Sarasota Half Marathon Race Recap

This was the race that I didn't think I'd get to do. Last year I had to defer due to family issues. Then last week, my PF flared badly. I received treatment for that, and following my doctor's advice, took the rest of the week off running. As an alternative, I went for a bike ride and crashed when I hit a muddy puddle. Sore and bruised, I wasn't sure if I would be able to run 13.1. But some relaxation and aqua therapy in Florida allowed me to heal and line up Sunday morning, ready to run.

This race was supposed to be a training run, but you know me. Even with the best intentions, my inner competitor comes out. I headed to Sarasota early Sunday morning to run this half with no goal in mind but to finish and go with what the day decided to bring. With all that had happened prior to the race, I was determined to run this thing. And if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know I don't give up easily.

My parents got me to the Van Wezel center about 6:30, and with a start time of 6:45, I jumped out of the car and headed to the portapotties. I received a text from Mary Beth from Tutus and Tennies, who I had planned to meet at the race. I came out of the portapotties, and there she was! We exchanged a quick hug and dashed to the race corrals. I was in corral A--what the heck?--but I was glad to be up front. I put my music on, got the signal on my Garmin, the national anthem was sung, and we were off! No time for nerves.

MaryBeth and me!

We headed immediately south on Tamiami Trail towards the Ringling Bridge to Lido Key. I was excited to run this portion of the race but it was pitch black and you couldn't see anything on the water. What I didn't anticipate was the bridge incline! I've driven over it a few times, but it's a different story on foot. By the time I got to the top, I was winded. I breezed back down, and before I knew it, we were running around St Armands Circle and back up the bridge again. This was already mile 4, but I had to walk. The famed Florida humidity was already taking a toll on me. The sun was starting to rise along with the temperature.

When we got to the top of the bridge, I started running again and flew down, trying to make up for some lost time. For the rest of the race, I used my walk-run strategy that worked well for me at Chicago. Most miles, I walked 1/10th of a mile and ran the rest. I did ok with that. I didn't always have to walk, but I was glad to have that safety net. The other thing I was really glad to have was my handheld bottle with my Tailwind. I ended up drinking about 2 1/2 bottles for this race.

We ran through a really beautiful residential area of Sarasota along the bay. The homes were gorgeous, and there was a lot of natural shade from those mossy oak trees that lined the streets. I felt like it was a little easier to breathe and settled into a 9:30 pace. It was all I could do, considering the conditions. So humbling! I ended up running with the same group of people through the rest of the race. Have you ever had that happen to you? There was a girl wearing black capris and a long sleeved black top. I spent the majority of the race pondering her wardrobe choice. Just looking at it made me hot. She was moving along, though, so I guess it worked for her.

There were a couple of medical aid stations and I saw a guy with the crotch of his shorts completely shredded. He was applying vaseline to his nether regions. I can't even imagine what his shower felt like after the race.

We finally hit mile 12, and the song Fine Again by Seether came on my playlist. Don't ask me what came over me--maybe it was because I could see the finish line ahead, but I started to sing. Out loud. I'm sure everyone around me thought I was a lunatic. I picked up the pace. Singing.

"And I am aware now of how everything's gonna be fine one day, Too late, I am in hell now, I am prepared now, seems everyone's gonna be fine..."

Whatever it takes, right? My music pushes me through those tough runs.

My face says it all. This was a tough one for me.

I approached the finish line. I saw the clock and shook my head. While I was glad to be done, I was disappointed in my ability to overcome the conditions. Damn it!

Someday I'll be a hot weather runner...

Happy to be done!
Official Finish time 2:08:38

I reconnected with my parents, and we waited for Mary Beth to finish.  Meanwhile, I enjoyed the amazing post-finish line spread--this has to be the best post-race party I've seen in a long time. There were two long tables of food and drinks.

Would I do this race again? For sure. The course was beautiful, the race was well organized, and the medal was amazing. Did I mention the free race photos? If I was to make the Sarasota Half Marathon a goal race, I'd incorporate heat training into my training regimen.

But it was, after all, a training run...

How do you do running in extreme heat and humidity? Have you ever trained for a warm weather race? Spill your secrets!

I'm linking up with DebRuns for Wednesday Word. This week's word is shenanigans. I don't know about you but any long distance race has some shenanigans, doesn't it?

I'm also linking up with the Wild Workout Wednesday ladies! Check out all their blogs: Angelena Marie, Annmarie, Nicole and Michelle host this fun linkup!