46.03@12:25 9:31:54
Pinellas Trail Challenge Race Report
I think this race went pretty well overall with no really low points. Yes, some hard spots here and there but overall kept on moving. This year I had race bib number 11. They used bib numbers 1-25 for people who had completed this race 3 or more times. This was my 4th time running it with the other three races in 2014, 2016 (PR year for me), and 2019 (my slowest). I was just over an hour faster than in 2019.
Race morning Jessica drove me to the start line in downtown St Pete and we picked up 3 riders from Weaver Park (finish line). One of the riders was a woman in her early 70's who had run all 10 of these races (but DNF'd a couple of them). She was interesting to talk to on the ride down.
Planned on doing 7 minute run then 1 minute walk which I stuck to pretty well except during the last 10 miles there were a few extra walk breaks. I also added in walk breaks going "uphill" on the overpasses. The first 7 minutes of running I did not feel well for some reason. But then after the first 1 minute walk break, felt really good which I held onto pretty much through mile 26.
This year, I had two drop bags (insulated lunch bags), each one with extra gels, small bottle of coke, frozen bottle of water and a Reese's "big cup". First bag was at about mile 13.5, next bag was at 25.5
At the 13.5 mile stop I started putting ice into my bandana.
One of the Wednesday night Striders, Stacy, was there to crew her husband (Tracy) who's mainly a Tri guy but jumps into ultras here and there. At around mile 16 I ran with him for a bit but he was going a bit faster so I said goodbye to him.
With this trail being not in the woods, restroom breaks require actual restrooms. Kind of had to go early on and then again but just had to hold it until Weaver Park where I knew the restroom was pretty close to the trail.
About mile 21 or so there was an aid station in downtown Clearwater. They did an amazing job and had lots of cold stuff and ice cold wash rags. Just down the street, past the aid station there was some music playing which felt uplifting enough to give me a short runners high. But, still a long way to go.
About a mile or so before the 25.5 mile aid station (at the Boxcar in downtown Dunedin), one of the trailside bars had a big box of ice sitting out with a pitcher for a scoop. This was perfect. Even though the next aid station wasn't far, it still helped out quite a bit since every bit of ice was helpful today. Saw Stacy at the Boxcar, she helped handing me stuff and getting my bottle filled and said Stacy was just a little ahead of me. I think I saw Stacy about 5 times on the course.
Mile 26ish was Weaver Park, so quick bathroom break and pay no atention to the big finish sign which although right in front of me was still 20 miles away.
Next big treat, maybe only a quarter mile down the trail were people with ice cold ice pops (I had a blue Powerade one), so delicious.
And then another treat - as I approached Curlew Road, heard a beep and saw Jessica on the road next to me. She pulled into a pizza place just ahead. She and the baby got out and handed me a frozen bottle of water. It was great seeing them (I'd see her a little later near Wall Springs Park and then at the finish line).
I'm not sure what happened at the 30 mile aid station , but I seemed to slow down a bit after this while I tried to get my ice bandana just right. As I stood off to the side, Andy Barrett came running by. I had passed him earlier in the race but now he seemed to be on a second wind. Once I got myelf sorted out I felt like I was moving again but no site of Andy, he'd gotten too far ahead.
At the mile 33 aid station I saw Tracy again along with Stacy. He'd gotten there before me but ended up needing a longer break so I left before he did.
Now, only 3 miles to go until the turnaround and my secret weapon, Daisy. Just kidding, Daisy is not a weapon but it was very nice and above and beyond to volunteer to bike alongside me while I shuffled along the last 10 miles. Mile 36 was Brighter Days micro brewery. It was quite a lively aid station, wished I could've stayed longer but I had a race to finish.
The next 10 miles went reasonably well. Daisy did her best to make conversation with me, although I was not feeling too conversational. She also talked to quite a few of the other runners.
At the mile 30/42 aid station, or rather just after leaving it, I finally got to the point where I felt like I'd finish the race. Had not fallen apart yet (to me would've meant I'd switched to 100% walking), still mainly doing 7/1 run/walk but adding in a shorter walk break here and there between scheduled walk breaks when out in the full sun, sun breaks.
There was a bit of a wait at the Curlew Road traffic light (Curlew and Klosterman are about the only two real traffic lights as most ever other crossing is using a pedestrian bridge or it's a side street). After the light it was less than two miles to go. With about 1.75 miles to go Daisy called out "2 miles left!" and I was like, no don't say that! There's less than two miles to go, big difference (to me at least), although not a very big difference in the framework of 46 miles.
And then finally, after 9 hours and 31 minutes it was over. I'd held onto the sub 10 hour goal and wasn't too far off from a PR (about 12 minutes).
Rain came shortly after I finished, which probably felt pretty good to the runners still out there. Hung out at the finish for a while with Jessica, the baby, Stacy and Tracy.
And then the next challenge was to get on the road and drive to Tallahassee so I could watch Tom the next morning run his first college meet (8K at the TCC Invitational).
| 