I had the pleasure of running in-person this year! The race was held on August 14, 2020 at 7 in the evening and due to COVID-19 limited to 100 people. The course was run on the sand which can vary in difficulty. On this day we ran almost completely on sugar sand! It was tough but so fun to be running a race again!
Claire is strong, experienced and determined to finish every goal she sets for herself. With her first and second attempt at running a marathon delayed due to injuries, she never gave up! On her third attempt, she successfully completed the Jacksonville Marathon.
When Claire started running back in 1990, something she wished she knew then was that eventually running will get easier. Shortly after, she joined the Tampa Bay Runners and only got better from there.
After finishing a 5k, she’ll never forget the supportive volunteer that told her “Stay Strong!” which has since become her favorite mantra. From 5k’s, to marathons, to Ironman 70.3, Claire is as tough as they come!
Current running shoes: Mizuno Wave Inspire 14 (I used to wear Saucony brand but when they changed the shape and fit of the shoes, I switched to Mizuno)
Current watch you are wearing: Garmin Forerunner 230
Most memorable race: Jacksonville Marathon in 2004 — I don’t have a lot of natural running ability so I never thought it would be possible for me to run a marathon. But after running for awhile and seeing friends run and finish them, I decided it might be achievable, even for a middle or back-of-the-pack runner like me. So, bitten by the marathon bug, I started increasing my run distance. Then I fell on a training run which put me out of my first attempt at the marathon. I trained again a few years later and got an IT band/knee issue 3 weeks before the race, which knocked me out of my second attempt at the marathon. And finally, as they say, the third time’s the charm — I ran and finished the Jacksonville Marathon on a nice, cold day in December 2004.
Years doing running/triathlon races: Since 1990
Favorite meal the night before a race: Spaghetti, tossed salad and garlic bread
Advice you wish you had when you first started: “Running will get easier”…When I was in college I occasionally jogged with my roommate and I just couldn’t get into it. Actually… I Hated Running! I could not understand how my friend could run because it felt so uncomfortable to me. After moving to Florida and seeing all the runners I gave it another shot and tried jogging here and there. Running was still difficult, but when I joined Tampa Bay Runners around 1990 I found the solution to my running angst. The group provided running advice, support and best of all, camaraderie. I have never looked back.
Favorite running mantra: “Stay Strong!” When I first began running races, I was determined to get faster. At a 5k race on the campus of USF, I was giving it my all and running as fast as I could. The USF cross country team was out on the course, handing out water and cheering on the runners. One young team member saw me obviously laboring and gasping for air. She looked me straight in the eye and shouted “Stay Strong!” Her encouraging words made me feel like a real runner. When I begin to struggle in a race I think of her kind advice.
What is your favorite PR?: My Gasparilla 15K time of 1:28:22. The Gasparilla 15k is one of my favorite races. I first ran it in February 1993 and at the time 9.3 miles was the longest distance I had ever run. I trained for months and was ecstatic when I completed it in 1:30:49. After that my times got slower and slower until one cold February day in 2002, almost ten years later, when I ran under 1:30.
Are you more of a winter runner or summer runner?: Definitely a winter runner. I feel like a different — and better — runner in the cold weather.
Have you ever been injured from running/triathlon?: Occasionally, my knees get sore but some time off from running usually helps.
Do you have a pre-race routine?: I have to drink coffee if it is a morning race! Then I usually take a Power Gel or Gu right before the race. I don’t really have a routine before an evening race, other than not eating too close to the race start time.
What is the farthest you have ever run at one time?: 26.2 miles. I have run four marathons, all in Florida – Jacksonville Marathon, Sarasota Marathon (Grouper Run), Gasparilla Marathon (Final Voyage), and the Walt Disney World Marathon. But my longest race is the Gulf Coast Half Ironman in Panama City which took over 7 hours to complete.