Florida Marathon & 1/2 Marathon
Melbourne, FL
- Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Located in Melbourne on Florida’s Space Coast, between Miami and Jacksonville, east of Orlando and Tampa, the Florida Marathon & 1/2 Marathon makes for a perfect warm winter running destination for runners of all ages and levels. It is held a month after the Disney Marathon. Like a Rock-n-Roll marathon, … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Feb 07):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 67 | 78 | 67 | 76 | 67 |
| L (°F) | 48 | 62 | 51 | 53 | 56 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Bad Luck for RD this Year
This was my fourth time doing this race. It is a nice race and logistics are very easy as it is fairly close to Orlando and has race day packet … MORE
This was my fourth time doing this race. It is a nice race and logistics are very easy as it is fairly close to Orlando and has race day packet pick-up. This year there were some unfortunate challenges and an unfortunate accident. A few months before the race the RD was notified of construction even though he had already had a permit approved for the course. As a result the marathon was canceled and the half was switched to an out and back with a 3.5 hour time limit (the normal time limit is over 4 hours). There was very fair options for registered runners such as changing distances or deferring so not complaining about this just setting the background of the race. I was a little disappointed it would be an out and back but knew 3.5 hours wouldn’t be an issue and was happy they didn’t just cancel it. I traveled to Florida with my mom and went went to Disney on Saturday which is what I usually do when I run this race (yes I went to Disney 2 weeks in a row and will be going to Tokyo Disney very soon!) and did race day packet pick-up. I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Melbourne where I usually do. It is not within walking distance but a short drive and they have always let me have late check out. This year my mom dropped me off and picked me up race morning. She dropped me off and picked me up at the Wawa right by the race which was very convenient (and has clean bathrooms with shorter lines than the porta potties). Race day packet pick up was easy. Packet included bib and a tote with a hat and some food items from Publix plus small swag items. There is no shirt unless you pay extra. I did not as I have a lot of shirt. Race start was fairly organized with pacers to help us line up. I like that there are a lot of pacers between 2:30 and 3:00 which is my usual pace. I was planning to go comfortably-hard today and planned to stick with the 2:55 pacer who is a friend from a running club and then speed up a bit at the end if I felt good. I did lose the pacers in the beginning as it was a bit congested but caught up once the race thinned out. The course this year was fine. it is a nice course with waterfront views most of it. The normal loop is really nice. The out and back was nice but not as nice as the loop as the first section is through a busier street with chain restaurants and gas stations and business. You then cross a bridge and then run through beautiful neighborhoods on the other side and we skipped this part. It was still enjoyable to be by the water and weather this weekend was perfect. This race usually has bad weather but it could not be better today. The course is flat until the bridge. I did like the placement of the bridge better on the out and back course as you do it twice in the middle of the race as opposed to the loop where there is a bridge in the middle and the end when you are tired. Production seemed good. The race was not closed off to traffic but there was always at least once lane closed off and we were separated by cones. There were plenty of aid stations with Water and Gatorade and a good amount of porta potties on course. The race was well marked and there are a lot of musical acts for a mid sized race which is really fun. However I later learned from a RaceRaves review that a runner was hit by an intoxicated driver and needed to be hospitalized. I will be honest the race felt pretty safe for a race on non-closed road and I think the accident was unfortunate bad luck and I hope whoever injured the runner is held accountable. I have done several races in New England which felt much less safe than this and am now even more nervous about running some of them. However what bothered me and why I dropped a sneaker due to the incident is lack of transparency. I was not at the award ceremony and was not aware this happened until I read a RaceRaves review. I think the RD should have sent out an email and also gave updates on ways they plan to improve safety. Maybe they are waiting for the outcome and I may change my review if they do send an update but it does seem shady to not let us know. Anyways I was blissfully unaware and was successful with my race strategy finishing a bit over 2:50 which was right where I was hoping to be. The medal at the end is always produce themed. This year it was Dragonfruit and beautiful. There is pizza and lots of snacks and it is a fun party for a more mid sized race. I do think the accident was bad luck that could have happened at any race that didn’t have 100% closed roads so I am not against doing the race again as I enjoy this race weekend but I will be much more likely to register again if there is an update with ways to improve safety.
Safety Concerns with This Race
A significant portion of the out-and-back half marathon course is along a busy road that is not completely closed to traffic. Only cones divide the runners from speeding cars in … MORE
A significant portion of the out-and-back half marathon course is along a busy road that is not completely closed to traffic. Only cones divide the runners from speeding cars in a small town in Florida on an early Sunday morning. I felt somewhat vulnerable but trusted that the race organizers and law enforcement would keep us safe. Unfortunately, during the race, an intoxicated driver hit a runner. The runner remains hospitalized. The race director announced the incident after the race concluded at the awards ceremony. Since making that announcement, the race organizers have not released a single update to runners about the incident or what will be done in the future to ensure the safety of runners. Because the race has completely ignored this tragic incident, I would not recommend running this unless and until the race organizers are able to ensure that they are implementing measures to protect runners’ safety.
Flat course & the Eau Gallie Causeway
The race started at 6:30am. You get to see the sunrise over the water. The turnaround route is mostly flat. The start is up a little incline. Around mile 6- … MORE
The race started at 6:30am. You get to see the sunrise over the water. The turnaround route is mostly flat. The start is up a little incline. Around mile 6- mile 8 you run across the Eau Gallie Causeway bridge. There’s a turnaround and you head back the way you came.
The weather was perfect. Cool to start, sunny, no rain. Temperature in the 60s at the middle to end of the race.
The race was heavily impacted this year (2026) due to road construction that resulted in a cancelled full marathon, changed the course for the half marathon, & shortened the course time limit from 4 hours to 3.5 hours. The organizers did offer racers the option to defer to next year without a fee.
Overall, it was a good race and the finish line was kept up until at least the 03:30:00 time limit.
I so enjoyed this Race!
I was planning on running the Half Marathon but I downgraded a few days before since Winter in Northern NY has been brutal and I didn't feel ready for 13.1. … MORE
I was planning on running the Half Marathon but I downgraded a few days before since Winter in Northern NY has been brutal and I didn’t feel ready for 13.1. No issues changing races! Packet pickup was very easy and the shirt and hat were awesome! It was my second best 10K time! It was so well organized. We had live music and DJs all through the race course. The spectator support was amazing! The course was pretty flat but going up the causeway twice still made for a good challenge. The medal was awesome. This year’s theme was starfruit. Lots of water and Gatorade on the course and great snacks at the end. I can’t recommend this race enough! Now I want to come back and run the half next year and the next year’s theme is dragon fruit! Great first race in Florida and perfect weather too!
The Weather is Always Bananas
This was the third time I've done this race. It is located in Melbourne on the space coast about an hour from Orlando. I typically combine it with a trip … MORE
This was the third time I’ve done this race. It is located in Melbourne on the space coast about an hour from Orlando. I typically combine it with a trip to Disney World but this year combined it with another race. It is sponsored by Publix and there is always a fun produce theme with great medals which is one reason why I keep coming back along with the convenient location for winter trip. This year the theme was Bananas. I actually arrived early enough to make the expo for the first time I’ve done this race. It was a small expo but some of the booths had interesting things and since you can’t park right at the start it definitely made race morning easier getting the packet the day before. But there is race day packet pick-up if you want to go to Disney World on Saturday. The packet included the bib, a hat and some coupons. One disappointing thing is you have to pay extra for the race shirt but I suppose that is better than raising the price of the race. I again stayed at the Holiday Inn Express and parked in the same garage. They were charging $10 this year. Try to bring a $10 bill as it took forever to get change for a $20. It was easy to have my bib so I could just walk to the start instead of walking back and forth. Again I used the Wawa nearby for it’s restroom and skipped the porta potty lines which are always a huge mess. Everything goes smoothly except the porta potty lines. The start is well organized and they are pace groups for up to 3 hours. It is a nice sized race with a few hundred runners each distance. I tried to stay with the 3 hour pace group but as my title states the weather was not great. This was actually by far the best weather I’ve had for this race but it was really hot and humid and I was not making under 3 hours. The course is really nice. It is essentially a loop and almost all of it has waterfront views. It is flat except two bridges which are rather steep. The race starts very early so there weren’t many spectators the first half but there were a lot later in the second half. Aid stations were great and they seemed to have more electrolyte and nutrition options than previous years. The finish line was also more decorated than last year. My finishing time was as expected for the weather. At least there was no thunderstorms or large winds this year. There is a double loop marathon so there is an extremely long time limit for the half making this very back of the pack friendly. The medal is great as always. It is big and has a spinning banana. There is pretty good post race food. Based on prior reviews I think it was better pre-covid but they had typical foods, some donuts and cheese pizza enough to fill me up until I could reach the Orlando airport as my flight left in the early afternoon. Overall this is a very good, almost great race. It is a very convenient race to get to and works well with a visit to Disney World and after doing the Disneyland half I’d rather visit the park and do a cheaper, smaller non-Disney race like this so I’m sure I will do it again. I’d recommend this race for Florida if you want a mid-sized, waterfront race near Orlando.
Hot 🥵
Packet pick is super quick and easy and they have all the last minute stuff you might need. The race itself is beautiful but then 2024 weather was very warm … MORE
Packet pick is super quick and easy and they have all the last minute stuff you might need.
The race itself is beautiful but then 2024 weather was very warm and sunny. The bridges/causeways are much steeper than you expect.
Nice Race
Pros: Morning of packet pickup (!!), super easy and close parking, pacers, great medal, after party with pizza, beer and other snacks, and enough water stops. Cons: Huge lines for … MORE
Pros:
Morning of packet pickup (!!), super easy and close parking, pacers, great medal, after party with pizza, beer and other snacks, and enough water stops.
Cons:
Huge lines for bathrooms at the start, no aid on course (Gu/Fuels), double loop course, expensive cost and no shirts included
Nice, Smaller Race with ehhhhh Weather
I signed up for this race about a month out from the event date, so paid a bit more, as is usual for me :( If I had signed up … MORE
I signed up for this race about a month out from the event date, so paid a bit more, as is usual for me 🙁 If I had signed up at an earlier time, I would have found the “value” better.
OVERALL: it’s a nice, smaller-sized race with great volunteers, but you have to be ok with the double loop (for the marathon), which I’m never crazy about and 4 fairly steep bridge crossings. As all other reviews will say, weather can be dicey; this year was no exception. It was my first time running it, but I did read the reviews..this year it was extremely windy.
Pros:
– They offer bib pickup on race day, which is normally my go to option for smaller races that allow for it.
– I arrived about 30 minutes prior to the race start (610AM!) and was able to find free street parking along the water, about a 3 minute walk from the start. There were also some grassy lots adjacent to the street that looked like you could park there as well, so parking was very easy for me.
– Good number of hydration stations, especially for a smaller race
– Marathon started ahead of the shorter distance races, which is always hepful
– Temperature was not too hot, and it was *mostly* cloudy, but there were definitely periods of sun
– Finish line had pretty good food options (pizza, some donuts, beer, gatorade, water, Coke, Regular and Sugar-free Redbull – my fav!, and orange juice). Although, as with ALL multi-distance races, there is usually slim pickings for marathoners – even those on the faster than average side.
– Awards were nice, and you got a little jar of honey as well if you placed in your age group
AREAS of IMPROVEMENT:
– More porta-potties at the start, please! The lines were very long, both at the porta-potties and the park restrooms. I almost missed the start of the race!
**Pro-tip – just on the other side of the road from the start, there is a Wawa – I would recommend runners take advantage of it if they face long bathroom lines
– The last bridge placement is a pain – I realize this is just part of the race, but it is literally the last mile of the race, and it’s steep.
– Energy gels were only offered one time on the course (that I could tell), and if you didn’t pay close enough attention, as only one person at the station was handing them out and not exactly advertising them either, you would easily miss it. My gripe here is not that they were offered only once, but rather, it seemed like the organizers didn’t want to make runners aware that they were even being offered at the one aid station…
– As I mentioned earlier, finish line drink/food got picked over by a lot of the half-marathoners/10k/5k/etc
– It’s a double loop course; these are easily my least favorite as I don’t want to see the same “views” twice, and I especially don’t want to deal with those 2 bridges twice
I can’t put this as a “con”, because weather can’t be helped, but the wind this year made it hard to PR. The last bridge crossing, when the wind was coming directly at you at 30+MPH, was diabolical, especially given that it was in the last mile of the race too. So beware the weather in this race!
It's a good, local race
The race directors have no control over the weather. This is my 3rd or 4th year running the marathon - I've had heat, rain, cold. This is the first year … MORE
The race directors have no control over the weather. This is my 3rd or 4th year running the marathon – I’ve had heat, rain, cold. This is the first year I’ve had 40mph wind gusts, though! 😄😄 It made for a very interesting uphill on the 2nd (and 4th) bridge! I expected the portapotty to be tipped over by the 2nd loop but it held in there.
🌞 The race expo is always quaint. Local vendors and sponsors are there to highlight items that may be beneficial to runners and/or introduce their services to the community. The DripBar had a spin-the-wheel where people could get a number of prizes including infrared light therapy, B12 shots, Salt Sauna Sessions, or $25-$50 off one of their IV drips. (They- obviously weren’t providing these services at the expo, but it was a busy booth. Everyone likes to spin the wheel (and apparently everyone was hoping for a B12 shot, too.))
🐝 This year’s these was the Year of the Honey Bee and I was so delighted to see a local bee keeper there selling honey and honey-derived products. They also brought a piece of the hive with them and I was mesmerized. I probably watched the bees for 5 minutes. I also bought some pepper honey. Pretty good stuff. **Support the local vendors.** (especially bee keepers. Bees are awesome.)
🎽 Packet pick-up is simple enough – show your ID, get your bib. I didn’t order a shirt. I have a lot of shirts and – sadly, I don’t wear a lot of them so save your money, race director.
🌞 The race starts right where they held packet pick-up. Parking is wherever you find it. I arrived 30 minutes before race start and found a spot less than a football field from the start line. Many locals carpool which helps.
🚻There are plenty of portapotties near the start line and there are flushing toilets in the nearby park. Lines were not long at all.
The Marathon begins about 20 minutes before the half marathon which I like because it thins the crowd a little and makes the 2nd loop feel less lonely and generally helps me to pace myself a little more slowly since I know I have to keep some in the tank for 13.1 more miles than those around me. I wish all races would stagger the marathoners and half marathoners like that.
🌞 The Wednesday before the race, I learned that I had received the Guinness World Record title for running the most consecutive daily ultramarathon distances by a female (23 days). The race director and emcee gave me shout-outs so I thought that was really nice of them. My friend was pacing 3:45 so I ran with him until the first bridge. Along the way, we were chatting with other runners. Some people were asking me for advice on staying motivated, pacing, and fueling. I was more than happy to talk to them.
💧 Water stations were well-placed (about one every 1.5 miles or so) Since it is a smaller race, the nice thing to do is to call out to the volunteers what you need “WATER” or “GATORADE” as you approach the station. This avoids lines and helps to assure that you will get the cup you want. It’s a great system and I had no issues on this course.
🏃🏼♀️ The course is very pretty along the water. There are some neighborhoods you have to go through to get the 26.2 miles but most of the time, you are along the water and it is beautiful. There isn’t much by the way of shade but we were lucky to have overcast skies this year for the most part and I wore the hat that they gave us for the first half. (it got too windy for it after a while)
🎶 Local musicians play along the course. This is nice because it is a smaller race and since most of this race is on main roads/highways with a river in between them, it can be difficult for spectators to get from spot-to-spot on foot or by car without disrupting the course.
🌉🌉 Obviously, there are 2 tall bridges. be prepared for them. Every uphill has a downhill, though, so power through then make up for it on the way down. That 2nd bridge was tough with that headwind. Everyone had to deal with it so I couldn’t complain it just made me realize “this won’t be a 3:40 marathon today.”
🌞 In a nutshell – this is a good race. They have lots of water and 32-oz Gatorade bottles at the finish line. Mr. Delicious Pizza 🍕had so much pizza that they were giving away whole boxes by the end of the race. I think that they had Coca-Cola at the end, too. The “kegged” beer was devoured by the half-marathoners and 10K-ers. I don’t drink anyway but someone (maybe the race, maybe some awesome bystander) put some cans of beer on a table at the finish line for the marathoners. That was cool.
🥈🏅 The medal was a beast and it had a honeycomb design on it. I came home with 2nd place in my age group. Since half marathoners make up the bulk of the race – it’s a good chance that you can take home an age group award as a marathoner. (I got 3rd place a few years ago as the 4:30 pacer and didn’t know it. I didn’t think 4:30 was ever fast enough for anything, so if you want to make the podium- give this marathon a try! It’s fun)
Much Better but Still Not Great Weather
This is my second time doing this half marathon. I did it 2 years ago and I enjoyed it but it was a bit of a modified experience due to … MORE
This is my second time doing this half marathon. I did it 2 years ago and I enjoyed it but it was a bit of a modified experience due to covid and terrible thunderstorms. You can read my old review for details. I did want to come back to see what it was like a normal year and I was looking for an excuse to go to Orlando to go to EPCOT for the new Guardians of the Galaxy ride so when I found out I had this weekend off I decided to do this race again. Melbourne is about an hour east of Orlando so it is easy to get flights. I flew to Orlando Friday evening and stayed in Orlando then went to EPCOT Saturday and drove to Melbourne after and stayed in the Holiday Inn Express there Saturday night. I love that they have the options for race day packet pick-up as both times I went to Disney World and skipped the expo. I will say the race starts early and you can’t park right at the start so if you aren’t planning to go to Disney and are just spending the weekend in Melbourne it would be easier to go to the expo. They send email a race guide about a week before the race which has all the info you need including parking. I parked at the same garage as last time but this time it was free. It is a few blocks from the start but it does take a bit to park, walk to get packet and bring packet to car and then go back to race. The race stopped including a shirt to keep prices down but you can buy a shirt. Since I had a shirt from 2 years ago I did not buy one this year. Even without the shirt you still get a tote with a race hat, a vegan protein bar and some other coupons and goodies. I suspect this is an expensive place to hold a race. I would say the price of the race is very reasonable. It’s not super cheap not super expensive. It was much cheaper than the Miami half I did or a Disney World half. This year again there were huge porta potty lines. Pro tip – there is a WaWa about a block from the start and I used their bathroom to avoid missing the start due to porta potty lines like last year. The start was organized enough. They had pacers to help people line up but no waves or corrals. I appreciated they had multiple slower pacers such as 2:45, 2:50 and 2:55. My initial plan was to run with the 2:55 group but I thought that was a bit ambitious since my feet were sore from walking around Disney so much the day before so I lost them early in the race. The course is very nice with most of it waterfront views. It is a loop and it is flat except 2 bridges. It is mostly on a coned off street. The marathon is 2 loops. The space for runners is quite large and there were no issues with passing people. It is also a nice sized race with about 1000 runners total. The race starts really early at 6:30am so there were not a lot of spectators in the beginning. There were more in the second half but still not a ton. However there are a ton of aid stations and musical acts to make up for it. There was both an aid station and a musician or DJ almost every mile. Also lots of porta potties on course if you missed it at the start without lines. One minor complaint is I didn’t see any gels at the aid stations though some had fruit. The weather today was quite good until the second bridge around mile 11.5. It was a bit hotter than I was used to in the 70s which slowed me down a bit but then at mile 11.5 there was a really strong headwind which was brutal at the uphill on the bridge. I already knew I was not making under 3 hours so I just walked that mile until I reached the top of the bridge and I did not walk fast. It was so slow against the wind. It took me about 20 minutes to cover that mile which killed my time. Even the fast marathoners on their second lap were walking the hill. The finish is downhill but with the wind I couldn’t go too fast. My finish time was pretty slow. It’s probably not the best idea to go to Disney the day before if you want a fast time but the race is very back of the pack friendly with a 5 hour time limit for the half so go to Disney and enjoy the scenery. The finish line was okay. There was no arch or any sign that it was the finish line just timing mats. Same with the start. That is one thing I would change. even just some balloons or something to make it more festive. The medal is great. It is huge. This year the theme was honey which made a cute medal. My medal from 2 years ago was nice and this one was nicer. The finish line food was fine. There was fruit, cheese pizza and donuts. They had a nice selection of drinks such as gatorade, coke, and red bull along with beer. There didn’t appear to be as much food as described in prior years which I assume was also to keep prices down. Overall I think this is a very good race. It is close to 5 sneakers and I don’t have any major complaints but there are just a lot of minor things not done quite as well as a 5 sneaker race. While it is potentially a fast course with a very nice elevation profile, the weather is also unpredictable and as a result I would not recommend traveling to this race specifically for a PR or BQ. I’m guessing quite a few runners missed their goal because of the wind. There is also the possibility of thunderstorms or being very hot & humid. This is true of any Florida race so I wouldn’t hold the weather against the race for a 50 stater. Overall I like this race a lot. If I could only do one Florida race I did enjoy Miami a bit more and would probably choose that one but I did think this race along with travel and lodging was cheaper and logistically easier than Miami. It also works out well with visiting Disney. Depending on what you are looking for this is a solid option for 50 staters. As I love visiting Disney I may end up doing it again.
Windy but beautiful views of the water
The 10K goes over the Melbourne causeway bridge and back. Great views of the intercoastal. The MC and race director were good, event was pretty smooth. Lots of goodies for … MORE
The 10K goes over the Melbourne causeway bridge and back. Great views of the intercoastal. The MC and race director were good, event was pretty smooth. Lots of goodies for runners at the end. Swag was top notch.
Race was very fun with beautiful views!
Be sure to plan for all weather, it rained with high winds during my race but was beautiful and sunshine the first half of the race! The race started bright … MORE
Be sure to plan for all weather, it rained with high winds during my race but was beautiful and sunshine the first half of the race! The race started bright and early at 7am the racers got to see the sunrise over first causeway as you run towards the beaches. I loved that they had water stations all along the way which made it so refreshing. The course takes you along the riverside of Melbourne and through a few neighborhoods. The crowds along the course aren’t too distracting! Keep your eyes peeled over the bridges as you can see either dolphins or manatees in the river! The causeways are the only hills on the course but they are halfway through and at the end of the race with the finish line right near downtown Melbourne.
Wonder Of A Non-Covid Year
I will preface my review of the 2021 race with this, COVID-19 + thunderstorms are severe & uncontrollable factors. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I appreciate … MORE
I will preface my review of the 2021 race with this, COVID-19 + thunderstorms are severe & uncontrollable factors. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I appreciate this race company doing a solid job with what they had to work with.
The course was great overall. It’s flat for the majority with a couple challenges as you go uphill over two short bridge sections (save some energy and power for right after the 12 mile marker but remember what goes up must come down). I enjoyed the scenery much more once we got out of downtown Melbourne and into the beach side of things with the limited cheer crowds being awesome and fun.
It wasn’t a crazy hot day but humid enough for me to hydrate at almost every water stop (double what I normally do for a half) but the staff/volunteers were well stocked with water bottles, Gatorade bottles, GU gels, even some bananas at the midway stop. And there was plenty of things to help me recover at the finish line as well.
I picked up my packet 20 mins before race start and missed the expo the day before so can’t really comment on that experience but it was seamless for me to grab my bib on race day. They had little place markers all around the staging area pre-race to ensure runners stayed 6ft apart which was by far the best I’ve seen at a race since the pandemic.
Because there were thunderstorms coming in the area about 20 mins after I crossed the finish, most of the full marathoners were divert to finish with the half runners which really sucked for those runners but who can control the weather right? Also with that and Covid restrictions, the post race party wasnt really a thing but I would love to see what its like for that in previous or future years.
My main complaint would be the swag. The medal is nice, solid but for the amount I paid ($100) I expect more than just the medal. If you wanted a shirt you had to purchase and there was no bag or anything with local business treats. We did get a beer at the end of the race so that’s always a plus!
Overall I would run this race again but only if and when they are in full non-restricted mode.
Worse weather than Rochester!
This is an annual race off the space coast in Florida sponsored by Publix. Every year they have a different kind of produce for a theme which I love since … MORE
This is an annual race off the space coast in Florida sponsored by Publix. Every year they have a different kind of produce for a theme which I love since I love my fruits & veggies. This year it was the year of the Tangerine. My beloved orange cat is named Tangerine so I knew I had to run it! It also worked out perfectly that my trip coincided 2 weeks after my second covid vaccine making me finally feel ready to fly to a race (I was actually relieved Louisiana got postponed even if I can’t make the new date and have to wait until 2022). Logistics, Melbourne is about an hour east of Orlando so this race is very convenient to get to. I flew into Orlando Friday and was happy the race had race day pick up so I could spend Saturday at Disney World. Since I was at Disney I didn’t go to the expo Saturday so can’t comment. After Disney I drove to my hotel in Melbourne. I stayed at the Holiday Inn express in Melbourne. Nice staff who allowed late check out for runners and had an early breakfast of granola bars and bananas out starting at 4am for runners. The RD emailed a nice pre race packet with all the race information about 2 weeks before the race. The weather forecast didn’t look good the morning of the race with scattered thunderstorms predicted all morning. Luckily at least initially the weather seemed good. It is an early 6am start for the marathon and 6:30 start for the half so I got up about 5 and it was about a 10 minute drive to the race. There weren’t really hotels at the start line. I parked in the public structure recommended in the packet. Just a warning the packet said it was $5 but they jacked up the price to a whole $7 (lol still so much less than I paid for parking at California races) and it was cash only. It was about a 5 minute walk to packet pick up and the start. Packet pick up was smooth. You got a tote bag and people like myself who registered early got a shirt but due to financial issues from lack of sponsors during the pandemic they stopped offering shirts to participants who registered later but this was clearly communicated and I appreciated the honest communication from the RD. Shirt is long sleeve and tech so useful for me but fabric feels a little cheaper than some of my other tech shirts but the design is nice. Covid protocols were definitely not as strict as other races I’ve done because well it is Florida but everything was outdoors and the majority of people were wearing masks and trying to space out. The announcer was encouraging everyone to mask and social distance at least but there were a handful of runners not listening. My biggest non-covid related complaint of the start is there was nowhere near enough porta potties. After I brought my packet back to my car and returned to the start I literally waited in line for the bathroom until 6:29 when I quickly did my business and then just went to the back of the corral area as the half marathon was starting. They said there would be self seeded waves or something but it seemed to just start and everyone went but the corral was big and people were mostly spaced out. There was a nice number of participants (around 500 or 600 half marathoners) for a normal year where you were always running with people but it wasn’t hard to pass since I did end up in the back of the corral with the walkers so had to pass a lot of people. The starting temp was perfect but man the humidity. It was around 95% humidity and I did feel it but it was nice to run in a tank and shorts. The course is really nice. It is a loop around the water and there are water views most of the race. Other than a tiny out and back around mile 4 there is no repeating any part of the course for the half (the whole is 2 loops so that is all repeated). The course was pancake flat except 2 bridges with only 99 ft of elevation gain the entire race. That was less than my 3 miler 3 weeks ago. The uphill on the bridge was a little tough and I power walked it due to my issues with humidity but I did see some really cool birds fly by on the bridge. After you cross the bridge there are some really fancy waterfront houses across it. There were aid stations about every 1.5 to 2 miles. Unfortunately there were small water bottles and 3 had gatorade bottles and endurance gels too. Seemed very wasteful with some many thrown out half empty bottles (but I understand how it is more hygienic) but I needed a ton of water and electrolytes with the humidity and needed more than I was carrying. There were also plenty of porta potties on the course with never more than 1 person in line. The race was going pretty well, a little slow due to humidity but I was on pace to potentially make 2:30 if I had a good push at the end. However at mile 11 it started to rain. At first it was nice. Then at mile 11.5 the sky opened up, there was thunder and lightening, it was downpouring and there was even some hail. Yikes this was the worst weather I have ever run in. I was also a little scared to be on the bridge at the end of the race in the storm but also wanted to finish since I was so close. I was absolutely drenched and could not enjoy the downhill finish. I did not get the under 2:30 finishing time I wanted but I don’t think my finish time was too bad all things considered. At the finish line you got your medal which is big, beautiful and tangerine themed. My cat will love it. There was some dole pineapple juice which was a nice refreshing treat, water, gatorade, red bull and beer for those who drink it. There was not much food just fruit but I had some snacks in my car. With the horrible weather there was absolutely no gathering after the race. In normal years it sounds like the post race party is fun. They ended up pulling marathoners off the course right about the time I finished due to the dangerous weather so only the super fast marathoners finished. I thought about switching this to the marathon when Louisiana postponed since I am trying to do 2 marathons and a 50K in 90 days to qualify for marathon maniacs and am so happy I didn’t. Although in good weather this wouldn’t be a bad course to run twice for the marathon. I did think this was a good race and my main complaints (the weather and a few Floridians who refuse to wear masks) were not the RD’s fault. I plan to run a race in Florida most years since it is easy to fly to from Rochester or Buffalo. Next year I am planning to do Miami but I’d consider this one again in the future and hope for better weather but based on other reviews from previous years bad weather seems the norm but usually not this bad. Aww the irony of taking a trip to run a half marathon in nice weather and instead would have preferred to run in 20 degree weather with snow over the weather I got. Even with the weather I still had a great trip to Florida! Crossing my fingers Vegas has better weather for Red Rock!
Year of the Avocado
The organizers of this great running event have delivered yet again. This was my third Publix half-marathon and while I was hoping that third time would be the charm – … MORE
The organizers of this great running event have delivered yet again. This was my third Publix half-marathon and while I was hoping that third time would be the charm – it wasn’t. Mainly because I still had a bit of a cold and breathing posed a challenge. Apart from that, the route was just as lovely and difficult as last year with two causeways to cross. On the second one there was a piano with a colorful bouquet on it and enchanting tunes were flying all around. There were other great musicians and singers along the course and that really made a difference. I thoroughly enjoyed their performances. Maybe it was just me, but the red carpet at the finish line seemed more red, plush and soft than in previous years. It made me feel somewhat victorious despite my not-so-great performance in this race. Since the avocado is the patron of this race, the finisher medals were in the shape of cute avocados with smiling faces, dangling legs and revolving pits in the middle. The post-race support was great with a variety of cold drinks – not just beer – fruits and snacks. All in all this is a great running event to be in at the Space Coast.
A1A+
Expo was small but nice! Easy in and out! With packet pickup available the day of the race as well. Parking was very easy (even for out of towner’s) -short … MORE
Expo was small but nice! Easy in and out! With packet pickup available the day of the race as well. Parking was very easy (even for out of towner’s) -short walk to race start. Plenty of bathrooms at race start/finish, as well positioned along the course. Aid stations were perfectly placed. Highly recommend a throw off for the cool start. The bridges allowed to stretch out with up/down hill while the rest of the course was (pancake) flat. Traffic control was great, as well as the musical diversity! Volunteers A+…swag was good including a wicking long sleeved shirts, avocados, tons of free beer, cute medal (although I honestly was not a fan). Race director was very friendly, and humble! I especially enjoyed the scenery (saw dolphins feeding off the back of a boat). Very cute town!
Really good race!
Flat, easy course, with a great after party. Even though it was rainy, was a good time and had people cheering on the course! Small but good expo! Great swag MORE
Flat, easy course, with a great after party. Even though it was rainy, was a good time and had people cheering on the course! Small but good expo! Great swag
2-Loop Marathon course (Pacer)
Yes - it rained this year but the race director has no control over the weather. in 2018 it was blazing hot so I'll take the rain any day. • … MORE
Yes – it rained this year but the race director has no control over the weather. in 2018 it was blazing hot so I’ll take the rain any day.
• Packet Pick-up •
I picked up my packet the morning of the race. It was pretty simple – stand in the MARATHON line, state your last name, and get your bib, T-shirt, hat, and goody bag.
• Parking •
There is plenty of parking along the road near the park where the race ends. A lot of people try to park in the actual park, but it is blocked off and -even if they managed – you would be stuck until the end of the race. We parked 2 blocks away in a parking lot. When we came back to drop off our bags in our car, we saw that they were charging $7.00 for event parking.
• Port-a-potty situation •
There were 4 rows (2 rows back-to-back) of port-a-potties near the start line. I used one at 5:30-ish (race started at 6:00) and it looked like I was the first one who had used it (all of the TP was still wrapped up.) Since no one was waiting, I sort of used it as an opportunity to stay out of the rain, adjust my belts, and hat, take inventory of my supplies (salt pills, GUs, etc.)…and really just stay out of the rain. Why not?
•The course•
The course starts at a small park on the Indian River in Melbourne, FL. You go up a small hill and make your way to US 1. With the exception of a (maybe) 1-mile stretch through some neighborhoods and a park’s parking lot, you are running on highways with the right-most lane closed for runners. At mile 5.5, you approach the first bridge with is the Eua Gallie Causeway – it is an inter-coastal bridge that crosses over the Indian River and is just about a 1-mile climb and I read that the elevation change is only about 30 feet. They usually have a white grand piano at the top and a pianist playing music, but due to the rain this year, they could not. After you descend the bridge, there is a series of tents that looks like it could be a water/aid station, but it is not: it is the exchange point for half-marathon relay participants. The aid station is about a half a mile past that and there was severely potent Gatorade at that stop this year. Both me and a lady I was running with spat it out, it was so sour. I asked a passerby (who looked like a spectator) if she could go back and ask them to water it down a bit.
After the Eau Gaille Causeway, we turn down Riverside drive and they have musicians along the road and volunteers from the local schools to sheer you on and pass out water. I tried the pickle juice – not bad, especially after the undrinkable Gatorade at the previous stop, I needed some electrolytes. If you can run where the road is flat, I always recommend that because this road does bank a lot as it winds a bit and if you have hip issues, it can hurt if you run on the slope.
After this long road (about 3 miles with the little side-step into a neighborhood), you come to the next bridge, the Melbourne Causeway, which is a lot like the other bridge and if you are lucky, you can see dolphins. The half marathon splits off and you repeat the loop a 2nd time.
•Finish line•
There is a green inflatable archway with the Publix Logo on it that they tell you at the start is NOT the finish line. If you are listening to music or ignoring the pre-race announcements, you will be disappointed if you think that this is the finish line. The finish line is about 400 ft past that arch.
I paced the 4:30 marathon group at this event so I was freaked out as I approached the finish line and saw that the clock said 4:22:something, even though my average pace on my watch said 10:16 and I saw it click to 10:17. I stopped in a panic and a spectator told me it was 10:30a.m. so I should have been good. Once I crossed, another person told me that the clock was displaying clock time for the half marathon start which bothered me a lot because (this is snobby, but) someone taking 4½ hours on a half marathon probably does not care about his or her time. Imagine the elation of someone striving for a BQ, and seeing – let’s say – 3:30 as they approach only to find out that they really finished at a 3:37 or a 3:40. How heartbreaking.
•AFTER PARTY•
I went to go get pizza at the after party and they were all out, but one of the Vendors hooked me up, so that was nice. They served pancakes and donut holes inside the pavilion at the end of the course. The Florida Strawberry Council (sponsors this year) had a little table where I picked up some cute strawberry sunglasses, a little strawberry plush toy, and a coloring book (that got soggy from the rain – oh well.) Since I drove in with the 5-hour pacer, I hung out near the finish line and waited for her. I didn’t bother to check the results because I was pacing but found out the next day that I actually placed 3rd in my age group! So this could be a nice race to podium! (I missed out on my pint glass – I love a good pint glass from a race. Dang it.)
•Pacing•
As a pacer, I am happy to announce that all of my “pacees” finished well ahead of me. I had 4 first-timers (2 of whom were from up north) so I tried to gauge how they felt and decided that we were holding a nice rhythm at a 10 – 10:05 pace. I knew that I should slow down, but it was such a nice group and I didn’t want them to slow down just because I had to, so I asked “are you all OK, here? because we’re on pace for a 4:25 right now.” They all agreed that this was comfortable so I told them that I would pull back at 21 and if they wanted to go ahead of me, please do, and they did. One lady finished at a 4:21, 2 from out of state said that they got the 4:25, and I saw the guy who was running with us but didn’t have a chance to find out how he did. He started with a 4:30 pacer and finished before her so I guess he exceeded his plans for that day.
•PROS•
• Good chance to get on the podium for the marathon
• Bridges give you a nice chance to switch up your muscle groups – something we don’t get a lot of in Florida
• Nice, local race
• They have a marathon option. It’s tough to find full marathons anymore.
• Even though people may not have shown up due to the rain, it still didn’t feel like a lonely race. I like that. (I’m sure pacing helps.)
• The medal is cute
• The hat was nice
• The shirt is comfortable (Long-sleeved tech shirt. Great for yard work in the summertime to shield you from the sun.)
• Well-stocked water stations this year (not so great in 2018 when they ran out at the stop at 20-21)
•CONS•
• I’m sorry but I could not get over the race clock at the finish.
• I didn’t notice medical stations along the way. I’m sure that they had them but they weren’t well-“advertised.” With the rain this year, I would have liked to have dried off and re-applied some Vaseline to my arms and legs on the second loop, but I didn’t see any medical stations.
•
So, there’s my long-winded review.
Happy Running!
Great Race-Bad Weather
Although this was the second time that I participated in this particular race, it was still by far the most challenging running event that I have ever been in. Normally, … MORE
Although this was the second time that I participated in this particular race, it was still by far the most challenging running event that I have ever been in. Normally, when I look out the window and see that the skies have opened up and there is a very strong wind – I do not go out for a run. This time was different. There was no thunder and lightning, so the organizers had no reason to cancel the race. It wasn’t raining any more when we were standing at the start line. My hope was that it was over. Wrong. This event has a nice, but rather difficult course with two tall bridges on the way. The first bridge is halfway through and the second one is just before the finish line. As some law of the universe would have it, the skies opened up and the strongest wind was blowing as I was running up the first bridge. It felt as if someone was throwing bucket after bucket of water right at my face. No personal bests this time. I applaud the brave volunteers, police and organizers for being there and supporting us under those not so great conditions. The organization was flawless, just as it was last year. A lovely medal with a happy, surfing strawberry was waiting for us at the finish. I have already signed up for next year which will be the year of the avocado.
Great Event...Horrible Weather!
This was a well produced and executed event...one of the best! The course appears as an easy, flat run along the Indian River Lagoon, but there are two long, 20 … MORE
This was a well produced and executed event…one of the best! The course appears as an easy, flat run along the Indian River Lagoon, but there are two long, 20 meter+ tall bridges that must be taken into account. The first is at about half way, and the second is just before finishing (Heartbreak Bridge). The weather for this race was unusually horrible (I live here, and we rarely have such weather in February). Up to 20 mph winds and wave after wave of torrential rain. Wonderfully supported by soaked volunteers, who kept their cheerful attitudes throughout. There were even soaked musicians playing for us as we ran by. The after-run party was very well supported with the biggest hit being the beer tent. For us non-alcohol drinkers there was a really nice breakfast of strawberry covered pancakes and doughnut holes. There was also as much pizza as you could eat. They were giving away half liter bottles of protein drink (normally $28 a bottle), which tasted great! Super swag!! The organizers did a fantastic job, and I’ve already registered for next year! Come join us!!