I Am a Runner: DOUBLE ANNIVERSARY EDITION: MOUNT DORA HALF MARATHON & 5K (DECEMBER 18 & 19, 2021)

Two anniversaries for the price of one…But I’m pretty sure one is more important than the other.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know that the Mount Dora Half Marathon falls in very close proximity of my wedding anniversary (Dec. 20^th). This year is the big “FOUR-ZERO,” which is obviously quite an accomplishment. Then again, since I consider Glenda to be the greatest person I’ve every known, it’s been pretty much smooth sailing all of these years (at least on my part; you’ll have to ask her if she feels the same about me 😘). As if this weren’t enough, it’s also the ten-year anniversary of this race. I’ve participated every year, so we were truly looking forward to a special weekend...and what could be more special than Glenda running (okay…walking) the 5K on Saturday.

A major curveball was thrown at the weekend when I went to make reservations at our usual go to, the Historic Mount Dora Inn and Cottages. They were totally booked, but were gracious enough to recommend the Adora Inn. It’s just a couple of blocks down the road, and they were nice as can be when we called to book our room. After checking in around 4pm, we walked over and picked up our race packets. Kelly was there to greet us; she continues to do a great job promoting this race, especially when it comes to the social media. The race shirts for both the 5K and the half marathon were outstanding. In fact, I would say the new logo and the shirts were the best yet. I had the foresight to make dinner reservations at the Goblin Market, which is always jam-packed. The food is amazing, and we sat outside in perfect 72° weather. We walked around and looked at the lights for a little bit but saved the shopping for the next day.

The 5K on Saturday morning started at 8am, and we were literally two blocks away from the start. In all my years of doing the half marathon, this would be the first time I would be participating in the 5K. It looked like a big crowd (752), and the temperature was 66° when the race started. The course was an out-and-back, and we both maintained a brisk pace. Santa was there at the finish line to shake our hands, and I could tell that Glenda was glad I talked her into walking with me. The medals were tremendous, especially for a 5K. After a few photos, we went back to the Adora Inn for an incredible breakfast (Arthur and John have an extensive background in the hospitality industry). I would recommend this place without hesitation.

We have always wanted to do a boat tour, and this is the year we would finally “take the plunge" (maybe not the best choice of words). Premier Boat Tours is a pontoon boat tour on Lake Dora and The Harris Chain of Lakes. The two-hour tour includes the famous Dora Canal, which has been described as "The most beautiful mile of water in the world." As we cruised, the captain and crew shared their stories and local knowledge of the area, its history, flora and fauna. Bald eagles, herons, anhingas, turtles and alligators were all common sightings during our tour. It was a blast, and I look forward to doing it again. We were starving after the tour and did an extremely early dinner at the Olive Branch Grille. The food was very good, but probably too much sangria (I took an impressive three-hour nap back at the inn).

The half marathon started at 7am, and the temperature was 72° at the start (a little warmer that I would have liked, but I’ll take it). 926 runners anxiously waited for the gun to sound, which was 258 more than last year. Since this race was one of the few in-person races of 2020, the increase was impressive. I was planning for a sub three-hour performance, but that may have been overly ambitious for this race. This course is arguably my favorite (and most scenic), but it has a few too many hills for these old bones to overcome. I ran strong, and the sun stayed behind the clouds most of the time. Kelly was shooting video around the three-mile mark, and I stopped to speak to her for a few minutes. There was no Gatorade at any of the water stations, which is my one and only criticism on the race. As I was crossing the finish line, Glenda took one of the best race photos of me (and one of the best in her photography career). I went over the three-hour mark but was not disappointed in my overall performance.