Orlando Track Shack – Walk Into the Future

2023 OUC Half Marathon

OUC Track Shack

“Don’t dream of winning, train for it”.

(Mo Farah)

My Walk into the Future continues to seek out new opportunities and challenges to move me forward.

Distance running and racing have become a huge part of this process. 2023 generated an aggressive running schedule that allowed me to run new half marathons to add to my medal rack. The 2023 OUC Half Marathon was the 10^th time I tackled this race. I missed the 2018 race to run a smaller half marathon on Amelia Island. The OUC Half Marathon was also my first half marathon so I guess you can say this race launched my distance running program.

I love the races put on by Orlando Track Shack so expect to run this race annually until I can’t anymore.

The 2023 OUC Half Marathon was scheduled 8 days before the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon so viewed this edition as an extension of my marathon training. My long training runs ended the week prior but never want to feel like I’m missing out on the great vibes at the OUC race. My training plan called for me to taper my running since I was at the end of my training cycle but decided to toe the line at the OUC half anyway. The course is flat and friendly so decided to have fun and enjoy the process of racing in downtown Orlando.

I arrived early this year since I had trouble finding parking last year. Didn’t want to feel rushed when I arrived so found parking in a downtown parking garage and made my way over to the race village. I had time to stretch and socialize a bit prior to lining up for the start of the race.

The temperature was in the low 70s at race time with equal humidity. The forecast called for a gradual rise in morning temperatures so wanted to get moving to beat the heat.

I decided to line up further back in the start corral and use that as part of my race strategy. I tend to go out a lot faster when I’m close to the front so wanted to create a steady pace and stay measured throughout the race. I didn’t have a set finish time in mind but wanted to test my fitness to gauge how ready I was for the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon.

Targeted the first 8 miles of the race as my strategic marker to see how long I can run without discomfort and determine my marathon pace for next week. Eight miles seemed like an appropriate test—my plan was to pull back on the pace once I hit eight miles and then just take in the race day environment and the cheering crowds.

I wanted to stay in the 9:50 per mile pace for this race to clock miles and work on strategy. I had to keep reminding myself not to push too hard or fast since I had a full marathon coming up in 8 days. My normal strategy is to push the pace for this race since the course is flat and I can normally get a fast time. I set my personal record (PR) on this same course in 2019 and always think I can beat that time. This was not the day to try for another PR.

I hit the eight-mile marker without any pain or discomfort. I was still running high 9-minute miles but decided to race smartly and began the process of pulling back to save my legs for the full marathon. The rising temperatures and humidity made the decision to pull back a lot easier this year too. 😊

Completed the race in 2:22 (two hours and 22 minutes) for a 10:50 per mile pace. Very happy with this pace and effort considering the temperature, humidity and a pending full marathon coming up next week.

Got a chance to catch up with some of my Orlando running friends at the race after party. Nothing like a 13.1-mile race, donuts, and beer all before 10 am in Central Florida.

Next stop? The 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon!

Irie!

“I’ll be happy if running and I grow old together”.

(Haruki Murakami)

2023 WordPress Stats

blog blocks wallpaper — Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

“I made a decision to write for my readers, not try to find more readers for my writing”.

(Seth Godin)

Love this quote as it reflects my original thoughts when I started the Walk into The Future blog back in 2018.

My intent has always been to create content others would want to read but not seek out followers for the blog. Some of you are stuck with me because we grew up together, so happy to have you along for this journey. Others have found my writing via WordPress based on my content and/or topics presented.

I’m happy to have you here regardless of how/why you read my thoughts—appreciate the company on this life I live.

WordPress provides authors with daily, monthly, and yearly statistics directly on my dashboard. I’m able to identify when my work is viewed in another country and my reach continues to expand. Again, not driven by this but it is nice to see someone in Spain or India has read my latest blog post. Not sure how I attract folks so far away, but it feels great and inspired me to write a bit more and with more substance.

My 2023 stats can be viewed here: https://wordpress.com/annual-report/walkintothefuture.blog/2023

I’m back in the writing lab working on new topics and adventures I will begin sharing next week. I am also entering the busy portion of my racing schedule so there will be race recaps to include my 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon experience and the next BIG race on my 2024 schedule. Hint—I got accepted into the Chicago Marathon. This is exciting news for me and will be the largest run event I will participate in. Thanks to Orlando Track Shack and the global running impact of this organization—it helped me get into the Chicago Marathon.

Big things coming in 2024—stay tune! LOL.

Irie!

“Do or do not. There is no try”.

(Yoda)

Marathon Training Update #2

Medal Palm Beach

My Walk into the Future is closing in on the 2023 Palm Beaches Marathon. I am heading down south on Saturday for my big race on Sunday.

The training this year went by smoother than last year. I chalk this up to having a better mental and physical understanding of the training program and what is required each week. I also view my hydration and nutrition planning as much improved from this time last year.

It is amazing how quickly you learn the things not to do to get prepared for a 26.2-mile race. Excited and terrified at the same time. Runners are a unique group of people with an adventurous mindset.

I didn’t have my friend Lauren training for a marathon with me this year, but she was always available to listen to me share about my progress. Hoping we will both get into the 2024 Chicago Marathon and enjoy this process together again next year. We both signed up for the marathon lottery system and will find out today if we get in. I will focus on the 2024 Chicago Marathon as my big race next year if I get in—fingers crossed!

The 18-week training plan has allowed me to increase my mileage safety as I built up my base miles. I added hill and speed training this year to increase my endurance towards the full marathon distance.

Here are my total weekly miles so far this year:

Week #10: 38 miles
Week #11: 23 miles
Week #12: 32 miles
Week #13: 34 miles
Week #14: 22 miles
Week #15: 39 miles
Week #16: 28 miles
Week #17: 29 miles
Week #18: 33 miles

I have logged 465 total miles during this journey to include multiple 5k and half marathon races. The process of racing brings me a level of enjoyment to my training program and is a lot more exciting (for me) than simply going out for long runs on my own. I got spoiled a bit in Oviedo by having an active running environment with all the Orlando Track Shack events to choose from. There are multiple running clubs in Orlando so finding a running club to get a few miles in with was an easy process there.

This week is dedicated to carb loading, extra stretching and getting a lot of rest. The full marathon beat me down last year so I’m adjusting my daily routine this year to conserve as much energy as possible.

Still have not decided my race strategy—will look to listen to my body and go out with a comfortable pace that I can maintain throughout the race. I started to struggle at the 18-mile marker last year so want to extend my progress beyond this point in 2023.

My goal is to beat my time from last year and set a new PR for myself. I’ve got a race goal time in my head but will not reveal it here just now. I will brag later if I hit my preset goal. 😊

Wish me luck!

Irie!

2023 Celebration of Running 5k

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The 2023 running season kicked off with the 2023 Celebration of Running 5k in Winter Park.

I have run this race three years in a row and love the experience. It’s August in Florida so the heat and humidity are high, so this adds to the challenge. I don’t run a lot of 5ks but this one remains on my list because it is flat and provides a training gauge for the year.

I never set out to run a PR here but want to test my physical and mental stamina. The race crowd is not too large, so this helps when trying to avoid other runners at the start.

Decided to line up closer to the front pack of runners to give myself room to operate without having to dodge folks. Still amazing that I know runners from when I lived in Oviedo. It’s almost like they don’t know I’ve been gone 9 years now.

My race goal was to go out and find an even pace. The secondary goal was to run faster than last year. I met both of my goals and enjoyed the race from start to finish.

I found a couple of runners with great paces and decided to hitch a ride with them to challenge myself. This was a fun activity since I train by myself. It was great having others around to inspire me to find another gear. Felt good enough at the end to leave my running companions and put in a good kick to complete the 5k. Crossed the finish line in 28:50.

Collected my medal, water, and banana before making my way to the beer garden. Yes, we drink beer at 8:30 am after races. We eat donuts too! LOL.

This was week 2 of marathon training so needed to get additional miles in after the race. Headed back over to the Seminole Cross Trail to complete my training with 6 miles there. Got a total of 10 miles completed on the day.

Made my way back to the hotel to shower and find some real food. Wanted breakfast so went by First Watch close to UCF for a huge pancake, eggs, and bacon. Favorite meal when I eat there.

Feeling good about my training so far and look forward to a fantastic running season. Heading to Virginia Beach again for the 2023 Virginia Beach 10-miler over the Labor Day weekend. Should be fun getting back up to Virgina.

Will ramp up my marathon training when I return from Virginia. Time to lock in mentally and physically to prep for my 26.2-mile challenge in December. 😊

What are you looking forward to?

Why do I run?

VB 10 Miler

“Running is my private time, my therapy, my religion”.

(Gail W. Kislevitz)

The Walk into the Future blog continues to roll along and provides me space to share a small portion of my world with readers. Yes, this is a simple concept but one I take seriously to find new content to share with others.

Running is a huge part of my life and I am happy to be at this point of the journey. I started running as a small hobby to get in more cardio, but it has morphed into a lifestyle that energizes me daily. Who knew I would enjoy going to bed early so I could wake up before the sun comes up for a run? Well, that’s what I do now, and love every minute of it—even in the south Florida humidity.

So, why do I run? That’s a great question and I will provide some context to why with this post.

Solitude

The ability to go out for a run without having to coordinate or schedule the activity is appealing to me. There is a level of peace for me when I’m out for a run. I lace up my running shoes and just put one foot in front of the other until I hit my mileage goal for the session. The solitude comes in handy on days where I don’t feel like running faster—I can just move forward at my own pace without worrying about slowing someone else down. Also, I can enjoy my music and sing out loud when I want to. Not many folks come out at 5 am to hear my bad singing but it helps me when the miles get tough. The solitude of my run is a highlight for me and one of the main reasons I’m still out putting in the work.

Time to think

The solitude of my runs is great, and it provides me with a lot of free time to think and change the world—hyperbole here! LOL. The space and time to think are enjoyable aspects while I’m out training. This time has helped me come up with solutions to work problems, generate new ideas for the Walk into the Future blog and new topics for my leadership consulting side hustle. There are times when I just run without thinking about ways to change the world but running provides me with a platform to simply think and be me. Sounds simple but this keeps me lacing up my running shoes and logging the weekly miles. Who knows, there may be another blog article coming from my next running session.

Physical wellbeing

An obvious outcome of my running program is the physical wellbeing it brings. I leverage running to help me maintain my weight without having to count calories. I practice intermittent fasting daily but can eat whatever I want because of my running program. Running is also a great way to build up leg strength and muscles. The development I have in my legs rivals muscle growth I saw when I was more active lifting weights (squats, leg presses, etc.). Again, the physical aspects of running leads to a better mental outlook as well.

So, there you have it—I run for solitude, time to think and physical wellbeing.

Why do you run?

Irie

2023 – 2024 Running Season

My 2022 running season was an aggressive approach for me. Wanted to continue to test myself and see how much I could improve my running performance.

I did not see any personal records (PRs) in 2022 but my conditioning and endurance were on display with each race.

The ultimate challenge was stepping up and competing in my first full marathon. I have been back and forth for years on running one but finally got the courage to sign up, show up and finish one. Super proud of this fact.

Now, I find myself signing up for half marathons as a normal part of my training program. My training focus used to be getting ready for my next half marathon. I’m at the point where I can run one on short notice and still compete well. That’s well and fine but looking for a few PRs in the 2023 – 2024 racing season. LOL.

I want to PR a 5k, 10k, half marathon and the full marathon this season. Aggressive I know but, that’s why we make goals.

Here’s my tentative schedule so far:

8/19/2023	2023 Celebration of Running 5k	Winter Park
9/3/2023	2023 Virginia Beach 10-miler	Virginia Beach, VA
9/16/2023	2023 Out Run Hunger 5k	Fort Pierce
10/8/2023	2023 Hutchinson Island Half Marathon	Fort Pierce
10/22/2023	2023 Cocoa Beach Half Marathon	Cocoa Beach
11/4/2023	2023 Hollywood Half Marathon	Hollywood, FL
12/2/2023	2023 OUC Half Marathon	Orlando
12/10/2023	2023 Garden of Life Marathon	West Palm Beach
1/21/2024	2024 Vero Beach Half Marathon	Vero Beach
1/28/2024	2024 Town of Celebration Half Marathon	Celebration, FL
2/10/2024	2024 Fleet Feet Run for your Heart 10k	Stuart, FL
4/27/2024	2024 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon	Nashville, TN
6/1/2024	2024 San Diego Rock N Roll Half Marathon	San Diego

May add a few additional races to this list but this should keep me training and competing this fall and next spring.

What challenges are you tackling this year?

Irie!

2023 Marathon Decision

“There is magic in misery. Just ask any runner”.

(Dean Karnazes)

I ran the 2022 Palm Beaches Marathon with the intent of being one and done. The training and pain I felt during the marathon was one of the toughest things I’ve ever experienced. The joy I felt when finishing was also a joyous time—I know that sounds weird but finishing the marathon was the culmination of a massive undertaking.

The quote above speaks volumes for what I experienced during the marathon and highlights the mindset of most runners. Yes, it hurts but I need to run this again. May not make sense to most people but runners live this life daily.

The day of the marathon my body hurt—same for the day after and the next five days. I started to feel normal again the week after the race but running this distance again was not a priority for me. I began to deconstruct the race, my training and nutrition the following week to determine if I could do better. The answer came back as yes, but I did not know if I wanted to experience this level of pain again.

I forgot about the marathon and embarked on multiple half marathons (Vero Beach, Town of Celebration, Nashville) and got faster with each race. I attribute this to my marathon training and the ability to manage the pain a lot better. The marathon taught me how to continue to move forward even when the body wanted to slow down or stop. Leveraged this newfound knowledge and fitness to get better when running half marathons.

Spoke with my friend Lauren Apgar about possibly running the marathon again. Casual conversations all the way up to the 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon. I was able to handle the Nashville hills and warm weather much better than I did last year. Again, this was because of the amount of training I put into the marathon process.

The concept of running another marathon kept coming back up so decided to explore what it would take for me to toe the 26.2 start line again.

The course needs to be flat. I prefer the race to be close to me so I would not have a huge travel commitment. The race needed to provide a fun environment and an opportunity to become a running tourist again. The Palm Beaches Marathon checked all these parameters, and I am familiar with the race. It does not have the greatest EXPO experience, but the course support was great, and it allows me to redeem myself and improve on my 2022 race time.

I’m not trying to qualify for Boston or the New York City marathons. Just want to get back to my training program and improve my marathon time. My competitive nature drives the need for improvement, and I know areas I can improve my training. I leveraged my exercise bike a bit too much during training and know these miles are great for cardio but do not translate to the road work needed to run the best marathon time. I will use the exercise bike only when the weather is bad and running outside is not an option. I make a point to train at different times of the day—this allows me to acclimate to the South Florida heat. The heat at mile marker 20 got the best of me so will not let this happen again this year.

I plan to leverage the 18-week training plan again this year with emphasis on building my mileage base slowly and mastering the long weekend runs.

Excited to embark on this marathon journey again. I’m sure I will generate training articles again to allow my readers to follow my pain! 😊

Irie!

2023 Winter Park 10k

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“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you”.

(Fred Devito)

Ventured back to the Orlando area for the Track Shack 2023 Winter Park 10k.

This was my 5^th time toeing the start line for the race but the first time I did not enter with a set finish time in mind. I spent the past 4 weeks recovering from Piriformis Syndrome and my training was limited prior to the race. Yes, this sounds like an excuse, but I was excited to race pain free again. Decided this race would be my test to determine how well I recovered and make a final decision on the 2023 Nashville Rock N Roll Half Marathon in April. Pain in this race would have eliminated me from traveling to Nashville to tackle the hills up there.

Made my way to Track Shack on Friday before the 10k to pick up my race packet and do some shopping. I’m always looking to get new Track Shack gear and wanted to make sure I had time to check out the new selections and colors. It appears a lot of runners had the same idea—the line was out the door when I arrived. This is the first time I’ve experienced a long line at Track Shack, but this was an indication race capacity was full this year.

I didn’t do a major carb load process for the 10k but made my way to the UCF Buffalo Wild Wings to indulge in wings, potato wedges and beer. This is the meal I leveraged to launch me into the 10k. Made sure to get to bed early so I could make my way over to Winter Park with enough time to warm up, stretch and test out my legs prior to race time. I wanted to get a two-mile warm up before the race to ensure I was ready to complete the 6.2 miles with minimum leg issues. There’s a lot of activity around the Winter Park race village—vendors, runners and the Saturday Farmers Market are all in the same area. Great place to watch people.

Made my way to the 10-minute per mile section of the starting corral. I didn’t want to be too close to the front because my competitive nature would have taken over and I would have pressed the pace. Figured limiting my starting position would keep me from going out too fast and possibly aggravating my leg again.

The race was crowded, and the first mile was slow not necessarily by choice but because there were so many runners. This worked in my favor since I couldn’t go fast even if I wanted too at this point of the race.

The runners started to thin out a bit around mile 2 and again after mile 3. I did not experience any pain through this point of the race and settled into a nice clip and started to enjoy the process of racing again. I leveraged a couple of runners for pacing to help me keep a consistent pace through the middle portion of the race. Mentally processed the concept of speeding up but decided to just enjoy the course, great weather and being around other runners. There was no need to push the pace or myself at this point and didn’t want to create a situation where the piriformis became irritated.

I increased my cadence at mile 6 when we made our way back onto Park Avenue. There were a ton of spectators at this juncture, and I pressed the pace a bit to see what I had available for the end of the race. I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face and no pain in my legs.

Finished in 1:02:39 and made my way over to the race village to get my beer and take a few pictures while there. Got a chance to catch up with a few runners I know from the Track Shack circuit and did some light shopping at the Farmers Market.

Happy with my performance and not aggravating my running injury. Looks like I’m clear to travel to Nashville and tackle the Music City hills.

Of course, I will get in some line dancing and country music while I’m there. 😊

Irie!

2023 adjustments

10k

My 2022 running season allowed me to meet every running goal I set for myself. I have been lucky and fortunate to avoid injuries or other physical setbacks.

2023 has not been so fortunate for me. No major injury this year but an old friend decided to check back in during the 2023 Run for your Heart 10k back in February. This was a new race for me, and it appeared I would be able to run a fast time since this course was completely flat and my training program was geared to keep me running fast in 2023.

Penn Medical Center defines sciatica as pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the leg caused by injury to or pressure on the sciatic nerve. Piriformis syndrome is one of the common causes of sciatica and develops when the piriformis muscle becomes tight or spasms (Cleveland Clinic). The Cleveland Clinic identified about 40% of people in U.S. experience sciatica sometimes during their life. My bout occurred during a race! LOL.

I’ve had bouts in the past but was able to shake off in a couple weeks.

This episode came as a first since my latest sciatica experience came at the 3.5-mile point of the 2023 Run for Your Heart 10k in Port St. Lucie. Past episodes came about gradually but this one came as I was pushing my pace for a 10k PR.

Decided at the race start line to go out with a pace I could improve on as the race got deeper. My plan was to run negative splits each mile and get faster to close out the race.

This plan worked brilliantly through the first 3 miles, and I felt great physically and mentally. Started to smile more as I logged good mile splits and knew I was on pace to go below 55 minutes for the 10k.

I felt a slight twinge in my left hamstring at the 3.5-mile turnaround point on the course. I didn’t think much about it since leg soreness comes with running. Kept pushing the pace with designs the hamstring would work itself out so I could continue my quest towards a PR.

This fallacy soon left my mind and body as the hamstring pain intensified to the point; I thought I was cramping. Slowed down a bit with hopes the cramp would go away but it didn’t, and pain continued to intensify. Decided to pull over and stretch it out but that didn’t help either. This was a first for me during a race but continued moving forward with the hopes the cramp would go away. The PR was the last thing on my mind at this point. I just wanted to finish the race upright and I did.

Finished the race with no distinguishing kick—I eased to the finish line ahead of some of the 5k participants with the crowd cheering me to go faster. I ignored them completely. LOL.

Crossed the finish line with a grimace on my face but upright. Made my way to get water and refreshments with hopes this would take the cramp away. Please note, I refer to this as a cramp because that’s what I thought was happening.

Finished with a time of 1:02 (one hour, two seconds).

It took me a couple of days and lack of response to treatment to realize this was not a cramp. I have not had a sciatic episode in years and sometimes forget how it feels. Also, it has NEVER occurred during physical activity.

I began treating the sciatica with Epsom salt, ice, heat, and my massage gun. This all helped but it didn’t go away. Decided to take a few days off from running to see if that would help. This was the first forced break from running for me in years. Felt funny but was necessary since my leg was experiencing nerve pain.

Hoping the pain subsides in time for the 2023 Calgary Stampede 10k in two weeks.

Fingers crossed! Piriformis syndrome sucks! LOL.

NOTE1: I don’t publish articles in the order I write them—just when I’m done with the editing process.

NOTE2: I ran the 2023 Calgary Stampede and still had piriformis issues—made it to mile 5 before slowing. Decided to skip the 2023 Orlando Best Damn Half Marathon and the 2023 Virginia Beach Shamrock Half Marathon. First time I’ve signed up for races and not go to the race sight.

NOTE3: I wrote 90% of this article on my phone with SAMSUNG Notes while flying back from Jamaica over spring break. This is the first time I used my phone to write a blog article. This opens me up for additional writing opportunities to capture my thoughts and develop new content. Exciting times for the Walk into the Future blog! 😊

2023 Town of Celebration Half Marathon

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“Running is great for your body. It will increase your energy levels and helps you to clear your mind”.

(Heidi Klum)

FYI—I selected the 2023 Town of Celebration Half Marathon because I did not want to do the double bridge crossing which is part of the Melbourne Publix Half Marathon again. I used the term diabolical to describe that race and did not want to go through that pain again.

The Town of Celebration race is the week prior, and I scouted this race for over 8 months to see how other runners felt about running in this small little town just south of Walt Disney World.

Well, let me tell you, this is my new favorite half marathon, and I will be running this one again for many years to come.

I had never visited Celebration, Florida and barely heard the town’s name in the past. I think most people just assume anything close to Disney World is part of Orlando. Celebration is in Osceola County, and it has a small town feel because it is a small town: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebration,_Florida

Made my way over to Celebration the day prior to the race. I wanted to explore a bit and get a better feel for the town, the race course and the parking situation. There were several emails that identified parking would be limited and for runners to arrive early on race day. Did not know what all that meant but I learned a valuable lesson at the 2022 OUC Half Marathon and wanted to make sure I had time to stretch and warm up.

Packet pickup was conducted at Celebration Lakeside Park and was straightforward. Arrive, get your race packet, gifts, take a few photos and then move on. There was not an EXPO for this event as they wanted runners to get in and out to maximize the limited parking downtown. I was able to explore a bit and get some nice pictures around town. I wanted to continue my carb loading process and Googled Italian restaurants. Did not need Google as Reggiano’s of Celebration was directly across the street from packet pickup. There were other options close by but wanted to experience something unique to Celebration. There were a lot of runners and family walking around town, but Reggiano’s did not have a large crowd yet. Made my way to the bar and posted up to get some great food and atmosphere.

Reggiano’s has a large menu, and they specialize in pizza—multiple varieties available on the menu. Decided to stay with my tried-and-true selection, chicken parmesan with pasta. The portions are huge so take that into account if you visit Reggiano’s. Got my traditional bud light draft, water and extra bed and dug into my meal. Several runners were in the restaurant enjoying the carbs and great food.

Left Reggiano’s and did some window shopping to look for a refrigerator magnet to add to my collection. Had to visit a few stores to get the one I wanted and made my way back to my car to head to the hotel to get off my feet.

Picked a hotel that was less than two miles from the race start line so felt comfortable with getting back downtown prior to the race with plenty of time to warm up. Laid out my race outfit, hydrated a bit more and watch some TV before going to bed early to tackle the 13.1 miles coming the next morning.

My friend, Lauren texted me and asked what my projected time would be the next morning. I felt good with my race preparation and mentally approach so I replied I planned to run 2:08 (two hours and eight minutes). Remember, I had just run 2:15:03 in Vero Beach the weekend prior so I came into the race looking to knock off 7 minutes. The weather in Celebration was a lot cooler than Vero Beach and there were no bridges—the course is completely flat with a few boardwalks to navigate so felt good with my projected time.

Made my way back downtown the next morning and found parking a few blocks away from the starting line. The citizens of Celebration embrace the event and didn’t seem to have problems with a bunch of visitors parking in front of their houses.

I had plenty of time to stretch and warmup and took advantage of it for this race. The temperature was in the low 50s and made for a great way to start the race. I made my way into the start corral and got set in the 9-minute per mile block and waited for the fun to start.

I was able to speak with and catch up with a few runners I knew from the Orlando area and a couple that came over from Fort Pierce as well—it was great seeing some hometown runners over in Celebration.

I felt relaxed, comfortable, and ready to go.

Fast forward and the winding course hit every major point of interest in Celebration. There were not a bunch of spectators out but the ones who came out were great and provided a lot of support to runners. I settled into my pace during the early portions of the race and did not worry about other runners or how fast they started the race. I had the number 2:08 in my head and wanted to see if I could hit it. Fun fact, the race time was not my driving force, but this was the most enjoyable half marathon I have ever run. 2:05 is my best half marathon time set at the OUC Half Marathon back in 2019 so I have been faster and will be again.

My mile splits were:

Mile 1: 9:20/ Mile 2: 9:29 / Mile 3: 9:31 / Mile 4: 9:28 / Mile 5: 9:44 / Mile 6: 9:38 / Mile 7: 9:52 / Mile 8: 10:19 / Mile 9: 10:03 / Mile 10: 9:47 / Mile 11: 10:20 / Mile 12: 10:06 / Mile 13: 10:10 / Mile .1 / 1:32

I slowed a bit at the 8-mile markers as we had to navigate a narrow portion of the boardwalk. It was not conducive to passing other runners and there were multiple twists and turns during this portion. I didn’t fall off a cliff but believe I could have kept running at the 9-minute clips but I’m extremely happy with my pacing and times throughout the race.

I finished the race in 2:09:18 so I was only 18 seconds off the time I shared with Lauren. Not bad, huh? 😊

I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face and felt great with my effort during this race. I was able to call my time, put in the work and see the training pay off with a really good time.

The BEST part of the race is the after party!

Most races provide beer and donuts to runners, but the Town of Celebration throws a party. Every restaurant in town has a booth and each runner gets a food passport to eat their way around town (figuratively). I hit most of the booths with some being a repeat for me—the beer and mimosa stations at 9 am in the morning were very popular. I was not in a rush to leave so soaked in all the town of Celebration had to offer. I decided during the afterparty this would be a race I run every year. I’m ready to sign up for the 2024 race but registration is not open yet. LOL.

I’ve got a few races lined up for the 2023 racing season but I’m sure this will be the highlight race for me. This little town has set the bar extremely high for others.

Irie!

“Run often. Run long. But never outrun your joy of running”.

(Julie Isphording)

https://www.celebrationmarathon.com/packet-pickup.html

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