This Old Runner Writes About Running

2018 St. Pete Run Fest Expo and Finish Line

11/26/2018

Last year, I ran the Inaugural St Pete Run Fest half marathon. I loved it. The race was shiny and new, but the race directors were experienced pros.

After running the inaugural St. Pete Run Fest half marathon in 2017. (Photo: ThisOldRunner)

The race was minutes from my house. The course took runners all around town, including a loop through Tropicana Field. It was one of the best inaugural anythings I've run.

For 2018 I decided to sign up to volunteer at the finish line on Sunday morning. It was the first time I handed out medals at a race. I was looking forward to it.

Before Sunday, I joined the crew at the Best Damn Race booth on Saturday morning for the expo.

The Best Damn Race Booth at the Expo

I kinda love a good expo as much as a good race. It's fun to talk to runners. We compare notes and talk about their race goals. I got to show them all the great medals for the 2019 Best Damn Race Series.

It's fun to meet people in real life that I know from online or racing. Plus, at the Expo there are discount codes and extra goodies when you register there. The music, people, and excitement all takes place in beautiful downtown St. Pete on the waterfront. It's a fun weekend from start to finish line.

Best Damn Race Booth at the St Pete Run Fest Expo on November 17, 2018

Nick setting up online registration at the expo. Medals for the 2019 Best Damn Race series were revealed at the St Pete Run Fest Expo. (Photo: ThisOldRunner)

Save $5 on Any Best Damn Race with Code

If you weren't at the expo you can still SAVE $5 on any Best Damn Race in the 2019 series. Just enter my code THISOLDRUNNER at registration. Share the discount with your running friends so they save money, too!

Medals for the 2019 Best Damn Race Series

I'll do another post that showcases each medal and city in the series in 2019. (Photo credit: ThisOldRunner)

St Pete Run Fest Expo outside next to the Dali Musem

The expo was on the lawn between the Dali Museum and Mahaffey Theater across from Albert Whitted Park. (Photo credit: ThisOldRunner)

There were tons of vendors and lots of St Pete Run Fest merchandise available at the expo. There were lots of local races, too. (Photo credit: ThisOldRunner)

I watched some of the 5K finishers on Saturday morning. (Photo credit: ThisOldRunner)

Finish line medals and water bottles for the 5K finishers. (Photo credit: ThisOldRunner)

Sunday's Finish Line Fun

I was back at the starting line at 5:30 Sunday morning. Our first task was to fill all the Tervis tumblers with water.

Sunday morning well before the race began. (Photo credit: ThisOldRunner)

Filling Tervis Tumblers and watching the sun rise. (Photo credit: ThisOldRunner)

The Wells Fargo group working on their water table. (Photo credit: ThisOldRunner)

A quick hello with fellow BibRave Pro, Kim. (Photo credit: Kim)

10K and Half finishers scored a custom Tervis Tumbler. (Photo credit: ThisOldRunner)

Sunday was warm, but there was good cloud cover. (Photo credit: ThisOldRunner)

Medal for the Trop 10K race featured a cut-out skyline. (Photo credit: ThisOldRunner)

Half marathon finisher medal. Yep, the wing moves. (Photo credit: ThisOldRunner)

Finish Line Fun

I loved this reverse finish line experience. Perhaps being a runner made it extra special. I worked the half marathon side of the finish line. It was fun to greet and congratulate the runners.

Some of the people who volunteered were squeamish about getting transfer sweat on them. That made me laugh. At the end, one volunteer asked everyone if they were hugged by a sweaty runner. Turns out everyone was.

Finish lines are emotional. I gave a hug to every runner who wanted or needed one. There were some tearful moments with runners I didn't know. I laughed, clapped, shouted, and cheered for everyone who crossed that line.

Here are my favorite things in no particular order:

Answering random questions before the race
Meeting and chatting with other volunteers
Watching the first place male and female finishers come in
Giving Nick his finisher medal
Seeing a lady who paced me in a half marathon
Helping a woman who hyperventilated after she crossed the finish
Pushing the stop button on a runner's watch because her fingers were swollen
Catching people so they didn't fall
Congratulating people who arrived very late due to a traffic jam, but still ran
Telling people, "Hello! We've been expecting you."
Giving my former coworker, Vicky her medal
Seeing Theresa bring her pace group in exactly on time
Hanging that medal around so many necks
Congratulating local runners I know by sight
All the high-fives and grins
Being there when the last runner finished. She was awesome!

If you get a chance, give back to your favorite race by volunteering. As I runner, I can tell you we love seeing a cheerful, encouraging face on course and at the finish line.

Kudos to everyone at St. Pete Run Fest for another successful race weekend!

St Pete Beach Classic is Part of the New Burg to Beach to Bayshore Challenge!

10/24/2018

Challenge Yourself with 3 Local Half Marathons

Want a challenge that shows you the best sights around Tampa Bay? Here you go! It's the Inaugural Burg to Beach to Bayshore Challenge! Run a half marathon at each of these three awesome events to complete the Challenge.

1. Burg

November 18, 2018
St Pete Run Fest Half Marathon
St. Pete, FL

2. Beach

January 20, 2019
St Pete Beach Classic Half Marathon
St. Pete Beach, FL

3. Bayshore

February 24, 2019
Gasparilla Distance Classic Half Marathon
Tampa, FL

How to: Burg to Beach to Bayshore Challenge

This Challenge is unique because it involves 3 different organizations. That means you must register for each separate half marathon. Pay special attention when signing up for the St Pete Beach Classic and Gasparilla Half Marathons.

When you register for the St. Pete Beach Classic Half and Gasparilla Half make sure you select "Burg2Beach2Bayshore Challenge" on your registration form. Once you're registered, run all three half marathons.

You'll receive your Challenge Medal and an Embroidered Tech Running Cap at the finish line of the Gasparilla Half Marathon!

Sign up early to get the best pricing. The St Pete Run Fest and St Pete Beach Classic races have price increases on November 1st. Gasparilla Distance Classic prices go up on January 12, 2019.

Better Hurry! The First Half is Nov. 18th

(Photo Credit: St Pete Run Fest)

The first event, the 3 Daughters Brewing St Pete Run Fest Half Marathon is almost here!

If you want to run the first ever Burg to Beach to Bayshore Challenge, you must run the half marathon on November 18th!

Here's Another Option: Enter to Win a St Pete Beach Classic 5K, 10K or Beach Race

Enter my giveaways on Instagram and you could get a FREE entry to the St Pete Beach Classic 5K or 10K or Beach Run. (Photo Credit: BB Action Photo)

3.8 m Beach Run (Photo Credit: BB Action Photo)

Relax in the sun before, during, and after you race.

Enter Giveaways on Instagram

I'm having 3 (YEP 3!) race giveaways for the St. Pete Beach Distance Classic. The giveaway prize is your choice of the 5K, 10K or Beach Run. The October giveaway will post late today (Oct. 24).

HOWEVER...if you want to run in the Burg to Beach to Bay Challenge, you can upgrade your free entry to the half by paying the difference in the registration fee.

Follow This Old Runner on Instagram so you can enter the giveaway contests. I'll give away an entry in October, another in November, and the last one in December. Hint: Race entries make excellent holiday gifts for your favorite runner!

#RunSPBClassic #SPBClassic #RunSPB #RunStPete #RunTampa #RunSarasota #RunTampaBay #RunLikeaPirate #B2B2B #StPeteRunFest #GasparillaDistanceClassic #GasparillaRun #PGDC19 #HealthySP #SPRF #ThisOldRunner #BibChat #StPeteBeach #TampaBay #DTSP #StPete #FloridaHalf #FloridaRunner #MRTT #RaceDiscount #RaceGiveaway

Planning Your 2018 Race Calendar?

1/3/2018

Set Your 2018 Running Goals

If you're like me, you spent time over the holidays researching upcoming races. (Look for my links to race discounts at the end of this post.)

I'm using a beautiful BELIEVE training journal I received as a gift to stay on track with my running. I can plan upcoming races and record my efforts all in one place.

After filling in the pages, I set my personal running goals for 2018. Here they are:

Run Two Challenge Races

1. St Pete Beach Classic Duo Challenge 10K + 5K on January 13, 2018.
2. Best Damn Race Safety Harbor Challenge 10K + 5K on February 3, 2018.

St Pete Beach Classic Waste Connections Duo Challenge 10K + 5K #SPBClassic

BDR - Safety Harbor 10K + 5K Challenge #BestDamnRace (Save $5 on any race with code THISOLDRUNNER.)

As you can see, the Challenges are early in the year. I feel ready, but I've never run two races in one day.

My plan is to use the St. Pete Beach Classic as a baseline, then look for improvement at the Best Damn Race Challenge. We'll see what happens!

Run a Personal Best in Two Half Marathons

I have three race options for my new half marathon personal records.

First Watch Sarasota Half & Relay on March 18, 2018.
I'm registered & training! I'm returning to a favorite race with this one.
Bradenton Conquistador Half Marathon in October. Date to come.
Waiting for registration to open. I've never run this race.
St. Pete Run Fest Half Marathon on November 17-18, 2018.
Waiting for registration to open. I loved the inaugural race last year.
I used 2017 as a training run, so my time was slow.

#RunSarasota (SAVE $10 with code “SARASOTABIB18” on half or relay registration!)

2017 medal for Bradenton Conquistador Medal.

Bradenton Conquistador Half #RunBradenton

St. Pete Run Fest #SPRF #RunStPete

Okay, my goals are set. Now I have to get out there and run, run, and race!

I'm excited about the year ahead, and hope you are too.

Get All the Race Discount Codes!

If you want to fill out your race calendar, take a look at all my Race Discount Codes and Bib Rave Pro Discount Codes.

Check back often — I update both here and on Google+ all the time.

#RaceCodes #DiscountCodes #PromoCodes #RaceDiscounts #BibChat #BibRavePro #BestDamnRace #HCTampa15K #HCTampa5K #HotChocolateRaces #HotChocolate15K #RunStPete #RunTampa #RunBradenton #RunSarasota #RunFlorida #Half #10K #5K #Challenge #BDRSafetyHarbor #BDRJax #BDROrlando #BDRNola

The Inaugural #StPeteRunFest Looks Like a Winner for Downtown St. Pete

5/21/2017

Ryan Jordan, one of the owners of the new #StPeteRunFest event spoke to One Million Cups #1MCSTP last week, and everything he had to say about the inaugural St. Pete Run Fest made me happy.

Year-Round Community Engagement

Jordan told the audience that his company (EndorFun Sports) wants this event to be engaged in the community 365 days a year.

The two-day festival will partner with the city, 3 Daughters Brewing, Saturday Morning Market, BigSea Design, St Pete Threads, local charities, schools and businesses to engage as much of the community as possible.

Visit StPeteRunFest.org to see how you can participate as an individual runner, team member, or volunteer. The event is November 18-19, 2017 in St. Petersburg, FL.

A Two-Day Run Festival with Something for Everyone

Photo credit: StPeteRunFest.org

The Inaugural event will include a variety of race events, and a two-day health and fitness market along the downtown waterfront.

Lil' Shrimp and PeliKids Youth Runs are for kids age 1 to 13. The 5K is open to age 8 and older. Relay runners must be at least 10. The half marathon is open to anyone 12 or older.

Runners and walkers are welcome for all events. Time limits were extended to appeal to walkers. For example, the Half Marathon time limit is 3.5 hours, which translates to a 16 minute/mile pace. Another option is to run the Half Marathon as a two-person relay; each person runs a 10K.

There is a Dolphin Double Challenge for runners who want to run both the 5K and Half on Sunday morning.

Run or Walk to Support Local Charities

Money raised by the race will stay in the community. 5K runners will support the Miles for Meals Program — a dollar for each mile run/walked (up to $3) will be donated to the St Petersburg Free Clinic Food Bank. Additional donations can be made online when registering for races.

Jordan said the Half Marathon will give local charities the opportunity to be involved in the race and receive a donation with a "13 miles, 13 charities" plan.

Registration Prices for St Pete Run Fest Races.

Photo credit: StPeteRunFest.org

Healthy Kids Challenge

I love the idea of the PeliKids Marathon Challenge. It's a one mile race for school age kids (K-8). The young runners log 25.2 miles at home or at school before the race, then complete their marathon on Saturday of race weekend by running the PeliKids One Miler for a total of 26.2 miles.

Running Tour of Downtown St. Petersburg

The half marathon is a great way to see everything new and exciting that is happening in downtown.

The race course embraces the waterfront, downtown, the arts districts, Tropicana Field and the Pinellas Trail. If you haven't been to St. Pete lately, you haven't been to St. Pete.

Photo credit: StPeteRunFest.org

Creating an Ocean Friendly Event

Okay, I think this may be my favorite part. Jordan told the audience the race organizers were inspired by how the National Parks Race Series uses a cup free system. HydraPour uses a reusable water pouch and speedy filling stations to distribute water to runners — eliminating all the trash and tripping hazards of disposable cups. Bonus: you can sip your water as needed, rather than gulping it in time to toss your cup into the trash can.

Jordan said the inaugural year will be a combo of HydraPour and recyclable cups. He said he is working with the Suncoast Chapter Surf Rider Foundation to make this an Ocean Friendly event.

Additionally, half marathon runners will receive a reusable water bottle at the finish line. Love it!

Did You Want Some Bling with That Race?

Photo credit: StPeteRunFest.org FB page.

Jordan remarked that runner feedback indicates trinkets and amenities are important to participants.

So, in addition to the reusable water bottle at the half marathon finish, runners will earn big, shiny, unique medals. (Think spinners.)

The Dolphin Double runners will receive 3 medals for their efforts.

Will St. Pete Get its Own Version of a Gasparilla Classic?

Jordan said the vision is to create St. Pete's version of the Gasparilla Classic — a world class event that brings people from around the country to run, stay and play in our city. For reference: the Gasparilla Distance Classic attracts 40,000 runners.

It may take a few years, but the energy and vision of the #StPeteRunFest owners, partners and the city of St. Petersburg make me believe it will happen. I'll be running, and rooting for everyone's success.

#dtsp #runstpete #runtampa #runsarasota #runbradenton #sunshineshere #runchat #raceraves #bibrave #tampabay #hc15Ktampa #HotChocolate15K #florida #LoveFL #igerstpete #instarunners #runnersofinsta #1mcstp #stpeterunfest #BigSeaDesign #StPeteThreads #HydraPour #GasparillaDistanceClassic #pgdc #medalmonday #runtampabay #half #15K #10K #5K #KidsDash #thisoldrunner