If you are in the Orlando / Central Florida area and you’re looking for a 5K (or 10K!), consider the Moss Park Forest Run, August 3-5, 2012.

I know what you’re thinking…racing in Florida in August?! Well, yeah, but here’s the deal – this festival includes 5K and 10K races on Friday night, Saturday morning, or Sunday morning and takes place in Moss Park, a scenic little park that’s mostly shaded (definitely nice for the daytime races) and often hosts other endurance events like triathlons.

You might be asking, “Krissy, why are you talking about this Orlando race? Don’t you live in VA?” and to that, I would answer, “yes, but this race has a certain significance…you see, two years ago, the Friday night 5K was my first race!”

When I completed this race in 2010, I was so incredibly proud of my accomplishment – I ran the entire way and felt strong and happy at the end. Interestingly enough, when I thought about the other participants running 10K that evening, I wondered if I would ever race that far of a distance! My, how things change

Speaking of long distances – the Moss Park Forest Run also features a ‘Distance Dare’ challenge (run the 10K, then the 5K). On top of the daily “Distance Dare,” there is also a “Triple Threat Distance Dare” which, as you can guess, means 45K total over three days (great for those who are training for fall marathons).

Sadly, I can’t really swing yet another trip down to Florida yet (that will be November…and January!) but if you’re in the area, I’d definitely recommend these fun races.

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What was your first race? Was it a good experience?