This race was considered at first due to reputation for having the finest finishers’ medals in road racing. After some thought it was realized to be a great opportunity for a South Florida vacation though there would be some risk of a race that would seem warm for those of us used to cool April, May and November Ontario Marathons. But it was decided and Cupcake Girl & I packed up the Family Truckster.
The heat risk was realized. On Saturday night, it was confirmed on the evening news that race day Sunday would be the warmest February 19 in Fort Lauderdale history, with a high of 87 F (31 C) expected. Believe it or not, the Race Director had sent out a ridiculous e-mail earlier Saturday promising unseasonably cold morning temperatures.
My plan was to give ‘er and do the best I could. It was a near certainty the wheels would be coming off at some point as my marathon results reflect declining performance at any temperature above 10 C. My PB pace is 5:11/K (3:38:51) and I planned to run at that pace while it was dark and cool(er) and then see what my remains looked like.
A check of the weather leaving the hotel for the start line at 5:20 A.M. indicated that it was 23 C with 88% humidity. At a slow walk from hotel to the start, it felt OK. But it was a shockingly tough first mile. I wasn’t sure if I could get in even a mile or two at the planned pace but knew I had to give it a shot as the weather would only get more adverse beyond that.
Fortunately I got into a groove within 5K and running in the humidity felt better than at the start. As well as taking multiple cups to drink at each aid stations, I was dumping a cup of water over my head at every station and running through any garden sprinklers spotted on course to keep cool on a preemptive basis.
GPS Splits, 1K to 5K - 5:10, 5:14, 5:10, 5:11, 5:07
Official 5K Split – 25:57 (3:39:00 Pace, 5:11/K) – 135th place of 648
The first 8K took us to sunrise. A wonderfully scenic course could now be seen. Beautiful beaches, trees and a Grateful Dead cover band and tie-dyed aid station at 10K. I tried to stay in a groove, knowing it would only get hotter.
GPS Splits, 6K to 10K - 5:06, 5:01, 5:06, 5:09, 5:07
Official 6.55M Split – 54:19 (3:37:25 Pace, 5:09/K) – 128th place of 648
The Marathon and Half courses split shortly thereafter. This was a confidence boost as I was able to fairly steadily at this point spot slower runners ahead of me and reel them in over the following K. The wheels were not yet off for me through 15K:
GPS Splits, 11K to 15K - 5:04, 5:01, 5:02, 5:00, 5:00
The rest of the opening half was still tolerable. I was on a PB pace (sure to produce nothing) and thanks to a timing mat placed in front of the 13 Mile mark rather than after, I had my fastest measured opening half to a marathon:
GPS Splits, 16K to 21K - 5:07, 5:04, 5:07, 5:09, 5:13, 5:06
Official 13.11M Split – 1:46:41 (3:33:22 Pace, 5:09/K) – 112th place of 648
Estimated Actual (approx. 12.95M) – 1:46:41 (3:36:00 Pace, 5:07/K) – 112th place of 648
GPS Splits, 22K to 25K - 5:08, 5:09, 5:13, 5:13
Beyond 25K, the sun was very bright, the day was now a sauna and the wheels slowly edged off but seemingly at a slower pace than those around me. Beyond 28K I was no longer passing folks as frequently as I had been. The 29th and 30th Ks were slow as stomach upset was coming on quickly, I was just not acclimatized to three hours in the sun. K 32 included a pit stop.
GPS Splits, 26K to 32K - 5:15, 5:17, 5:17, 5:27, 5:26, 5:26, 6:47
Official 19.66M Split – 2:46:16 (3:41:44 Pace, 5:15/K) – 106th place of 648
After the pit stop in the 32nd K, I did not run quick again. My last sub-6 minute K was the 37th, where the Parrot Bar had a Beer Station. They loved that I downed two cups on the run. I could have had more if the station were longer but I was overdone and could not risk breaking stride.
GPS Splits, 33K to 37K - 5:46, 5:44, 5:56, 5:47, 5:58
The last 5K were really tough. This was along the main part of the A1A beach. I ran through any showers left on by beachgoers for a bit of relief:
GPS Splits, 38K to 42.2K - 6:05, 6:13, 6:29, 6:27, 6:07, 2:33 for 0.195K+
Official Result - 3:49:55 (5:27 Pace) – 99th place of 648
This will undoubtedly be the worst conditions I will ever run a marathon in. A proud experience and a great vacation followed. One day the chafing damage will be just a memory.
And here are the medals that we signed up for:
Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
- Double Bellybuster
- Bill Crothers
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Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
Last edited by Double Bellybuster on Mon Mar 05, 2012 7:45 pm, edited 3 times in total.
I am fortunate to have Running Free as a sponsor. I like to keep silly stats and maps of my Daily Neighbourhood Tours, Races and Marathons run in a Silly Yellow Shirt.
Re: Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
You are right very cool medal! And I think you did great considering the heat! And your marathon PB is on its way!
Sonia
7 marathons (PB 5:01)
31 halfs (PB 2:10)
----------------------------
The plan for 2014: 10K des glaces & Apocalypse 5K
2015: No plan at all!
7 marathons (PB 5:01)
31 halfs (PB 2:10)
----------------------------
The plan for 2014: 10K des glaces & Apocalypse 5K
2015: No plan at all!
Re: Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
Considering the heat, you did great. Congratulations.
I like the medals.
I like the medals.
I wanna live like there's no tomorrow
Love, like I'm on borrowed time
It's good to be alive, yeah....Jason Gray
Running is a conversation with your body. Sometimes you listen and sometimes you tell it to stop whining and do something. - Ian
Love, like I'm on borrowed time
It's good to be alive, yeah....Jason Gray
Running is a conversation with your body. Sometimes you listen and sometimes you tell it to stop whining and do something. - Ian
Re: Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
Well Done, you two ... Sounds a bit like the latter half of Chicago 10-10-10 ..
eta: Then again, what did you expect in Florida in February ...
eta: Then again, what did you expect in Florida in February ...
Race Results: http://itsmyrun.com/index.php?display=p ... unner=HCiD
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- Lynn Williams
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Re: Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
Awesome!!
Love the medals!
Love the bibs!
Love the Race Report (2 beers? Slacker!)!
So this means you won't be doing it again next year?!?!
99th place is pretty awesome!
Congratulations
Love the medals!
Love the bibs!
Love the Race Report (2 beers? Slacker!)!
So this means you won't be doing it again next year?!?!
99th place is pretty awesome!
Congratulations
When your legs get tired, run with your heart.
Overcome the notion that you must be regular. It robs you of your chance to be extraordinary.
Overcome the notion that you must be regular. It robs you of your chance to be extraordinary.
Re: Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
It's really tough to run in that kind of heat without time to acclimatize.
Congratulations.
Congratulations.
- orleansrunner1962
- Jerome Drayton
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Re: Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
Great job on a warm day! LOVE the medals -- I just added another race to my "bucket list"
2014:
Mar - Around the Bay 30 km - Done
May - Sulphur Spring 100 miler - DNS
Sept - Army HM
Sept/Oct - 50 miler
Oct - Pace Bunny - Toronto Scotia Waterfront
Dec - Reggae Marathon in Jamaica
Mar - Around the Bay 30 km - Done
May - Sulphur Spring 100 miler - DNS
Sept - Army HM
Sept/Oct - 50 miler
Oct - Pace Bunny - Toronto Scotia Waterfront
Dec - Reggae Marathon in Jamaica
Re: Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
Nice one Dave - that's another notched up in the experience bank.
“We are what we think. / All that we are arises with our thoughts. / With our thoughts we make the world.” Dhammapada,
Re: Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
Top 100! Very nice! And the medal is cool, too!
"Maybe I will be my own inspiration." - UltraMonk (Laura)
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have enough time." - Steven Wright
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have enough time." - Steven Wright
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- Jerome Drayton
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Re: Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
Double Bellybuster wrote:This will undoubtedly be the worst conditions I will ever run a marathon in.
Did you REALLY type that? You do realize what a world of jinx you have just laid upon yourself.
Great job DB and CC. Sounds like the rest of the vacation played out well too. I would have loved to heard the post race shower chaffing curses.
Where are the surfing pics?
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Re: Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
Way to go DBB!
It must have been a shock to the system running in that heat this time of year.
It must have been a shock to the system running in that heat this time of year.
2014
injured
2013
Snowflake 10k....stopped at 5k
Rest of the year a write off because of injury.
2012
Snowflake 10k Jan 1 done
Run 4 Kids 10k Jan 7 done
Harry's Spring Run Off 8k. April 8 a disaster, but I finished
Centurion 50k at Horseshoe Valley (cycling) done
Centurion 50 miler at Blue Mountain (cycling) done.....barely!
Snowflake 5k, Dec 16 - done
2011
Harry Rosen 8k. April. done
Rotary 5k fun run. May. done
CANI 10k. June. done
Canada Day 10k. July. done
Barrie Waterfront 5k. Aug. done
CANI 10 k. Oct. done
Base Borden Army Run 10k. done
injured
2013
Snowflake 10k....stopped at 5k
Rest of the year a write off because of injury.
2012
Snowflake 10k Jan 1 done
Run 4 Kids 10k Jan 7 done
Harry's Spring Run Off 8k. April 8 a disaster, but I finished
Centurion 50k at Horseshoe Valley (cycling) done
Centurion 50 miler at Blue Mountain (cycling) done.....barely!
Snowflake 5k, Dec 16 - done
2011
Harry Rosen 8k. April. done
Rotary 5k fun run. May. done
CANI 10k. June. done
Canada Day 10k. July. done
Barrie Waterfront 5k. Aug. done
CANI 10 k. Oct. done
Base Borden Army Run 10k. done
- Robinandamelia
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Re: Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
You did great, and great medal! congrats.
Re: Double Bellybuster - Cooking at the A1A Marathon
Great report and superb running considering the heat!! Congratulations!!
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