The 2008 Outback Distance Classic is a Thanksgiving tradition here in Jacksonville, Florida. It starts at 8:00AM every year on Thanksgiving Day and this year was the 25th running of the race. There is also a 6k race that starts at the same time.

The course winds around the St Johns River and under a magnificant canopy of oak trees. I’ve actually run the course a number of times as training runs either when I was a participant with Team In Training or when I was coaching a  marathon team, but I’ve only run it during parts of the year where we needed to start really early to avoid the heat, so I had actually never seen the course. It was absolutely beautiful and made for a nice scenic route.

This year it was a little cool when we started, probably about 40° but it warmed up nicely. I stripped off a throwaway sweatshirt around mile 3 or 4 and it was 55° by the time we finished up.

I came through the Finish Line at 2:20:35, setting a new personal best time with a pace of 10:51 per mile.

I strongly recommend this race to anyone in the Jacksonville area, not just because you get to work off holiday calories in advance, but because the donated food items (part of the race entry) benefit the Jacksonville Food Bank.

This race is also part of the Tri-2B-Tuff Challenge which involves three half- or full marathons in three months. You must complete the Marine Corps Half-Marathon, the Outback Distance Classic Half-Marathon and either Jacksonville Bank Half-Marathon or full Marathon. Finishers get a technical shirt (short- or long-sleeve) and a medal.