In 2017, I had planned to run this race, but it was canceled due to weather. The cancellation was poorly communicated, and it was especially frustrating for travelers like us who didn’t receive email notifications. We found out about the cancellation when we arrived at the bib pick-up, and there were no discounts offered for re-registration the following year. While I understand the race director’s situation with the city of Clearwater, it was still a tough experience. I swore I wouldn't come back.
Then came winter in Connecticut—a snowy, dark night when Kim and I were discussing training for Boston. I jokingly said, “It would be nice to get a long training run somewhere warm,” and to my surprise, Kim replied, “That would be a nice quick weekend getaway to warm up.” As we continued running, we started researching flights and found a round-trip flight to Miami for just $107. After some more discussion, we decided to look for Florida marathons.
I stumbled upon the Clearwater Beach Marathon, and just like that, we signed up, booked flights, and found a Groupon for a hotel.
Race Details:
Registration Fee: $65
Hotel (3 Nights): $250
Flight: $164 round trip
Perks of the Race:
Logistics
Easy access with parking right next to the start line—no need to check a bag.
Plenty of Port-a-Lets: Always important, and they were well-placed at the start.
Bib Pickup: Available on race day.
Nice Race Shirts: Soft blue t-shirt, unlike typical tech material shirts.
I met Heather in the bathroom line, who was running her first ultra at the Clearwater Distance Race. She ended up finishing 2nd in her age group, and we connected on Facebook to stay in touch.
Cons of the Race
Small Race Field: If you're running solo, you might find yourself alone on the course. At times, there was no one in front or behind me.
Little Crowd Support: There were occasional clusters of spectators, but not much cheering overall. However, the water stops were frequent, and volunteers were fantastic. The staff at the higher-mileage water stops even ran to meet us with cups of water, and there was cheering and cowbells to keep us going.
Race Course Experience: The first 6 miles were enjoyable, with scenic views, including a bridge with a beautiful ocean backdrop. Then we reached Clearwater Beach near our hotel, crossing another bridge with more breathtaking views.
But then came the dreaded long straightaway—flat and never-ending. This stretch from miles 9 to 18 was mentally exhausting.
At mile 18, we encountered a confusing turn-around, with no clear direction or volunteers to guide us. We ended up getting lost briefly, but other runners helped us find the right path.
The next segment was a long, tedious bike path with little scenery. The heat was starting to take its toll, and the lack of shade made it mentally tough.
Finish Line: As we approached the finish, the directions were unclear again, and we had to yell out to other runners to figure out where to go. But when we crossed the finish line, they announced our names, and we received Dunkin' Donuts, Tropicana smoothies, water, and of course, a medal. The medal was a pair of flip-flops with a bottle opener on one of them.
The post-race party was impressive, with Sam Adams beer, sparkling water, pizza, pasta, bananas, and oranges. The food and drink kept coming, even after some vendors packed up.
Results and Surprises
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I placed 1st in my age group, and Kim placed 3rd. I received a pint glass and coaster, as well as a $25 gift card to a local running store. However, when I used the gift card at Fit2Run, I discovered it was only for $15. I contacted the race director to inquire about the mistake and also noticed that the advertised “grand masters” award was missing from the results, even though I had placed 1st in that category.
As for the race photos, there was no information on the website about them being free, though previous races had offered them at no charge.
Would I Run This Again?
Although the race served its purpose as a warm training run, and it was great to place in my 50th marathon, I’m not sure I’d run it again. The course had its challenges, and the lack of crowd support and unclear directions left me feeling unsure about returning.
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