Live better and longer with the fitness show hosted by fitness expert author and tv personality fitz kohler she'll tell you why diets are dumb supplements or snake oil and the truth about how you can earn a lean hard pain-free and athletic body now for our favorite bossy blonde fitz kohler, well hi team i'm fitz kohler your very noisy race announcer from fitzness.com and welcome to the fitzness show powered by the publix
gasperela distance classic it's this weekend and i am so flipping excited excited this is one of the biggest most active most fun-filled race weekends on planet earth and we've got four days till we get started. So chomping at the bit. So are you ready? I am ready. This show is dedicated to you. We're going to fill you in on everything you need to know to make the absolute best of race weekend. This show will remain on the Gasparilla Facebook page, on my YouTube page.
So watch it tonight and engage with us. Ask questions, share comments, let us know what races you're running. We're going to bring all your feedback in live. But then if you go to sleep and you forget something and you want to rewatch it tomorrow, man, you can rewatch this thing over and over and over again. And know this, all the information we're going to cover tonight, it's easier to hear it.
And of course, our race director is going to tell it with enthusiasm and her expertise, but everything's also on the website. They have been thorough to the nth degree. All of your answers are there. And so what I would love to ask, beg, encourage, and I wasn't coaxed to do this, but know that our race organization is. They're putting out fires the week before race. So look up the answers.
Just look them up. They're there. And then instead of firing off an email to the race director, look for them. Or just keep watching this show. And we're going to get to all your questions. So if you're ready, I'm ready. Here she is. She's been the race director, the executive director of the Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic forever, I think. And boy, does she do a bang-up job. This is Susan Harmeling. Four days. Gosh, that's ominous sounding.
As I was saying about, I was probably like, oh, she probably hates hearing this, but I'm so excited because all I have to do is make happy noise for you and all of our athletes, Susan. Well, we can't wait to get you over here. So all we will. Yeah. Yeah. We have so much fun in store. So this is the 48th presentation. Correct. Wow. And how, how many years have you been with this race? This is my 33rd year, so I've practically grown up with the Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic.
I won't tell you how old I am, but you could do the math. You know what? You and I are grownups. I think once you hit a certain age, it doesn't even matter how old you are. You're just in the grownup division, and that's cool, right? I like that. I like that a lot. The grownup division. So we have about a million things to cover.
Is there anything you would like to share with folks before we get into the nitty-gritty of the expo and the races and parking and start times and finish lines and all of those things?
You know, I just really want to say that our team, our board, our organizing committee, our staff, we have worked diligently since the Monday after the 2024 Publix Gas for a Distance Classic Race Weekend to make sure that we do everything possible to ensure that all of our runners, our walkers, our partners, our volunteers, the Tampa Bay community, everybody is well taken care of and has a good time. And they do. They do.
Again, it's so much fun. Now, do you have so much fun on race weekend? You know, I do. I always say if we've done our job correctly leading up to the race, then we can kind of sit back and put out fires over race weekend. So it's fun for me to be able to drive the lead vehicle and see all the runners. They're happy, they're waving, they're laughing as they're running up and down Bayshore Boulevard.
And then just seeing the smiles at the finish line, And it really, it's a lot of work to put this event on. A lot of people think we draw a line across the road and say go, but it's 365 days of planning. And when you see it all come together, that's your reward. And knowing that you are doing your dadgum best to ensure that anybody that's involved with the 2025 race weekend is having a good time. And they're going to link seeing it like they were well taken care of.
We want them to have the best possible experience. Well, I have full faith they will, as proven in five past years. But it's incredible. I mean, people show up. They're happy. We're happy at the start line. They're happy while running. They love their presence at the finish line. And then the parties and even while people are walking between finish line and the next start line that it's kind of over the bridge, it's just joy. And everybody's so nice to each other.
You would think everybody was friends from long ago. It's just great, great, great. So, you know, if it's runners are unique, they know what it takes to get a race on the road. And all I hear after race weekend from our aid station volunteers, from our expo volunteers, our finish line, start line volunteers, is how many thank yous they got from the runners. They know that those volunteers are out there for them. They come out very early in the morning to get their areas set up so that they
can be there for the runners and walkers. And the runners are very appreciative. The walkers are very appreciative. And that means a ton to us because they know, they know what goes into putting this event on for them. Well, if people look around, it's obvious. It's just a colossal production. And it's so high end. It's so great. Thank you again for having me back. I love being a part of your race weekend. So thank you. Well, we're excited to see you on Friday.
Come on over. Oh, we headed there. Okay. So we've had a bunch of hellos. We have Ada coming in from New Jersey. Oh, yeah. Ada and her friend from New Jersey. And then we have Super G is coming in from New York. We like that. Will we have all 50 states represented this year? I believe so. I haven't seen the demographics yet, but I believe so. Lots of Floridians, but then a lot of out-of-staters we like. Okay. So since we have so much to cover, let's get started.
I like to start at the start, the expo. And folks, we want your questions. I'm going to go through them in order. So I just had a question asking if we have bag check. The answer is yes, but we're going to get there. So we'll get them. I'll pull your questions back in order as we get there. So let's start at the start. Tell us about your expo. The ABC Action News Health and Fitness Expo that's presented by Tampa Well, which is a partner of Tampa General Hospital.
The expo is going to be fantastic. We've got a lot of new vendors, a lot of vendors that have been with us for years. And that speaks to how successful the Expo is year over year because they keep coming back. You're going to be able to play pickleball if you want to. We've got two pickleball courts. Publix has got some great interactive games and samples in their booth. Pepperjack, of course, is going to be there. Packet pickup, absolutely. We can get to that in a little bit.
But the Expo is something that we strive just like the running events. We want to make it the best possible experience that we can. And we want everybody to come. It's free and open to the public. It's not just for runners. In fact, the expo back in the day was called Not Just for Runners, Health and Fitness Expo. So we invite the Tampa community to come out and enjoy the expo as well.
I mean, all the runners have to come and we encourage them to come and visit every single exhibitor that's with us because they will benefit from the education, from the products that they're selling, the information, health and fitness, information that they're giving out. Yeah, and those are companies that specifically support us. So it's just good form to go back and give them some time, right? Absolutely. And there's going to be a lot of free food and beverage samples there for folks.
I don't know if they're going to be at the expo, but a lot of people don't know that Michelob Ultra has a new beer, and it's called Michelob Ultra Zero, which is zero alcohol. They're actually the sponsor of our Michelob Ultra Zero finishers towels this year. so everybody will get one of those at the finish line and they'll be able to sample it during the Q105 post-race celebration presented by Michelob Ultra. So we're excited about that.
Yeah, absolutely. And then Publix last year brought their... Publix guacamole. They're not sampling the guacamole this year, but trust me, there will be plenty of food samples in that booth. Don't you worry one bit about that. Oh, I'm sure. I'm sure. But that sample, I've probably purchased a hundred of those little... No, it did. The Expo did the trick for them, for sure. I bet. I bet. A run on guacamole from Publix, but And good stuff there.
Okay, so people can come and shop and play pickleball and have snacks and have fun and then pick up their bib and pack it and so forth. So tell us about that. Well, they can, but they can also come and see you and Meb. So we want to mention that. That's the highlight of the expo. Folks getting to stop by and say hey to you and Meb Kefleski, who both of you are a part of our family. But we're thrilled that we're able to provide access to you and to Meb.
Over race weekend. So packet pickup, you can pick up your packets from 10 to 8 on Friday and then from 6 a.m. Until 3 p.m. on Sunday. On Saturday morning, we actually opened the expo at 5 o'clock for our 15k runners that waited to come on race morning to pick up their numbers. The 15k starts at 6.45, so they don't have much of a window to get in there and get their number and get back out to the start line. We encourage them to come back and pick up their goodie bag and their shirt
and their hat. So, it's pick up your number and head to the start line. We'll be taking late registration for the 15K, the 5K, and 8K, but spots are limited. So, if anybody wants to register for either of those events, I would encourage them to get in there on Friday. There's no guarantee. I mean, 15K and 5K late registration will close at 8 o'clock on Friday, but there's no guarantee that We're going to have 8K spots left on Saturday.
So if anybody wants to run, please get in there as quickly as you can and take advantage of the late registration. So is there no longer online registration for those races? No, it closed last night at midnight. Okay. And then the half marathon is sold out and all the challenges are sold out, correct? All four challenges are sold out. In fact, we had to turn about 200 people away for the half marathon.
Due to that, we'll probably increase the cap for 2026. We haven't really talked too much about it, but we, we really don't like disappointing people. So we'll, we'll do our best to take care of everyone next year. The same for the challenges. People were just wanting desperately to get into the challenges. They closed out first. They went very quickly. It's. Fascinating how many people reached out to me. They think I have the end. They're like, hey, Fitz, tried to register and it's sold out.
What you got? I'm like, I got nothing. You know, we even had people reach out to Publix, thinking that Publix could help them. They're a public shopper and surely you can help me get into the half marathon of challenges. So, yeah. So, folks were a little bit on the desperate side to get in. And like I said, we don't like disappointing them. Right, right. Okay. So, when people come to pick up their bibs, do they need to bring their license?
Do they need a barcode? And can they pick up bibs for a friend? And what do they need to be able to do that? They don't need an ID. We're a very trusting organization, so they don't need an ID. If they can't come to pick up their goodies and they send somebody else, there is a pickup authorization form that's available on all of the event pages on the website that they need to download, print, give it to the person that is going to come in for them.
It requires their signature and their race number, all of that information. But we will allow other folks to pick up race packets for the runners that aren't able to make it to the expo. Okay. Okay. Well, that's important stuff to know. Make sure, guys, you get those things printed out. And do so quickly because it's not always easy to get to a printer. I mean, our hotels should have them, but they don't always have them. So print out your form.
Now, what else do we need to cover there? As far as the expo is concerned? So the Publix running hats this year, they've always been distributed in the Publix booth, but we're going to be distributing them in the men's t-shirt area, the challenge t-shirt and jacket area, and then the women's t-shirt area this year.
So as soon as you pick up your bib number, head over to the shirt area, whichever one you need to go to, and that's when you'll receive your Rooms to Go reusable bag and your Publix running hat and, of course, your shirts. Okay, so let's take a pause and talk about all the swag. Because I don't even know where you store it all. You probably need a convention center to store the swag. All the shirts and the jackets and all the things.
Oh no, our warehouse is jam-packed. And everything that's in the warehouse on Thursday is moved over to the expo. It's about, I'm guessing, around 30 pallets of shirts and goodie bags and finisher's towels and running hats. not to mention all of the goodies that our partners have given us to give away at the finish line. So it's a big dang deal to get all of that stuff over there and get it set up. But we do believe that our runners get their money's worth and then some with
everything that is distributed. And we're able to do it because of our partners. Well, and the athletes that are doing all four races, what do they walk away with? They're doing all four races. They get the four event shirts. They get the four individual medals. They get their jacket and then they get their Michelob Ultra Challenge medal as well. That's excessive. I mean. Well, if someone does a challenge, we've got pictures of folks that have all four event medals around their neck
and then their challenge medal. And I'm surprised they can walk. It's a lot of medal. A lot of it. We're going to have to get them to layer their shirts, too. To have like all four shirts and pull up the sleeves so you can see each color underneath. And then the designers of your swag. Who is that person? Because they always do. This year, we actually had one person that designed them for us. And I'm going to be honest with you. The first designs that we put
on Facebook, we got a little pushback about them. So we made some changes. Each one of the shirts has a tagline on it this year. And I think the runners are going to like run it, crush it. My pace makes the race. Run wild. I think there's one more, but I can't remember what it is right now. But I'm pretty proud of the shirts this year. We did a great job with them. They're always beautiful. They're extra. They're extra.
Okay. Let's answer. this is an easy question. How many people are running the half marathon this year? 4,500. 4,500. That's our calf and they'll all be there. That's a good size. That's a good size. Okay. So we've got the Expo on Friday, but we also have Pepper Jack's Hot Diggity Dog. Dog race? Dog walk. Yeah. Pepper Jack's Hot Diggity Dog Walk. This is the inaugural year for the dog walk. And when our participants call us and say, can our dogs participate? And we always have to say no to them.
We even have to pull a couple of them off the course at times. We always take a step to try and give them what they want. It might not be exactly what they want, but that's how Pepper Jack's Hot Diggity Dog Walk, presented by NutriVet, came to be real. It's on Friday evening.
We'll begin at 5.30 with the festivities. We have some vendors, and then the first wave of dogs, We've got 150 adults, well, humans, that's what we call them, humans registered, and then another 25 to 30 dogs that are, they're bringing two dogs with them. So we're pretty fussed about that and excited. You never know what dogs are going to do. So we're going to be giving instructions out to the humans to make sure that they do their level best to control the
dogs. So the first wave will go off at 630. They run a half mile. They're running on the Tampa Riverwalk, which is beautiful. They'll go a little loop through Cote and Chubby Park, which announcement is our post-race celebration location this year. We're not at Tony Janus Park at the finish line. We're back at Cote and Chubby Park. We can get into that a little bit later.
But they'll do a half-mile loop and come back, and the finishers medals are adorable, and the dogs get a matching dog tag to go with the humans finishers medal. So we're excited about that. Every human will get two bandanas, one for them, one for their dogs, some glow sticks. Nutri-Vet samples, the goodie bags are going to be full. That's very, very sweet. I have the blessing of announcing quite a few dog races each year.
And what I find are people that care enough to register their dog for a dog race or a dog walk are people who traditionally take really good care of their dogs. So they all are good dogs. Right. That's good to hear. I might be calling on you to give me some help since you announced dog walks all over the place. Yes, and I do love our humans, but if I'm going to pick favorites, the dogs are... We're really excited to see it come to fruition.
And we're treating it just like we do the big race. I mean, the signage is just like the big race. We're treating this as a special part of race weekend that will continue. Very sweet. And folks, your dogs can walk, right? Well, and we don't want them to run. This is a walk. So we really, in fact, we've got it designed from a timing standpoint where there will not be two-way dog traffic. They will not be coming and going at each other.
So if somebody takes off and runs their dog, we're going to stop them before they come back onto the river walk. Because we don't want them to interfere with the dogs that are still going out. Oh, okay. Okay. So, yeah. And, you know, it's so funny because there's always that one person up front. They're like, no, we're going to, with the Jack Russell, and they're just going to win it. Yeah. He can win it, but not until the rest of the dogs go by.
Okay. Oh, I can't wait. And if your dogs are nice, please have your dog stop by for a little snuggle with the announcer. That's part of the rules, right? Yeah. And there are so many dogs on Tampa Riverwalk. It's amazing. So we feel like we're starting off slow with the dog walk with the number of folks that we have participating so that we can get the first one under our belt and do our best.
But, you know, we could always make improvements and we take a look at every event to make sure that we can do what we need to do for the following year. Yeah. Well, this is awesome. I thought your event was a 10 before, but now it's a firm, solid 10 because the dogs are. Well, and also Mercyful Project Animal Rescue, which is a small nonprofit animal rescue here in Tampa. They do great work. They're going to be the beneficiary of Pepper Jack's Hot Diggity Dog Walk.
So they'll be out there with some animals that can be adopted. They will not be doing adoptions at the event, but they can make appointments for folks to go to where the animals are being fostered. And they have a whole process that they follow. But there will be some cute little puppies and kitty cats there for y'all to hold and pet and get to know. Wonderful. Wonderful. That's so meaningful. I'm a big fan of the rescues for sure.
Okay, so let's go to Saturday because we have a lot of race talk to cover. And then let's start with parking because that's a big deal downtown. So Saturday morning, what time do things start? Where do people park? Well, first of all, let me mention Friday, okay? Friday is always a busy day from a parking standpoint. On Friday night, there is a Lil Wayne. Is that the name of it? Lil Wayne. I think that's the name of it.
Concert at Amelie Arena, which means the traffic is even going to be heavier. So try and get there if you can before 4.30 or 5 o'clock if you're coming after work so that you can be sure to get a parking spot. All the garages are going to be open. I believe parking is $15 in all the city garages. There's some off-site lots that are more expensive. So there's plenty of parking spots in the city garages that are around the convention center.
So I would encourage people to go to the expo and look at the parking information so they know where to park. As far as Saturday morning is concerned, people start showing up at 4.30, 5 o'clock because they want to come and stretch and drink some water and get ready to run the 15K, which starts at 6.45.
6.45 and they again you've already mentioned they can pick up their bib if they haven't done so that opens at 5 a.m and then and then I always as as my for my role I love it when people come an hour in advance like if the race starts at 6.45 don't plan to park your car at 6.30 a you'll never make it it just won't happen but or at least to the start of the start but this is be part of this public Gasparilla distance classic experience.
It's not, you could go for a 15k walk or run any day, anywhere by yourself. This is not about being alone. This is about you being with us. So come and take part in the hoopla because we have lots of good hoopla, don't we? We do. And it starts with you as the announcer. So definitely we have hoopla and I want to encourage people to go ahead and get in their waves. There's two waves plus the seated start area in the 15K. And once we start the race at 6.45, access to those waves is going to close.
If anyone shows up after around 6.40, they're going to have to go to the second wave and get in line at the rear. The great part about timing is their time will not start until they cross the start line pad. So they don't need to rush to get, you know, if they're worried about that, because we will time them from point A to point B. And you're assigning waves on their bibs, so they'll have your feet?
Yeah, anyone that reported a finish time of 90 minutes and under is in wave one, and then 91 minutes and over is in wave two. We do have a lot of speedsters show up to Gaspar. Yeah, all the seated numbers have been claimed for all four of the races. So we've got a really strong contingent running, particularly in the 15K and the half marathon. Nice, nice. And we're expecting a lot of you to dress like pirates. So know that in advance. I will be extra nice to you if you wear a great outfit.
So you can still order on Amazon and have it delivered to your house. How do you know your wave? Do you want me to answer that question? Yes. Okay, the numbers are colored according to the wave that you're in. So for the 15K, it's a blue wave and a red wave, if I'm not mistaken. And we'll have flags up at the entrance to the waves, plus the color on your number will let you know which wave you're going to be going into. And then at the start line there, we do have a water monster, right?
We've got two water monsters at Roreen and Franklin, and that's got Zephyr Hills Natural Spring Water. It's available for the runners and walkers to grab some water before they go out to run. And we have plenty of water. And we have plenty of port-a-potties. Plenty of port-a-potties at the start. Yeah, they're right there at the corner of Roreen and Franklin. And then for all of the races, how far apart are the hydration stations typically?
They all start at one and a half miles, and then it's every mile thereafter, all the way to the finish line. For the 15K, they'll be given water at all of the aid stations. And then we have Gatorade at Bayshore and Rubidoux, which I believe is mile three and mile seven. So they get two chances at Gatorade. And whenever we serve Gatorade at an aid station, it will be set up first.
So we know people, sometimes they don't know they're picking up Gatorade and they do this and they're sticky for the rest of the ride. So we'll put it on the first tables. It will be marked with Gatorade branded cups and they'll know they're getting Gatorade. I hate to bring it up, but you know what they have to say when they drink their Gatorade, right? What's that? Oh, gosh. They do. They have to say Go Gators. Oh, well, I will. You know, I'm a Seminole. I believe Garnet and Gold.
But the older I get, the less competitive I get. That's right. I'm fine with Go Gators. And it's a good beverage. That's the moral of the story is. It's a good beverage. Do you know what flavor Gatorade? I believe it's cherry. But we'll be putting that in the runner instructions. Okay. Okay. And so that will be for all of the races is mile at mile one and a half, the first hydration station. And then every mile after, will there be a port-a-potty with every hydration station?
Absolutely. Absolutely. And some in between. And for the 5K, there's actually five aid stations because we've got so many people on Bayshore at one time. We do start them in waves. It's a rolling start, but we want everybody to have access to water. So there's five in the 5K. Okay. Wow, that's a lot. It is. That's wonderful. That's wonderful. And there's so many people, too. So that actually having extra stations is a wonderful thing.
Is there anything special we need them to know while they're out on the course? Just have fun. We've got entertainment at every mile. The Star Wars characters are going to be out there. The Tampa Rough Riders will be out again, handing out Krispy Kreme donuts in all four races. We do our best to create a fun and exciting environment for everybody. And it's all four races. We don't pick out one race to do more. We really place a lot of value on everybody receiving the same benefits.
Yeah, that's wonderful, especially because some people may have just chosen one race, right? So that's fantastic. And a highlight for so many people is Meb's appearances on our course. He pops up. He and Pepper Jack will pop up in each of the distances. They typically will show up at the halfway there points, but sometimes at others. They'll hop out of the golf cart and stop and play with the runners.
But they're both, Pepper Jack and Meb, are eager to pose for photos and selfies and what have you. So take advantage of that opportunity. Yeah. And if folks, if you don't know who Meb is, look up, it's runmeb.com. But he won Boston Marathon the year after the bombing for America. Did he win silver in the Olympics or was it silver? Yeah. And then he won the New York Marathon as well. Yep. And he is just such a sweet human and he's got great books and he's just so lovely.
Question. You mentioned that Meb and I will be at the expo having a little a book, a booth with our books and so forth. Do you know what time we'll be there? Not off the top of my head, Fitz, but, but it will be in the runner instructions and we'll be promoting it and blast throughout the week. Okay. All right. We'll all be surprised. We'll just, we'll be there for sure. Hopefully everyone will. It's Friday and Saturday. So people will have access to both of you.
Awesome. Awesome. And we do like the hugs. That's right. That's one of our favorites. So 15K, folks finish, grab their medal. If that's their final race of the day, they can go straight to the party. If they have the 5K to do, they've got to line up. So what is your, what are your instructions for folks who are not doing the 5K? They finished the 15K, where do they go? Well, they need to go through the finish area, through the TCC tunnel and on to Coat and Chevy Park.
We're going to have street graphics to guide them there because for the last two years, we've been at Tony Janus Park, which is just right there at the finish line. But since we're back at Cote and Chubby, we're going to help folks to find Cote and Chubby Park with the street graphics. And also, if someone is running a challenge. And let's say they're doing the Michelob Ultra Challenge. So they run the 15K. We have a Michelob Ultra Challenge drop zone that's at the base of the Platte
Street Bridge on the east end of the bridge. It's very well signed, so you can see it. So if they run the 15K, they can drop their 15K metal off, run the 5K, and then come back and pick both of them up after they finish the 5K. The same on Sunday. We do the same thing on Sunday. Okay. So there's a place to leave their stuff. I forgot to ask this. Is there bag check?
Gear check. Yes, absolutely. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, it'll be in meeting room 124 on the lower level of the Tampa Convention Center. It'll have signage so that you can spot it. And the signage will be up on Friday. So as people are coming into the building and going up the escalators to the expo, they can see where it is. And do they need to use a specific clear bag or can they bring their favorite duffel bag?
Well, we have bags that we can give them. We would prefer not for people to check suitcases and backpacks. If they could please use the clear plastic bags that we provide for them, that's best. Okay. Okay. And folks, if you've not ever run a race before, and this is your first time, Gear Check is a place for you to bring a change of clothes, a comfortable pair of shoes, whatever you need for your post-race experience. Because what we don't want you to do is cross the finish line,
get your medal and go home. We want you to stick around and have fun. And so you can leave things in room 121 of the convention center and then not have to run with them. It's so funny when people show up late and then I see them run the race with a backpack. It just makes me... Yeah, that hurts my feelings when I see that. You know, we've got people that come and pick up their reusable bag and all their stuff on Saturday morning and I see them crossing the finish line with it.
And I just hate that they're having to carry that on course. So we will stress the fact that there's a gear check area. Yeah, yeah. So, so, so bring some nice cities and then leave it and then you can stick around and party party because there's a lot of opportunity for that. So if you finish the 5k and you're done running for the day, you go straight to the party and the parties are great. Tell everybody about the party. Well, Michelob Ultra is going to be there in just grand form.
They've got a really neat bar that they're setting up for us because we, in addition to giving away that free Michelob Ultra to runners and walkers that are 21 years of age and older, we also have an opportunity for them to purchase another beer. Ulayley Restaurants is going to be there with their Hydration Station beer. That's one of Richard Gonsmart's restaurant brands. And they say that the post-race celebration is, bar none, their biggest promotional tool for their beers.
So we're pretty excited about that. There will be a food truck there, lots of entertainment. The Greg White Man will be there both days. He's country western, and everybody loves him. That's why we keep bringing him back year after year. It's going to be a fun environment. Harley is going to be there. People can get on a Harley if they've always wanted to ride one and actually kickstart it and see what it feels like.
So one of the things that I always brag about with Gasparilla, so with my role, I'm always at the finish line until the dead last finisher crosses the finish line. And so at... Every other race around the country, except for this one, when that person crosses the finish line, the party is wrapping up and almost everybody's gone. But at your race, I can welcome that final person across and then I can go to the party. And for two more hours, it's still raging and people are having fun and the
music's still going. It's such a great environment. Everybody loves being there. What we do fits for our 5K and our 8K walkers that might be out there a little bit longer than we want them to because of our road closure permits. We actually move the finish line over to the Bayshore Boulevard sidewalk right there at the finish line. We move the timing pad over with it, their signage, and we usually will send somebody out to come in with them because they're struggling a little bit.
But it's a fanfare when they cross that finish line. We take a great deal of pride in treating the last walker as well as we do the champions that cross the finish line first. Yeah, of course. And then there's still something wonderful for them. It's not just everything shut down and everybody's gone home, but they can still go have a great time. And your entertainment's fantastic. I mean, it's just great vibes. People like being there. It's a festival at that point, right?
It is. And that's the exact environment that we want to create year over year. And you do. And you do. Okay. So 15K folks going to the party. And if you're doing the 5K, you get your medal, then you put your medal away. You leave your medal behind. And then you go line up. 5K is a very big, big deal. Lots of people, lots of different categories. So let's get into that. Something else I want to mention, too, is our mascot race that takes place right around 9.15 at the finish line.
Captain Fear from the Buccaneers, Thunderbug from the Lightning, Petey the Pelican from the St. Pete Runfest, Plato the Publixaurus is there. King Tilly, which is the Tampa Tarpons mascot. We've got, I believe we've got eight mascots this year, which means we're going to have to have two waves of mascot race so that we can pick out the four to five that, you know, finish first in their way for them to actually race. But it's a lot of fun. Thunderbug comes streaming, streaming in on his minibike
into the finish area. We don't know when he's going to show up. We just know he's going to be there and he comes in with a fanfare. So if you're a spectator, get to those finish line bleachers so that you can see the mascot race. Well, that's so much fun. That's such a delight. Like the extra just silly happy joy. Perfection. Oh, King Ripple. Is King Ripple one of your mascots? Yeah, I always. So Diane's one of our staff, and I've been calling him Captain Ripple and Captain Fish.
And so she has to remind me, I did call him Captain Ripple and not King Ripple tonight. So it is King Ripple, and I hope I have not offended King Ripple. Well, it's good for also me to know that as well. Also, three cheers for the weather, right? Absolutely. You know, we've had 80 degree weather the last week and it's a gift. The weather change is going to be a gift on Friday. The low is going to be in the 40s, the high in the 60s. On Saturday, it's high 50s, high 60s for a high.
And then on Sunday, it's a couple of degrees warmer, but it's still going to be very cool and comfortable, which again is a gift. Yeah, you get Florida and you get some brisk temps. It's PR weather, especially for the morning, morning races, right? Yeah. I think everybody is a lot happier when it's cool and not hot and humid. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Although even in the heat, it's pretty epic. Yeah. I mean, if anybody knows how to take care of warm races, the Gasparilla Distance Classic
Association does. So we're prepared for whatever the weather might be. So good. So good. Okay, now we're going to go to the 5K. Tell us about the 5K. It's a monster. The 5K starts at 915. There's actually five run waves in the 5K. And then there's the Special K 5K stroller roll and the Kashi 5K walk that will start after the five run waves start.
And I'm going to make a special appeal to people in the 5K. Last year, we had a father with a stroller that refused to take, you're not supposed to be here for an answer. And he literally ran over one of our volunteers with his stroller and she had to go to the hospital. So I'm going to be preaching kindness to our runners and all of our race instructions because we don't want that. We don't want that at all. But anyway, back to the five runways.
Again, at 9.15, those barricade breaks are going to close, so if you're not in your wave, you're going to have to go back to the last run wave, which is the red wave, to start. There's 8,000 people in the 5K. It's big. Is that the biggest? No, we've had over 10,000 in the 5K before. We've actually dropped the cap because it's not very comfortable on Bayshore Boulevard when you've got 8,000 to 10,000 people out there at the same time.
Even though we start them in waves, it can be pretty crowded until they get stretched out a little bit. So we have lowered the caps in the 5K. Is it the biggest of the weekend? It is the biggest of the weekend. Yes. Yeah, it feels the biggest to me. And I love the start. I mean, I love it all. But the start line, it's the only time we're all together. And there's just such an energy with thousands of people. And the 5K just, you know, the start.
Tony the Tiger will definitely be at the 5K start. Tony the Tiger comes out to start the Special K 5K stroller roll. The kids love that. And anytime Pepper Jack is around, there's fun. It's such a good time. And some of the families with the stroller, they turn their strollers into pirate ships. It's very fascinating. We've had two-week-old infants in the stroller row before. They just bundle them up and bring them out and have a good time. And will we have the ROTC, the ROTC?
Oh, absolutely, from Jefferson High School. They manage our start ways for all four distances, and they do a fantastic job for us. Ashley Kincaid, our operations manager, works with them to ensure that they have all the instructions that they need to make it a good experience for them, but also a good experience for the runners. So good. I mean, they just epic, epic high school students, and they were large and in charge. Very handy, very helpful to y'all and me.
Yeah, they do. They do a phenomenal job. The year that, you know, when we found them, I keep saying it's a gift, but they are another gift that we have for race weekend. Yeah, no stone left unturned. So folks, the 5k run, walk, you get back to the finish line. For all the races, we forbid folks to look at their watch at the finish line
with finisher pics, and we will be taking your pictures. So you have to do something celebratory, smile on your face, looking up, and something interesting with your arms. People click their heels. They turn flip-flops. They get pretty pumped about crossing that finish line. Cartwheels are acceptable. All the good stuff, but you're not allowed to do this. Yeah. I'm Pepper Jack. I'm going to peck you if you do that. So happy faces only.
And then finisher picks will be along the course. So people will have their choice of glamour shots to choose Yeah, just remember to smile. Just keep that smile on your face. And you'll see them when you're coming up on them. And they'll also be on the Platte Street Bridge because we're going to have pirates from Crew of the Rising Phoenix that will be dressed as pirates so they can have their pictures taken by finisher's pics with one of our pirates. That's so fun.
That's so fun. It's just a really good time. If you want to come and PR, great. If you want to just come and lollygag and have the best time, great. Great, right? The distance, you still go. Yeah, I mean, you know, I'm the race director, but if I have to say so myself, we do a really good job and we're always wanting to do better.
Yeah well you're always doing better it looks like it's impossible to get better and then you do oh my gosh so deborah's coming post right total hip replacement oh wow we like pretty amazing good for you yeah that's how you give take that hip for a test test run deborah come in and introduce yourself to me let me know who you are before we get started so i can point out you and your new hip as you're trotting across the finish line like boss so saturday the finish of 5k They all go to
the party, party, party, party. And then what would you like to tell them to do on Saturday evenings? Well, have a good time if you're not running on Sunday. And if you are, get a good night's sleep. We are out there getting set up on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 2 a.m. So we don't get much sleep, but we certainly want our participants to get a good night's sleep before they come out the following morning. So go have a good dinner. Enjoy yourself, but get some sleep. Get some sleep.
And then Sunday morning, we're back at it again at 6 o'clock with the Publix Gasparilla the half marathon start. And the unique thing about the half marathon start is it starts at the finish line. So we send everybody over there to get in line.
And something else I'd like to point out for the half marathon participants, they come over the Platte Street Bridge, they go down the southbound lanes of Bayshore Boulevard to access the barricade breaks at the finish line to get into their half marathon wave. And there's two ways in the half marathon too, two hours and under two hours and over. But right at about 545, we shut down access to the start waves via the southbound lanes of Bayshore Boulevard.
But we've created a little shoot for the people that are a little bit later than that to cross over, go down the water side of Bayshore and access the waves that way. So everybody will be able to get into the waves regardless of what time they get there. They do need to be there by 6 o'clock. Once everybody crosses that start line, we will pull up the timing pads. And that's because it's dark. We don't want walkers out on Davis Island, which is the first four miles of
the half marathon. We don't want them walking without a police escort. So please get there on time. Do it for yourself. Okay. So do I yell go at 6? Is that start time? You do yell go at 6. Okay. Very quietly, you yell go at 6. That's right. Just note, folks, that we're next to condos where the sleepers could be cranky if we slash I make too much noise. So, yeah, the noisy one. I do my best to talk to a massive amount of people in a polite tone.
So, yeah, always doing my best for that. And then so y'all go at six. Can they pick up a race bibs Sunday morning? They can. They can. We actually move everything that we have left for the half marathon and 8K, the bib numbers, the shirts, the goodie bags, everything down to Ballroom D, which opens up at 4.30 on Sunday morning. Our volunteers will be there to greet you. So our half marathon and 8K people that might get in late on Saturday night, you can pick up your packets on Sunday
mornings and you'll have plenty of time to do so. So please don't worry about that. So generous. Not every Reese does that. Yeah, again, we try and take care of as many folks as we can. So we understand there are reasons why they can't make it to the Expo on Saturday. So I just want to implore everybody, get there early. You know what? You can sleep late another day. This is not the day. None of us are sleeping late. Just set the alarm, set two. I always set it for like 3.50 and 3.51 and 3.52.
So I definitely won't sleep past. But yeah, get there early because the stress of getting there late is not a fun way to kick off a half marathon for certain. So just suck it up. Someone asked a question about Ubers. Is there a special place where you think people should be dropped off if they're doing an Uber or a Lyft to the race? Well, the roads are closed all around the start lines. So they're going to go as far as they can. And it's different on Saturday than it is on Sunday.
So look in the runner instructions for that information as well. Okay. Yeah, check the website. I said this at the beginning of the show, but the website actually has all of this information we're discussing.
It's there and there's images there's maps and so forth so good stuff okay so and then and then again gear check bag check will be in the convention center yep and it opens at 4 30 on on sunday to take care of those early people and also sunday morning get there early the tampa convention center is very gracious with allowing our runners to use their restrooms right up until the time they head to the start line. So you can hang out, sit on their furniture, lay down if you want to.
We see everything in the Tampa Convention Center. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time to head out and get over the Black Street Bridge to the Happener-a-thon start line. Okay. And then they'll have waves on their bib. We have two waves. Is that correct? Two waves. Colors again. I think it's pink and blue for the half marathon. We always, the first wave is always the color of the shirt. So the half marathon shirts are pink this year. Oh, nice.
That was a hot color last year. Everybody loved it. So we brought it back. Nice. I like pink. Why not? Right. Pink and camo, the two best colors.
We have some really nice messages here we've got Lisa Imus who ran her first Gasparilla distance classic in 94 wow moved to Washington state in 2003 now she's back to run the half with her 22 and 24 year old daughters one of them lives in town how awesome is that lots of memories will be made and we you know we have three generations of folks that run the race we you know folks that started at a very young age in 1978. They have kids and grandkids that they bring out to run.
So great. Yeah, we have all the ages, right? The whole family comes out. And then from Ohio, Jamie Sizemore. And then we have the Barn Racing Crew. It's coming from Wisconsin. We like those folks. They make a splash on race weekend. They're always in hot pink and hot orange and gray. I love their kits. They're really identifiable. Very pretty. Will we have the Hillsborough Harriers back? Oh, they'll be back. Yeah, they pretty much own the AK.
Yeah, they do. They're cute little guys and gals wearing their green tanks and shorts. And they're very, very good runners. That's so fantastic. Oh, we got Natalie and Jessica. So I am very excited to see what they're going to be wearing. Folks, if you are unfamiliar with Natalie and Jessica, they are our sisters who always show up in cool costumes that nobody can know in advance. Yeah. Well, and Tim and Natalie met at Gasparilla 11 years ago.
So we celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary last year. We're excited that they're coming back this year. That's right. Didn't you have a dozen roses for her? We did. Yeah. So classy. So classy. We've got Chris Klein's doing his 24 years. Actually, I love this, guys. You can keep telling us who you are and where you're coming from and what you're running. Did your questions get answered? I don't know, Jordan. Remind me what your question was.
Oh, they're tech material and they're made from recycled material this year. So they're great feeling. You're going to love them. All right, we've got Chaz coming in from Ohio. He was in Tampa the previous two years a week before and decided he'd come back for the race. Oh, awesome. That's great. No fits. Something else about Sunday that I need to share with everybody. Columbia Restaurants is back on Sunday.
So they will be on the Tampa Convention Center Front Drive on Sunday morning for the half marathon finishers and the eight cake finishers. And they'll be serving the 1905 salad, black beans and rice and Cuban bread. So we'll also have street graphics to get people through the TCC tunnel, the finish line, and over to Franklin Street to the Tampa Convention Center front drive where Columbia will be.
People have been asking for that for years. Yeah, they took a couple of years off after COVID, but they're back. Spectacular. We've got Debbie Voiles bringing 150 Run Tampa members in purple pirate shirts. Well, that's easily. We have a Corporate Participation Award, Furman Fittest Crew, and then we have the Furman Chevy Cruising Crew Challenge. And Debbie Boyles and Run Tampa is going to be the winner of that award.
So Debbie does a great job of getting the Run Tampa folks out there every single year. The support is fantastic. That's incredible. 150 is a big, big group. I'll look forward to that. I like it when people wear the shirts. Easily identifiable, right? Yeah. Okay, Jordan wants to know, where can family and friends meet at the finish line for the 8K?
So the best place to meet is going to be at the Franklin Street entrance of the Tampa Convention Center because the finish line area is secure to a point. So have your runners meet you over at the Franklin Street entrance of the Tampa Convention Center. It's a nice open space, and you'll be able to find each other very easily as opposed to being with thousands of runners in the TCC tunnel. So that's what we recommend. That's a busy tunnel.
It's a very busy tunnel. All right. Aaliyah says, Gasparilla's been on her bucket list for 10 years, finally checking it off. Half marathon 48. Outstanding. I'm guessing she's a 50 stater. What do you think? Do you think she's working on 50? Sounds like it, maybe. Yeah. Uh-huh. Smart. Look at this. Sheila O'Grady coming in from Ireland. Of course, O'Grady. Oh, fantastic. That's great. Sheila, step away. I'd love to meet Sheila because I love the Irish accent.
So yeah, so maybe we'll run into each other. Yeah, yeah. Come look. Susan's easy to spot. She's always around in her Gasparilla jacket and then I'm easy to, impossible to ignore Sheila. So find me, say hello and we'll connect you two. Let's see. Listen, Debbie, her whole year revolves around Gasparilla. That's pretty nice. We've got some great branded apparel this year, too. Some unique designs that I think everybody's going to like.
And we have a visor. Folks have been asking for a visor for years. So we listened. We have a visor. And we also have car seat covers that are pretty much pepper jack all over. It's feathers and pepper jack and very colorful. So those will be in the branded apparel booth up at the front of the expo. Get there fast because these quantities will sell out. Okay. Mike wants to know if you changed the towels. Are they still microfiber? They're good for wiping the car.
They're exactly the same, just with Michelob Ultra Zero on them. So they're fantastic, good-sized towels. And it's going to be cool. The weather's cooperating with us. It's going to be cool. So we'll make a judgment call on Saturday and Sunday morning as to whether or not we need to ice down the towels for folks. Yeah, that's actually been quite a nicety in the past, but you're right. It helps.
It helps. And particularly, you know, the 5K and the 8K. It's not going to be hot by any means, but it does warm up and folks get a little bit warm for those shorter distance races on Saturday and Sunday. And speaking of medical on the course. Tampa Fire Rescue will be all over the course, up and down the course. And then our great Tampa General Hospital, they set up a trauma tent at the
finish line. They bring about 20 of their emergency room docs and nurses that literally are in the finish line area. And they will look in the eyes of every runner that crosses the finish line, every walker that crosses the finish line, because they can tell if they need help. So they're just on top of things. Yeah. And folks, and it's funny, in nice weather, I tend to see more people go down at the finish line, not because they're sick, but because they were
able to work their hardest. They were able to go full throttle on their run because it was cool. And so if the medic comes over and offers help, don't be too cool guy and say, no, thank you. Just let them help you for a few minutes. It may just be a couple of moments sitting in a chair, having a conversation. They might give you a drink. They might rub your shoulders, whatever. Just don't be too proud to accept some help on race day. No, they're there for you. They're there for you.
They're there definitely to serve you and whatever your medical need might be. All right. Drum roll, please. Are you ready for this? I feel like some little angel is in the background providing information. There is in the other room. Meb and I will be at the Expo Friday from 11 to noon and from 3 to 4. We both are authors. We both have books. If you want to come buy books, great.
If not, if you want to just have some hugs or get to know each other, it always helps me to be able to pour noisy love on you if I know who you are. So just come and introduce yourself. And of course, Meb is just a legend in our sport and an absolute angel. So come say hello to him and I, and then Saturday from two to three. Perfect, perfect times. There's something else I want to mention to everybody, Fitz.
They're going to notice a larger police presence on both race mornings after what happened in New Orleans. The Tampa Police Department takes great care with us. Always they do that. They ensure the safety and security of the course. There's going to be Jersey barriers, those cement barriers at pretty much every intersection that intersects with the race course on Bayshore Boulevard. They're going to be flying drums to kind of keep an eye on what's going on down on the course.
So just don't let that frighten you. Know that they're there to take care of you and make sure that you're safe and secure. Proactive. We like that. We like that. Thank you. Thank you very much. It gives everybody else, I would think a little extra peace of mind. Let's see. Wayland's coming down from Maine to do the Michelob Ultra Challenge. Yeah, I'm sure it's probably covered in snow right now. Isn't that wild? Yeah, I think Wayland's going to be happy with the temps. I think so. Yeah.
I was in New Jersey last week and it's snow everywhere. I tried to make a snowman, but it was like square snow. Couldn't... I felt like a very Floridian... Fish out of water. Yeah, yeah. I was like, this is not working. So anyways, okay, Roland missed this, but how early should I arrive prior to the start of the race this Saturday and Sunday? I say an hour. What do you say, Sue? I think so too, an hour.
Just give yourself plenty of time to get part and do what you need to do to get yourself prepared to step into one of the start waves. All right, does anybody else have any questions? We're gonna wrap things up soon if you don't, but oh, we didn't discuss this, But Sunday, the same rocking party that we had Saturday is going to continue. Absolutely. And Cut and Chubby Park. No, it's going to be a fun time wherever you are, wherever you choose to go.
But we really encourage people to make the little walk down to Cotinchoby Park and be a part of the post-race festivities. Yeah, and I think maybe sometimes newcomers to races don't get it, but it really is part of the deal. Come early. Even if you're coming alone, you will not be alone. Ideally, our start lines are so friendly that you will make friends. And maybe I'll encourage everybody to make friends, but you become part of the Publix Gasparilla Distance Classic team the second you line up.
Yeah, you're trying to go your best time or have your best adventure, but we're all doing it together and runners are the nicest humans on earth. So just come early and then stay late, stay for several hours after you cross the finish line. I mean, maybe you'll fall in love like Natalie and Tim did or maybe you make a new bestie or I don't know, just enjoy some beer and have some fun. right? Yeah, please. It's not, you won't regret it.
Like, let's put it that way. You won't regret it. And again, the weather's going to be beautiful. So come out and do your race and then come over to the post-race celebration and just enjoy, celebrate, celebrate you and what you just accomplished. Absolutely. There are pacers, there are pacers in all four events. Okay. And, and so who, who are they, do they have a sponsor or they just? No, they're, I mean, Jim Christ is kind of their pace team captain.
He takes pacers to races all over the country and he recruits the pacers. A lot of them are local for us because we've got some great, we've got some great runners here in this market. So a lot of them are local. They know the event, they know the course and they are right. I don't know how the pace team folks do it, but they are right on target with the pace that they say they're going to run. It's amazing.
Yeah, it's almost like the fax machine. I just still don't really understand how they do it. But folks, if you don't know what pacers are, there are talented runners that are committed to going, let's say the half marathon in two and a half hours or three and a half hours, whatever. If you are prepared, if you've trained your body, you can just go join them. You don't have to sign up. You don't have to pay for anything. You don't have to register.
There'll be a guy or a gal with a flag above their head that says, I'm gonna finish it this time. and you can just go stand next to them and introduce yourself. They're normally quite charismatic. They're little tour guides for the distance classic. And yeah, it just makes racing a little more structured and fun. Yeah, they do a nice job for us. They really do. It's a great service.
It's a great service, especially for someone who's new. The first time I ever used a pacer, it was many years ago, but I was like, oh, okay, that person's going to finish it this time. I just made them chase me. That was it. I just let them chase me the whole time. So 13.1 miles of running from the lady with the red balloon, but it worked. The PACE team actually has a booth at the expo. So make sure you stop by there and meet them and introduce yourself.
That's great. Well, we got a lot of people that are very, very excited. For everyone who's traveling to Tampa, good luck with your travel. We hope everybody is safe. And don't forget your stuff. Make a list in advance so you don't forget your shoes and your body glide and your sports bra and whatever else. But if you do forget something, don't panic because the expo has everything. It does. We're ready for you. Come on. Yeah. Is there anything else you'd like to share before we call it in?
No, I just want to reiterate how hard we all work. Everybody, the staff, the organizing committee, the board, our volunteers, our partners, we all work year round to create the best possible experience for all of our registered participants.
And don't be shy. If you feel like there's something we need to improve upon for 2026, send me an email, So Susan at RunGasparilla.com and give me a chance to hear you out and learn, basically, because we do take a look at every single part of the race after the event. We're back at work on Monday morning. We don't take a day off. We're back in the office and doing what we need to do to take care of the folks that just ran, get things straightened up, and get started on 2026.
Yeah, it's incredible. It's incredible. You've led this ship for a very long time, and it's phenomenal. It really is leaps and bounds above. Well, I am surrounded by greatness. I think that that's the important thing. So I'm very fortunate. Speaking of greatness. Yeah. I've packed 22,000 hugs, Richard. They're already in my bag. So looking forward to seeing you, Rick. Yeah. So thank you folks for listening. Remember, this show will remain online
forever and ever. You can literally watch it over and over and over for the rest of your life. The website, RunGasparilla.com, is packed with all of this information, all of your start lines, all your parking spots, all your expo information, your schedule. Even the Meb and I, now we know where we're going to be. It's all on the website. And, yeah, just have the best time. This race, maybe it's about fitness and running, but it's also about adventure and friendship and fun.
And nobody does it better than the Publix Gasper La Distance Classic. Keep an eye out for our blasts, okay? Because we're very mindful about not sending too many blasts during the year. But this last week, we will be sending out information. So please keep an eye on your emails so that you can. And we found out today that 822 people of our 21,000 have unsubscribed to our emails. So those 822 people are not going to get any emails.
So I sent one out today. If you didn't get an email, you might want to go online and resubscribe on the website. We make weird decisions sometimes. And thank you all for your kind comments and your questions. It's, again, I'll say it again. It's a gift to have this type of participation. Yeah, yeah. And thank you, Fitz. Thank you. Thank you. I'm so excited to come make happy noise for you. And athletes, I'd love to meet every last one of you there. So if you see me
strolling around, please say hi. Please grab a hug. You're the highlight of the show, right? The reason. The reason we do it. All right, everybody. Say goodnight to Susan so she could get some rest. Thank you so much. Y'all have a good evening. We'll see you on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Bye, team. Bye-bye.
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