Saturday May 21st , 2011....
A perfect spring day with clear blue sky and a very light sea breeze. Perfect except the air temperature was more like early summer in the low 90’s!
The Never Quit Beach Fest, in its 3rd year, had a huge signup – in the region of 6,000 participants. Not all of them would run in the 5K starting on and running along Jacksonville beach at low tide on hard packed sand! Along with the 5K run was a Trident challenge requiring a relay team to do the 5K run, 500m meter open ocean swim and a 1.5K Surfboard Paddler or longboard event. Some would be mad enough to attempt the Trident all by themselves!!
There was also a Navy Seal Fitness Challenge in full swing when we arrived at 3pm. 5K Race was not until 5pm but we got there early as we knew there would be a large number of both participants as well as spectators.
At 4pm there was a 1 mile fun run which we watched from the wooden walkway beach access. Participants of all ages from very young kids blasted off from right in front of us charged half a mile down the beach and back.
At 4.20, fun run completed the 5K runners were asked to line up behind the start line. Bit early I thought but I lined up. Mike stayed nearby so I kept my cap on to try to keep me cool and my water bottle for hydration. With 15 minutes to go before the start I handed over my water bottle and cap to Mike so he could get a good spot to take pictures of the start.
But before the race could start we had the Navy Seals parachute in - spectactular show but not easy to see without craning your neck as they were dead above us on the start line. By the time the start gun went off we had all been lined up for an hour in the sun which was still intense! Jam packed together none of us were able to stretch - I and many around me were complaining of getting very stiff.
Finally the starting gun fired and we were off. Race course was a straight out and back – it was a case of follow those in front and somewhere out there was a marker showing where we all turned around and came back.
What made this race really interesting tho was the fact that the race course had not been cleared of families enjoying the sand and the sea. Many times we fanned out around the families who had made camp in the sand right in our pathway! A large pit in the sand, presumably made by an excited child was pointed out by a runner in front of me – bless him. I was running straight for it! Quick change of direction took care of that.
Some seemed amazed to see us – one lady asked a man in front of me – ‘What you run for?’ After a moments hesitation he replied ‘for fun.’ Duh. Only in Jacksonville could there be thousands of us of all ages thundering along the hard packed sand for a mile and three quarters before turning around and coming back the same way. All in shorts, tees and numbered racing bibs!
Water was eagerly grabbed by thrust out hands at both the one and two mile markers as runners tried to keep on running – not easy with the sheer number of people.
By the two mile mark I was really beginning to slow down – I was hot, tired and lacking in usual stamina. That hour in the sun had done me no good. Ended up doing a combination of running then walking for short distances then running again for as long as I could. When I saw the finish line in site I pushed through to continue running – I was hot, tired and in desperate need of cool water.
Past the finish line was a red carpet with naval officers lined up holding silver platters with finishers silver necklace. A very nice touch. It really didn’t matter where you finished in this race – just finishing made you a winner. Nice.
