Five Points of Life Half Marathon, this weekend

For my third year in Gainesville, I will be running in the Five Points of Life Race Weekend. This includes a 5K, half marathon, full marathon, half marathon team competition and marathon team relay. I've done the half team and marathon relay over the past two years, but of which were a lot of fun. I am doing the half again this year. No particular goal in mind, my sights are still set on Boston in April, but it is a fun race.

The course starts and ends at the SW corner of the University of Florida campus. First north then west, the course takes you to the 'bacon strip' of hills along 16th St. (and mentioned in John L. Parker's novel, Once a Runner). After venturing to the east side of Gainesville, you run back through downtown and do a lap around "The Swamp" and back to the start/finish. Two years ago, they had Gator Football radio highlights on the PA system, and it was a great pick-me-up at the 11-12 mile mark. The only bummer for the marathon runners is that they have you run nearly the entire half marathon course and take a last minute left turn to head out for another 13.1 before coming back around for an approach from the South.