded good and decided to stick with the pace group until the last few miles and go ahead if  I felt good (did not end up sticking to that plan).

The first 7 miles were really good.  The first 4 miles I stuck right behind the pacer.  Also in the pace group was my old neighbor Stan (who has beaten me last several races we've been in together) and a guy named Dennis who I run into a lot.

Miles 1 - 4: 7:44, 7:32, 7:30, 7:51

Start line was a little different this year, it's usually a little up the road from the finish line, this year start and finish were the same.  You finish going down a little hill, so the start was going up a little hill this year but I barely noticed it.  The first mile felt good, no problem getting on pace and holding it.  Second mile was about the same, a little bit faster and I had some doubts I'd be able to hold the pace, but tried not to think about it.  We turned into Phillipe Park where there are some small rolling hills, headed north a little bit before turning around (2.8 miles into the race).  A little bit before the turnaround could see the lead runner - it was Tom.  I told the pacer "That's my son".   We continued on and Dennis introduced himself to me.  The last time I saw Dennis, he had set up a small aid station while I was running the Pinellas Trail Challenge on Keystone Road, it was very hot that day and the extra water stop was much appareciated.  

We left the park and were back on the road, going up hill a little bit.  The 4th mile was a little bit slower with my watch saying 7:51.  Worried we'd have too much time go make up I went ahead a little bit.  Dennis had also gone ahead so I thought I could just follow him.

Miles 5, 6, 7 : 7:28, 7:33, 7:35

I felt really good in mile 5 and went ahead still feeling strong in miles 6 and 7.  But, I also worried it was a mistake to leave the group.  I'm not sure exactly at one point, but pretty soon the group had caught back up to me and soon they were just a little ahead, then it became more and more.

Miles 8-12: 7:49, 8:02, 8:11, 8:21 

Gradual slowdown in these miles.  There's a little side out and back that has a turn around by a boat ramp.  This little section is always tough for me but I felt like I was hanging onto sub-8:00, just a little slower.  Once I finished mile 8 I bargained with myself to try and complete 15K with no miles slower than 8:00, however I just missed it on mile 9.  We got into the section of course that was new for this year.  In place of a neighborhood before the boat ramp, there was a run across the pedestrian bridge over McMullen-Booth road and a loop in a park just past that.

Towards the end of the park loop I passed a couple of guys.  This made me feel a little bit better, not because they had slowed down but made me feel not so bad about my pacing, it could've been worse.  Getting out of that park and heading back over the bridge helped me mentally, the remaing miles would be better.

Miles 12, 13, 13.1 : 8:03, 7:45 

Going into mile 12 I seemed to be around a 7:30ish pace but I didn't hold it, slowed a little but ended up at 8:03, not under 8:00 but at least I stopped the pace slide. Looking down the road I could see the remnants of the 1:40 group, they were a few minutes ahead.  There didn't seem to be anyone right behind me but didn't want to take chances with getting passed anymore.  I was wondering how Tom was doing, if anyone had caught up to him or if he kept his lead.  Finally, going into mile 13 I was able to hang onto sub-8:00 and pulled myself along while being pushed by the thought of someone blowing by me.  The last turn to the finish chute got nearer and nearer.  My watch was off a little.  It's usually in the other direction but this time it was "short" but I don't think the course was, just my watch.

Just after I crossed the finish line someone told me Tom had come in first place with a time under 1:15.  I saw my buddy Dixie who I hadn't seen in forever and talked to Tracy a little who was there to cheer on Stan.  Both Stan and Dennis did well coming in over 3 minutes ahead of me.

This race was a lot of fun.  Slowed down a little from the half I did in the spring but I'm not that far off.  Great to see Tom on the course and another win and a PR for him.

Comments
From Bret on Tue, Oct 19, 2021 at 06:19:18 from 99.1.32.252

Nice effort for a "surprise" half marathon Mark. Well done. And congrats to Tom on the win!

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