Orange Blossom Half Marathon and Lake Minneola Half Marathon, Haines City and Clermont, Florida
This race combo took place a few weeks apart in March, and while neither race is likely on anyone’s “bucket” list, they are worth a mention for locals and visitors alike. I’m a bit of a sucker for the small races, too. I don’t know what it is, but I find that these events bring a unique breed of runner to the line. These are the people who - although they DO love to compete - are more-so here for the run itself. Just because a race is small doesn’t mean it’s slow, either. The winner at Orange Blossom Half was 49 years old and finished in 1:19. Speedy, indeed. You might think that with such a small field of runners I could maybe place in my age group or something! You might think it, but then you would remember that I fuel myself on bacon and rarely meet a cupcake I don’t like.
Lake Eva Community Park is a beautiful facility, complete with a training swimming pool, tennis courts and walking paths.
The first race, the Orange Blossom Half, was on March 9 in Haines City. If you know anything about Haines City, well, it likely isn’t much. Haines City’s claim to fame is its orange groves, originally planted in the early 1900s. This area of the state produces most of the nation’s citrus. So, naturally, there are miles upon miles of long, open road flanked on both sides by groves. Not much else to see. The area does continue to grow in other ways and populations are increasing, largely due to the town’s close proximity to Orlando and its attractions. Legoland is out there, somewhere, but even so, the city doesn’t see much in visitor traffic or tourism like other areas of Florida. For me, it’s about an hour and a half drive to get there. It’s a beautiful area with plenty of road to run.
The start line
The course began out of a small neighborhood with a high school at the corner. We were greeted to a nice sunrise within the first mile.
We ran on several hard-packed dirt roads.
There isn’t much to report about the race and the course other than it is the best smelling race I’ve ever done. I suppose if you have allergies to orange blossoms, this race could be a serious problem. But for everyone else, it was quite lovely. It was likely running through Bath and Body Works. I couldn’t even smell myself, and that’s a win for anyone in a 20-yard radius of my sweat-soaked self. Although the course was out in the warm sun, and on straight, two-lane roads, I actually did not find myself bored. There really wasn’t anything to see except groves and more groves, an occasional house or small group of houses, and maybe a packing house or some other industrial-looking building. I cranked some tunes and just ran.
Post race goodies.
Surprisingly, the course support was really great. There were police officers at the few intersections that required an extra eye. The course was well-marked, and the aid stations were full of smiling, young volunteers, packed with all sorts of goodies to eat and copious amounts of cold fluids. Sometimes in smaller races, the fare is limited (as is their budget). But each station was like a little oasis on the course.
I finished the race in about 2:15 and promptly enjoyed a DEEE-licious cold beer and an orange, sitting lakeside in the shade. They had a great spread of food, a misting tent, music, and the announcer called out all the runners as they finished. Whoever that guy is, he’s local and familiar. I know his voice from many of the races I’ve done around here. The vibe at the finish was laid-back. Runners weren’t in a hurry to get anywhere else fast. Most were lounging around, stretching, drinking beer and eating.
That orange was so good. This combination should be served after all races in Florida.
A few weeks later, part two of this little race double would take place in Clermont. The Lake Minneola Half started at the fancy-schmancy Clermont Victory Pointe. Clermont, much like Haines City, isn’t exactly a magnet for trendsetting vacationers. However, it is quite the hub for local triathlon training and racing. With a clean freshwater lake and miles of roads and paths for cycling and running, the area is perfect for athletic adventures.
Packet pick up, race day
Similar to the Orange Blossom, the field of runners was relatively small. But to the credit of this race organization, things were efficient, organized and friendly. I’ve run a few races with them over the last few years and they continue to improve their work. The start and finish were at this newly built Victory Pointe, which is perched at the edge of Lake Minneola and is on part of the South Lake Trail, a portion of the extensive central Florida trail system. This trail extends about 25 miles itself, but connects to other trails in several places allowing you to go even further. There are a number of amenities on this side of Lake Minneola in addition to Victory Pointe including restrooms, a splash pad, and even a small stage/bandshell area.
This race had a fun start, heading straight for the lake through a chute lined with a few dozen spectators, then making a sharp right turn out onto the paved trail. We ran out and back towards the east for a total of about 7 miles, passed by the finish, and completed the remaining 6 miles out and back on the west end of the trail.
Race start
More Cheez Doodles!!
It was another warm day, but the aid stations were stocked and in good locations. The Orange Blossom was better as far as stations go, but these were good considering the size of the race. The half-marathon wasn't the only race going on that day. There was also a 5k and 12k, run on the same course. Normally that might be an overcrowding issue, but in this case it was just fine. There was room for everyone on the paths because the race start times were staggered.
Compared to the Orange Blossom, this race had more shade, more people, and more things to look at. The time seemed to pass a bit more quickly, although I really wasn't running much faster!
I finished up this one in about 2:12 so I was happy about that. I haven’t done much to change up training miles the last few months, so I don’t expect be much faster than the 2:10-2:15 range these days.
All in all, I really liked both races and was satisfied with my finish times. The only downside, for me, was having to make the drive. It sure makes for some early mornings. I’ve run both of these before but that was a few years ago, and at that time the Orange Blossom was on a completely different course. Both races have definitely improved since then. So, if you’re in the area in the spring of next year, definitely give these races a look.