Melissa Gacek Takes Second in Tallahassee

Melissa Gacek

Team Oiselle's Melissa Gacek finished second in the women's race, seventh overall at the Tallahassee Marathon on Sunday in 2:55:37.  2013 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon third place finisher Esther Erb won in 2:46:28.  Erb won $2,000 for first, Gacek $1,000 for second.

"I was trying to run more tactically than speedy, since I hadn't run outside since December," said Gacek. "All my training had been on a treadmill and I  was concerned even going that distance might be challenging being on the road for the first time with a strong effort. Plus it was 100% wet/humid/drizzly. 

The other women went out easy but I knew with 239 and 234 marathoners in the pack I couldn't bother going out faster than them, I would be a sitting duck...so I stuck to my plan which was to warm-up 13 miles, then see what I needed to do the second half, work on getting people at 16. 

"I got that opportunity at 16, and started reeling in the second place woman, passed her at 20 and worked on my gap from her the rest of the way, but really only went as fast as I needed to knowing Esther Erb, who was ahead of me cranking out a workout, wasn't in my sights to catch, and I was getting a comfortable lead over Nina (Kraft/2:58:06 in third). It was nice to have a smaller race to try out Scaps and drinking patterns of sports drink/GU/water, and going out easy rather than a larger one where I feel more concerned about staying in contact."

Full results are HERE.