2015 Honeymoon Island Half Marathon

Race Recap: Hard to Tell It's November

It was 75º at 4:30 a.m. The forecast said it would be clear and sunny all morning. Sunrise was at 6:46 a.m. When the race started at 7:21 a.m. it felt like 88-90º.
 
This was the 2nd running of the Honeymoon Island Half Marathon in Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin. The race was promoted as some paved trails and other trails. There was a half and a 10k. My plan was to run relaxed and steady; find and keep a pacer; listen to music; enjoy the view.

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This is my race recap. Detailed race review —> Honeymoon Half

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I arrived an hour early. Parking was easy. I walked around to see the set up. Base camp was a huge parking lot. I spotted 7 port-o-lets and a couple of permanent park buildings with restrooms. What I did not see anywhere was shade. There was a stage at the far end of the parking lot that looked like a semi-permanent fixture.

Runners who had positioned themselves at the starting line had to walk to the opposite side of the parking lot to the stage for announcements and the Star Spangled Banner. A few minutes later, everyone walked back across the parking lot to the starting line.

There wasn't much shade, natural or man made, on the course or in the post race festivities area.

The race began in the huge parking lot (hot asphalt) ran on trails through the park, moved out of the park across the causeway bridge to Dunedin, turned around and came back. 10K runners ran the course once, half marathoners ran it twice.
 
I ran a 10 minute pace the first mile, then realized that was too fast. It was too darn hot. I fell into a 12 minute pace. I ran most of the race behind a woman with a very long brunette braid who maintained a perfect 12 minute pace. I was awed by her consistency, AND, the amount of sweat pouring off the back of her legs. No doubt the person behind me also had a sweaty view. It was 93º for most of the race. The skies were clear and the race course was in full sun most of the time.
 
I did enjoy running to and from Dunedin over the causeway. There were lovely views of the water, and lots of people walking, biking and fishing. Runners stayed on the sidewalk going over the bridge. It was tight on the bridge when there were people running in both directions. Otherwise, it felt good to be close to the water.

The Dunedin Causeway.

Honeymoon Island looking towards the parking lot.

As I neared the 10K mark I decided to call it a day. I couldn’t imagine another hour out in the hot sun. During announcements we were told if we decided to run a 10k instead of the half, just let them know at the finish line and we'd still get our official times. (That never happened, but I had my own tracking app.)
 
I finished, received my medal and found a bottle of warm water. Volunteers at the finish line, and throughout the race seemed to be high school students getting their required volunteer hours done. They looked bored, hot, and uninterested in the race. I don’t blame them since the conditions were brutal.

I walked across the parking lot to see if there was anything cold to drink, or something to eat. Nope.

Post Race Festivities were in Full Sun.

More than an hour after the start, there was no food, no cold drinks, no shade.

Why the Race was Disappointing

I’m going to say this race was disappointing for a few reasons:

1. 93º in November on a course with little to no shade. Race Directors can't control the weather, but they can respond to it. That didn't happen here.
2. Poor quality aid stations; warm water, or no water.
3. Nothing cold to drink at the finish. When I walked over to the beer truck, volunteers were pouring warm foam into glasses. I asked for a beer, was told “sure” and then nothing. I walked to the beach and came back after 5-10 minutes. I really wanted something cold to drink. Still no beer.
4. No food at the finish. No bananas or granola bars. They were just beginning to cook some sort of breakfast pancakes more than an hour after the race started. Remember, there was a 10K as well as a half marathon. That usually means finishers before the hour mark.
5. Most people/volunteers I saw in the post race area were working on wedding decorations. Part of the event was an attempt to win a Guinness Book of World Records for most wedding attendants. The race director and her fiancée were to be married after the race with all the runners as attendants. It was a nice idea — two runners getting married after a half marathon on Honeymoon Island — but the wedding seemed to take priority over runner safety. It added chaos and confusion.
   
6. Sweatshirts were promised at registration, but weren’t delivered. Not that anyone needed a sweatshirt that day.
7. I went to my car to get some shade and A/C and made a few phone calls. I knew I  couldn’t leave the island yet because the course traveled through the parking lot. When it seemed clear, I tried to leave, but couldn’t. There was a horrible traffic jam of cars stuck bumper to bumper waiting to leave the island.
8. It felt like an amateur event that wasn't worth the registration fee.
   
   

September 2016 Update:
3rd Annual Honeymoon Half

The 3rd Annual Honeymoon Island Half marathon is November 5, 2016. There will be 3 races: half marathon, 10k and 5k.

The 2016 race course will be in downtown Dunedin instead of on the island. I don't know if there will be cold water, or shade, or better organization — but at least runners will be near downtown businesses and have options for post race recovery. I hope to hear the 3rd year is the charm for the Honeymoon Island Half. Learn more about the 2016 Honeymoon Half 10k and 5k.