2023 Space Coast Half Marathon Race Experience
I did something this past weekend that I don’t think I’ve ever done before: I signed up for a half marathon the Friday before the race (November 25, 2023). On top of that, I wasn’t exactly in condition to run a half marathon as life post-Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) has been spent either recovering from running a marathon or recoverying from being sick. The longest distance I had ran prior to Sunday’s Space Coast Half Marathon was 6 miles. So, why did I do it? Why did I break one of my personal running rules of running distances the body is trained for? One word: YOLO. Running has shifted for me after my MCM experience and life has added a flavor of stress that has left me feeling very blah about a lot of things, including running. Space Coast was happening near where we spent our Thanksgiving break and two women I admire were running the race, so things lined up and I took a leap of faith.
You can argue that my body was trained for 13.1 miles after completing 26.2 miles a month ago. Had I gotten back into the rhythm of running before the 13.1 I would have agreed with you. But I hadn’t and I knew running a half marathon would be a bit of a gamble. Thankfully, the body held up and I had a running angel to help me get from start line to finish line. Don’t be fooled though; these post-13.1 days have been spent with very sore legs. Read on for more on my experience at this year’s Space Coast Half Marathon (South).
For all things Space Coast, visit their website here.
Accommodations
We stayed in an Airbnb in Melbourne. Again, things lined up for this race as I had picked Melbourne as our Thanksgiving break stay without even considering participating in the race. Our stay was a 25-minute drive away from the race site.
Expo
I went to the packet pick-up at Running Zone on Friday and signed up for the race there. This was straightforward in-and-out situation.
Pre-Race
The decision to run the race happened Friday after I had breakfast with my family. As soon as that was decided, I made sure to fuel and hydrate as much as possible. The plan had always been to run on Sunday morning (35-minutes), but I wasn’t prepped to run as long. Thankfully, picking up my bib at the running store allowed me to get what I needed to run a half marathon. I woke up around 3:45am on race morning, did my warm-up stretches, had some graham crackers, and then drove 25-minutes to the race site. I parked (free!) about half a mile away from the actual race site and had enough time to drink my Vega energizer drink and use the bathroom before starting the race.
Post-Race
This race had one of the best post-race celebrations I’ve seen in a while. They had three different kinds of beers, breakfast foods, and pizza for the runners. The race finishes in a park near the water and was perfect for spectating the finish line and hanging out afterwards with friends and family.
On the Course
Space Coast provides three course options: marathon, north half marathon, and south half marathon. I chose the south marathon because of the two runners I was hoping to see and because reviews of the race recommended the southern route. The race for all distances starts off in Cocoa Village with the marathoners and north half marathoners starting at 6:00am while the south half marathoners start at 6:20am. The south course is basically an out-and-back along a beautful riverfront road. There was water and Gatorade every two miles or so and two spots with GU energy gels. While there weren’t many spectators, the people who were out knew how to cater to and celebrate runners; there where multiple set ups with food and liquor (Fireball is my new favorite on-course drink!). The finish line was past the start line and ended in the Cocoa Riverfront Park.
Race Experience
I woke up race morning not knowing what to expect. I knew it was either going to be a great time or a complete disaster depending on how my body responding to the mileage and effort. What helped me was the fact that the weather was overcast and not as humid. What saved me was running with my friend and athlete Carmen the whole time; if I hadn’t run with her, I would have been in my head with spiraling thoughts that would have made the experience harder than it needed to be. Carmen is my running angel and her presence kept me going when things felt tough in that last half mile.
I am really proud of my fueling and hydration strategy for this race, too: uCan gels at miles 3, 6, and 9 with Gatorade at the water stations and sips of water from my bottle betwen stations. I felt solid and strong up until the very end when emotions started to take over and I couldn’t believe that I was actually going to finish the race.
Overall Impression
I’ve heard people talk about this race over the years and now I understand why people love it so much. The south course is absolutely beautiful and the support of the residents and spectators is incredible. The medal is massive and I loved seeing all the space-themed details along the course, especially the rocketship-esque countdown at the start of the race. I personally loved the out-and-back route because it allowed me to see the leaders of both the south course and the marathon. This race was the perfect post-Thanksgiving running celebration.
With my running angel, Carmen.
Pros
Quick and easy bib pick-up experience on Friday.
Small-ish field (I believe the south course was capped at 3,500 runners): enough runners to feel like you are in a race but also not so many that getting a PR would be challenging.
Hydration and bathrooms stations throughout the course with lots of bathrooms in the staging area before the race.
GU gels at two different points on the course.
Beautiful course with water on one side and houses on the other.
Spectator support was great with food and liquor options.
Start and finish in the similar areas.
Post-race meals, snacks, and drinks.
Massive space-themed medla.
Free parking for those that are driving to the race.
Pacers for all courses.
Cons
Course can get narrow at times, especially when sharing the road with those returning to the finish area.
Weather is something to consider as there are parts of the course with little to no coverage.
Race pictures are not free.
I’m grateful my body was able to run this race. I am grateful Carmen ran with me the whole time. I am grateful I got to experience the fun that is the Space Coast race. This race was a reminder of the power of the mind and how a little bit of belief in oneself can go a long, long way.
