The OUC Orlando Half Marathon will celebrate its 50th running on Saturday, Dec. 5, with a 7:15 a.m. start and an expanded field of up to 5,000 participants.
Florida’s first half marathon begins and ends on East Central Boulevard outside Lake Eola Park. The 13.1-mile route travels through downtown Orlando and nearby neighborhoods including Eola Heights, the Milk District, Lake Davis, Delaney Park and the Hourglass District.
Track Shack Events, which produces the race, said the course will have nine water stops, with Gatorade available at each. GU energy gels will be offered near mile 8.5, while medical tents are planned near miles 5 and 10.
Five designated spectator locations will offer course entertainment: Festival Park at mile 2.7 with UCF mascot Knightro; Cherry Tree Park at mile 3.3 with the Orlando Gay Chorus; Lake Davis at mile 9.2 with Santa and the Grinch; Delaney Park at mile 11.2; and a Daylite Orlando entertainment zone at mile 12.6 on Rosalind Avenue between Anderson and Pine streets. Spectators are required to stay off the race course.
Daylite Orlando will also host the Post-Race Remix at Lake Eola Park with DJs Chino and Rupesh. Ten Central Florida run clubs are set to be represented at water stops, including Orlando Runners Club, DT Sanford Run Club, Milk District Run Club, Black Girls Run! Orlando and Winter Garden Runners.
The event began in 1977 as the Tangerine Bowl Road Race. Its weekend schedule also includes the Suncoast Credit Union Lake Eola 5K on Sunday, Dec. 6, benefiting WESH 2’s Share Your Christmas food and fund drive for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Runners can combine the half marathon and 5K through the DTO 16.2 Challenge.
