Your Gasparilla Half Marathon Guide for Tampa

If you run in South Tampa, you run Bayshore. The sidewalk along the bay is where we train before work, meet friends on Saturday mornings, and build up miles for the Gasparilla Half Marathon every February. It is also one of the easiest places in Tampa to get behind on fluids without noticing.

This guide covers where to park, where to find water, how to plan around the 2027 Publix Gasparilla Half Marathon, how to tell when the heat is getting to you, and what to do when you get home.

Know the Bayshore trail before you go

The Bayshore Linear Park Trail is a 10-foot-wide sidewalk that runs from Columbus Statue Park at Platt Street south to Gandy Boulevard. Bronze markers set in the sidewalk mark every mile, half mile and kilometer, so you can track distance without a watch.

A few things every runner should know:

Hours: The city lists the trail as open sunrise to sunset.
Water: The city lists one water fountain along the trail. Do not count on it. Carry your own water or a handheld bottle on any run longer than a few miles.
Shade: There is very little. Once the sun is up over the bay, you are running in full sun.
Bikes: A bike lane runs along the northbound side of Bayshore between Rome Avenue and Gandy, so stay alert at crossings.

Bayshore parking for runners

The City of Tampa lists two parks with parking for the trail:

Fred Ball Park(2621 Bayshore Blvd.) sits across the street from the boulevard, near the middle of the trail. It is a good starting point for an out-and-back in either direction.
Ballast Point Park(5300 Interbay Blvd.) is at the south end. The lot fills quickly on weekend mornings, so arrive early.

You can also find street parking in Hyde Park a block or two off Bayshore. Read the signs, because some blocks are permit-only for residents. The north end near Platt Street is closest to downtown, where parking is mostly paid street spots and garages.

Hotels near Bayshore Boulevard for race weekend

Coming in from out of town? These hotels put you close to Bayshore, the start and finish, and the race expo at the Tampa Convention Center. Book early, because rooms near the course fill up for race weekend.

Downtown, Water Street and Harbour Island

Closest to the start, finish and expo.

JW Marriott Tampa Water Street
The Tampa EDITION
ROOST Tampa (1050 Water St.)
Westin Tampa Downtown Waterside (725 S. Harbour Island Blvd.)
Hilton Tampa Downtown
Le Méridien Tampa, The Courthouse
The Barrymore Hotel Tampa Riverwalk
Hotel Tampa Riverwalk

Hyde Park and SoHo

A few blocks from Bayshore, with restaurants within walking distance.

Palihouse Hyde Park Village (1509 W. Swann Ave.)
Epicurean Hotel, Autograph Collection (1207 S. Howard Ave.)
Hyde Park Hotel (2105 W. Bristol Ave.)

Budget-friendly with free parking

A short drive away.

Hotel South Tampa & Suites (3314 S. Dale Mabry Hwy.)

Wherever you stay, a NobleMed IV nurse can come to your room before or after the race.

Training for the 2027 Publix Gasparilla Half Marathon

Runner in a pink outfit raises both arms in celebration as she crosses a half marathon finish line while crowds cheer — *Most of the race runs on the same Bayshore stretch you train on.*

Race weekend is February 19 to 21, 2027. The half marathon and 8K run on Sunday, February 21. Based on the 2026 course, the half marathon starts at Platt Street and Little Bayshore and loops Davis Islands for the first few miles. It then heads south on Bayshore to a turnaround at Gandy and finishes at Tarpon Dock, between Beach Place and Hyde Park Place.

Running the 15K instead? It runs Saturday, February 20. On the 2026 course, the 15K started downtown at Brorein and Franklin streets, reached Bayshore by way of Little Bayshore, and ran south to Gandy. It then turned west on Gandy to a turnaround just past South Quincy Street and came back up Bayshore to the same Tarpon Dock finish. There is no Davis Islands loop, so nearly every mile is on Bayshore.

2027 is the 50th running of the Gasparilla Distance Classic. Registration is open on Race Roster.

That means most of your race is the same stretch you train on. Use it:

Practice your race-morning routine. The half marathon starts at 6 a.m. Do a few long runs at that hour so you know what to eat and drink before you leave the house.
Practice drinking on the run. Race aid stations start at the 1.5-mile mark and are spaced about one mile apart, with sports drink first and water second. If you train with the same pattern, race day will feel familiar.
Walkers, know the cutoffs. On the 2026 course, walkers had to reach Mile 5 by 7:20 a.m. and Bay to Bay Boulevard by 9 a.m., or they were moved to the sidewalk. Check the race site for 2027 rules.

The course map and rules can change from year to year, so confirm the final details at rungasparilla.com before race week.

Your Gasparilla race-week hydration plan

A good hydration plan is built in training, not on race morning. This plan follows the advice sports dietitians gave Runner's World, adjusted for Gasparilla's early start.

In training

Find your sweat rate. Weigh yourself before and after a long run. Each pound you lose is roughly 16 ounces of fluid to replace.
Train with what's on the course. Gasparilla aid stations serve Gatorade Endurance Formula and Zephyrhills water. Try that sports drink on your long runs so you know it agrees with your stomach, or plan to carry your own.

The day before

Drink like a normal day, plus whatever you lose in sweat on a shakeout run.
If you spend hours on your feet at the race expo, drink more than you think you need.

Race morning

Drink first thing when you wake up. Have about 16 ounces of sports drink with breakfast.
Sip, don't chug, and try to finish your fluids about two hours before the start. For a 6 a.m. half marathon, that means an early alarm, so practice the routine on a few training days first.

During the race

Take a few sips at each aid station, and sip water with any gels.
Don't overdo it. Drinking far more than you sweat can cause its own problems, so stick to the amounts you practiced in training.

IV hydration can be part of your race-weekend recovery, but it is not a replacement for a tested drinking plan.

Signs of dehydration after running in the heat

Tampa humidity makes it hard for sweat to cool you down. Watch for these warning signs of heat exhaustion during or after a run, as listed in CDC guidance shared by Miami-Dade County: