The Long Run

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  (old lines that were a little out of date but couldn't quite bring myself to removing them completely:) Also, have one wonderful brown dog named Sammy and just added a grey tiger cat (Catty) whose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

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
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: Gasparilla Half Marathon (13.1 Miles) 01:56:55, Place overall: 794, Place in age division: 92
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
13.100.000.000.000.0013.100.0013.10

It was a wonderful day for a race. My wife, her friend Kathryn and I ran the Gasparilla Half Marathon this morning. I had signed up to be their pacer. They had both recently run the Disney World Half Marathon and were shooting to break 2 hours. I had very little doubt that they would be able to do this.

The race started (not so) bright and early and 6:00 am with the air only slightly chilly. Kathryn's husband Chuck drove us all down there so it was very low stress to get there. We lined up a little too far back from where we should have been but it was hard to get farther up in line. There were a little more than 3000 people between the half and full marathon. The race started and we started shuffling forward. It took 1:50 to cross the start mats. We somewhat got onto pace with 9:27 for the first mile. Next mile was on pace, with maybe a few seconds gained back. It was a nice run around Davis island, passing along the airfield at MacDill AFB as we looped back towards the north of the island. At about mile 5 it was getting light out. It was turning to be a very beautiful morning. Jenny and Kathryn did great sticking with me although they did grumble a bit when we had to pick up the pace after hitting the water stops.

I really wanted them to both make their goals but there was not a lot I could do other than try and run as steady as possible. Coming across the half way mark I saw we were between right on pace and a few seconds ahead. We picked up the pace slightly as we approached Bayshore Blvd. which was an out and back section of the course. By about 9 miles we were ahead even a little bit more. Kathryn needed to make a pit stop so I stayed with her while Jenny went on ahead. Kathryn and I ran on for almost another mile, catching back up from the lost time. She made one more stop and told me to go catch up to Jenny. So, I picked it up and after a few minutes I caught back up to Jenny. She was doing great, having picked up still more time. We were a bit worried about Kathryn but then we saw her just after we hit the turn around, she looked to be in good shape so I did not go back for her.

With the 1:50 that it took us to cross the start I had to calculate our actual pace which is always harder to do while running. I did not want to mess things up with another math error. But, when I saw the pace clock at mile 11 it said 1:40. With 20 minutes left to do 2.1 miles without adjusting for the start time I knew we were in good shape. Jenny showed no signs of slowing down. She thought she was slowing down. She wasn't wearing the Garmin so I told her she was more than on pace and just to keep going.

We wanted to cross the finish line together but with about 100 yards left to run she took off on a final kick and I almost lost her. My Garmin time showed 1:57:01 but I knew that I had started it just before the start mats and stopped it just after we crossed. So we were later pleased to find out that her time was actually 1:56:54.

We were hoping that Kathryn did not fall back too badly, didn't hit a bad patch and give up and walk. Well, she did not, she hung in there and made her goal with a 1:58:49. I can't take much credit for the hard work that they did but I was glad to be able to help out. And, it was a really great morning to run and enjoy being out for a tour of Tampa! Way to go Jenny and Kathryn!

Jenny:

old PR:      new PR:
2:10:47      1:56:54

Kathryn:

old PR:      new PR:
2:05:32      1:58:49



Comments
From Amy on Mon, Feb 11, 2008 at 05:00:06

Kudos to you Mark, for being a great pacer and one of the nicest people I know!

From Kathryn on Mon, Feb 11, 2008 at 08:59:16

I cannot thank you enough for helping us reach our goals.

Chuck asked me last night if I thought I could have broken 2 without you. I told him absolutely not! Not only was it great to achieve my goal, but I learned a lot along the way. It was like having a kind coach through the entire experience. I give you a lot of the credit for helping me! Thank you again!!

From Lybi on Mon, Feb 11, 2008 at 11:17:16

Super Sweet! I think there is a special place in heaven for good pacers like you, Mark.

Congratulations Amy and Kathryn!

From Jenny on Mon, Feb 11, 2008 at 16:31:02

You are the best pacer and the best husband ever! I should make you a pie for your hard work. :)

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