River Classic 4 mile

Jacksonville Symphony 4 mile race - Sunday April 17th, 2011....

I knew this was going to be a tough race.  All I wanted was to finish but again I did more than that.  Amazing……. 

An evening race starting at 6.30 pm, the start line was setup at Hogan and Water Street  near the Jacksonville Landing downtown.   Ready to go with chip timer attached to laces, the sun was beginning to go down but would not completely set until well after the race had finished.  It was a nice temperature and a slight breeze would keep me cool I hoped. 

Jacksonville Symphony musicians began to group together and gather at points around the race circuit where they would play as the runners passed.

By 6.15 several of us started to gather closer to the race start – we were getting eager to get started.  Finally the time arrived – the cannon fired this time (not too loudly) and we were off.

Heading down Hogan Street we passed the first of the groups of musicians and then turned left onto the Acosta Bridge.  Until this time I had been able to keep up with my friend Fausto but one look at the slope told me I’d better muster all my strength just to keep going.

At a steady and regular pace I did keep going up and over the Acosta Bridge to the other side.  We all wheeled right, past a lady Harpist and then onto the access point of the other side of the Acosta Bridge taking us back over the St John’s River yet again.  It’s actually two separate bridges one flowing in each direction and this one was steeper than the first!  Just as I crested the top of the bridge I realized there was a slight dip before another rise.

By this time I was in my stride and just told myself to keep going……. After cresting the second rise the roadway sloped down and slightly left before it joined Riverside Avenue past the 1 mile marker where the timing clock showed I was doing  just over a 10 minute mile – no too bad considering that was the first bridge I’d run.  On to the first water station where I grabbed a small cup of water and managed to get some of it inside me!   

On down towards the Fuller Warren Bridge where I swung left under the bridge and around to the wide paved St John’s river walkway leading back towards where we started.  There were more groups of musicians – not enough time to really take in their music but very nice all the same. 

Getting closer to the finish I saw the Acosta Bridge ahead of me. And then another hill…….  The run took me under the Acosta Bridge via a concrete bridge more a series of uphill slopes broken up with a straight stretch in between.  At the top there was a wooden bridge across to a circular ramp down to the paved riverwalk and the final quarter mile to the finish line. 

Waiting for me to come in was Mike, Fausto and Marcia – very pleased to see them and to have finished.  When the results came out and I found I was first in age class again I was stunned!