Suncoast Half Marathon

January 25, 2015
55th half marathon

Suncoast half marathon has been around for a few years, but this was my first time running it. It's in Lakewood Ranch, so it's local, I've just always had something going on the same weekend or was in recovery mode. Last year, I volunteered at a water station with the Sarasota Storm. It was great seeing so many friends running the race. Most had a great race, because of the flat course. So, instead of running the Clearwater marathon, the weekend before ( I was able to defer) I signed up to run this half.

Race morning, was cool, but not as cold has it had been predicted. Temps started out around 50. I decided to wear a short sleeved top, with my skirt and gloves. I should have gone with a tank top, because I warmed up. Gina and I hung out in my car for a while before the race. With about 15 minutes to race start, we walked over to porta poties, then got in the starting coral. We didn't have long to wait before we were off!

My plan going into this race was to run at my goal race pace, but if I started to feel any pulling in my calf (which had been sore for since the goofy challenge) I would pull back and save my legs for Ragnar in a couple of weeks. I started out feeling pretty good. I got ahead of the 2 hour pacer and could see the 1:40 not to far ahead. We leave Main Street, heading north on Lakewood Ranch Blvd. I feel great for the first 5 miles, as seen in my mile splits. But by mile 6, I start to feel tightening up in my hips and lower back. What a bummer! Splits for miles 1 through 6 - 8:08, 8:10, 8:05, 8:12, 8:14. 8:31

As the miles go by, my hamstrings and hips tighten up even more. Guess I wasn't as recovered from Goofy as I had hoped. I tried to keep the pace under 9 minutes per mile, without feeling like I was putting my calf in any stress. The course itself, is pretty boring. Lots of turns in, out and around the neighborhoods in Lakewood Ranch, which all look the same. I tried to take the tangents as much as possible, but I still ended up with a little over 13.1. Splits for miles 7 through 13.25 - 8:28, 8:42, 8:53, 8:45, 8:46, 8:47, 8:52, 1:58
Finish: 1:52 ( my second fastest time), 4th in age group!

Gina, me, Jackie, Lynette, Carolyn and Liz.