Echo Half Marathon

This morning my alarm went off at 3:20 am to run a half marathon... in June... in Florida. I was so bummed that I missed out on 2 races that I had planned on this winter/spring because of my knee injury, I really wanted to sign up for something far enough out that my knee would have had time to heel and before the weather got too bad. This is when I stumbled upon the Echo Half in Osteen Florida. They sold me with a 6:15 am starting time and the promise of a mostly shaded oak tree canopied course. It was an hour and 15 minute drive for me. I could have driven up the night before and stayed somewhere but honestly I didn't feel like spending the money on a hotel, and a 3:30 am wake call is no different than if I was running a runDisney race!

The drive wasn't too bad but I have to admit I was a little nervous driving down State Road 46 in the pitch black with nothing around at 4 o'clock in the morning! I was thankful I just had my car serviced a few days ago! I got there at 5:15 which gave me an hour to pick up my packet, bring it back to my car, eat some last minute fuel, stretch, and make a final dreaded port a potty stop. It was super dark when I got there still and the sun began to rise just about the time the race started. The pictures didn't come out great because I didn't want to be that annoying person taking pictures with my flash on that early in the morning! 

This was a point to point race starting at Beck Park Ranch and ending in Gemini Springs Park. And as promised it really was a nice shaded course. You started off on SR 415 and then after going up a not so fun bridge around mile 2 you entered a pathway that was tree covered for most of the race. I never really felt the sun until a few small parts towards the end. It wasn't crowded (I think around 500 people- 1 coral in a runDisney event has more than that!) so it never felt congested like in Disney runs.

They had official marathon pacers there as well. I placed myself in between the 2 hour 20 minute and 2 hour 30 minute pacers. My goal was to finish under 2:30, I would have been happy with 2:29:59! I was doing great staying under my goal pace and still ahead of the 2:30 pacer until about mile 11 when I started feeling sluggish. Thankfully my knee felt good, but my body was just over it. Even though it wasn't that hot, it was humid! I think they said it was 80% humidity when the race started. Then right around mile 11.5 the 2:30 pacer caught up to me, I stayed in pace with her until mile 12 and then I just hit that wall and hit it hard. Ugh, I know I should have and probably could have pushed myself a little harder, but at that point I was just over it. At about the 12.9 mile mark some girl who had already finished was standing on the sides cheering people on and looked at me (I must have looked like I was going to die!) and said do you want me to pace you? I nodded and we took off together. My official time isn't posted yet, but it is probably around 2 hours 31 minutes (it would have been worse if not for that girl!). Not what I was hoping for, but still not too far off either. After recovering from a knee injury and running in that humidity, I would have to say I am pretty proud of myself. My next half is in November, so I will meet my PR then!

Echo Half Marathon