Fitness Walkers
Walkers are welcome to participate in the Florida Gulf Beaches Holiday Halfathon! All finishers are rewarded with our unique "running starfish" medals.The course opens to traffic based on a 3-hour pace from the 7:35 am start for runners. This means walkers slower than that pace at various intervals will need to move to sidewalks and adhere to all pedestrian laws. For instance, walkers need to be at the midpoint by 9:05 am, 90 minutes after the official start of the race.
Walkers expecting to finish slower than 3 hours will be required to start 30 minutes earlier, at 7:05 am. This will give walkers adequate time to arrive at the finish line by 10:35 am and will enable us to open the course to traffic earlier, which will keep residents and city officials happy.
Testimonials From a Few of Our Walkers ...
"Great race today! We walkers are always on the tail end but we keep going and going just like at the 3 Day! Thanks for all you do!"- Evi Green, Largo, FL
"Thanks for the race in Madeira, this was my very first race and I did it in honor of turning 65, I am female and came in last in my age group, but I finished, which was my goal. Can't wait until the next one to try and improve my time. Many thanks for making my 65th Birthday a fun one."
- Johnnie Holt, Placida, FL
"Thanks for another great race. The weather was fantastic, the location was wonderful, and the volunteers were excellent (wish I could think of a better adjective). The early start for walkers is a real plus, especially for us 'slow pokes.' Thanks again for a beautiful day."
-Carole Davis, Clearwater, FL
"I was turning 50 when I received my 'pink slip' from my Dr. regarding all the problems I had accumulated gradually with several decades of not paying attention to what was really important. That was eight years ago for me...and it changed my life....still not perfect but a WHOLE lot better thanks to racewalking. All I can say life does nothing but get better."
-Larry Van Fossen, the Brooksville (FL) Racewalker
"Just wanted to let you know that I had a wonderful time yesterday and I really liked the heat! (I'm from Minnesota, so anytime my body parts don't freeze, makes me happy.) I was one of the early-start walkers and enjoyed meeting fellow walkers. (Ok, I jog a lot of it, but those race walkers and other faster walkers left me in the dust!) I am looking forward to the January event and the return (hopefully) of the full Gulf Beaches Marathon someday. Special thanks to your volunteers who were out there for the long haul. Great after-party too."
- Jan Luck, Riverview, FL
"This was an incredible experience for me and I can't wait until next year. Since this was my first-ever half marathon, I had absolutely no idea what to expect, but I was certainly not disappointed. From start to finish, it was all I hoped for and more. Being at the start line with the other walkers, I was a bundle of nerves (I even forgot to stretch out), but once the race actually started, nerves simply disappeared and it became an event of pure joy. The little inclines couldn't even faze me. Everyone, from the race officials to the volunteers to traffic control, was simply fantastic. The after-party was great fun and the food delicious. One of the biggest thrills was hearing my name called out as I approached the finish line. That was exciting as it was unexpected. Did I win an award? No, but I think I got something even better. I beat my own expectations and hopes. I was working for a 3:20 finish and dreaming of a 3:15. Instead I crossed that finish line in 3:10. How much better can that get? For the first time in my 56 years, I really feel like I am an athlete and now have the running starfish to prove it. Look for me in 2008 and I'm shooting for under 3 hours!"
- Teri Chambliss, Dover, FL
In addition to offering finisher awards and event overall awards after each race, we will also track each athlete's finishing times and add them together to determine Champions of the Florida Halfathon Challenge.
Athletes accumulate their total finishing time by completing any three of our four halfathons during each season from Halloween through March. Those athletes who complete all four of our halfathons will have their slowest time dropped automatically.
To recognize our fastest and most consistent halfathon athletes, we will offer special overall and age-group rewards based on three halfathons. We will also recognize athletes who complete all four of our halfathons in a special way, yet to be determined.
