Race Report Intro

This race report has been drafted in the week following the Ocala Marathon in Ocala, Florida

Race Report

 

The Longhorn Ocala Marathon

“Florida’s Most Scenic Marathon”

Ocala, Florida

Sunday, January 30, 2005

 

 

38th Marathon or Ultra

2nd Marathon - Ultra Marathon in 2005

Florida is 33rd State

 

 

 1. Why this Marathon?

a.    I am pursuing running a marathon or ultra marathon in each of the 50 States.

b.    The organizer was pushing to have 50 States Marathon Club members run here.

c.    My LA Legger friend, Jay Seashore, planned to run this and we could travel, lodge, and rental car together.

 2. About this Marathon

This course is run in the city of Ocala Florida in central Florida. Ocala is about 85 miles north of the Orlando airport.

The course is a run on the roads and streets past many horse farms and in city residential areas. 

 3. Special Training for this marathon.

This race was 3 weeks after I had completed a 50K run.  I did some runs of 12, 15, and 18 miles in the weeks before this run.

 4.Getting to the Marathon

Getting to this marathon was pretty straightforward.  Jay Seashore found a direct flight from LAX to Orlando on SONG airline, which is operated by Delta.  We flew on the Friday before the Sunday Marathon. The plane was a new 757.  The most interesting thing about this plane is the entrainment system built into the back of the seat in front.  The passenger had a choice of games, movies, and 24 channels of TV.  Also there was a continuously updated map showing the location of the plane as well as speed, distance traveled and outside air temperature.

Upon on arrival in Orlando, we got our rental car and drove directly to Ocala and our Quality Inn motel.   Since there was a restaurant at the motel and it was open we elected to have dinner there.  

5. Packet Pickup and Pasta Dinner

Packet pickup Packet Pickup and registration were at a central Florida Adult Education Center from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm.   We arrived early, picked up out packets and talked with Tom Adair, secretary of the 50 States Marathon Club and Chuck Savage co-director of the event.  We asked about things to see and do in Ocala that morning and were directed to the Sliver Springs Glass Bottom Boat tours.  See Race Report pictures.  We retuned to the center in time for pasta dinner.  There we learned the following

  1. The race starts at 7 am not 8 am

  2. Be at the finish at 6:15 am in order to be in 50 States Marathon Club picture.  The finish was a 5 minute walk from the start.

  3. The Tri-State marathon can count as either Utah the start, or Nevada the finish, but not Arizona the intermediate state.

  4. Jay Seashore should really run the Jay’s Mountain Marathon in Vermont because “It’s a Hoot!”  

 

 

 6. Race Start

We arrived at the start/finish a little after 6 am.  Just as we arrived, it started to drizzle and rain. (See pictures before start) At 6:30 am the 50 states pictures were taken and we walked to the start.

7. Running the Race  

For the marathon the route is basically an out 1.7 miles, a 23 mile figure 8 loop, and back 1.5 miles. For the most the marathon was run on the shoulders of roads and streets.  One would think that a marathon in Florida would be flat.  For this, the highest elevation was 183 feet (at mile 4) and lowest 69 feet (at mile 8.5).  This is a difference of only 114 foot.  However there were also hills at Miles 13, 17.5, 19, 21, 23.5 and 25.5.  According to the map there were 17 water stations. 

The rain stopped shortly before the start and the sun came out.  Later clouds came in at it was partly cloudy.  The temperature at the start was in the low 60’s and low 70’s at the finish.

A further description of the course can be seen in the picture section <click here> or in Jay Seashore’s race report <click here>.

 

8. Post Marathon Activities

Jay finished about 15 minutes before I did.  We talked to the other finishers for a while, then drove back to our motel.  We took advantage of our late check out to shower and pack.  Before we left Ocala, we went to the Longhorn Steakhouse for a celebratory steak dinner.  Then we drove the 85 miles south to the Orlando Airport.

 

9. Trip Back to Home

Fortunately the flight back went well.    We arrived at LAX at little before 9:30 pm, and I was home to Glendale before 11 pm