Love Running? Love the Beach?...then you would absolutely love the Run On The Beach half marathon in Cocoa Beach, FL, aka USA Beach Running Championships! Picture this: dawn breaking; the sky filling with amazingly pink hues; dolphins jumping; a rain cloud rolling in the distance creating a rainbow; seagulls cheering; the waves rhythmly crashing on the hard packed sand....who needs earbuds?...you are engulfed by natures beauty; the breaking of a new day; and a chance to show what you are made of!
This was the 7th Annual Run on the Beach which hosts a 10k and half marathon out and back course on the hard packed sand. Step it up a notch, and enter the barefoot challenge!
EXPO/PACKET PICK UP
Packet pick up was held at the infamous Ron Jon surf shop both Friday and Saturday, which gratefully provided an additional 15% off discount while you were there! Be prepared to spend hours exploring this two story expansive store! The race also gave away free hats to the first aprx 2,000 runners to persuade early packet pick up. You could also pick up the morning of the race.
PARKING
There was limited $5 parking for the first come first serve early bird risers at Shepherd Beach where the start was. Otherwise you had to find surrounding parking, mostly metered at $2 per hour. However, ask a local and you will get some insight to secret free parking. I arrived an hour and half early and had no problem getting into the $5 lot.
START
There were plenty of porta potties in the parking lot, with little lines. They also provided coffee and donuts to get things going. There's a nice boardwalk between the parking lot and sand to watch the sunrise. The race starts right after sunrise ON the beach at Shepherd Beach at low tide. It had been super windy for a couple of days, so the beach was a little slanted. The timing mat was placed on the soft sand, I assume to be extra sure it did not get wet from the waves, which made it a little weird to start and finish on a soft incline.
RESULTS
The weather was predicted to be sunny and 80. It was a cloudy sunrise, but I was not complaining. Mile 1 I was actually happy with the cloud coverage and headwind which kept the heat at bay. By Mile 2 I was laughing as it started raining, but not for long. By Mile 3 I was ecstatic as a rainbow appeared in the distance. At the turn around at Mile 6.5 I was elated that I had survived that constant strong headwind and finally had it at my back! Miles 7-9 I felt like I was effortlessly sprinting. Miles 9-13 the sun was out in full force and my energy had dropped, but thankfully I just ran in the water to stay cool!
I finished with my average time, which I walked away okay with, since this was on the sand, we had a strong headwind, I was running in Vibrams, and my heel had been bothering me for a few weeks so I consciously did not push it.
HYDRATION STATIONS
I carried my CamelPak because of the heat, but the stations were fully stocked and had enough volunteers. The turn around point provided gel.
SPECTATORS
There are very few people out cheering for the race, so don't expect people with posters shouting your name. Instead you will see those with a surprised look on their face that just happened to come out to watch the sunrise or go for their morning stroll or towards the finish, families setting up to enjoy a full beach day.
FINISH
The race provided leis, mimosas, and a live band right on the sand to celebrate. Because I met up with some Running Buddies who ran the 10k to go to brunch, I did not get to see the food up close, but it looked like some sort of egg and bread was served.
Love collecting medals? This is a race to follow! They change the medal every year and they have been awesome! This year was a huge octopus. The gender specific shirt is not splattered with sponsor logos and has the race logo. The hat matches.
ACCOMMODATIONS
There are plenty of options to chose from right near the race start, however, I opted to camp at Jetty Park in Port Canaveral, which was only a 5 minute drive away. This campground was definitely a perfect choice! There is a separate tent area which is perfectly shaded and away from the rvs. (there are cabins for rent as well if camping is not your style). The campground has direct access to the Jetty Beach and Pier, which is fun to explore both day and night! The bathhouse has really large showers, and there is a small store on the campground as well as on the beach park.
COCOA BEACH, FL SITES
Must see while in Cocoa Beach and surrounding area....
-Exploration Tower in Cape Canaveral-family adventure
-I Dream of Jeanie Lane-not only to take the picture, but to visit Lori Wilson Park which is one of the only beach parks that has free parking
-Manatee Sanctuary Park-awesome sunset views over the Banana River
-Cocoa Beach Pier-tourist trap, but there's a bar on the very end of peir- Rikki Tikki with cool views-be prepared to pay to enter that part of the pier-hint, parking lot is free after 4p.
-Historic Cocoa Village-super cute village with shops and restaurants
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Running on the beach takes running to a whole other level. I feel completely rejuvenated from head to toe after being embraced in so much natural beauty. I highly recommend this race for this experience, as not many beaches have this opportunity.
HM#73
13.1-2:31