Watch WESH 2 coverage of the 47th OUC Orlando Half Marathon

WE HAVE ALL LED TO TODAY AS THOUSANDS OF RUNNERS DESCEND ON DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. I DO THE HALF EVERY YEAR. ORLANDO’S HOMETOWN, HALF, YOU KNOW, DOING A HOMETOWN RACE. YOU HAVE TO DO IT EVERY YEAR. AND FOR THE FLEETEST OF FEET, POSSIBLY A PATH TO PARIS. THEY’RE SO EXCITED TO COME HERE, EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO VIE FOR AN OLYMPIC TEAM. THE TOP RUNNERS TODAY COULD HAVE A SHOT AT QUALIFYING FOR THE US OLYMPIC TRIALS. IT’S A BEAUTIFUL PREVIEW. BUT FIRST THEY HAVE TO CONQUER THE COBBLESTONE ALONG THESE 31.1 MILES AND EXPERT OR NOVICE. I CAN DO IT. ANYBODY CAN DO IT. THE CITY IS READY TO CHEER THEM ALL THE WAY TO THE FINISH LINE. IT’S A CELEBRATION. EVERYONE CHEERING YOU ON AND YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE COMMUNITY BEING OUT THERE. IT’S THE 2023 U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON PRESENTED BY LAND ROVER BROUGHT TO YOU LIV ON WESH 2 AND PRESENTED BY ADVENTHEALTH COURTSIDE FROM LAKE EOLA. HERE’S NANCY ALVAREZ, JASON GUY AND MEREDITH MCDONOUGH. GOOD MORNING, CENTRAL FLORIDA. WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY AND BRING YOU THE FIRST EVER BROADCAST IN 47 YEARS OF THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. GUYS, LOOK AT THIS CROWD. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. I JUST WANT TO HIGH FIVE. EVERYONE. LIKE, WHAT A GREAT MORNING, RIGHT? YEAH. THE ENERGY IS CONTAGIOUS OUT HERE. THE BAND IS PLAYING AND WE’RE GOING TO BE WITH YOU HOSTING THIS ALL FOR THE NEXT THREE HOURS. WE ARE HERE WHERE THIS RACE WILL START. WE’RE GOING TO SHOW YOU THAT PLUS THE GREAT FINISHES THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN RIGHT HERE BEHIND US AT LAKE EOLA NANCY. THAT’S RIGHT. YOU ARE LOOKING AT THIS BEAUTIFUL SHOT FROM DRONE TWO BECAUSE, YES, WE HAVE A DRONE OVER THE RACE THIS MORNING. WELCOME TO THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. WE’RE GOING TO SET THE STAGE FOR YOU HERE AT LAKE EOLA. THIS IS WHERE EVERYONE IS GATHERING JUST A HUGE CROWD OVER FOR THOUSAND RUNNERS PARTICIPATING IN THIS RACE TODAY. AND THE REALLY EXCITING THING ABOUT THIS RUN IS THAT THEY RANGE FROM ELITE RUNNERS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST BEGINNING DOING IT WITH THEIR KIDS STARTING OUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. AND WESH 2 IS GOING TO BE WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY FOR THIS HUGE DAY FOR DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. TALK ABOUT HUGE. WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE FROM ALL ALONG THIS 13.1 MILE COURSE. AND JUST ON SCREEN THERE, YOU GOT TO SEE THE COUNTDOWN TO THE START OF THIS RACE. IS ON A LITTLE MORE THAN 12 MINUTES TO GO, MAYOR. YES. AND WE’RE TAKING A LOOK TO OUR LIVE REPORTERS ALL ALONG THE COURSE, THERE ARE WATER STATIONS. THERE’S A STATION WHERE YOU CAN GO AND MAKE A SIGN FOR YOUR LOVED ONE OUT THERE THAT’S PARTICIPATING TODAY. A BIG TALK TO HAS BEEN THE WEATHER, HOW THINGS ARE FEELING OUT THERE FOR THE RUNNERS. METEOROLOGIST KELLIANNE KLASS, SHE IS STANDING NEARBY, GOING TO GIVE US A QUICK UPDATE, TOO, ON JUST THIS HUMIDITY THAT THE RUNNERS ARE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH WITH THIS MORNING. YEAH, IT’S PRETTY HUMID OUTSIDE EARLY THIS MORNING. WE’RE DEALING WITH A LOT OF HUMIDITY. OUR DEW POINT TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE LOW 70S. ON TOP OF THAT ACTUAL TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE MID 70S. THE ONLY THING THAT FEELS REALLY GOOD RIGHT NOW IS THE WIND. IT’S OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST AT AROUND SEVEN MILES PER HOUR. BUT WITH THAT SOUTHEASTERLY WIND, IT’S USHERING IN THAT HUMIDITY. SO WHAT DOES THE DEW POINT TEMPERATURE OF 72 DEGREES MEAN? WELL, ON OUR MUGGY METER, IT’S THE HUMID CATEGORY. BUT IF IT JUST GETS A LITTLE MORE HUMID, IT WOULD BE STEAMY AND THE RUNNERS ARE FEELING IT THIS MORNING, EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE NOT REALLY DEALING WITH THE RUNNING CONDITIONS YET. A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WARMING UP AND THE SWEAT HAS BEEN POURING OFF OF THEM. GREAT NEWS IS ALONG THE ENTIRE COURSE, WE’RE NOT EXPECTED TO SEE ANY SORT OF RAINFALL. THE ONLY THING THAT THIS MORNING THAT WE’RE DEALING WITH BESIDES THE HUMIDITY IS THE CLOUDS. BUT THAT’S NOT REALLY GOING TO HAVE A HUGE IMPACT TO THE FORECAST TODAY. IT’S NOT GOING TO RAIN BUCKETS. IT’S JUST GOING TO FEEL VERY STICKY OUTSIDE. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TOUCH A STICKY PIECE OF PAPER AFTER YOU HAVE LIKE JELLY OR SOMETHING ON YOUR HANDS, THAT’S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW. SO FOR THE OFFICIAL FORECAST, 715, WHEN THE RACE STARTS, THE TEMPERATURE OF 73 DEGREES, VERY MUGGY. THE MUGGY CONDITIONS STICK AROUND. ALL AFTERNOON LONG. BY 10 A.M., 76 DEGREES. IT’S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING DAY FOR THE RUNNERS HERE ON DECEMBER 2ND WHEN WE’RE DEALING WITH SUMMERTIME HUMIDITY. FOR NOW. I’LL TOSS IT BACK TO YOU GUYS OVER. ALL RIGHT, KELLY. AND SOUNDS GREAT. ALSO WANTED TO MENTION THIS MORNING, PART OF OUR TEAM COVERAGE, CHOPPER TWO IS IN THE AIR AND DRONE TWO. SO, YES, ON THE GROUND, WE’RE GOING TO HAVE VIEWS OF ALL OF THE RUNNERS AS THEY CROSS THE FINISH LINE. AND WE BEGIN HERE IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS. BUT ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THESE AERIAL VIEWS. I KNOW. INCREDIBLE, RIGHT, GUYS? RIGHT THROUGH DOWNTOWN. YEAH, THE COURSE FOR TODAY’S RACE WINDS THROUGH MUCH OF DOWNTOWN ORLANDO AND A PORTION OF CONWAY AND JUST A REALLY BEAUTIFUL PATH THAT THESE RUNNERS ARE GOING TO TAKE. ALTHOUGH IT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE A DECEMBER MORNING. NO, IT DOESN’T. WE HAD THE COLD WEATHER EARLIER THIS WEEK AND NOW WE’RE KIND OF SWEATING IT OUT TOGETHER. BUT THAT’S OKAY BECAUSE THINGS ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING GREAT THROUGHOUT THE MORNING HERE AS THE RUNNERS GET GOING. AND WE WANT TO SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHAT THESE RUNNERS ARE GOING TO ENCOUNTER AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH OUR LOCAL STREETS. OH, MILES, ONE AND TWO ARE RIGHT HERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SURROUNDING LAKE EOLA, MILE THREE BRINGS RUNNERS INTO THE MILK DISTRICT AND DOWN PRIMROSE DRIVE FOR MORE THAN TWO MILES UNTIL IT CROSSES CURRY FORD AND BECOMES PEEL AVENUE IN CONWAY. ONCE IN CONWAY, WE COVER ANOTHER TWO MILES, WRAPPING AROUND RAEFORD AND THEN UP FERN CREEK UNTIL WE’RE BACK IN THE CITY AND RUNNING THROUGH SOME HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS. THERE’S BEL AIR, LAKE, DAVIS AND DELANEY PARK BRINGING US UP TO MILE 11. FROM THERE, RUNNERS WEAVE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNTIL THEY CROSS UNDER THE 408 ON SUMMERLIN. TAKE SOUTH STREET TO ROSALIND THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND MAKE THE FINAL PUSH FOR THE FINISH LINE RIGHT BACK HERE AT LAKE EOLA. WE’LL JUST GO THIS WAY THEN. IS THAT ALL RIGHT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WATER. IT’S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE. IT IS. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE THE SPECIAL GUEST WITH US NOW TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS COURSE, ABOUT THE DAY. LET’S WELCOME OUR RACE ANALYSTS, RUNNERS WORLD RUNNER IN CHIEF JEFF DENGATE. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US. SO I HAVE TO TELL YOU, THIS MORNING WHEN WE GOT HERE, WE STARTED BROADCASTING AROUND 5 A.M. AND I OFFICIALLY RENAMED LAKE EOLA SWAMP VIOLA, BECAUSE THAT’S HOW IT FELT OUT HERE. IT WAS IT IS STILL SWAMPY, HUMID. IT’S GETTING A LITTLE BETTER, THOUGH. SO TALK ABOUT WHAT A HUGE FACTOR THIS WEATHER IS FOR THESE RUNNERS. JUST WALKING OVER HERE THIS MORNING. I SAID I’M GLAD I’M NOT RUNNING THIS MORNING. I FEEL FOR THEM. YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHERE YOU WANT TO BE ALMOST NAKED OUT THERE TODAY. IT IS LIKE, OKAY, LET’S HOPE THAT DOESN’T. NOT WITHIN, YOU KNOW, BE APPROPRIATE. BUT ANY EXTRA LAYERS, ANYTHING THAT YOU MIGHT WEAR, FORGET THAT TODAY IT’S OUT THE WINDOW. THE DEW POINT IS SO HIGH, IT’S SO MUGGY. THAT’S GOING TO BE HARD. LUCKILY, IT’S A HALF MARATHON, NOT A FULL MARATHON BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE IT REALLY TAKES A TOLL. YOU CAN GET THROUGH THIS. IT’S GOING TO BE MISERABLE. IT’S GOING TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR SOME PEOPLE. BUT YEAH, THEY’RE GOING TO THEY’RE GOING TO FEEL IT TODAY. WHAT DO YOU THINK, JEFF? THIS WILL MEAN FOR THE TIMES, FOR THESE RUNNERS? YOU TALKED ABOUT THE HEAT AND EVEN SOME OF THIS COURSE ON THESE BRICK ROADS. SO THEY HAVE TO ACTUALLY GO INTO IT THINKING, I’M GOING TO BE SLOW TODAY, START OUT SLOW. YOU CAN ALWAYS PICK IT UP. YOU KNOW, IF THEY DON’T DO THAT, THEY’RE REALLY GOING TO SUFFER. SO THE IDEAL, IF THEY HAD RACE PLANS AND GOALS, THAT’S OUT THE WINDOW TODAY, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO HIT A PERSONAL BEST TODAY. OKAY, JEFF, LET’S TALK ABOUT, THOUGH, WITH THE PERSONAL BEST. THIS IS AN OLYMPIC MARATHON QUALIFYING RACE. THAT’S A BIG DEAL. TAKE US THROUGH THE TIMES THAT THOUGH, YOU KNOW, THE MALE TOP FINISHER AND THE FEMALE TOP TOP FINISHER ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AND JUST THE FACT THAT THIS IS A BIG RACE. SO THEY TYPICALLY ARE LIKE AN HOUR AND FIVE MINUTES FOR THIS. THE QUALIFYING TIMES FOR THE OLYMPIC TRIALS ARE 63 MINUTES FOR MEN AND AN HOUR AND 12 FOR WOMEN. SO THAT’S A REALLY QUICK PACE. THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN THIS RACE THAT WE’LL SEE IN THE LEAD, THEY’RE KIND OF ON THE FRINGE OF THAT. THEY’VE GOT THE CAPABILITY. BUT THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE DAY. SOME OF THEM ALREADY HAVE THE MARK ANYWAY, SO THEY DON’T HAVE TO REALLY WORRY ABOUT IT. THEY’RE JUST KIND OF GOING THROUGH THE THE MOTIONS. OKAY, WHO SHOULD WE BE CHEERING FOR THEM THEN? THAT DOESN’T HAVE THE MARK YET? THAT’S CLOSE. I’M NOT SURE WHO DOESN’T HAVE THE MARK QUITE YET. WE’LL SEE. THERE’S THERE’S A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE THAT DO THE THE ONES THAT DON’T. THEY’RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE A LITTLE TOO FAR AWAY TO GET IT TODAY. YEAH, WE’RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AT READ BUCHANAN ONE OF THE MEN TO WATCH READS 30 HE’S COMING TO US FROM KANSAS MANHATTAN KANSAS AND HE QUALIFIED FOR THE US OLYMPIC TRIALS WITH TWO HOURS AND 14 MINUTES AT THE CHICAGO MARATHON IN 2022. IS HE DO YOU THINK HE’S GOING TO BE ABLE TO BEAT THAT TODAY OR ARE THESE CONDITIONS JUST TOO TOUGH? HE HAS THE WHEELS, RIGHT? HE I MEAN, HE’S A PRO, HE’S RUN REALLY FAST. HE RAN A TEN K REALLY FAST THIS YEAR, 29 MINUTES, WHICH IS SMOKING. THE CONDITIONS ARE TOUGH. AND HE DOESN’T REALLY HAVE TO GO FOR THAT TIME. SO HE MAY BE JUST GOING FOR THE WIN. HE MAY BE EXPERIENCING THE RACE AND GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE TRAINING FOR THEM TO GET READY FOR A RACE IS ALSO TO PRACTICE RACING. YEAH, GRABBING WATER OUT ON THE COURSE. ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH AS WELL. WELL, THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THAT DIALED IN ON RACE DAY AS WELL. SO THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT. AND JEFF, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THESE ELITE RUNNERS, BUT WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT HERE THAT ARE JUST BEGINNERS. RIGHT. AND THEY’RE JUST STARTING OUT. AND I’M SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS BROADCAST BECAUSE I THINK IT’S REALLY INTRODUCING THE SPORT TO PEOPLE AT HOME THAT ARE WATCHING US, YOU KNOW, FROM THEIR COUCH AND THEY’RE GOING, COULD I DO THAT AT I DON’T KNOW. BUT THIS IS A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF GET EDUCATED RIGHT ON THE SPORT, WATCHING THIS TODAY. ABSOLUTELY. YOU’RE RIGHT. THE HALF MARATHON IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR DISTANCES IN ROAD RACING BECAUSE IT’S TOUGH. IT TAKES A LOT OF COMMITMENT TO DO IT, BUT IT’S NOT THAT TOUGH THAT ANYBODY CAN’T DO IT RIGHT. YOU CAN YOU CAN TRAIN UP TO IT VERY EASILY. BUT THIS IS INSPIRING BECAUSE IT DOES GET PEOPLE WHO ARE THINKING, I’M NOT REALLY A RUNNER, BUT THAT LOOKS REALLY COOL. I WANT TO DO IT AND I LOVE THAT PART OF THIS. JEFF WE INTERVIEWED NEELY GRACIE, MAN, SHE IS AWESOME. JUST SO GREAT TO TALK TO HER TODAY. AND I KNOW SHE’S ONE OF THE TOP WOMEN TO WATCH TODAY. SHE IS. SHE’S AMAZING. SHE’S BEEN AROUND THE SPORT FOR SO LONG. SHE’S YOU KNOW, SHE’S BEEN AT THE TOP OF THE SPORT. SHE RECENTLY JUST SET A WORLD RECORD, GUINNESS WORLD RECORD, PUSHING A STROLLER FOR A 524 MILE, WHICH IS CRAZY, INSPIRING. ALL THE MOMS AND DADS OUT ON THE COUCH TODAY SAYING, WELL, I’M GOING TO GO FROM THERE TO A5K AND THEN MAYBE NEXT YEAR’S HALF MARATHON. YEAH, YOU CAN DO THAT, RIGHT? YEAH, YOU CAN DEFINITELY WORK YOUR WAY UP. SHE DIDN’T START ON THE TOP. YEAH, SHE GOT THERE JUST LIKE WE DO, TAKING THOSE FIRST STEPS THAT ARE PRETTY HARD. BUT YOU GET THERE IF YOU WANT TO, IT’LL BE EXCITING TO SEE WHAT TIME SHE CROSSES AND HOPEFULLY SHE MAKES THE CUT AND WHATNOT FOR THE FINALS. WE’LL BE ROOTING FOR HER FOR SURE. ALL RIGHT. WE’RE ALSO GOING TO BE CLOSELY WATCHING THE LEADER OF THIS RACE, NANCY. YEAH, THAT’S RIGHT. SO WE DO HAVE SOME REALLY COOL THINGS ABOUT OUR COVERAGE TODAY. YOU GUYS, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE CREWS AND THE DRONE AND THE CHOPPER, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A LIVE DRIVING CAMERA FOCUSED ON THE LEADERS OF THE RACE. LEADER CAM IS GOING TO GIVE US REALLY A GREAT PERSPECTIVE ON THE RACE. YOU’RE LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW. HOW COOL IS THIS SHOT? WE’RE GOING TO ACTUALLY BE WITH THOSE RUNNERS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, THANKS TO THIS LEADER, CAM. AND YOU KNOW WHO ELSE IS GOING TO HAVE A GREAT PERSPECTIVE OF THE RACE HERE? MILE MARKER ONE CHRISTINA WATKINS. SHE JOINS US LIVE NOW THIS MORNING. CHRISTINA, HOW’S IT FEEL TO BE THERE AT MILE MARKER ONE? GOOD MORNING. OH, IT FEELS INCREDIBLE. THIS IS WHERE THE RUNNERS ARE FEELING SO MUCH ENERGY. THEY ARE EXCITED. THEY KNOW THAT THIS RACE IS GOING TO GO SO LONG. AND HEY, IN ANY MINUTE NOW, GUYS, THIS CLOCK IS GETTING READY TO START. AND GUESS WHO GETS TO START IT? WE DO. WE’LL TAKE YOU THERE AFTER THE BREAK. ROSIE HERE WITH US. A HUGE SHOUT OUT, OF COURSE, TO KELLY TONY. HEY, GUYS. GOOD MORNING, CENTRAL FLORIDA. AND WELCOME BACK TO OUR COVERAGE OF THE U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON ON WESH 2 IS YOUR SOURCE FOR ALL THE RACE DAY EXCITEMENT. WE ARE IN THE AIR. WE ARE ON THE GROUND. WE ARE ALL OVER THIS COURSE AND WE ARE ALSO JUST A FEW MINUTES AWAY NOW FROM THE STARTING GUN HERE IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. OH, SO EXCITING HERE TODAY. NANCY AND JASON. AND WE HAVE GOT WITH US TODAY A RACE ANALYST WITH RUNNER’S WORLD, JEFF DENGATE, FILLING US IN ON ALL THE TOP RUNNERS THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY AND ALSO JUST HOW THEY CAN FIND THEIR FOOTING, BECAUSE WE’VE GOT MORE THAN 4000 RUNNERS HERE, JEFF, YOU CAN FEEL THE ENERGY RIGHT NOW. THEY’RE PACKED IN TIGHT WAITING FOR THIS START. RIGHT. AND WHEN THEY FIRE THAT GUN, THEY’RE GOING TO TAKE OFF LIKE THEY JUST GOT LET OUT OF JAIL. I MEAN, EVERYBODY IS THEY’VE GOT SO MUCH ENERGY. THEY’VE TRAINED, THEY’RE RESTED, THEY’RE GOING TO GO OUT HARD. IT’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN TO WATCH THIS HAPPEN. HOW HARD IS IT TO CALM YOUR PACING DOWN THEN TO KIND OF LIKE SETTLE IN AND BE LIKE, OKAY, THIS IS STILL A HALF. I GOT 13.1 TO GO. I NEED TO CHILL A LITTLE BIT. EVEN THE MOST EXPERIENCED RUNNERS REALLY HAVE TROUBLE WITH THAT. IT FEELS SO EASY IN THE START AND YOU’RE FIGHTING FOR POSITION BECAUSE THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT HERE. YOU GOT TO GET YOUR SPACE ON THE ROAD SO PEOPLE DO GO OUT HARD AND THEN THEY REALIZE AFTER THE FIRST MILE OR SO, UH OH, I’M IN TROUBLE. YEAH, IT’S A LITTLE BIT TOO LATE. AND JEFF, WHERE DO THESE ELITE RUNNERS WANT TO SEE THEMSELVES BEFORE REALLY TRYING TO PULL AHEAD OF THE PACK? THEY’RE GOING TO GET OUT QUICK. THEY’RE GOING TO SETTLE IN. THEY HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE, THOUGH, SO THEY’RE GOING TO KNOW WHERE THEY’RE AT. AND THEY ALSO ARE UP AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE. SO THEY’RE GOING TO GET OUT AND THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE THAT SPACE AND BE LOOKING AT EACH OTHER AND FIGURING OUT HOW IS THIS RACE GOING TO PLAY OUT? ARE WE REALLY GOING FOR TIME OR ARE WE GOING TO KIND OF RUN TOGETHER AND CHALLENGE EACH OTHER RATHER THAN THE CLOCK? AND JEFF, LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE’RE SEEING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE ACTUALLY THESE CHAIR RUNNERS ARE UNDERWAY, RIGHT? YEAH, THE WHEELCHAIRS ARE ON THEIR WAY. THIS IS EXCITING. YOU KNOW, A RACE WITHIN A RACE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A GOOD ADVANTAGE OF THEY DON’T HAVE TO REALLY WORRY ABOUT A LOT OF HILLS HERE AS WELL, RIGHT? YEAH. JEFF, TOO. I KNOW THAT WE’VE GOT ONE THING ABOUT THIS RACE. IT IS AN OLYMPIC MARATHON QUALIFYING RACE, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING FOR OUR TOP RUNNERS HERE TODAY. AND WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? FIVE SECONDS, GUYS. LET’S LISTEN IN. GO, GO, GO. GO, GO, GO, GO! ALL RIGHT, OUT THIS MORNING. OH, YOU SEE OUT THERE IF YOU’RE DOING IT. THERE YOU GO. SO WE’RE OFF. OFF AND RUNNING. WE GOT 15.1 MILES. A BEAUTIFUL ORLANDO. AND WE ARE SO THRILLED TO HAVE YOU AND OUR CITY. BEAUTIFUL. SO JEFF. THEY ARE UNDERWAY NOW. THIS IS AN OLYMPIC TRIAL RACE FOR SURE, WHICH IS SUPER AWESOME. UM, TAKE US THROUGH THAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME COBBLESTONE STREETS THEY’RE GOING TO BE RUNNING ON BRICK, BUT THAT WON’T BE THE CASE IN THE NEW YEAR WHEN IT’S ACTUALLY THE TRIAL, CORRECT? YEAH. THIS IS ONE OF THE LAST QUALIFYING RACES AS WELL. SO PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE THE MARK ARE TAKING THE SHOT. THERE’S A MARATHON OUT IN CALIFORNIA THIS WEEKEND AND PEOPLE WILL ALSO BE DOING THAT. BUT RIGHT, YOU’RE RIGHT, THE ROADS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. WE’RE NOT WET, SO THE BRICKS AND THINGS WON’T BE BAD. YOU JUST WANT TO FOR THEM. THEY JUST WANT TO WATCH THEIR FOOTING AND JUST KIND OF GET THROUGH THOSE SECTIONS. YEAH, SAFELY AND JEFF, WE GOT TO REMIND PEOPLE WATCHING AT HOME, WE STARTED MULTIPLE RACES HERE. THERE’S A5K THAT AT SOME POINT WILL SPLIT OFF FROM THOSE HALF MARATHON RUNNERS. THAT’S ALWAYS TRICKY BECAUSE YOU’RE LOOKING AROUND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS THAT PERSON THAT I’M RUNNING WITH, RUNNING THAT SHORTER DISTANCE, WHICH IS A5K AND A HALF MARATHON. THE PACES ARE VERY DIFFERENT. AND THOSE THOSE RUNNERS CAN MESS WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT IF YOU DON’T LOOK OVER AND SEE THEIR COLOR OF THEIR BIB TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY’RE NOT IN YOUR RACE. WELL, THIS MORNING WE HEARD THAT FROM NEELY GRACE, WHO IS A CONTENDER TO TO WIN FOR THE WOMEN, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS WHAT THE DAY LOOKS LIKE FOR HER, EVEN MAYBE TAKING OVER FOR SOME OF THE MEN. BUT SHE SAID ON A SHORTER RACE, IFLEAST THEY’RE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING JUST AT HALF, MOSTLY A LITTLE BIT FURTHER BACK, YOU’LL BE MIXING WITH THE FIVE K RUNNERS. SO YOU DON’T WANT TO GET SUCKED INTO THEIR SPEED. OKAY. SO I’M LISTENING TO YOU GUYS TALK, BUT I’M WATCHING ALL THE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, FROM DRONE TO THEIR OUR SHOT, BUT ALSO THE PEOPLE HERE BEHIND ME. EVERYBODY WAVING. AND, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER. THERE’S A LOT OF SHIRTLESS RUNNERS OUT HERE TODAY. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE JUST STRIPPED THEMSELVES OF THEIR SHIRTS AND AND SAID, FORGET IT, BECAUSE THEY’RE THEY’RE MEETING THE HUMIDITY WITH THE SHIRTLESS LOOK, THAT’S FOR SURE. IT’S VERY EXCITING. YES. OKAY. SO I’M GOING TO WAVE MY SIGN HERE AT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PASSING OUR BROADCAST TENT HERE IN FRONT OF LAKE EOLA. SO GOT SOME KIDS IN THE MIX, TOO. NANCY KIDS IN THE MIX AS WELL. CHRISTINA WATKINS IS ACTUALLY LEE ALONG THE ROUTE ALONG CENTRAL AND THORNTON. SO I THINK WE WANT TO GET OUT TO CHRISTINA. YEAH, AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FIRST MILE JEFF, HOW FAST DO YOU EXPECT TO START SEEING SOME OF THE RUNNERS HITTING THAT FIRST MILE MARKER? THESE GUYS ARE GOING TO GO OUT AND JUST PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT OVER FIVE MINUTES. I WOULD EXPECT I WOULD EXPECT THE FIRST MILE. IT’S GOING TO BE QUICK. YEAH. YEAH, IT SURE IS. WELL, HERE ARE OUR LEADERS AND JEFF. ANYTHING THAT YOU’RE NOTICING ABOUT HOW THEY’RE RUNNING AND THE PACE THAT THEY’VE SET IN SORT OF THIS PACK THAT’S LEADING LEADING TODAY FOR THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON, I’M KIND OF SURPRISED THE NUMBER OF MEN THAT ARE THEY’RE TIGHTLY BUNCHED UP TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, IT’S USUALLY STRINGS OUT A LITTLE BIT IN A RACE OF THIS SIZE. BUT WE’VE GOT ABOUT A DOZEN RUNNERS HERE ALL TOGETHER WORKING TOGETHER. SO WE’LL SEE THAT STRING OUT A LITTLE BIT OVER THE MILES AS IT GOES ON. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, JEFF, WE’RE GOING TO WE’RE GOING TO BE TALKING TO YOU ALL MORNING LONG. BUT NOW WE WANT TO CHECK IN WITH CHRISTINA WATKINS. CHRISTINA IS THERE ALONG CENTRAL AND THIRD AVENUE, CHRISTINA. I KNOW YOU’RE SEEING SOME RUNNERS NOW. OH, MY GOODNESS. GUYS, THIS IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE MORNING. THERE ARE FAMILY MEMBERS, LOVED ONES ALL ALONG, ALONG THE RACE ROUTE SO FAR SUPPORTING THEIR LOVED ONES. WE’VE GOT A WOMAN OVER HERE CHEERING FOR HER HUSBAND. YAY! THAT’S AWESOME. AND THEN WE’VE GOT PARENTS OVER HERE CHEERING FOR THEIR DAUGHTER WHO THEY CALL HOLD UP YOUR WESH. SIGN. THERE WE GO. GO. ALLIE, YOU’RE A SLAYER. THIS IS HER FIRST. OH ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. AND THEN WE’VE GOT RUN. ADAM, RUN RIGHT OVER HERE. SO MANY PEOPLE ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA THIS MORNING WILL BE SCATTERED ALONG THE RACE ROUTE, CHEERING ON THEIR LOVED ONES ON THIS 13.1 MILE JOURNEY, WE ARE WAITING FOR THE FIRST RUNNER TO MAKE IT HERE. AND I KNOW YOU ALL SAID IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES WE SHOULD BE SEEING THEM. ANY SECOND NOW. WE CAN SEE ORLANDO POLICE OFFICERS HERE ON MOTORCYCLES ESCORT ING SOME OF THE RUNNERS. AND I THINK THEY ARE COMING AROUND THE CORNER AS WE SPEAK. PEOPLE HAVE TRAINED FOR MONTHS FOR THIS. THIS HAS BEEN SUCH AN EXCITING LEAD UP TO THIS MOMENT. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PREPARING. THEY’VE BEEN ANTICIPATING EATING ALL THIS EXCITEMENT. THAT’S AHEAD. AND HERE WE GO, GUYS. WE ARE MINUTES AWAY FROM SEEING SOME OF THE FIRST RUNNERS. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THIS. A COUPLE OF SECONDS AGO, I WAS GIVEN THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO START THE CLOCK. THE OH SO IMPORTANT CLOCK, THE OH SO IMPORTANT CLOCK. AND NOW NOW THAT IS THE TIME THAT THESE RUNNERS ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT MATTERS FOR THEIR QUALIFYING, THEIR QUALIFICATIONS AS THEY LOOK AHEAD TO THE NEXT RACE. AND HERE WE GO. THE FIRST RUNNERS, YES, HERE THEY GO, PASSING US. YOU’VE MADE IT TO THE FIRST MILE. WOO HOO! WAY TO GO. SO THERE WE HAVE IT. AND THEY’RE OFF. FIVE MINUTES AND 15 SECONDS. THE FIRST RUNNERS CROSSED MILE ONE. THERE WE GO. ISN’T THAT REMARKABLE? GUYS, I’M GOING TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU. THIS IS JUST SUCH AN EXCITING MOMENT. YES, CHRISTINA. IT SURE IS EXCITING TO SEE THOSE RUNNERS AND JEFF, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS HERE WHEN YOU SEE THIS TIME? HOW IS THE PACE TOO FAST OR ARE THEY RIGHT ON SCHEDULE WHERE THEY SHOULD BE? NO, IT LOOKS LIKE THE PACE MIGHT BE JUST ABOUT RIGHT. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY WENT OUT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT SLOW AND CONSERVATIVE, EVEN THOUGH THEY LOOKED LIKE THEY WENT OUT PRETTY QUICK. THEY’RE PUSHING THEY’RE PUSHING IN THIS WEATHER, BUT THEY DIDN’T DO ANYTHING DUMB YET. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, JEFF, ONE THING I CAN’T GET MY EYES OFF OF AS I WATCH THEM IS HE’S CHARMING. BRICKS OF OURS IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. I’M A LITTLE NERVOUS, YOU KNOW, THAT’S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND, RIGHT? YEAH. THESE RUNNERS ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO GET OFF ROAD A LOT OF TIMES AND RUNNING ON DIRT SURFACES, SOFT SURFACES AND SAVE THEIR BODIES A LITTLE BIT. SO THAT’S NOT REALLY GOING TO POSE TOO MUCH OF A PROBLEM FOR THEM AS LONG AS THE CONDITIONS ARE GOOD. ALL RIGHT. AND JEFF, WE KNOW IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THOSE RUNNERS SPLIT UP WITH THE FIVE K AND HALF MARATHON COURSES MOVING INTO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. WE WANT TO GET TO MARLEI MARTINEZ. SHE IS OUT NEAR THAT AREA. THREE MINUTES, ACTUALLY LESS THAN THAT. THE COURSE IS WONDERING HOW THESE TWO RACES ARE GOING AT THE SAME TIME. COMING UP, WE WILL SHOW YOU THE KIDS HERE WHO ARE HELPING WITH THAT SPLIT ALONG THE INTERSECTION OF FERN CREEK AND LIVINGSTON. WELCOME BACK TO WESH 2 NEWS. LIVE COVERAGE OF THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. YOU ARE LOOKING LIVE AT OUR LEADER CAM WORKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN ORLANDO, FOLLOWING OVER 4000 RUNNERS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. A HUGE DAY FOR DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. IT SURE IS. AND MARLEI MARTINEZ IS NEAR THAT RACE SPLIT JUST BEFORE MILE TWO WHERE OUR OUR ELITE RUNNERS ARE GOING TO BE VERY SOON. THAT’S RIGHT BEFORE MILE TWO ALONG FERN CREEK AVENUE, MARLEI. HOW’S EVERYTHING UNFOLDING THERE AT THE SPLIT POINT. WELL, FOLKS ARE WONDERING HOW ARE THESE TWO RACES BEING RUN AT THE SAME TIME? AND WE’LL SHOW YOU HOW THIS IS WHERE THE SPLIT GOES BETWEEN THE HALF MARATHON AND THE FIVE K. WE’RE STANDING AT THE CORNER OF FERN CREEK AVENUE AND LIVINGSTON STREET, AND YOU CAN SEE THE RUNNERS COMING THROUGH RIGHT NOW RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SPLIT HERE ALONG FERN CREEK AVENUE. YOU SEE THESE GREEN T SHIRTS. WE HAVE THESE STUDENTS HERE FROM EVANS HIGH SCHOOL. THEY ACTUALLY VOLUNTEERED THIS MORNING TO HELP THESE RUNNERS NAVIGATE THIS TRACK HERE TODAY. AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THESE FOLKS COMING ACROSS. WE’RE ABOUT BETWEEN MILE ONE AND TWO. AND THIS IS WHERE THE SPLIT IS HAPPENING. THE HALF MARATHONERS, THEY’RE RUNNING STRAIGHT ACROSS RIGHT NOW. AND THEN THE FIVE K, YOU’LL SEE RIGHT THERE, THAT IS WHERE THEY ARE TURNING DOWN LIVINGSTON STREET. ALL THESE FOLKS COMING THROUGH, THEY HAVE BEEN TRAINING SO HARD FOR THIS MOMENT. MEANWHILE, THOSE VOLYN SEERS, THOSE STUDENTS I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT, THEY GOT UP AT 4 A.M. THIS MORNING. I TALKED TO THEM AND THEY SAID, WHY NOT COME OUT HERE AND SUPPORT THESE RUNNERS AND GET SOME COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS? A LOT OF THESE KIDS ARE WITH EVANS HIGH SCHOOL’S SPANISH NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY AND SO THEY ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THESE RUNNERS OUT HERE TODAY. GOOD JOB, GUYS. OH, THEY’RE PUTTING IN THE WORK. THAT’S AWESOME. IT’S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE RUNNING JUST TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE FAMILIAR FACES. IF YOUR PARENTS ARE HERE OR CLOSE FRIENDS, YOU NEED TO SEE THAT WHEN YOU’RE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU’RE ON THE PAVEMENT BECAUSE YOU GOT A LONG RACE AHEAD OF YOU FOR SURE. RIGHT. AND WHAT WE’RE TALKING SOME OF THESE ELITE RUNNERS HAVE MADE IT TWO MILES. SOME OF THE FOLKS ARE ALREADY JUST GETTING TO THAT THAT FIRST MILE POINT. YES. AND JEFF DAN GUAY JOINING US NOW TO FROM RUNNER’S WORLD, OUR ANALYST HERE WITH US ALL MORNING LONG. JEFF, WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK WITH SOME PICTURES HERE FROM MILE MARKER ONE AND THOSE CAMERAS HERE ARE SHOWING US THE LOCATION OF CENTRAL AND THORNTON. WE SAW SOME OF THE FOLKS THERE PASS EARLIER HERE. WE NOW 12 MINUTES IN AND TWO SECONDS AND IT’S A LOT LARGER CROWD THAN WE SAW A FEW MOMENTS AGO. SO NOW WE’RE REALLY SEEING THE WHOLE PACK HERE. YEAH. NOW WE GET LIKE ALL THE EVERYDAY RUNNERS LIKE MYSELF. WE’RE OUT THERE HAVING FUN. WE’VE WORKED HARD TO GET HERE AND NOW REALITY IS SETTING IN. WE’RE LIKE, ALL RIGHT, WE’RE A MILE IN NOW. WE’RE SETTLING IN. THE HEART RATE’S UP. THEY’RE SWEATING GOOD. THEY’RE READY FOR THE REST OF THIS RACE. YEAH, IT’S EXCITING. AND, YOU KNOW, THE FRONT OF THE PACK RUNNERS COMPETING IN THE FIVE K ARE GOING TO BE SHOWING UP SOON. SO GUESS WHAT, GUYS? I’M OUT OF HERE. I’M LEAVING YOU. I AM PACKING UP MY SIGNS AND I AM HEADING DOWN TO THE FINISH LINE TO GREET THEM AND TO BE THERE WHEN THEY GET HERE, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT YOU WANT WHEN YOU FINISH YOUR RACE IS A REPORTER PUTTING YOU ON LIVE TELEVISION. BUT I’M OUT OF HERE. WHEN YOU WESH UPON A FINISH LINE, JUST ONE OF THE MANY SIGNS I HAVE READY TO GO. THEY’RE GOING TO GET THEIR MEDAL AND THEN WE’RE GOING TO BRING YOU LIVE INTERVIEWS WITH MANY OF THE RUNNERS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING HERE TODAY. I’M EXCITED. SO THANK YOU. I’M OUT, GUYS. HAVE FUN. THIS IS AWESOME. GO GET ALL THOSE AWESOME RUNNERS. NANCY NANCY MAKES HER WAY TO THE FINISH LINE. AS TO THOSE ELITE RUNNERS, MEAGHAN. MELLADO IS IN THE MIDDLE DISTRICT AWAITING THE LEAD RUNNERS. MEGAN ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. YEAH, WE ARE WAITING FOR THOSE RUNNERS RIGHT HERE AT MILE THREE. IN THE MEANTIME, TEENS FROM OLYMPIA HIGH SCHOOL ARE WAITING FOR THE RUNNERS, CHEERING THEM ON OVER HERE IN MINION LAND. GO, GO, GO, GO, GO. GO! FOR ALMOST, OF COURSE, THIS MORNING, ALL YOU SEE OUT THERE, YOU’RE WATCHING THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON IN LIVE COVERAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY WESH 2 AND PRESENTED BY ADVENTHEALTH. SIMILARLY. WELCOME BACK THIS MORNING TO THE OU HALF MARATHON AND TAKE A LOOK HERE, GUYS. THE FIVE K WINNERS ARE APPROACHING HERE. THE FINISH LINE. HOW EXCITING. SO WE’VE GOT TWO MARATHONS REALLY HAPPENING HERE. THE FIVE K AND THE FAST FINISHERS ABOUT TO COME IN. AND THEN ALSO THE 13.1 MILE. YEAH. AND AT THE FINISH LINE, OUR VERY OWN NANCY ALVAREZ TO CONGRATULATE THOSE FIVE K WINNERS AND TALK TO THEM NANCY DO YOU SEE THAT THAT FIRST FINISHER FOR THE FIVE K OKAY. YEAH, WE ARE SEEING THEM THERE, BRINGING IT HOME, WATCHING THE FIVE K WINNER COMES ACROSS THERE. CONGRATULATIONS. 17 MINUTES OF WHAT WAS THAT? THREE SECONDS. THAT’S 15 LOW. YEAH. THAT’S BEAUTIFUL. SO JEFF JOINING US NOW OUR RUNNING ANALYST HERE WITH US ALL MORNING. JEFF, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS HERE? SEEING THE THE FIRST FINISHER IN THE FIVE K HE’S DONE? I MEAN, THAT’S THE BEST THING. A5K IS GREAT BECAUSE IT’S LIKE LESS THAN A SITCOM AND YOU’RE DONE FOR THE DAY. YOU KNOW, IT HURTS A LITTLE BIT WHEN YOU’RE RUNNING HARD THAT FAST. BUT IT’S A GOOD SHORT RACE AND IT’S ONE OF THOSE ONES THAT ANY OF US CAN REALLY GET OUT AND WORK UP TO. YEAH, I’M WRITING DOWN HIS BIB NUMBER 5475 SO WE CAN TRY AND LOCATE HIS NAME. YEAH. JEFF SO HE OBVIOUSLY WENT HARD, FINISHED HARD, PROBABLY ACCOMPLISHED HIS GOAL. I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S A PERSONAL BEST, BUT I WOULD THINK THAT WAS PRETTY GREAT, RIGHT? CHALLENGING. HE HAD TO RUN THAT ALONE, TOO. YES. YOU KNOW, THAT’S ALWAYS HARD. WE SEE IT IN THE HALF MARATHON RIGHT NOW. THE LEADERS OUT 1 OR 2. IT’S IT’S REALLY HARD TO KEEP PUSHING IT AT THAT SPEED WHEN YOU’RE BY YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE SOMEBODY KIND OF CHALLENGING YOU AND WE HAVE THE LEADER CAMERA UP RIGHT NOW, TOO. SO WE’RE SEEING SOME OTHER FINISHERS NOW. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WAS 1754, THE ONE RIGHT BEFORE THAT IS 1753. REED BUCHANAN I BELIEVE, WAS ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN THERE THAT JUST PASSED THE FINISH LINE OR THIS IS REED. THIS IS REED. AS WE WATCH HIM ON THAT EXCELLENT HALF MARATHON LEADER CAM. YEAH, JUST I MEAN, THE WAY HE HAS PULLED HIMSELF OUT IN FRONT. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THESE OTHER RUNNERS, THEY ARE THEY GOING TO BE ABLE TO CATCH UP WITH HIM UNLESS HE RUNS OUT OF STEAM? IT’S HARD TO SAY THE WAY HE’S MOVING RIGHT NOW AND HOW HE LOOKS. HE’S HE’S GONE. YEAH, HE’S NOT COMING BACK TO THEM. I MEAN, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN, RIGHT? OVER THE COURSE OF 13 MILES, HE STILL HAS ANOTHER TEN MILES TO RUN, BUT HE’S LOOKING HE’S HE’S LOOKING GOOD. HE’S OUT THERE ON HIS HE’S ON A MISSION RIGHT NOW. YEAH. I MEAN, AND THAT’S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. A LOT OF THIS IS MIND I HEAR PEOPLE SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN ABOUT THESE LONGER RACES A HALF GETTING INTO A FULL MARATHON. HE’S JUST IN THE ZONE HAS HE HIT THAT YET YOU THINK YOU KNOW, HE’S GOING THROUGH HIS CHECKLIST OF THINGS HE HAS TO DO ON RACE DAY? I MEAN, IN A NORMAL TRAINING DAY, HE RUNS MORE THAN THIS ANYWAY. OKAY. SO THIS THIS IS NOT THE DISTANCE ISN’T THE CHALLENGE FOR HIM. IT’S HOLDING THAT PACE, EXECUTING ON HIS RACE STRATEGY OF WHATEVER HE’S LOOKING TO DO FOR THE DAY. SO RIGHT NOW, HE’S HE’S FEELING FINE. HE SHOULD BE FEELING LIKE HE JUST WOKE UP, YOU KNOW, NO, NO BIG THING FOR HIM RIGHT NOW. OKAY, GUYS, WE WANT TO CHECK IN OUT WITH MEAGHAN MELLADO. SHE’S THE MILK DISTRICT. MEGAN, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING THERE? WHO’S PASSING BY? MY FRIEND. GOSH, WE ARE SEEING THESE RUNNERS COME THROUGH. I HAVE TO GIVE SO MUCH CREDIT TO THESE GUYS. THEY’RE COMING THROUGH AND THEY’RE COMING THROUGH FAST AS WELL. WE’RE ON THE CORNER OF PRIMROSE DRIVE AND WASHINGTON STREET. AND AS YOU CAN HERE BEHIND ME, IAN’S IS HERE, HIGH SCHOOL. THEY’VE GOT SIGNS THAT SAY REALLY FUNNY QUOTES LIKE THERE’S BEER AT THE END AND A COUPLE OF OTHER ONES LIKE THE BANANA IS WAITING FOR YOU AND THEY’RE ON THE GROUND HERE. THEY’VE DONE ALL THESE DESIGNS WITH CHALK. THEY’VE GOT A HUGE MINION ON THE GROUND AND HERE COME THE RUNNERS. SO FAR AT THIS POINT THAT WE’VE SEEN, I’D SAY A COUPLE OF DOZEN COME THROUGH. THE PERSON IN THE LEAD THAT PASSED MILE THREE FIRST WAS REED BUERKLE, AND HE’S CURRENTLY RUNNING ABOUT A 5.5 MINUTE MILE. SO PRETTY FAST PACE THERE. THE FIRST WOMAN THAT WE SAW COME THROUGH WAS NEELY GRACIE. SO WE HAVE TO CONGRATULATE THEM FOR HOW QUICKLY THEY ARE RUNNING. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, A LOT MORE ARE ON THE WAY. SO WE’LL KEEP YOU UPDATED FROM HERE AT MILE THREE OF THIS HALF MARATHON. BUT FOR NOW, BACK TO YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT, MEGAN, I MEAN, WE LOVE TO SEE THEM GO AND THE PACE, IT’S JUST BEEN INCREDIBLE. ALL AGAIN, ANOTHER LOOK AT OUR LEADER HERE. 20 MINUTES IN. HE IS JUST OUT, WAY AHEAD OF THE PACK THERE. WE WANT TO GO BACK TO WHERE THIS RACE SPLITS UP, WHERE THE HALF MARATHONERS WENT THEIR WAY AND THE FIVE ERS MADE THAT TURN. MARLEI MARTINEZ IS NEAR MILE TWO THERE. FERN CREEK AVENUE. AND HOW ARE THINGS HOLDING UP THERE FOR THOSE RUNNERS? AS YOU SEE THE SPLIT HAPPEN? MARLEI. WE ARE HERE AT THE SPLIT AGAIN BETWEEN THE HALF MARATHON AND THE FIVE K. YOU CAN SEE THE ENERGY IS UP. SO MANY EXCITED PEOPLE OUT HERE TODAY. MOMENTS AGO, WE SAW BOTH SHELDON AND STEWART PASS BY. SMILES ON THEIR FACES RIGHT NOW. BUT AGAIN, WE ARE VERY EARLY ON ON THIS RACE. BUT THEY LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE FEELING GOOD THIS MORNING. YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE FOLKS COMING BY. SO MANY HAPPY FACES. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRAINING FOR THIS WOMAN. HOW ARE YOU GUYS FEELING? HOW ARE YOU DOING? GREAT. KEEP IT UP. SO WE’RE HERE BETWEEN THE SPLIT BETWEEN THE HALF MARATHON AND THE FIVE K, WE’LL BRING IT BACK TO YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT. MARLEI AND NOW CHRISTINA WATKINS JOINING US AT CENTRAL AND THORNTON AVENUE. CHRISTINA. GREAT TO SEE THE ENERGY OUT THERE. IT LOOKS LIKE FOLKS ARE HAVING FUN FOR SURE. OH, THEY ARE ZOOMING ON BY US. YOU HEARD MARLEI SAY SHE SAW STU AND SHELDON. WE SAW STU, SHELDON AND MICHELLE MAKE IT PAST THE ONE MILE MARKER. AND NOW THE REST OF THE CROWD IS ROLLING ON BY. YOU GUYS ARE KILLING IT. WOO HOO! WOO! THERE IS SO MUCH JOY, SO MUCH EXCITEMENT, SO MANY SMILES. PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER. I JUST MET A 79 YEAR OLD GENTLEMAN WHO IS JUST OUT HERE HAVING THE TIME OF HIS LIFE. ARE YOU GUYS HAVING A GOOD TIME THIS IS SO FUN. I SAW ERIC BURRIS WIFE. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU. SO, SO MANY FAMILIAR FACES, GUYS, THIS IS REALLY JUST IS A GREAT TIME. WE’LL SEND IT BACK TO YOU. HEY, HEY. THAT’S THE WAY YOU WANT TO PASS MILE ONE. I LOVE IT THAT CHRISTINA ENERGY. I WANT THAT. THAT’S SETTING EVERYBODY UP FOR SUCCESS TODAY. ANOTHER QUICK VIEW HERE OF OUR LEADER CAM BUCHANAN, AND HE ARE LEADING ON THE MEN’S SIDE IN THE 13.1 MILE TO HALF, 22 MINUTES AND 35 SECONDS IN SHANE AND ALSO NANCY ALVAREZ IS THERE AT THE FINISH LINE WITH THE FIVE K WINNER, NANCY. HOW’S IT GOING? I CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR THE WINNER. YEAH, GUYS, I HAVE TWO PEOPLE HERE WITH ME THAT I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO. COME ON OVER. THESE ARE OUR TOP RUNNERS FOR THE FIVE K TALENT. TELL ME YOUR TIME. HOW QUICKLY DID YOU DO THIS? I THINK I RAN AROUND 217 PLUS THE JEFF. TELL ME ABOUT YOU AND YOUR TIME. 1840. HEY, WAY BETTER THAN ANYTHING I COULD EVER DO. HOW DID IT FEEL OUT THERE? WE KNOW THAT THE HUMIDITY REALLY KICKED UP TODAY. WAS THAT DEFINITELY A FACTOR? RIGHT. THE HUMIDITY I WAS VERY MUCH IN MY ELEMENT TODAY BECAUSE IT’S ALWAYS HOT DOWN HERE IN FLORIDA. SO I DEFINITELY HAVE TRAINED THROUGH IT. I’VE ADAPTED TO IT. I THINK I WAS FINE. I THINK THAT WAS THE THE THAT’S NOT WHAT THE THE RACE SO GRUELING TODAY. HOW ARE YOU FEELING? YEAH, I ACTUALLY LIVE TWO AND A HALF MILES DOWN THE ROAD. SO I RAN HERE AND I WAS LATE. SO I REALLY NEVER CAUGHT MY BREATH. IT WAS PRETTY TERRIBLE. I FELT PRETTY AWFUL. THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY IS, LIKE, NOT CONDUCIVE TO A5K EFFORT, SO IT’S TOUGH. YOU GUYS DID GREAT. THANKS SO MUCH FOR SPENDING A COUPLE MINUTES WITH US. GO GET COOLED OFF, DRINK LOTS OF WATER. I FEEL LIKE A MOM OUT HERE TELLING EVERYBODY, DON’T FORGET TO DRINK YOUR WATER. WE ARE GOING TO STAY HERE AT THE FINISH LINE WELCOMING ALL THE RUNNERS AS THEY COME IN. WE’LL SEND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS FOR NOW. ALL RIGHT, NANCY JEFF JUST WANT TO ASK YOU THERE, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AFTER LISTENING IN THERE TO OUR FIVE K WINNERS SAYING, YOU KNOW, THE GENTLEMAN TELLING US THAT HE REALLY FELT IN HIS ELEMENT TODAY, BUT THEN THE THE FEMALE RUNNER SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE KIND OF FELT LIKE IT WASN’T HER BEST RACE THAT HAPPENS. YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY DAY IS GOING TO BE YOUR BEST DAY, BUT YOU GET OUT THERE AND YOU GIVE IT WHAT YOU HAVE ON THAT DAY. SOMETIMES WE COME AWAY A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED OR WE THINK WE COULD HAVE DONE A LITTLE BIT MORE. WHEN WE’RE RUNNING OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY’RE PUSHING IT AND THEY’RE GIVING EVERYTHING THEY HAVE FIVE K RACE A COUPLE SECONDS COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REALLY GOOD DAY AND A REALLY BAD DAY. WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN PERSPECTIVE. RIGHT. AND AND THEY HAVE THEY HAVE GOALS. THEY REALLY WANT TO HAVE A GOOD DAY. AND YOU CAN’T ALWAYS HAVE A GREAT DAY. ALL RIGHT. LET’S TAKE A LOOK BACK AS WE WATCH THE U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON LEADER REID BUCHANAN. IN THIS 30 YEAR OLD FROM KANSAS IS TAKING THE LEAD. STAY WITH US. OUR COVERAGE CONTINUES RIGHT AFTER THIS BREAK. AND WELCOME BACK HERE TO THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON, OUR LIVE COVERAGE. WE’VE BEEN HERE ALL MORNING LONG AND RIGHT NOW OUR LEADERS ARE APPROACHING THE HALFWAY POINT. YOU’RE WATCHING REID BUCHANAN HERE. HE’S BEEN LEADING THIS THING NOW FROM THE GO RUNNING THE 13.1. ALSO, HE’S ALREADY QUALIFIED FOR THE OLYMPIC TRIALS. HIS TIME WAS TWO MINUTES AND 14 SECONDS, TWO HOURS, TWO HOURS AGO. THANK YOU, JASON. LOOK AT ME. HE’S VERY FAST. REID BUCHANAN? YEAH. TWO HOURS, 14 MINUTES AND SIX SECONDS AT THE CHICAGO MARATHON IN 2022. JUST THINK ABOUT THIS HERE. HE’S RUNNING A FIVE MINUTE, FOUR SECOND MILE. I MEAN, FLYING THERE BEHIND HIM IS BENJAMIN PAYNE AT 516 AND THEN DANIEL DAUGHERTY AT A 516 PACE ALSO. AND THEN BEYOND THEM, DANIEL BECKSTEAD AND BRUCE BAKER THERE IN THE 521 RANGE. AND SO THAT’S YOUR TOP FIVE SO FAR HERE FOR OUR ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. AND JOINING US NOW, RUNNER IN CHIEF JEFF DENGATE. OH, THERE’S NEELY GRACIE WE’RE SEEING RIGHT NOW ON THE SCREEN HERE, JEFF, WE SPOKE WITH HER EARLIER TODAY, ONE OF THE TOP FEMALE RUNNERS THAT WE’RE WATCHING THIS MORNING. SHE’S HOPING TO MAKE THE CUT, CORRECT? SHE IS. YEAH. SHE SHE SHE JUST MISSED IT IN A HALF MARATHON EARLIER. YOU HAD TO RUN 112 OR FASTER. SHE WAS HIGH 112, I THINK ONE 1256 SO SHE’S GOT TO SHAVE ALMOST A MINUTE. THAT’S A LOT OF TIME AND A HALF MARATHON TO HAVE TO SHAVE. SO SHE’S GOT HER WORK CUT OUT FOR HER TODAY. BUT OKAY, SHE’S GETTING AFTER IT. YEAH, SHE WAS VERY OPTIMISTIC THIS MORNING, SAID SHE’S FEELING GREAT AND OBVIOUSLY WOULDN’T BE HERE IF THIS WASN’T ONE OF HER MAIN GOALS. THAT’S RIGHT. JEFF, TAKE US THROUGH THE LEADER CAM. NOW WE’RE TAKING A LOOK HERE AT REID. HE’S ALREADY QUALIFIED IN THE CHICAGO MARATHON, BUT WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? JUST SEEING HIM HERE TODAY. HOW’S HE LOOKING? HE’S LOOKING GOOD. I FIGURED HE WOULD GO OUT AROUND FIVE MINUTE PACE, WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD, HARD EFFORT FOR HIM TODAY. AND HE LOOKS FINE. LOOKING AT HIS FORM RIGHT NOW, HE’S HOLDING IT TOGETHER. HE’S JUST HE’S CLICKING IT OFF ALMOST LIKE A METRONOME OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. OKAY. YEAH, THAT’S IT. IT’S A CLICK KIND OF A PACE THERE THAT THEY GET INTO AND JUST INTO THE ZONE. HARD TO TO JUST EVEN IMAGINE. I KNOW FOR SO MANY AT HOME WHAT YOU CAN DO IN FIVE MINUTES AND THIS GUY CAN COVER A MILE. THAT’S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. AND WE WANT TO MOVE TO MILE FOUR ON THIS RACE COURSE TONIGHT. BRIGETTA GUESS IS HAVING A GREAT TIME OUT THERE. THIS IS PRIMROSE DRIVE AT NANCY STREET IN THE LAKE COMO AREA. AND THIS SENAIT IS ONE OF THOSE WATER STOPS. AND WE KNOW NEIGHBORS REALLY GET INVOLVED. OH, YEAH. THESE NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN HERE WHEN IT WAS DARK OUT. SO BEFORE SUNRISE. AND WHO KNEW THAT WATCHING RUNNERS AND CHEERING THEM ON COULD BRING YOU SO MUCH JOY? THE ENERGY OUT HERE IS UNMATCHED. PEOPLE HAVE THEIR SIGNS OUT. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE CHEERING. WE SPOKE WITH ONE COUPLE. THEY WERE CHEERING FOR THEIR THEIR SON, SOME FRIENDS CHEERING FOR THEIR OTHER FRIENDS AND THEN PARENTS CHEERING FOR THEIR CHILD. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE PASSING THROUGH RIGHT NOW. SO THEY’RE THEY JUST PAST MILE THREE. THEY’RE INCHING CLOSER TO MILE FOUR. AND I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT’S HAPPENING HERE BEHIND ME. THIS IS THE WATER STATION AND THESE CHEERLEADERS, THEY’RE DOING SO GREAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE WATER CUPS OUT FOR THE RUNNERS PASSING THROUGH. AND THEY’RE SO FESTIVE. CHRISTMAS SPIRIT HERE. THEY HAVE THE CHRISTMAS TREE OUT. THEY HAVE THEIR REINDEER EARS, THE SANTA CLAUS HATS. AND THEN THERE HANDHELD INSTRUMENTS. BUT I WANT TO SHOW YOU ANOTHER PARENT. OKAY. WE’LL SPEAK. I JUST WANT TO MENTION I CAN’T I CAN’T END WITHOUT MENTIONING THESE TWO HERE WHO ARE SURPRISING THEIR SON. BY THE WAY, THEY HE HAS NO IDEA THAT YOU ALL ARE HERE, RIGHT? NO IDEA. WE JUST DROVE TWO HOURS. BUT. BUT I WOULDN’T MISS IT. WHERE ARE YOU COMING FROM? BRADENTON. AND IS THIS HIS FIRST HALF MARATHON? FIRST HALF MARATHON. WOW. YEAH. AND THEN I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A TRACKER TO WHERE YOU’RE KEEPING TRACK OF HIM. AND DO YOU KNOW WHERE HE’S AT RIGHT NOW? HE’S JUST PAST MILE THREE, SO HE SHOULD BE THIS WAY VERY, VERY SOON. OKAY, WELL, WE’RE WE’RE SUPER EXCITED AND THIS IS AWESOME. AND HE’S GOING TO BE SO SURPRISED. YES. ALL RIGHT. WELL, GO, NICK, GO. YES, WE’RE CHEERING ON FOR HIM, TOO. SO I’LL SEND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS. GREAT STUFF THERE TONIGHT. NOW WE WANT TO GO TO MEGAN MELLADO HERE. MEGAN IS IN THE MIDDLE DISTRICT ON PRIMROSE DRIVE. MEGAN, YOU’RE AT THE FIVE K POINT OF THE RACE. HOW ARE THINGS LOOKING? YEAH, SO WE’RE AT MILE THREE, RIGHT ON PRIMROSE AND WASHINGTON STREET. THIS IS HOW THINGS ARE LOOKING, RIGHT NOW. WE’VE GOT A LOT OF RUNNERS THAT ARE SO EXCITED TO BE HERE. SO MANY PEOPLE WITH SMILES ACROSS THEIR FACES AND CHEERING. I’M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN EVEN HEAR ME OVER THE EXCITEMENT. THEY ARE SO EXCITED AND PUMPED OUT HERE. OH MY GOSH. THERE THEY GO. WE DID JUST SEE SHELDON PASS BY A FEW MINUTES AGO, SO MAYBE NOT. I DON’T WANT TO SAY WE JUST SAW HIM BECAUSE HE’S DOING BETTER THAN THAT. BUT WE SAW HIM PASS BY, GAVE US A BIG WAVE. AND AGAIN, WE ARE IN WHAT WE’RE CALLING MINION LAND. SO I’LL SHOW YOU OVER HERE THE HIGH SCHOOLERS FROM OLYMPIA ARE STILL HERE CHEERING PEOPLE ON. THEY’VE GOT THEIR SIGNS AND THEY’RE MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE WHEN PEOPLE START TO GET CLOSER TO THE MINIONS, THEIR SMILES GET BIGGER AND THEY GET MORE EXCITED. IT’S LIKE IT’S JUST THE ENCOURAGEMENT THAT THEY NEED. SO WE’RE HAVING AN ABSOLUTE BLAST. I DO WANT TO SAY THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE OUT HERE IN COSTUMES. NOT SURE IF YOU SAW THE GRINCH JUST PASSED BY, BUT PEOPLE ARE REALLY MAKING THIS SO MUCH FUN. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN, I HAVE TO MENTION, WE HAVE TO APPLAUD ALL OF THESE RUNNERS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO APPLAUD SOME OF THE SPECTATORS. WE’VE SEEN PEOPLE ACTUALLY PULL UP ON THE SIDE ROAD HERE JUST TO CHEER ON THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES. I DIDN’T KNOW THAT I’D BE GETTING EMOTIONAL OVER IT, BUT I AM. IT’S JUST SUCH A JOY TO WATCH. SO, AGAIN, WE’RE LIVE AT MILE THREE AND WE’LL KEEP YOU POSTED FROM HERE. AND IF YOU’RE WONDERING WHO THE SECOND PLACE RUNNER IN OUR MIDST. HEY, JUST UPDATING YOU. WE’VE GOT THREE OF OUR RUNNERS, REID, BENJAMIN AND DANIEL. THEY’VE ALL HIT THAT TEN K MARK HERE IN THE RUN. LET’S GET TO THE FINISH OF THE FIVE K WITH NANCY ALVAREZ AS NANCY. YOU’RE SEEING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE CROSS THE FINISH LINE. GRATEFUL FOR YOU THAT HAVE SERVED. WE ARE SO EXCITED TO HAVE BEEN PAID RUNNING THIS MORNING. HEY GUYS, IT’S HARD TO HEAR YOU BECAUSE THE DJ IS, YOU KNOW, GETTING THIS PARTY GOING HERE AS PEOPLE CROSS THE FINISH LINE. BUT I CAN TELL YOU, IT’S JUST BEEN REALLY EXCITING TO WATCH. TAKE A LOOK. YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE WALKING AS THEY CROSS THE FINISH LINE HERE. I CAN TELL YOU WE’RE REALLY SEEING THE IMPACT OF THE RISE IN THE TEMPERATURE THAT WE HAD OUT HERE TODAY AND THE HUMIDITY. A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, GRABBING THAT WATER AND YOU CAN SEE THEM PERSPIRING. A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DECIDED TO SKIP THE T SHIRTS AND JUST WENT SHIRTLESS FOR THIS RACE BECAUSE REALLY THE THE TEMPERATURES ARE MUCH WARMER THAN WHAT WHAT WE SAW EARLIER THIS WEEK. AND WE’RE REALLY SEEING THAT. LET’S SEE IF WE CAN FLIP THE CAMERA THIS WAY AND SHOW YOU THIS IS WHERE THEY’RE GETTING THEIR MEDALS. SO AS THEY JUST WALK RIGHT DOWN HERE IN FRONT OF LAKE EOLA, THEY GRABBED THEIR MEDALS AND THEN IT’S ON TO THE RUNNERS VILLAGE THERE AT THE END WHERE THEY CAN GET SNACKS. AND, OF COURSE, WATER, HYDRATION, HYDRATION, HYDRATION HAS REALLY BEEN THE THEME OF THIS RACE OUT HERE TODAY. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO STAY HERE AT THE FINISH LINE CHEERING PEOPLE ON. WE’RE WAITING FOR OUR WESH 2 TEAMMATE AS WELL WHO ARE RUNNING. AND OF COURSE, OUR ELITE RUNNERS. SO MUCH MORE TO COME FROM THE FINISH LINE. BACK TO YOU. EARLIER IN 2024. ALL RIGHT, NANCY, THANKS SO MUCH. LOOKING GREAT. AND OUR LIVE COVERAGE FROM THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON CONTINUES RIGHT AFTER THIS BREAK. WELCOME BACK THIS MORNING TO OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF THE U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. TAKING A LOOK AT OUR LEADER, CAM REED BUCHANAN IN THE LEAD UBER NOW HIS PACE. HE’S RUNNING ABOUT 458 PER MILE. AND SECOND PLACE HERE BETWEEN BENJAMIN PAIN AND DEE DAUGHERTY. THEY’RE RUNNING FIVE NIGHT, FIVE MINUTE 19, SECOND MILE. SO REALLY IMPRESSIVE. YEAH, A VERY IMPRESSIVE PACE THERE FOR OUR LEADER REED. UNDER FIVE MINUTE MILES. WE WANT TO GET TO BOB HAZEN, WHO’S A CONWAY GARDENS ROAD AT THE WATER STOP RIGHT AROUND MILE MARKER SIX. AND IT’S ALMOST THE HALFWAY POINT THERE. BOB HOW ARE THE RUNNERS HOLDING UP WHEN THEY GET TO YOU? YEAH, LIKE YOU SAID, JUST ABOUT THE HALFWAY MARK A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THAT. SO WE ARE HERE RIGHT NOW IN CONWAY GARDENS ROAD AND WE’RE RIGHT NEXT TO THIS TRASH CAN. SO WE PROBABLY HAVE TO MOVE AWAY FROM THERE BECAUSE THE GUYS ARE JUST THROWING THESE CUPS RIGHT AT US HERE. SO WE’RE GOING TO MOVE UP THIS WAY. BUT RIGHT HERE WE HAVE THE EDGEWATER HIGH SCHOOL CREW ROWING TEAM OUT HERE, AND THEY’RE HANDING OUT THESE WATERS AND GATORADES TO FOLKS. AND ALSO CHEERING THEM ON. MICHELLE BECKER, HERE YOU WERE THE COACH OF THE CREW, RIGHT? YES, YES. SO TALK ABOUT WHY YOU GUYS ARE OUT HERE TODAY AND WHAT YOU’RE DOING. WELL, I MEAN, WE’RE A PROGRAM THAT GETS SUPPORTED BY TRACK SHACK AND WE’RE A NONPROFIT TEAM. WE’RE ALL MADE UP OF EDGEWATER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. SO JUST LIKE TO GIVE BACK AND SO THIS IS OUR WAY OF GIVING BACK, NOT JUST TO TRACK SHACK, BUT TO COMMUNITY AS WELL. SO JUST HERE TO SUPPORT FELLOW ATHLETES AND HAVE A GREAT TIME. YEAH. AND IT SEEMS LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE KIND OF DIVIDED UP ALL OF THE WORK OUT HERE AS FAR AS WHAT YOU’RE DOING. YEAH. SO WE HAVE KIDS TO CHEER ON. WE’VE GOT KIDS THAT ARE HANDING OUT WATER, KIDS THAT ARE HANDING OUT GATORADE. AND AGAIN, JUST TO BE SUPPORTIVE IN THE BEST WAY WE CAN HERE. AND THE KIDS, THEY’RE ENJOYING THEMSELVES. OH, THEY HAVE. THEY LOVE THIS DAY. SO THEY LOOK FORWARD TO IT AND THEY LOVE TO DRESS UP FOR IT AND JUST LOVE CHEERING EVERYBODY ON. YEAH, I NOTICED THEY’RE ALL WEARING HAWAIIAN OR A LOT OF THEM ARE WEARING HAWAIIAN SHIRTS. WHAT’S THE THEME OUT HERE? THE THEME TODAY IS HAWAIIAN CHRISTMAS. SO WE WERE TRYING TO DECK OUT BEST WE COULD IN BOTH BOTH WAYS. SO. ALL RIGHT. SO EDGEWATER HIGH CREW. SO THAT’S WHAT YOU GUYS ARE OUT HERE CHEERING THESE PEOPLE ON, GIVING THEM SOME SUPPORT AS WELL AS THEY’RE RUNNING ALONG HERE. AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN SEE THIS ROAD RIGHT HERE, THIS PART OF THE RACE, THERE’S ACTUALLY TRAFFIC THAT STILL GOES UP THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. SO A LITTLE TRICKY THERE FOR PEOPLE, BUT EVERYTHING’S GOING AS PLANNED OUT HERE RIGHT NOW. SO HERE WE ARE ABOUT MILE SIX. A LOT MORE PEOPLE COMING THROUGH, GETTING THEIR WATER AND ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE RACE. AND SO THEY’RE GOING TO KEEP ON GOING FROM HERE. BACK TO YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT, BOB, THANKS SO MUCH. WE WANT TO CHECK IN NOW ON OUR LEADER, CAM ON THE WOMEN’S SIDE. NEELY GRACIE, RIGHT NOW, SHE’S RUNNING A PACE OF ABOUT 542 MORE, ABOUT 40 MINUTES IN HERE IN 12 SECONDS. WE SPOKE WITH HER EARLIER TODAY ON THE SET. SHE COMES TO US FROM COLORADO. SHE WON THE DISNEY HALF THIS YEAR, A VERY IMPRESSIVE. BUT HER EXPERT TELLING US SHE’S GOT TO SHAVE ABOUT A MINUTE FROM HER TIME TO QUALIFY FOR THE OLYMPICS. BUT REALLY JUST AN ALL AROUND AWESOME MOM. AWESOME RUNNER. YEAH, GREAT TO TALK TO HER TODAY. SO EXCITED FOR HER JUST TO SEE HOW SHE DOES TODAY. JASON. YEAH, IT IS GOING TO BE EXCITING TO SEE WHAT HER FINISH LOOKS LIKE AND SHE’S JUST TAKING IT IN STRIDE. LITERALLY THIS WARMER DAY FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA. SHE’S EVEN GOING TO RUN A HALF TOMORROW TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT FEBRUARY QUALIFYING COURSE FOR THE THE OLYMPICS. AND, YOU KNOW, NOT NOT THE RIGHT WATER JUST THEN AS SHE GRABBED IT. BUT WE’RE GOING TO KEEP AN EYE ON OUR RUNNERS FOR THE MEN AND THE WOMEN. WE’VE COMPLETED JUST ABOUT ONE HOUR OF OUR COVERAGE HERE OF THE U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. AND WE ARE MINUTES AWAY, 20 OR SO FROM HAVING A WINNER OF THIS 47TH ANNUAL RUNNING OF THE U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. OUR COVERAGE CONTINUES IS NEXT HERE ON WESH 2. STAY WITH US. GO, GO, GO, GO, GO! ALL REMDESIVIR KHERSON. HOW DO YOU SEE OUT THERE? AND THEY’RE OFF FOR THE 47TH ANNUAL U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. SO MANY PEOPLE WITH SMILES ACROSS THEIR FACES AND CHEERING AND ORLANDO HAS COME OUT IN STYLE TO CHEER ON EVERYONE. TACKLING THE 13.1 MILE COURSE. AND IT WON’T BE LONG UNTIL WE HAVE OUR WINNERS. IT’S THE 2023 U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON PRESENTED BY LAND ROVER BROUGHT TO YOU LIVE ON WESH 2 AND PRESENTS BY ADVENTHEALTH. AS WELL. BE COMING UP. IT’S GOING TO BE COMING UP. DON’T MISS IT. AND THIS MORNING WE ARE AWAITING THE WINNERS OF THE 2023 U.S. HALF MARATHON. AND CHOPPER TWO IS HIGH ABOVE THE RACE COURSE. OUR LEADER, CAM IS TRACKING THE TOP RUNNERS. AND DRONE TWO IS OVER THE FINISH LINE AS THE FIVE K RUNNERS CONTINUE TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE. YEAH, WE THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US HERE ON RACE DAY AND IT IS A BIG ONE READ BUCHANAN IS OUR MEN’S LEADER RUNNING BETTER THAN A FIVE MINUTE MILE AT THIS POINT FOR THIS 13.1 MILE RACE. AND ALONGSIDE ME, MEREDITH MCDONOUGH AND JASON GUY, AND WE’VE GOT THE FULL RACE COVERED FOR YOU. WE’VE GOT PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. AND AS YOU SAID, MAYOR, WE’RE UP IN THE AIR, TOO. YES. AND JOINING US THIS MORNING THROUGHOUT FOR OUR COVERAGE, JEFF DENGATE, RUNNER’S WORLD RUNNER IN CHIEF. JEFF, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. IT’S BEEN WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOUR EXPERTISE TO BREAK THIS DOWN. WE’RE WATCHING REED BUCHANAN. HE’S LIKE JASON SAID, RUNNING UNDER, YOU KNOW, FIVE MINUTE MILES, REALLY INCREDIBLE PACE. YEAH. HE DECIDED HE WAS GOING TO TAKE THIS RACE EARLY. AND I SEE HIM CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT HIS WATCH RIGHT NOW AS HE HE STARTED OUT A LITTLE BIT SLOWER THAN THIS AND HE’S PICKING IT UP. SO I THINK HE’S REALLY TRYING TO GET IN A GOOD QUALITY WORKOUT TODAY. HE’S DEFINITELY GOT A GOAL AND HE’S KEEPING ON TRACK. AND THAT’S ONE LESSON WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM HIM, IS HE’S NOT DOING ANYTHING CRAZY AS HE’S GETTING OUT THERE, EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE HE’S BEING FAST, HE’S CHECKING IN WITH HIMSELF CONSTANTLY MAKING SURE THAT ON THIS TOUGH, TOUGH DAY WEATHER WISE, YOU KNOW, HE’S RIGHT WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE. YEAH. AND HE’S GOT THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE. THIS IS, AS YOU SAID, NOT EVEN THE LONGEST RUN HE MIGHT DO ON A TYPICAL DAY, JUST TRAINING. HE MIGHT RUN MORE MILES TOMORROW, ACTUALLY. OH, MY GOODNESS. WOW. THIS IS WILD. YEAH. A LOT OF US, IF WE DID IT AS RECREATIONAL RUNNERS, WE NEED SOME DAYS TO RECOVER. PROFESSIONAL RUNNERS ARE RUNNING LIKE A HUNDRED MILES A WEEK. SO THIS IS. THIS IS ANOTHER DAY. YEAH. AND JEFF, TOO, IT LOOKS LIKE FOR SECOND PLACE ON THE MEN’S SIDE, WE’VE GOT BENJAMIN PAYNE AND ALSO DAUGHERTY. THEY’RE BOTH AT THEIR PACE. 519 AT THIS TIME. SO WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS THERE? I MEAN, THOSE TWO ARE NECK AND NECK. YEAH. REED WENT OUT THERE RACING FOR SECOND HERE. DANIEL AND BAYNE ARE TOGETHER. THEY’RE HAVING A GOOD DAY AS WELL. THEY’RE PUSHING HARD, BUT THOSE TWO ARE. THAT’S GOING TO BE THE RACE. UNFORTUNATELY, REED TOOK THE LEAD VEHICLE, SO WE DON’T REALLY GET TO WATCH IT DEVELOP AS MUCH. BUT THOSE TWO, THE NEXT FEW MILES, ESPECIALLY WE GET INTO THE LAST FIVE K OF THIS RACE, THEY’RE GOING TO BE PUSHING EACH OTHER AND BOTH OF THEM WANT TO WIN. AND THEY’RE APPROACHING THE 15 K HERE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. YEAH. AND WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FROM REED? CAN HE REALLY TURN ON THE GAS AS HE GETS INTO THOSE LAST FEW MILES? IT DEPENDS ON WHAT HIS GOAL IS OR WHAT HE WANTS TO DO. RIGHT. HE’S KIND OF ON A MARATHON PACE RUN RIGHT NOW IS WHAT I’M EXPECTING TO SEE FROM HIM. HE’S ALREADY GOT THE QUALIFIER. HE’S GOING TO WIN THIS RACE SO HE DOESN’T REALLY HAVE TO PUSH THE TIME, BUT HE’S CHECKING IN. SO HE’S DEFINITELY TRYING TO HIT SOMETHING. HE MAY JUST HOLD THAT NICE STEADY PACE ALL THE WAY THROUGH, KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, HE GOT IN THE WORK HE NEEDED TODAY, THIS JEFF, THIS ISN’T FOR HIM A DAY. I MEAN, IT’S HARD TO SPECULATE ON THIS THAT HE WOULD WANT TO TRY AND SET A COURSE RECORD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. HE MAY HE VERY MAY HE VERY WELL MAY. IT DEPENDS ON WHAT HIS GOAL IS. MY GUESS IS, IS HE’S GOING OUT. HE’S GETTING THIS WORK IN TODAY, GETTING IT USING IT LIKE A GOOD WORKOUT BECAUSE HE’S TRAINING FOR THE OLYMPIC TRIALS MARATHON. SO HE NEEDS TO MAKE SURE HE’S READY. AND AND THIS IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM TO GO THROUGH THAT HIT THE PACES THAT HE NEEDS TO HIT, HIT THE WATER STATIONS, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS JUST LIKE RACE DAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, JEFF. WELL, NOW WE WANT TO SEND THINGS OUT TO MICHELLE MEREDITH. SHE’S JOINING US LIVE NOW AT FERN CREEK IN MICHIGAN. NOT TOO FAR FROM MILE MARKER SEVEN MICHELLE. WHAT’S IT LIKE THERE. OH, FOLKS, WE’RE AT FERN CREEK AND MICHIGAN, SANDWICHED BETWEEN GIANNIS BAR AND CORNERSTONE PIZZA, AND THE RUNNERS ARE COMING THROUGH THERE, TRICKLING THROUGH. OF COURSE, THESE ARE THE FASTER RUNNERS. AND WHEN THEY COME THROUGH, THEY DON’T LOOK TIRED AT ALL. YOU TIRED, SIR? YES. WHAT I THOUGHT HE WASN’T. NOW, I HAVE TO CONFESS, THERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE A CHEER TEAM HERE, BUT EITHER THEY’RE IN THE WRONG PLACE. THEY DIDN’T COME. SO GUESS WHAT? WHERE ARE THEY? CHEER TEAM. WOOP, WOOP, WOOP. YOU GOT THIS, YOU GOT THIS. BUT HERE’S MY FOLLOW UP. MY BACKUP TEAM. TELL ME YOUR STORY. YOUR SON, OWEN, HE’S IN THIS. OH, WOW. OH, NOW YOU’RE GETTING SHY ON ME. IT’S HER SON, CARL. MY COUSIN. HE’S RUNNING HIS FIRST HALF TODAY, SO WE GOT TO. WE’RE HERE TO CHEER HIM ON AND WAIT. WHAT’S THE SIGN? YOU TELL ME YOUR SIGN. CARL. RUN LIKE YOUR MOM USED YOUR FULL NAME. THAT’S RIGHT. DON’T YOU RUN AWAY. WHEN YOUR MOM SAYS YOUR FULL NAME, YOU JUST SPRINT. SHE ALWAYS SAID MY FULL NAME. SO YOU’RE ALWAYS IN TROUBLE? YES. NO, I WAS A PERFECT CHILD. BUT ARE YOU SO EXCITED FOR YOUR SON? I AM. I’M SO EXCITED WAITING FOR HIM TO PASS BY HERE. GIVE ME YOUR BIG SCREEN WHEN HE COMES. WHOA. OKAY, LET’S DO IT TOGETHER. YOU. YOU GOT IT. YOU GOT THIS, YOU GOT THIS. YOU GOT THIS. ALL RIGHT, COME ON. BACK TO YOU. WE GOT THIS. THANK YOU, MICHELLE. YOU ARE THE BEST CHEERLEADER THERE IS. THAT IS FOR SURE. OUR LIVE COVERAGE CONTINUES OF THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON RIGHT AFTER THIS BREAK. STAY WITH US. GO, MOMMA CAM. WELCOME BACK TO OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. TAKING A LOOK HERE AT THE 15 K FINISHERS SO FAR THIS MORNING. REED BUCHANAN LEADING THE PACK HERE. HIS PACE IS FIVE MINUTES AND FOUR SECONDS. HE’S REALLY CRUISING, FOLLOWED BY BENJAMIN PAYNE AND DR. D THEIR TIMES AROUND FIVE, 13 PER MILE AND FIVE, 19 PER MILE. YEAH. WE’VE BEEN WATCHING THE WOMEN CLOSELY. NEARLY. GRACIE IS LEADING FOR THE WOMEN AT A FIVE MINUTE 42 SECOND PACE AND I THINK A LITTLE BEHIND WHERE SHE MAYBE HAD LOOKED FOR TODAY. BUT THERE’S STILL TIME THERE’S STILL TIME IN THIS RACE FOR TO CRANK UP THE GAS. WE WANT TO CHECK IN AT THE FINISH LINE BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO THIS HALF MARATHON, THERE’S A5K AND SO MANY OF THOSE RUNNERS HAVE FINISHED UP OUT THERE, INCLUDING, WE THINK, OUR OWN GREG FOX NANCY. HEY, GUYS, I’M HERE WITH WESH 2 INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER GREG FOX, THE ONLY THING HE IS INVESTIGATING RIGHT NOW IS WHERE TO GET MORE WATER. HOW ARE YOU FEELING? MAYBE A MILK, MAYBE A MILK. IT’S A LITTLE TOO EARLY FOR BEER, ALTHOUGH I HEAR THEY HAVE THAT HERE. THAT’S WHY I CAME. ALL RIGHT. TELL THE PEOPLE YOUR TIME. YOU DID GREAT. WELL, I’LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN I FINISH. I ALREADY DID THE HALF. I’M ON MY SECOND MARATHON, SO I’M GOING TO START THAT AFTER THIS AND I’LL LET YOU KNOW HOW I DID. BUT I BEAT ALL THOSE ALL THOSE GUYS. YEAH. HOW ARE YOU FEELING? HOW WAS IT OUT HERE TODAY? YOU KNOW, WE’VE BEEN TALKING ALL MORNING ABOUT THE WEATHER. IT WAS SO COLD EARLIER THIS WEEK AND THEN IT TOOK THIS TURN, THIS HUMID CITY. IT’S GOT TO BE TOUGH, RIGHT? YEAH. YOU KNOW, NORMALLY I DON’T WEAR LONG SLEEVES UNLESS IT’S GOING TO BE CLOSER TO THE 50S. BUT I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE IN THE 60S, BUT IT WAS IT’S VERY HUMID, VERY HOT. YEAH. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO PEOPLE AT HOME THAT, YOU KNOW, STAY HOME. STAY HOME THAT ARE WATCHING THIS AND THEY’RE GOING, COULD I DO THAT? COULD I DO I MEAN, THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON’T RUN THAT ARE WATCHING THIS FROM HOME BECAUSE WE’RE BROADCASTING IT LIVE. WHAT’S YOUR MESSAGE? ANYBODY CAN DO THIS. I’VE BEEN PASSED BY STROLLERS. I’VE BEEN PASSED BY JOE BIDEN, BEEN PASSED BY JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY. YEAH, YOU DID GREAT. IT’S AWESOME TO SEE YOU OUT HERE. WE’RE PROUD OF YOU. GO WESH 2 RUNNERS. ALL RIGHT, BACK TO YOU GUYS OUT THERE. OKAY. OH, YOU SEE HOW ALL RIGHT, WAY TO GO, MR. GREG FOX GREG FOX. MAN, WE’RE SO PROUD OF YOU HERE AT WESH 2. A5K FINISHER DID AWESOME. GREG. WE’VE GOT OUR CREW SPREAD OUT ALL OVER THE RACE COURSE HERE. LET’S CHECK IN NOW WITH MARLEI MARTINEZ. JOINING US NOW ALONG FERN CREEK AVENUE, MARLEI. WHAT’S GOING ON THERE TO MAKE UP THAT TIME? WE ARE HERE AT DELANEY PARK RIGHT AROUND MILE 11. AND ACTUALLY, I’M GOING TO HAVE MY PHOTOGRAPHER, FRANK TURN AROUND REAL QUICK BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THEY ARE JUST THE ELITE RUNNERS. THEY ARE JUST ABOUT TO CROSS HERE INTO MILE 11, ALONG DELANEY PARK. WE STARTED OFF BETWEEN MILES ONE AND TWO. AND HERE WE ARE AT 55 MINUTES INTO THIS HALF MARATHON. AND YOU CAN SEE HERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW AND WE GOT WE’RE STANDING ALONG THE WATER STATION. WOO! YEAH. WE’RE JOINED NOW BY A COUPLE OF THE VOLUNTEERS OUT HERE, JAMES AND BELLA, YOUR PARENTS, YOUR MOMS OR BEST FRIENDS, THEY’RE RUNNING THE RACE TODAY. YES, THEY ARE. HOW ARE THEY FEELING? OH, THEY’RE GREAT. THEY LOVE RUNNING. THEY DO IT ALL THE TIME. BUT YOU GUYS, YOU DIDN’T WANT TO RUN TODAY? NO, WE’RE NOT MUCH RUNNERS, BUT YOU’RE HERE SUPPORTING THEM WITH THE WATER. SO TELL ME, WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE HERE? JUST TO HELP OUT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT THEM WHILE THEY RUN SO WE CAN WATCH THEM RUN PAST US? AWESOME. AND YOU EVEN HAVE THIS SPECIAL GINGERBREAD STATION SET UP. COME SHOW US THIS WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE REST OF THE RUNNERS TO GET HERE. WHAT DO YOU HAVE SET UP OVER HERE, JAMES? SO WE HAVE A GINGERBREAD OVER HERE AND IT SAYS, OH, YOU SEE? AND THEN OF COURSE, FOR THE CAN’T CATCH ME FOR THE GINGERBREAD MAN. AND THEN IT’S REALLY COOL. GINGERBREAD HOUSE WE ALL DECORATED. SO HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN COMING OUT HERE, JAMES. I CAME HERE PROBABLY LIKE FOUR, THREE, FOUR TIMES. I REALLY ENJOY COMING OUT HERE. AND BELLA, HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS TO TO BE HERE? I MEAN, I’M SURE YOU HELP YOUR MOM TRAIN. MAYBE WHEN SHE GETS READY FOR THESE HALF MARATHONS, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR HER TO TO SEE YOU OUT HERE? OH, IT’S DEFINITELY VERY IMPORTANT. SHE LIKES US, AND I’M HERE TO SUPPORT HER AND STUFF. YEAH, I’M SURE THE ENERGY MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE SAYING TO YOUR TO YOUR MOM WHEN SHE CROSSES THE FINISH LINE? WAY TO GO, MOM. AND WHAT ARE THE PLANS AFTERWARDS? ANY ANY SPECIAL MEALS, ANY, YOU KNOW, RUB THEIR FEET OR HELP TAKE CARE OF THEM AFTERWARD? PROBABLY NOT RUBBING THEIR FEET, BUT I’M A DEFINITELY A GIVER, A GOOD PAT ON THE BACK. AWESOME. WELL, THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING OUT HERE. AND WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SHOW YOU EVERY MILE ALONG THIS RACE AS THESE RUNNERS CROSS HERE FOR THE HALF MARATHON. BACK TO YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT. WE LOVE IT. THANK YOU, MARLEI. THERE FOR MILE 11 WILD AS WE JUST SAW, REED BUCHANAN FLY BY AT AND NOW FIVE MINUTE AND FOUR, FOUR SECOND PACE BEHIND HIM, BENJAMIN PAYNE AT 531, BEYOND HIM IN THIRD PLACE, DANIEL DAUGHERTY AT 519. AND THEN THE REST OF THE PACK IS BRUCE BAKER. DANIEL BECKSTEAD, SKIP CARMICHAEL AND NOAH CORBETT. YOU’RE SEVEN HERE ON THE LEADERBOARD. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. WE’RE GOING TO KEEP CHECKING IN HERE ON THE LEADERS OF THE HALF MARATHON, BUT CHRISTINA WATKINS, SHE’S NOW JOINED US, JOINING US AND MOVED TO LAKE DAVIS THIS IS KIND OF THE LOCATION OF THE 15 K, THE 9.3 MILE MARKER OF THE RACE. CHRISTINA. HOW’S IT LOOKING? AND MAKE SOME NOISE FOR YOU. OH, IT’S LOOKING INCREDIBLE. WE ARE AT THE OH SO IMPORTANT WATER STOP. TAKE A LOOK HERE. STUDENTS FROM FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL WOO-HOO, THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY. THEY HAVE THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF GIVING OUT CUPS FILLED WITH WATER. THIS IS SARAH. SHE’S A SENIOR AT FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL. SARAH, YOU HAVE SUCH A CRUCIAL ROLE HERE. WE’VE SEEN EVEN THE FASTEST RUNNERS GRAB A CUP TO MAKE SURE THEY STAY HYDRATED THROUGHOUT THIS RACE. YEAH, IT’S REALLY FUN. WE LOVE WHAT WE DO, AND IT’S REALLY GREAT TO SEE ALL THESE RUNNERS OUT HERE AND JUST ENCOURAGE THEM. THIS IS A HUGE OCCASION FOR ORLANDO WHEN YOU ALL KNEW THAT YOU WERE TASKED WITH THIS ROLE OF GIVING OUT WATER TO ALL OF THESE RUNNERS HERE. WHAT WAS YOUR THOUGHT? BECAUSE THIS REALLY IS CRUCIAL TO MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY IN THIS WEATHER, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GOOD TO GO. IT CAN BE A BIT INTIMIDATING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DON’T WANT TO MESS UP. WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY’RE, YOU KNOW, HYDRATED AND STAYING HEALTHY. AND THEN YOU’RE ALSO CHEERING THEM ON ALONG THE WAY. YES, OF COURSE. IT’S AWESOME. THIS HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE. SARAH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO ALL THE STUDENTS AT FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL, THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY. SO THIS IS WATER STOP NUMBER SEVEN, LAKE DAVIS DRIVE AND DANIELS AVENUE. THIS IS MEREDITH. AS YOU MENTIONED, THE 9.3 MILE MARKER. THE RUNNERS ARE FLYING ON BY. AND PRETTY SOON THOUSANDS OF MORE ARE GOING TO COME HERE TO REFUEL AND POWER UP TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CROSS THAT FINISH LINE IN A TIMELY MANNER. THIS HAS BEEN SO EXCITING. WE’VE GOT OUR WESH SIGNS. WE’VE GOT SOME SPECTATORS DOWN THE ROAD. THEY’RE CHEERING ON THEIR LOVED ONES. IT JUST REALLY IS A PARTY. IT’S A GREAT TIME. GUYS, BACK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT, CHRISTINA EVERYONE KEEPING THE ENERGY UP AND PUMPING HERE AT THE OU ORLANDO HALF MARATHON IN 13.1 MILES. STAY WITH US. WE’VE GOT MUCH MORE COMING UP RIGHT AFTER THIS BREAK. GREAT JOB AND WELCOME. LOOK AT THE LEADERS AND WELCOME BACK TO WESH 2 NEWS COVERAGE OF THE U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. WE ARE WATCHING REED BUCHANAN AT A FIVE MINUTE, FOUR SECOND PACE AT SOME 46 MINUTES INTO THIS RUN, SORRY, A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN AN HOUR INTO THIS HALF AND REALLY, HE IS NEARING A FINISHING UP THIS THING IN JUST THE NEXT FEW MINUTES, MAYOR, WE’RE GOING TO WATCH HIM CRUISE PAST THAT FINISH LINE AND PRESUMABLY OUR LEADER HERE. YES, JEFF DENGATE WITH RUNNER’S WORLD. JEFF, I MEAN, YOU’RE WATCHING HIM ALL MORNING LONG. YOU SAID HE’S LOOKING REALLY GOOD AND WE KNOW HE’S ALREADY MADE THE QUALIFYING ROUNDS FOR THE OLYMPIC TRIALS, CORRECT? HE IS. AND HE’S BEEN OUT THERE ON HIS OWN FOR A LONG TIME. AND HE TOOK A BIG, WIDE TURN. I SAW HIM LOOKING BACK. SO HE’S STILL PUSHING HARD. HE’S LOOKING TO SEE, DO I HAVE THIS THING WRAPPED UP? I’VE GOT JUST A COUPLE MORE MINUTES TO RUN HERE. HE’LL BE COMING THROUGH THE LINE. AND JUST JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES HERE, JEFF, THE TWO MEN FOLLOWING HIM THAT WE’VE BEEN SEEING, BENJAMIN PAYNE, A DAUGHERTY, CLOSE BEHIND HERE. THEY’RE FIGHTING FOR SECOND AT THIS POINT. YEAH, FOR THE LAST 15 K SPLIT, IT LOOKED LIKE BEN PAYNE HAD PULLED AHEAD OF DANIEL. SO IT MAY NOT BE A RACE FOR SECOND AS MUCH ANYMORE, BUT YOU KNOW, DANIEL HAS A LITTLE BIT LEFT. SOMETHING LEFT IN THE LAST FIVE K OR SO. HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO REEL HIM BACK IN THERE IS STILL A RACE THERE. EXCELLENT. WHAT ABOUT FOR THE LEADERS ON THE WOMEN’S SIDE? WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT NEELY GRACIE HERE MOST OF THE MORNING, BUT STILL THE WOMEN’S LEADER BOARD HERE, TOP SEVEN, LOOKING GOOD. ALL THEIR TIMES AROUND 535 543 AT THIS POINT. 612 THEY’RE NOT STRUNG OUT NEARLY AS FAR. THEY CAN PROBABLY STILL SEE EACH OTHER. THEY KNOW WHERE EACH OTHER IS. ROBERTA GRONER THERE IN SECOND IS PROBABLY GOING TO RUN OUT OF ROAD. SHE WON’T BE ABLE TO CATCH NEELY. NEELY IS STILL LOOKING PRETTY GOOD RIGHT NOW. WHEN WE WATCH REED HERE AND WE SEE HIM MAKING IT LOOK EASY, WE WATCHED AT ONE POINT HE WAS A LITTLE UNDER THAT FIVE MINUTE MARK. AND THEN AND THEN CLIMBED A FEW SECONDS ABOVE IT. DOES THAT GIVE ANY PAUSE TO KIND OF WHAT HE’S DOING OUT HERE IN THE WORK THAT’S HAPPENING? NO, HE’S RUNNING PRETTY STEADY. YOU KNOW, A COUPLE SECONDS HERE OR THERE IS NOT A BIG DEAL. HE’S STARTING TO GET TIRED. WE SHOULD EXPECT TO SEE HIM SLOW, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE HE DOESN’T HAVE ANYBODY THERE PUSHING HIM. AND WHAT DO YOU TYPICALLY SEE WITH HIM TOWARD THE END OF THIS? IS THERE A PLACE WHERE HE WILL START GOING A LITTLE BIT MORE ALL OUT? I WOULD EXPECT AT ANY MOMENT NOW, IF HE’S LOOKING TO RUN THAT 105, 106 TIME, HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO START RATCHETING IT UP A LITTLE BIT FASTER IN THE LAST HALF MILE. OKAY, JEFF, I MEAN, WE’RE REALLY PROBABLY WHAT, LIKE A MILE AWAY HERE AT THIS POINT. WE’RE GOING TO STAY WITH THIS BECAUSE HE’S GOING TO BE WRAPPING THIS THING UP AND WINNING IT HERE SHORTLY, RIGHT? YEAH, HE’S COMING RIGHT BACK IN TOWARD THE FINISH AREA. SO HE SHOULD BE WRAPPING IT UP PRETTY QUICKLY. AND HE’S LOOKING GOOD STILL. HE STILL LOOKS REALLY FLUID AND SMOOTH. HIS ARMS ARE MOVING GOOD. SO IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE HE’S HAVING ANY TROUBLE HERE AT ALL. COMING INTO THE FINISH. OKAY. AND LET’S TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOR OUR OTHERS BACK HERE, WE’VE BEEN WATCHING BEHIND HIM BENJAMIN PAYNE, DANIEL DOCHERTY, ANYTHING TO NOTE ABOUT THESE MEN WHO WERE TRYING TO TAKE THAT SECOND PLACE POSITION? YEAH, BEN PAYNE ALREADY HAS THE QUALIFYING TIME AS WELL, SO HE DOESN’T HAVE TO REALLY WORRY ABOUT PUSHING TO TRY TO GET ANY QUALIFYING TIME TODAY. BUT HE, YOU KNOW, HE’S A RACER. HE WANTS TO HE WANTS TO FINISH AS HIGH AS HE CAN. HE WANTS TO GET SECOND OR THIRD PLACE. YEAH. AND WE ARE CLOSE LEE WATCHING THIS LEADER CAM BECAUSE IT WON’T BE LONG BEFORE WE SEE WE SEE REED ROUNDING THAT CORNER COMING TOWARD THE FINISH LINE WHERE WE’RE SITTING. JEFF THIS IS REALLY GETTING EXCITING HERE FOR OUR 47TH ANNUAL ORLANDO HALF MARATHON HERE. OYUKI ORLANDO HALF MARATHON JEFF. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING THROUGH HIS MIND RIGHT NOW? I MEAN, YOU’RE I’M TIRED. I NEED SOME WATER. YEAH, BUT, JEFF, YOU’RE MORE OF THE ELITE RUNNER STATUS HERE. I KNOW JAY AND HAVE RUN A FEW HALF MARATHONS, BUT NOTHING, YOU KNOW, FINISHING IN TOP PLACE. HERE HE COMES. YEAH, HE’S LOOKING TO GET THIS DONE. THEY’VE GOT THE TAPE UP. THEY’RE HOLDING IT UP. SO HE KNOWS HE’S COMING INTO THE FINISH LINE. HE’S JUST HOLDING IT STRONG, TRYING TO KEEP EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND JUST LOOKING AS GOOD AS HE CAN TO GET THROUGH THE FINISH LINE. AND THIS IS WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT HERE. ALL THAT HARD WORK, ALL OF THE TIME AND ATTENTION AND DETAIL AND FOCUS THAT HE’S PUT INTO THIS RACE. I MEAN, THIS IS PAYING OFF HERE. THIS IS A GOOD FINISH ON A DAY LIKE TODAY WHERE IT SEEMED LIKE YOU SAID, HE’S JUST HE’S HE’S JUST KIND OF CLICKING ALONG. HE’S NOT TRYING TO BREAK ANY RECORDS. APPARENTLY, AS THE SUN POKED OUT HERE, YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE MOISTURE IN THE AIR. THAT’S A REALLY HARD CONDITIONS RUN AND A HALF MARATHON. YEAH, IT’S IT’S HUMID. IT’S HARD. SO THIS IS A REALLY RESPECTABLE TIME FOR AN ELITE RUNNER TO BE COMING OUT HERE AND PUTTING THIS DOWN. YEAH. REPRESENTING THE US. ALL RIGHT. AND WE’RE JUST. WE’RE LISTENING TO THE DJ HERE. THERE HE IS. HERE HE COMES. WE’RE AT ONE HOUR AND SIX MINUTES AT THIS POINT. YEAH. HERE HE COMES. AND WE’VE GOT OUR CREW THERE AT THE END. WE’VE GOT SOME PEOPLE READY TO CHEER REED ON AS HE COMES THROUGH THIS FINISH A 504 PACE. AT THIS POINT, THERE’S THE FINISH LINE AND JUST FEET AWAY, WE SEE HIM AS HE COMES RIGHT IN BEHIND US. THERE WE GO. YOUR 47TH ANNUAL U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON WINNER. CONGRATULATIONS TO REED BUCHANAN. THERE. WOW. EXCELLENT JOB. THAT WAS 106. EXCELLENT JOB. YEAH. TO ME, THIS MORNING FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN. JEFF. HOPEFULLY NANCY ALVAREZ WILL BE ABLE TO TALK TO HIM IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS HERE. BUT WHAT A FINISH HERE AT THE END. HE DOESN’T EVEN LOOK LIKE HE RAN. NO, HE’S LIKE, SHOULD I BE DOING A FULL HERE? DO I WANT TO GO ANOTHER ANOTHER FEW MILES? WHEN YOU RUN A 106 HALF MARATHON, YOU’RE HAPPY IT’S OVER. YOU’RE DONE. BUT HE LOOKED HE LOOKED GOOD. THERE. I SAID HE LOOKED REALLY FRESH AND LIKE HIS FORM WAS LOOKING GOOD LATE IN THE RACE. SO I. THINK THIS WAS A GOOD RUN FOR HIM. EXCELLENT. OKAY. WELL, THERE WE HAVE IT AT 106. REED BUCHANAN TAKES HOME THE MEN’S SIDE HERE OF THE HALF MARATHON. STAY WITH US. LIVE COVERAGE CONTINUES AFTER THE BREAK. AND WELCOME BACK TO ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, GUYS. HI. YEAH, HAVING SOME TROUBLE HEARING YOU, BUT I AM HERE WITH REED BUCHANAN. CONGRATULATIONS. YEAH, HE’S HERE WITH ME. GUYS, FIRST OF ALL, LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR TIME. HOW DID YOU DO? ARE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR PERFORMANCE OUT HERE TODAY? YEAH, IT WAS WARM. MAYBE NOT WARM FOR YOU GUYS, BUT IT WAS WARM FOR ME, AND I JUST WANTED TO GET A FEEL FOR ORLANDO AT THIS TIME OF YEAR BECAUSE THERE’S A PRETTY IMPORTANT RACE COMING UP. THAT’S RIGHT. SO FEBRUARY, LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT. YOU’RE GOING TO BE BACK. I’M GOING TO BE BACK. YEP. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. AND I’M YOU KNOW, I’M REALLY THANKFUL THAT THERE WAS A RACE TO TO TEST IT OUT. AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW A LOT GOES INTO THAT. SO I’M JUST GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. YEAH. AND SO, YEAH, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE TEMPERATURES OUT HERE. I MEAN, WE WERE SO COLD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK AND THEN IT TOOK A TURN. DEFINITELY A FACTOR, RIGHT? I CAN TELL AS PEOPLE ARE CROSSING THE FINISH LINE, NOT JUST FOR ELITE RUNNERS LIKE YOU, BUT EVERYONE OUT HERE IS STRUGGLING WITH THE HUMIDITY. YEAH. IF YOU DON’T TRAIN IN IT, IT IT’S NOT EASY TO RUN IN. AND SO THIS IS GOOD FOR ME, TOO. YOU KNOW, A COUPLE MONTHS OUT TO KNOW THIS AND START PREPARING TO BE READY. YEAH. WELL, WELCOME TO FLORIDA. WE CAN’T WAIT TO HAVE YOU BACK. CONGRATULATIONS. AWESOME TO SEE YOU ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW? I AM ACTUALLY HERE FOR THE USATF MEETING. ANNUAL MEETING, AND SO I’M GOING TO GO TO SOME MEETINGS TODAY. OH, MY GOODNESS. I KNOW. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE’LL LET YOU GO GET HYDRATED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT WITH US. CONGRATULATIONS. AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE IN ORLANDO. THIS IS AWESOME. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE ARE EXPECTING IT. OKAY. OKAY, GUYS. YES, WE ARE LOOKING FOR NEELY GRACIE OF COURSE, WHO IS GOING TO BE CROSSING AT ANY MOMENT NOW. THERE IS A CROWD THAT’S BUILDING HERE TO SEE HER CROSS THE FINISH LINE. LET’S GIVE YOU A LOOK OVER THERE. YOU CAN SEE THE CAMERAS WAITING FOR HER AS WELL. AND THE CROWDS LINING THE STREET THERE HERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF LAKE EOLA. ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU GUYS AS WE WAIT FOR HER IS YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE IMPACT OF THE HUMIDITY OUT HERE ON THESE RUNNERS AS IT HAS BEEN A REAL CHALLENGE, EVEN FOR THE ELITE MOST EXPERIENCED RUNNERS HAVE CROSSED THAT LINE AND YOU CAN JUST TELL THAT THE WEATHER WAS DEFINITELY A FACTOR HERE FOR EVERYONE. LEE. SO WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO KEEP AN EYE HERE ON THE FINISH LINE. LET ME GIVE YOU A LOOK. ALL RIGHT. LET ME LET ME GIVE YOU A LOOK RIGHT OVER HERE. HERE’S OUR THE MEDALS. YOU CAN SEE THEM OVER HERE. WE’LL GIVE YOU A LOOK OVER HERE WHILE WE WAIT. AGAIN, WE’RE WAITING FOR GRACIE NEELY. WHAT IT AWESOME. OKAY. SO GRACIE NEELY TURNING THE CORNER ONTO ROBINSON. NOW, WE HAVE BEEN WATCHING THIS RACE, AS YOU KNOW, FROM THE AIR AND ON THE GROUND. WE’VE HAD OUR CHOPPER UP, OUR DRONE FOLLOWING THESE RUNNERS. THIS IS JUST SUCH AN EXCITING MOMENT, REALLY, TO WATCH THIS MOM CROSS THIS FINISH LINE. AND WE’RE GOING TO TALK TO HER RIGHT AFTER SHE DOES. SHE’S REALLY BEEN AN INSPIRATION. WE TALKED TO HER THIS MORNING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT SHE SETS AN EXAMPLE FOR HER KIDS ABOUT HEALTHY LIVING. AND HERE SHE COMES. MOTHER OF TWO, GRACIE NEELY, CROSSING THE FINISH LINE. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AND LISTEN. SHE’S COMING UP HERE. THERE WE GO. SO EXCITING, PEOPLE CHEERING FOR HER OUT HERE. AND THERE YOU GO. I KEEP TALKING TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THE HUMIDITY AND THE WARM WEATHER THAT WE’RE FEELING OUT HERE. WE’RE GOING TO GET AN INTERVIEW WITH HER HERE IN JUST A MOMENT. LET HER CATCH HER BREATH. WE’LL SEND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS UP ON THE DESK. ALL RIGHT, NANCY. GOOD STUFF THERE, NEELY. GRACIE, JUST CROSSING THE FINISH LINE ON THE FEMALE SIDE, THE WOMEN’S RUNNER TODAY AT ONE HOUR AND 13 MINUTES AND 55 SECONDS, AVERAGE PACE HERE, A FIVE MINUTES AND 39 SECONDS. CONGRATULATIONS. YEAH. AND NEELY COMING TO US FROM COLORADO AND THIS IS A DIFFERENT CLIMATE THAN WHERE SHE’S USED TO RUNNING, BUT GETTING GETTING HER READY FOR WHAT SHE’S GOING TO DO IN FEBRUARY AS SHE TRIES FOR THE US OLYMPIC GAMES. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT SHE SAID SHE’S GOING TO RUN THIS TODAY, THE HALF MARATHON. WE SPOKE TO HER EARLIER ON SET AND THEN SHE’S GOING TO GET OUT HERE TOMORROW. JUST KEEP IN MIND. AND THEN AT ABOUT A SEVEN MINUTE MILE PACE, JEFF, SHE’S GOING TO LEISURELY RUN THAT OLYMPIC QUALIFYING COURSE THROUGH DOWNTOWN. YEAH, I’LL BE RUNNING WITH THEM TOMORROW MORNING AS WELL. JUST SEVEN MINUTE MILES, A LITTLE BIT HARDER EFFORT FOR ME, BUT THEY’RE GOING TO GO SEE THE COURSE THAT THEY’RE GOING TO RUN IN IN FEBRUARY OUT HERE, LEARN THE TURNS, FIGURE OUT THE SURFACES, SEE SOME MILE MARKERS SO THEY’LL ACTUALLY BE PREPARING FOR THAT DAY. AND JEFF, SHE SAID SHE’S GOING TO COME OUT HERE WITH HER FAMILY ABOUT A MONTH AHEAD OF TIME BEFORE THE TRIALS NEXT IN THE NEW YEAR IN FEBRUARY. SO JUST WHAT’S THE GAME PLAN FOR HER? OBVIOUSLY, SHE WON THE DISNEY PRINCESS HALF MARATHON THIS YEAR. SHE’S OBVIOUSLY AN ELITE, TERRIFIC RUNNER. BUT WHAT IS THE GAME PLAN FOR HER TO TRY TO MAKE THE TRIALS? IT’S TO REALLY GET PREPARED FOR THAT DAY RIGHT. THIS IS THE BIGGEST RACE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. CAREERS IS TRYING TO MAKE THAT. IT’S ONLY COMES AROUND EVERY FOUR YEARS. SO THEY GET ONE SHOT. SO YOU’LL SEE A LOT OF OLYMPIC ATHLETES, OLYMPIC CALIBER ATHLETES COMING DOWN HERE GET USED TO THE WEATHER BECAUSE IT MAY BE WARMER THAN IF THEY’RE LIVING IN MINNESOTA OR COLORADO. THE USE OF THE WEATHER GET USED TO THE TERRAIN. SEE THE COURSE. JUST TAKE OUT CONTROL EVERYTHING THEY CAN TAKE OUT ANY UNEXPECTED THINGS THAT MAY HAPPEN TO THEM ON RACE DAY. ALL RIGHT, JEFF, GOOD STUFF HERE, GUYS. WELL, OUR COVERAGE CONTINUES OF THE OU ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. WE’RE SEEING MORE AND MORE FOLKS FINISH UP HERE. SUCH AN EXCITING DAY. STAY WITH US. WE’RE BACK RIGHT AFTER THIS BREAK. HI. KNOW WHAT AN EXCITING MORNING OUT HERE AT THE U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON WE’VE WATCHED JUST MOMENTS AGO, NEELY GRACE CAME ACROSS AS OUR WOMEN’S TOP FINISHER, REED BUCHANAN, WON THE RACE FOR OVERALL GAIL AND FOR OUR MEN HERE AND THEY HAVE JUST BEEN FLYING. IT’S REALLY IMPRESSIVE IN THIS HUMIDITY AND HEAT THAT’S ALREADY BUILDING HERE AT LITTLE AFTER 830 IN THE MORNING, 8:35 A.M., 100%. JEFF DENGATE HERE, OUR RUNNING ANALYST WITH RUNNER’S WORLD. JEFF, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. WE WANT TO SEND THINGS, THOUGH, TO CHRISTINA WATKINS CHRISTINA IS AROUND LAKE DAVIS AREA, CHRISTINA. I THINK SHELDON DUTES SHOULD BE APPROACHING YOU HERE SHORTLY. WE YES. MAYOR AND JASON, WE ARE WATCHING FOR SHELDON VERY CLOSELY. WE’RE RIGHT IN BETWEEN MILE NINE AND TEN RIGHT HERE AT LAKE DAVIS. WOO HOO! THE RUNNERS ARE MAKING THEIR WAY UP THE COURSE. AND RIGHT ALONG THE WAY, WE’VE GOT AN ENTIRE FAMILY HERE. LET’S GO, TEAM. THEY ARE CHEERING ON SO MANY PEOPLE. THEY’RE CHEERING ON CHRISTINA GRANDMA SAYING YOU ARE INCREDIBLE AND GO TEAM EDITOR, I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY NEW FRIEND, SEAN. LET’S TALK TO YOU. SEAN, COME ON. COME ON, SEAN. SO THIS IS SUCH AN INCREDIBLE ATMOSPHERE FOR YOU AND YOUR CREW AND YOUR TEAM CHEERING ON YOUR LOVED ONES. HOW WAS IT WATCHING THEM PREPARE FOR THIS? IT WAS A LOT OF WORK. I GOT TO BE HONEST. IT WAS A LOT OF WORK BECAUSE I ALWAYS GOT ASKED IF I WANTED TO GO RUN WITH THEM AND I WAS LIKE, I CAN’T RUN LIKE THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, IT TURNED ME DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT I’M HAPPY FOR THEM AND MY FIANCE IS RUNNING CHRISTINA POWELL, SO LET’S WISH HER WELL TODAY. YEAH, EXCITED. GO CHRISTINA SHE’S GOT A GREAT NAME. YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THIS HUMIDITY AND THE WEATHER. IT IS SO STICKY OUT HERE. WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT WAS A CONCERN FOR CHRISTINA GRANDMA AND ANY ANY OF THE LOVED ONES YOU’RE CHEERING ON TODAY? NO, I THINK THEY WERE GOING TO POWER THROUGH IT TODAY. I THINK THEY’RE GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT. OH, THAT’S AWESOME. WE’VE GOT THE DOGS OUT HERE A LITTLE ARCHIE. WHERE’S ARCHIE HIDING BEHIND THE CHAIR. EVERYONE IS OUT HERE JUST HAVING A GOOD TIME. DOWN THE ROAD OVER THERE, WE’VE GOT OUR PHOTOJOURNALIST, MIKE HANSEN, SHOWING YOU THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY. STUDENTS FROM FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL ARE HANDING OUT WATER TO ALL THE RUNNERS SO THAT THEY CAN POWER THROUGH THE REST OF THIS RACE. LET’S GO, TEAM WOO HOO! WOO HOO! YOU GUYS ARE KILLING IT. DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB. THAT IS WHAT WE ARE SEEING HERE. THE WESH 2 SIGNS ARE IN FULL EFFECT. PEOPLE ARE MAKING SURE THEY ARE SHOWING SUPPORT FOR EVERY SINGLE RUNNER CROSSING THIS RACE. THERE YOU GO. WOO! WOO HOO! BUT AS NANCY MENTIONED, NOT TOO LONG AGO, YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE IMPACT OF THIS WEATHER ON A LOT OF THESE RUNNERS FACES. IT IS HOT. THERE YOU GO. BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HUMIDITY AND THE HEAT, THERE ARE SMILES. THERE IS JOY, JOY, THERE IS EXCITEMENT. AND WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR OUR WESH 2 MEMBERS TO GET TO THIS POINT. SHELDON DUTES SHOULD BE A COUPLE OF STEPS AWAY. THEY HE IT’S GOING TO BE INCREDIBLE. WE’VE GOT ANOTHER PACE GROUP COMING BY IN JUST A MINUTE. THEY ARE ROLLING. LOOK AT EVERYBODY. GO, GO, TEAM. WOO HOO! THIS IS REMARKABLE. LET’S TALK TO SOME OTHER PEOPLE HERE. SO THIS IS INCREDIBLE. SO WE’VE GOT SOME DOGS IN THE WAY. WE’VE GOT SOME FAMILIES. WE’VE GOT SOME LOVED ONES. LET’S WALK OVER HERE. LET’S SEE WHO ELSE WE CAN TALK TO. HI, GUYS. HOW EXCITED IS THIS? HI. HOW ARE YOU? HOW’S IT GOING? GREAT. HAVING A GREAT TIME THIS MORNING. WATCHING ALL THE RUNNERS. OH, ISN’T THIS REMARKABLE? WELL, IT IS. IT REALLY IS. SO MANY PEOPLE GET TOGETHER TO COME ENJOY THEMSELVES AS ON A BEAUTIFUL MORNING. BEAUTIFUL. YES. HUMID. ALSO, DID YOU GET OUT AND EXERCISE THIS MORNING AS WELL? WE DID. WE WALKED SIX MILES TO HERE TO WATCH THEM RUN. WOW. THAT KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IMPACT OF IT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE FEELING WHEN YOU SEE THESE RUNNERS PASS AND YOU’RE CHEERING THEM ON. WHAT ENERGY DO YOU HOPE THEY TAKE AWAY FROM YOU AS YOU CHEER THEM ON? WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THEY’RE NOT JUST OUT HERE DOING THIS BY THEMSELVES. YOU KNOW, THEY’RE GETTING A LOT OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM EVERYBODY ELSE, A LOT OF SUPPORT. OH, THAT IS AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. CHEERING ON ANYBODY IN PARTICULAR. NATALIE. NATALIE BARTON, OUR DAUGHTER. OH, GO, NATALIE. IS THIS HER FIRST RACE? THIS IS HER SECOND HALF. JEFF HALF MARATHON. OH, AWESOME. I KNOW YOU’RE SO PROUD, MOM. LET’S TALK TO YOU. HOW PROUD ARE YOU OF YOUR DAUGHTER, NATALIE? OH, I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE DOING THIS, SO I AM SO PROUD OF HER. SHE’S BEEN TRAINING HARD, SO WE’RE REALLY PROUD. YEAH. HOW LONG DID SHE PREPARE FOR THIS? OH, A FEW MONTHS. YEAH. SHE’S BEEN DOING SOME FIVE K’S. SHE DID THE TURKEY TROT DOWNTOWN ON THANKSGIVING MORNING WITH THE FAM AND. YEAH. SO SHE’S, SHE’S BEEN WORKING HARD. SHE GETS UP, SHE’S A SCHOOLTEACHER, SO SHE GETS UP BEFORE SCHOOL AND GOES AND RUNS 430 IN THE MORNING. BLESS HER HEART, BLESS HER HEART. AND WE’RE SO HAPPY SHE PARTICIPATE IN THE THANKSGIVING TURKEY TROT FOR SENIORS. FIRST. WE ALSO GOT TO BROADCAST THAT HERE ON WESH 2. THANK YOU FOR HER BEING AN EDUCATOR. THAT’S AWESOME. ALL RIGHT. WE’RE GOING TO SEND IT OVER TO NANCY ALVAREZ AT THE FINISH LINE. HEY, NANCY. HEY, CHRISTINA. I AM LIKE FANGIRLING OVER HERE BECAUSE I HAVE NEELY GRACIE, OUR HALF WINNER. CONGRATULATIONS. HOW ARE YOU FEELING? OH, WELL, NOW I FEEL GOOD THAT I GOT A MOMENT TO CATCH MY BREATH AND GET A DRINK. BUT IT WAS. IT WAS A GOOD DAY OUT THERE. I WAS HAPPY TO COME AWAY WITH THE WIN AND A STRONG RUN. OKAY, SO TELL US YOUR TIME AND HOW YOU’RE FEELING ABOUT IT. YEAH, THE I RAN 113 HIGH. I BELIEVE SO. YOU KNOW WHERE I HOPE TO BE. UM, I WENT OUT AND KIND OF TRIED TO FEEL OUT THE PACE FOR THE FIRST HALF SO THAT I DIDN’T GET IN OVER MY HEAD WITH THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY AND THEN WAS ABLE TO KIND OF LOCK IN AND KNOW, OKAY, THIS IS THE EFFORT. I THINK I CAN HOLD TO THE FINISH LINE. SO A LOT OF MINDSET WORK AND POSITIVE SELF-TALK TO GET THROUGH, BUT I’M REALLY PLEASED. YEAH, THAT POSITIVE SELF-TALK IS REALLY FOR THE RUNNERS ACROSS THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY IN THIS HUMIDITY. LET’S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS IS REALLY A STEP IN A BIGGER PICTURE FOR YOU BECAUSE COME FEBRUARY, YOU’RE GOING TO BE BACK IN ORLANDO. YEAH. SO THIS WAS A NICE STEP IN PREPARING FOR THE OLYMPIC TRIALS MARATHON ON FEBRUARY 3RD. SO I WAS ABLE TO DIAL IN A COUPLE OF THINGS. I TOOK IN A LOT OF FLUIDS OUT ON THE COURSE. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS KIND OF WORST CASE SCENARIO WEATHER WISE FOR FLORIDA. SO SO AT THAT TIME. SO I THINK THAT’LL BE REALLY GOOD TO KNOW. OKAY. THIS IS HOW I NEED TO ADJUST BASED ON WHERE I FEEL MY FITNESS IS AT. I KNOW YOU’RE ALSO A COACH, SO I’M GOING TO ASK YOU TO PUT THAT HAT ON FOR A SECOND. WE HAVE SUCH A WIDE RANGE OF RUNNERS HERE TODAY, PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST STARTING OUT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING AT HOME BECAUSE WE’RE BROADCASTING THIS RACE LIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME. MANY PEOPLE WHO’VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. AND ARE PROBABLY LOOKING AT YOU AND WONDERING, I DON’T KNOW, COULD I DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YEAH, TOTALLY. SO I ACTUALLY HAVE AN ATHLETE RACING. HE’S IN THE 145 PACE GROUP. SO IN A MINUTE I’M GOING TO HOP BACK OUT ON THE COURSE AND GO CHEER HIM IN. BUT HE’S RUN THIS RACE A COUPLE TIMES BEFORE, SO HE WAS ABLE TO GIVE ME AN INKLING INTO THE COURSE LAYOUT. AND THIS IS A GOOD ONE BECAUSE IT’S PRETTY FLAT. I KNOW THAT THAT’S KIND OF COMMON FOR FLORIDA, BUT FOR COLORADO, THAT’S NOT SO FOR ME, THAT WAS AN EXTRA TREAT TO COME AND RUN A FLAT COURSE BECAUSE YOU CAN JUST LOCK INTO A RHYTHM A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT I THINK THAT THE RUNNING COMMUNITY IS SO FUN, IT’S SO SUPPORTIVE. YOU KNOW, I RAN THE DISNEY PRINCESS 10-K AND HALF MARATHON IN FEBRUARY AND JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH THE ORLANDO RUNNING SCENE. SO IF YOU’VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, ON THE FENCE ABOUT GETTING OUT HERE AND TRYING SOME RACES, I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE IT BECAUSE IT’S A VERY FUN AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT. YEAH. AND I KNOW OUR ORLANDO RUNNING SCENE HAS SOME BRICKS THERE. CHARMING DOWNTOWN. I HOPE THEY DIDN’T CAUSE TOO MUCH OF A PROBLEM FOR YOU. YOU KNOW, I USED TO BE A REALLY GOOD CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER, SO I KIND OF PUT THAT HAT ON AND REMEMBERED MY HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE DAYS WHERE I RAN CROSS COUNTRY AND IT WAS KIND OF NICE TO MIX IT UP A LITTLE BIT. GAVE ME SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR TALKING TO US. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT RUN. SO AWESOME. ALL RIGHT. WE’RE GOING TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS, JASON AND MEREDITH AS OUR COVERAGE CONTINUES. I’LL BE HERE AT THE FINISH LINE WAITING FOR EVERYBODY TO COME ACROSS IT. YES, NANCY NEELY AND I LOVED HEARING WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY. JUST KIND OF FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE ORLANDO RUNNING COMMUNITY. TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHY. JAY LETS SEND THINGS OUT NOW TO MEGAN MELLADO. SHE’S AT MILE MARKER 12. MEGAN, WE KNOW YOU’RE SEEING LOTS OF RUNNERS. NOW ZOOM ON BY. YEAH, WE ARE. SO WE JUST CAME FROM MILE THREE WHERE WE SAW CROWDS AND CROWDS OF RUNNERS. NOW WE ARE AT MILE 12. IT’S A LITTLE BIT SLOWER HERE, RIGHTFULLY SO. THIS IS A LONG DISTANCE TO GO. SO WE’RE SEEING 1 OR 2 RUNNERS COME THROUGH AND THEN OCCASIONALLY WE’LL SEE A FEW MORE COME IN BY THE DOZEN OR SO THERE COME IN GROUPS. BUT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU GUYS OVER HERE TO MY LEFT BY THE BUS STOP. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE CHEERING, PEOPLE ON. THEY BROUGHT THEIR BELLS. THEY WERE RINGING THEIR BELLS. AND RIGHT HERE WITH ME IS RICHARD VANDERBILT. HE IS ALSO HERE SUPPORTING. TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO YOU’RE OUT HERE SUPPORTING. I’M SUPPORTING A BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT WE RUN WITH DURING THE WEEK WITH MARATHON FEST AND ALSO MY WIFE, WHO’S ALSO RUNNING HER HALF MARATHON. SO CAME OUT EARLY THIS MORNING, GOT HER READY FOR IT. SO SHE’S OUT ON HER SECOND HALF MARATHON. SO SHE RAN ONE COCO LAST WEEK. AMAZING HOW PROUD ARE YOU OF HER AND OF YOUR GROUP? OH, VERY PROUD. I’M MISS BEING OUT THERE WITH THEM A LOT. BUT AS SOON AS I RECOVER, I’LL BE BACK OUT AGAIN. HOPEFULLY AT MY NORMAL SPEED AS I CAN KEEP UP WITH THEM. YEAH. SO RICHARD AND I WERE TALKING. HE IS ACTUALLY OUT INJURED AND THAT’S WHY HE’S HERE SUPPORTING PEOPLE TODAY. BUT WHAT WOULD YOUR MESSAGE BE TO PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE OUT BECAUSE OF AN INJURY? THEY CAN STILL COME OUT AND SUPPORT AND EVENTUALLY GET BACK OUT THERE, RIGHT? YEAH, DEFINITELY. YEAH. JUST TAKE IT SLOW. DON’T DON’T RUSH ANYTHING. WE KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE RUSHED IT TOO MUCH AND ACTUALLY GET PERMANENT INJURIES AND DON’T MAKE IT BACK OUT AGAIN. SO YEAH, TAKING IT SLOW. JUST TAKE YOUR TIME AND JUST EVEN GETTING A RACE. JUST COMPLETING IT. AWESOME. THAT’S THE MESSAGE. RICHARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR BEING OUT HERE TO SUPPORT YOUR GROUP AND YOUR WIFE. I’M SURE IT MEANS SO MUCH TO THEM. AGAIN, WE ARE HERE AT MILE 12. THERE’S MORE RUNNERS COMING THROUGH. BUT THIS IS ALSO A TRICKY MILE TO PASS JUST BECAUSE THERE’S A LOT OF TRAFFIC COMING THROUGH THIS AREA. BUT THE OFFICERS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB AT KIND OF NAVIGATING, MAKING SURE THAT RUNNERS TAKE THE PRIORITY THIS MORNING. SO HERE COME A FEW MORE. WE ARE WAITING TO SEE MORE OF OUR RUNNERS, MORE OF OUR COLLEAGUES. BUT FOR NOW, WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED FROM MILE 12. BACK TO YOU ALL THE WAY FROM ARIZONA. ALL RIGHT, MEGAN, THANKS SO MUCH. COMING TO US FROM MILE 12. NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT SANIKA DANGE IS ON MATERNITY LEAVE. SHE’S A WESH 2 NEWS FOR MANY OF YOU KNOW HER AND SHE RAN THE FIVE K TODAY. I KNOW. AND WE’VE BEEN SEEING HER COME OVER TO SAY HI TO EVERYBODY. WE’RE READY FOR HER TO COME BACK AND JOIN US. CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS RUNNER AND WE’VE GOT YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR BRAND NEW WESH MOMS HERE OUT ON THE COURSE. WHAT A GREAT PICTURE. AND STEVEN THERE HOLDING THE LITTLE BIT. WE LOVE SEEING THE BABY AND GREAT JOB, MOM. I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I GOT TO SEE THEM THIS WEEK. I WENT FOR A WALK IN BALDWIN PARK AREA WITH ALL OF OUR NEW MOMS, SANIKA BECCA CAM TRAN. SO, THREE NEW BABIES TO THE WESH 2 NEWSROOM. JEFF. SO VERY EXCITING STUFF, BUT SO AWESOME TO SEE HER OUT HERE TODAY. PARTICIPATING. SHE LOVES RUNNING. SO GOOD STUFF THERE. CONGRATS, SANIKA. NOW TAKING A LIVE PICTURE HERE. CHOPPER TWO ABOVE THE SCENE. JEFF. WE’RE JUST MOVING ALONG NOW. ONE HOUR, 29 MINUTES. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS HERE AS WE CONTINUE ON IN THE HALF THIS IS THE FUN PART OF THE RACE. A LOT OF THESE RUNNERS HAVE WORKED THEIR -- OFF TO GET TO THIS POINT. YOU KNOW, THEY’RE STILL THEY’RE STILL MOVING. IF YOU’RE RUNNING A 130 HALF, YOU’RE STILL YOU’RE STILL MOVING. YOU’VE PUT IN A LOT OF WEEKS OF GOOD TRAINING TO GET THERE. IT’S THE SUN HAS STAYED AWAY FOR THESE RUNNERS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY PRETTY LUCKY. THE CLOUD COVER IS GOING TO HELP THEM A LITTLE BIT, ESPECIALLY AS THEY’RE OUT THERE A LITTLE BIT LONGER. YEAH, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE TIME TO WHEN YOU NEED THAT EXTRA KIND OF OOMPH. I THINK I SAID EARLIER, OH, ZOOM BY AT MILE 12. YOU’RE PROBABLY NOT ZOOMING AT THAT POINT. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE YOU REALLY NEED THE LIKE, OKAY, I NEED THAT EXTRA UMPH TO KEEP ME GOING. ARE YOU WATCHING ON THE OVERHEAD HERE? IT LOOKS LIKE THEY’RE NOT REALLY MOVING. THEY’RE MOVING AT A GOOD CLIP STILL. THEY ARE DEFINITELY MOVING. YEAH. AND TO FINISH AS YOU MENTIONED, IN AN HOUR AND A HALF, YOU’RE STILL YOU ARE YOU ARE BOOKING IT ALONG. AND I’VE HEARD IT SAID THAT THAT OUR RUNNERS WHO WILL FINISH HERE INSIDE THAT TWO HOUR MARK, THAT’S SORT OF THAT CUTOFF POINT OF SORT OF THE SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT JUST GET OUT AND WALK, RUN IT VERSUS THE FOLKS WHO HAVE REALLY HAD TO TRAIN TO GET TO THAT POINT. THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY HAVE THE TIME GOAL. THEY FOLLOWED A TRAINING PLAN. THEY’RE THEY’RE NOT GOING OUT ON FRIDAY NIGHT OR SATURDAY NIGHT BECAUSE THEY’RE DOING THEIR LONG RUN ON THE NEXT DAY. THEY ARE DEFINITELY PUTTING IN THE WORK FOR THIS THIS EFFORT. YEAH. AND WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND IF SOMEONE AT HOME IS WATCHING AND THEY SAY, I’D LIKE TO GET MYSELF MAYBE NOT TO THAT POINT, BUT AND AND WE’LL TALK ABOUT THIS IN A MINUTE HERE. JEFF BUT THAT TRAINING PERIOD, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WE’LL GET TO THAT HERE IN A MINUTE. MAYOR. SO HOLD THAT THOUGHT. TEASE. BUT WE WANT TO GET TO SENAIT GEBREGIORGIS NOW IN THE FIELD OUT THERE, ONE OF THE CHEERING STATIONS IS JUST THE FANS HERE TONIGHT. WHO DO YOU HAVE THERE. HEY, GUYS, WE ARE ON BAHAMA DRIVE AND IT LOOKS OH, MY PHOTOG WAS POINTING BEHIND ME. I THOUGHT STEWART MOORE WAS ABOUT TO COME THROUGH, BUT HE SHOULD COME HERE PRETTY SOON. WE ARE BETWEEN MILE EIGHT AND NINE, AND THESE RUNNERS ARE JUST DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB. AND I’LL TELL YOU, THE SPECTATORS AND THE PEOPLE AT THE WATER STATION, IT’S NOT JUST THEM CHEERING THESE RUNNERS ON. IT’S THE RUNNERS THEMSELVES. I’VE BEEN HEARING SOME OF THEM LIFT EACH OTHER UP, SAY THINGS LIKE, YOU GOT THIS, KEEP GOING. WE’RE ALMOST THERE. WE CAN DO THIS. THEN THEY ARE ALMOST THERE. I KNOW IT FEELS LIKE THE FINISH LINE IS FAR AWAY, BUT TRULY FINISHING ONE MILE IN ITSELF IS HONESTLY WORTH CELEBRATING TO ME, THIS IS NO EASY FEAT. AND THESE PEOPLE ARE SO INSPIRING. HOPEFULLY IT INSPIRES THE VIEWERS AT HOME WHO ARE WATCHING AND THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE WHO ARE LOOKING AT THESE RUNNERS AND THINKING, IF THEY CAN DO IT, THEN I CAN DO IT AS WELL. I KNOW I’M FEELING THAT WAY. THEY ARE TRULY AN INSPIRATIONAL, JUST SEEING THEM GO THROUGH THIS. AND I FEEL BAD COMPLAINING ABOUT THE HEAT. I WAS TALKING TO MY PHOTOGRAPHER ABOUT HOW IT’S WARM OUT HERE AND I’M FEELING STICKY AND HUMID, BUT I HAVE NO REASON TO COMPLAIN BECAUSE TRULY THESE ARE THESE GUYS ARE WORTH CELEBRATING BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL GOING THROUGH THIS HUMID WEATHER. WE’RE GOING TO WAIT AROUND. WE’RE WAITING FOR STEWART MOORE. HE SHOULD COME HERE. AND AS WELL AS MICHELLE AND PERADO SHELDON PASSED WAY, WAY A LONG AGO. ABOUT A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO. I DON’T EVEN REMEMBER HOW FAR, BUT IT WAS PROBABLY LIKE, WHAT, 15 MINUTES AGO? ANDY HE’S BEEN DOING INCREDIBLE. BUT HONESTLY, ALL OF OUR USHERS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS RACE, THEY’RE DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB. AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LOOK ONE MORE TIME. THE WATER STATION IS ABOUT TWO BLOCKS AWAY FROM US, SO THEY ARE ABOUT TO HIT THOSE WATER CUPS. AND I’M SURE THEY’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IT BECAUSE YOU’VE GOT TO STAY HYDRATED WHEN YOU’RE RUNNING THIS AND LOOK AT THEM. SOME OF THEM ARE WAVING. A LOT OF THEM ARE SO HAPPY TO SEE THE CAMERA OUT HERE. SO I THINK THAT’S MAKING THEM HAPPY TO SEE THAT IF THEIR FAMILIES WEREN’T ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT IN PERSON, THEY CAN STILL WATCH THEM LIVE ON WESH 2. SO IT’S EXCITING THAT WE HAVE THE CAMERAS BROADCASTING THIS BECAUSE NOW THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO REALLY SEE HOLD ON TO AS A MEMORY AND TO GO BACK AND WATCH AND THINK, WOW, I DID THIS AND I CAN DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR. BUT AGAIN, AN STEWART MOORE AND MICHELLE IMPERATO, THEY HAVEN’T MADE IT YET, BUT THEY SHOULD BE COMING ANY MOMENT. I HOPE I CAN SEE THEM HERE PRETTY SOON. WE ARE AGAIN BETWEEN MILE EIGHT AND MILE NINE AND THEY ARE ALMOST THERE. YOU GUYS GOT THIS. KEEP GOING AND WAIT. I WANT TO SHOW YOU A FURRY FRIEND OVER HERE. JERRY, IF YOU CAN ZOOM IN. HE IS JUST AS FASCINATED AS THE SPECTATORS. IF HE CAN ZOOM IN THERE, HE’S AT THE WINDOW. HE’S BEEN WATCHING THEM ALL DAY. AS FAR AS WE’VE BEEN OUT HERE. HE’S BEEN WATCHING THEM. AND HE’S JUST AS AMAZED, I’M SURE, THAT HE’S WANTING. HE WANTS TO COME OUTSIDE, I’M SURE, AND KIND OF SEE THESE PEOPLE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL. BUT I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE IT REALLY CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. EVERYONE IS TRULY EMBRACING THIS MOMENT. WE DID TALK TO SOME NEIGHBORS WHO WERE OUT HERE A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO, AND THEY TOLD US THAT THEY COME OUT TO THIS EVERY YEAR AND IT’S ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE THINGS TO WATCH BECAUSE IT IS TRULY INSPIRATIONAL AND BEAUTIFUL TO SEE IN ORLANDO. ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE ARE WAITING FOR STEWART MOORE AND MICHELLE IMPERATO. THEY ARE DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB. FOR NOW, THOUGH, WE WILL SEND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT. TONIGHT. OKAY. WE JUST GOT WORD THAT STEWART HAS PASSED MILE SEVEN NOW AND IT LOOKS LIKE MICHELLE IS NOT FAR BEHIND THERE. AND WE’LL CONTINUE FOLLOWING THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON AS THOSE RUNNERS CONTINUE MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK. WE ARE BACK ON THIS SATURDAY MORNING HERE IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO AS WE WATCH THE ELITE RUNNERS AND SOME OF OUR VERY OWN TAKING PART IN THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. YES. LET’S CHECK IN NOW WITH MICHELLE MEREDITH MICHELLE. YOU ARE RIGHT AROUND MILE MARKER SEVEN AND I BELIEVE MICHELLE IMPERATO JUST PASSED YOU. SHE DID JUST RUN PAST US AND YOU GUYS, SHE LOOKS STRONG. SHE LOOKS STRONG. AS YOU SAID. I JUST HAVE TIME TO SAY HI AND SHE CAN’T MOVING, NO STOPPING. AND I WANT TO POINT OUT SOMETHING, FOLKS. MICHELLE IS NOT TOO FAR BEHIND THE ONE, THE ONLY STEWART MOORE WHO’S BEEN BRAGGING ABOUT HOW FAST HE IS. I JUST WANT TO POINT THAT OUT. BUT SHE’S LOOKING GOOD. SHE’S LOOKING STRONG, AND SO IS STU. AND WE’RE SO PROUD OF THEM. BUT THEY JUST ZIPPED BY HERE. GOSH, A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO. AND LOOK AT THESE FOLKS. YES. GO, GO, GO, GO. WE GOT THIS. YOU GOT THIS, YOU GOT THIS. EVERYONE AT THIS POINT, THEY NEED A BOOST. THEY NEED A LITTLE BOOST. AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE HERE FOR. BUT THEY’RE STILL HAVING FUN AND THEY’RE STILL GIVING IT THEIR. ALL RIGHT, FOLKS, YOU GOT THIS. YOU GOT. YES. BUT YOU GUYS STILL MICHELLE. THEY LOOK GOOD. SO PROUD OF THEM, ESPECIALLY MICHELLE. YEAH. THIS WELL, MICHELLE, YOU’RE THE BEST. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT YOU SAID EVERYBODY NEEDS A BOOST, SO I KNOW YOU’RE MAKING EVERYONE’S DAY OUT THERE. GIVE THEM THAT HIGH FIVE AND GIVING THEM THAT EXTRA LITTLE PEP IN THEIR STEP. MY FRIEND. WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? I’M TIRED AND I’M NOT EVEN RUNNING. GOOD MORNING. WOO WOO! BUT YOU’RE A GREAT CHEER SQUAD. AND THAT’S WHAT EVERYONE NEEDS RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY AROUND MILE MARKER SEVEN. RIGHT, JAY? YOU KNOW, YOU’VE RUN THESE BEFORE. YEAH. WHEN YOU’RE HITTING THAT HALFWAY POINT AND YOU START GOING, WOW, IT’S GETTING HOT. I’M TIRED. YOUR LEGS ARE FEELING FATIGUED AND KNOWING YOU’VE STILL GOT A LOT OF MILES AHEAD OF YOU. AND YOU SEE MICHELLE MEREDITH THERE WAVING THAT SIGN THAT SAYS YOU GOT THIS, THAT THAT’LL GET YOU GOING. THAT’LL HELP YOU ROUND THAT THAT TURN. MAKE IT ON INTO MILE 12 WHERE WE’RE LOOKING LIVE RIGHT HERE THIS IS AROUND THE CORNER OF SUMMERLAND AVENUE. AND SOUTH STREET. AND SO AS WE’VE BEEN TRACKING, ONE OF THE GREAT FEATURES THAT TRACK SHACK HAS DONE FOR THIS EVENT IS IT ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND THOSE ELITE RUNNERS AS THEY’RE ON THE COURSE. SO WE KNOW WHERE THESE RUNNERS ARE HERE AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY AROUND THAT POINT, SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT MILE, MILE EIGHT MARK, I BELIEVE. AND JEFF DENGATE HERE IS OUR RACE ANALYST TODAY WITH RUNNERS. WELL, JEFF, I KNOW WE’VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE ELITE RUNNERS OF THE RACE, BUT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF OUR JUST AWESOME COWORKERS. SHELDON DUTIES, MICHELLE IMPERATO AND STEWART MOORE ARE THEY’RE ALL RUNNING AT THE HALF MARATHON. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT JUST, YOU KNOW, US REGULAR FOLKS, NOT YOU AMAZING ELITE RUNNERS LIKE YOURSELF, THIS IS EXCITING, THOUGH. IT’S A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT AND IT’S JUST GREAT TO KIND OF SAY, OH, YOU KNOW WHAT, I DID THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO THAT ONE DAY. IT’S A CELEBRATION OF THEM AND THE HARD WORK THEY PUT IN. I MEAN, LIKE, LOOK, A LOT OF US DON’T DO THIS KIND OF THING NORMALLY, RIGHT? AND SO WHEN WE DO IT, YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. LET’S CHEER THEM ON. AND I LOVE WHEN THEY HAVE THEIR FAMILY, THEY HAVE THEIR FRIENDS, THEY HAVE YOU CHEERING THEM ON LIKE THEY’RE THEY’RE GOING TO BRING HOME A LITTLE PRIDE TODAY. YEAH, THEY DID SOMETHING HARD. VERY HARD TODAY. VERY HARD. AND JEFF JUST LET’S TALK ABOUT THE PREP. I KNOW IT DOES LOOK VERY DIFFERENT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS, YOU KNOW, AN OLYMPIC TRIAL RUNNER VERSUS YOUR EVERYDAY RUNNER. BUT STILL, THE PREP IS REALLY INTENSE. THE OLYMPIC TRIALS RUNNERS, A LOT OF THEM GET PAID TO DO THIS. A LOT OF THEM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THEIR FULL TIME JOB. WELL, THE ONES WE SAW TODAY PROBABLY DO HAVE DAY JOBS, TOO. THEY’RE WORKING LIKE ALL OF US. I KNOW ROBERTA GRONER, WHO WAS SECOND, YOU KNOW, SHE HAS THREE YOUNG OR THREE GROWN BOYS. THEY’VE GOT THE SAME WORK LIFE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE, THE REALLY, REALLY PRO ELITE RUNNERS AND THAT’S THEIR DAY JOB. THEY SLEEP A LOT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. OKAY, SO THEY’RE WORKING AROUND THE SAME CONFINES, BUT YOU’RE PUTTING IN WEEKS OF TRAINING, YOU’RE TRYING TO GET THOSE RUNS IN AT 5 A.M. BEFORE THE SUN’S UP. IT’S HARD TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO SHAPE TO GO 13 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. YEAH, 100%. EXACTLY. I SAID, YOU KNOW, JEFF, THE LAST TIME I DID ONE OF THESE WAS BACK IN OH EIGHT. IT WAS A MARATHON OF THE PALM BEACHES IN SOUTH FLORIDA. BUT BEING HERE TODAY, IT DOES GIVE YOU THAT KIND OF ITCH, LIKE, OH, IS THIS SOMETHING? CAN I DO THIS? BUT, YOU KNOW, I’M JUST KIND OF TAKING IT IN TODAY. 13 MILES SEEMS LIKE A REALLY LONG WAY. LIKE I COULD NEVER DO THAT. BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO 13 MILES RIGHT FROM THE COUCH, RIGHT? YEAH. THESE PEOPLE DIDN’T JUST WAKE UP THIS MORNING AND SAY, HEY, I’M GOING TO GO RUN A HALF MARATHON. THEY GOT HERE BY DOING THE FIVE K’S, BY DOING THE TEN K’S, BY RUNNING FOR QUITE A LONG TIME TO GET READY TO BE ABLE TO GO THIS DISTANCE. AND WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND AS A TRAINING PERIOD? IF SOMEONE SAYS, OKAY, NEXT YEAR, I’M GOING TO TAKE THIS ON WHEN DO THEY NEED TO START TRAINING? AND MAYBE DO WE NEED TO START RUNNING NOW SHORTER DISTANCES? IF YOU’VE NEVER RUN, I SAY WALK. THAT’S BETTER THAN ANYTHING. WALKING IS ONE OF THE BEST EXERCISES WE CAN DO. IT CAN GET YOU DOWN THE ROAD. THE BIGGEST THING I SEE WITH ANYBODY WHO IS INSPIRED RIGHT NOW AND THEY SAY I’M GOING TO DO THIS IS THEY HEAD OUT THEIR DOOR AND THEY TAKE OFF AND THEY, YOU KNOW THIS, YOU’VE SEEN IT YOU HALF MILE DOWN THE ROAD. THEY ARE TIRED AND THEY TURN AROUND AND GO HOME AND THEY’RE DISAPPOINTED. IT’S REALLY, REALLY HARD WALK, MIX IN LITTLE RUNNING BREAKS. THERE ARE PLANS THAT CAN ACTUALLY HELP YOU GET UP TO A PERIOD OF RUNNING BY JUST STARTING WITH WALKING. YOU MIX IN LITTLE RUNNING BREAKS AS YOU GO ALONG AND EVENTUALLY YOU’RE ABLE TO GO FOR A HALF HOUR OF RUNNING NON STOP. YEAH. AND IT DOESN’T TAKE VERY LONG. YOU CAN DO THAT 8 OR 10 WEEKS IF YOU’VE NEVER RUN BEFORE IN YOUR LIFE. BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR YOU COULD BE RUNNING THIS HALF MARATHON. YEAH, THAT’S AWESOME. I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THIS AT HOME THINKING, OKAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT’S THE MOTIVATION. THAT’S KIND OF THE INSPIRATION THAT I MAY NEED, RIGHT? AND WHAT ABOUT OUR FOLKS WHO ARE FIVE K ERS? THEY’VE TRAINED, THEY’VE DONE THAT. THAT’S A REGULAR THING. THEY RUN A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK. WHAT IS THE THE TRAINING PLAN? WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND AS A LENGTH OF TIME FOR THEM TO GET INTO THE KIND OF SHAPE YOU NEED TO BE TO RUN A HALF MARATHON? YEAH, IF YOU’RE LOOKING AT HAVING ALREADY BEEN A5K RUNNER, YOU CAN DO A 10 OR 12 WEEK TRAINING PLAN. TYPICALLY TO BE ABLE TO GET READY FOR THE HALF MARATHON. NOW MY MARATHON IS GOING TO BE A LONGER PERIOD. SHE’S A 16 WEEK PERIOD. YOU CAN’T START FROM NOTHING AND GO TO THAT. BUT IF YOU’RE DOING THE FIVE K, IF YOU’RE COMFORTABLE GETTING OUT THERE AND KIND OF HAVE SOME IDEAS OF THE CONCEPTS OF RUNNING 10 TO 12 WEEKS AT LEAST IS GOING TO IT TAKES IT’S STILL A SERIOUS COMMITMENT. THAT IS THREE MONTHS OF YOUR YEAR. YOU THINK ABOUT YOU’RE GOING TO BE RUNNING A COUPLE OF HOURS ON THOSE LONG RUNS ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY. I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT HYDRATION. I KNOW THIS IS A HUGE FACTOR, BUT ESPECIALLY ON A RACE LIKE TODAY, WE HAD COLD WEATHER IN THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK, EVEN MIDWEEK, AND THEN WE JUST SPIKED. TEMPERATURES WENT UP. WE’VE GOT THE HUMIDITY TODAY. WHEN YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT HYDRATION, OBVIOUSLY IT’S A BIG FACTOR. BUT KIND OF TAKE US THROUGH THAT WHEN DO YOU START HYDRATING? WELL, YOU WANT TO START HYDRATING YESTERDAY. OKAY. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO COME READY, ESPECIALLY ON A HOT DAY LIKE TODAY. YOU HAVE TO COME IN READY AND BE FULLY HYDRATED. NOW, I NOTICED FROM ONE OF THE AERIAL SHOTS WE SAW NEELY GRACIE GO THROUGH THE WATER STATION AND SHE ACTUALLY TOOK A CUP, DUMPED IT OVER HER HEAD AND THEN WAS RUNNING DOWN THE ROAD DRINKING TWO CUPS LIKE SHE WAS TAKING NO CHANCES, GETTING IN THE WATER. NOW, IT CAN BE A LITTLE TRICKY ON A DAY LIKE THIS, TOO, BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN OVER DRINK. THEY CAN GET INTO HYPONATREMIA, WHICH IS A REALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE YOU JUST HAVE FAR TOO MUCH WATER IN YOUR SYSTEM INSTEAD OF ELECTROLYTES THAT YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO KEEP MOVING. REALLY, THE KEY IS DRINK TO THIRST. IF YOU FEEL THIRSTY, DRINK, THAT’S A CUE THAT YOUR BODY IS TELLING YOU YOU NEED IT AND YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOURSELF ON A DAY LIKE TODAY AND DRINK EARLY. BECAUSE IF YOU WAIT UNTIL YOU’RE REALLY, REALLY THIRSTY, IT’S TOO LATE AND YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO CATCH UP AND YOUR PERFORMANCE IS GOING TO SUFFER. AND I KNOW I’M SURE IT DEPENDS ON THE RUNNER AND BODY TYPE AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT ARE YOU SAYING LIKE A HALF GALLON THE DAY BEFORE OR EVEN MORE? WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT’S THE EIGHT CUPS OF WATER A DAY, RIGHT? YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT JUST THROUGH WATER. IF YOU DRINK A SMOOTHIE DURING THE DAY OR IF YOU HAVE FRUITS, YOU’RE GETTING WATER, TOO. THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS WE BRING WATER INTO OUR BODY, BUT YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE AT LEAST IT’S CONSCIOUS. YOU KNOW, A CONSCIOUS DECISION THAT YOU’RE. YEAH, GRAB A GLASS OF WATER OCCASIONALLY. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WALK AROUND WITH A GALLON JUG. YEAH. AWESOME. JEFF FROM ALL THE MARATHONS THAT YOU’VE COVERED WOULD YOU SAY THAT THIS IS FOR US? YOU KNOW, THIS THIS IS, YOU KNOW, TOP NOTCH. YOU KNOW THE WEATHER. I KNOW IT’S. BUT IT’S NOT SNOWING AND IT’S NOT RAINING. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, THANK GOODNESS WE’RE NOT IN CHICAGO OR BOSTON. IT’S FLORIDA. EXACTLY. BUT IT’S JUST IT’S BEEN HERE FOR 47 YEARS. FIRST YEAR IT’S BEEN BROADCAST. AND REALLY, I FEEL LIKE WE’RE JUST IN THE HEART HERE OF THE CITY. BEAUTIFUL. AND I THINK IT’S A GREAT DAY RIGHT? IT IS EXCITING TO SEE THIS THIS ENERGY DOWNTOWN, TO SEE 5000 PEOPLE HERE JUST COVERED IN SWEAT. THERE WE GO. THAT’S OUR OWN STEWART MOORE. THERE HE GOES. WHAT’S DUE? WE’RE WAVING TO YOU. WE’RE SENDING SOME SHOUT OUTS. MILE EIGHT. HEY, AND IT IS ABOUT FINISHING BECAUSE THERE ARE THOSE RUNNERS THAT WE SAW TODAY. NEELY GRACIE FOR THE WOMEN AND OUR OVERALL WINNER, REED BUCHANA. AND YEAH, THEY’RE THEY’RE OUT THERE PUSHING IT. THEY’RE THEIR TOPS OF THIS THING. BUT THE EVERYDAY RUNNERS ARE SO INSPIRING AND THAT’S THAT’S WHAT I JUST I LOVE AS WE’RE WATCHING THIS AND EVERYBODY FEELS THAT THAT THEY’VE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING TODAY AND THEY HAVE AND MAN THAT THAT MEDAL MAYOR YOU GOT ONE IN FRONT OF YOU THAT THING IS BEAUTIFUL THAT THEY’RE ABOUT TO GET GOOD STUFF RIGHT JEFF THAT’S A BIG MEDAL. I LOVE IT. YEAH. I KIND OF WISH I WAS RUNNING NOW. I KNOW, I KNOW. YEAH. WHEN THE MEDALS ARE GOOD, IT REALLY IS ENTICING. GREAT JOB, STEWART MOORE. WE GOT TO SEE YOU THERE AND NOT FAR BEHIND HIM, IT LOOKS LIKE MICHELLE. IMPERATO. SO IF WE STAY ON SOME OF THESE CAMERAS, WE MAY SEE OUR OWN MICHELLE IMPERATO AROUND THE CORNER AND I LOVE THAT SHE GOT HER HUSBAND INVOLVED HERE. HE’S RUNNING IT WITH HER. AND WE’RE WATCHING. WE’RE KEEPING OUR EYES PEELED HERE. SHE HAD A BIG BIRTHDAY JUST CELEBRATED THIS WEEK. JEFF SO NEW DECADE SHE’S ENTERED. YES, THAT’S ALL WE’LL SAY. I’M GOING IN WITH A BANG. I’M STARTING A NEW DECADE. I WANT TO DO SOMETHING BIG. HER MOM IS HERE. HER MOM AND DAD CAME IN FROM NEW YORK. SO BIG CELEBRATION. REALLY CHEERING HER AND HER HUSBAND ON TODAY. SO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT JUST IT’S A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT. YOU OBVIOUSLY SHOULD CELEBRATE IT. YEAH, BUT BUT, JEFF, I WANTED WANTED YOU TO FINISH YOUR THOUGHT. JUST TALKING ABOUT THE ATMOSPHERE HERE BEING NEAR THE LAKE, YOU KNOW, BEAUTIFUL CITY. IT’S JUST BEEN A GREAT MARATHON FOR 47 YEARS, YOU KNOW? YEAH, IT’S A WONDERFUL EVENT. YOU KNOW, WHENEVER YOU CAN COME OUT AND YOU CAN HANG WITH 5000 PEOPLE ON A SATURDAY MORNING AND HAVE A LOT OF FUN, YOU’RE DOING IT RIGHT? NO, 100% JEFF. I LOVE IT. AND YOU JUST SEE ALL THESE RUNNERS HERE, YOU KNOW, WE INTERVIEWED TWO GENTLEMEN THAT HAVE DONE EVERY SINGLE MARATHON SINCE THE BEGINNING. PRETTY COOL, RIGHT? YEAH. 47 YEARS OF DOING THAT. SINCE 1977, WE WE SAW ONE OF THE GUYS EARLIER AND HE SAID, OH, I STARTED DOING THIS WHEN I WAS FIVE, LAUGHINGLY. YOU ARE, OF COURSE, WATCHING WESH 2’S COVERAGE OF THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. WE ARE CONTINUING IT HERE AT 9 A.M. THIS MORNING. IT IS. THERE WE GO. YOU’RE 47TH ANNUAL ORLANDO HALF MARATHON WINNER. CONGRATULATIONS TO REED BUCHANAN. THERE. THE 2023 U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON WINNERS HAVE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE. NOW THOUSANDS OF RUNNERS ARE FOLLOWING IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS. IT’S A DAY FILLED WITH BIG MOMENTS AND PERSONAL BESTS AND WESH 2 IS BRINGING IT ALL TO YOU LIVE. IT’S THE 2023 U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON PRESENTED BY LAND ROVER BROUGHT TO YOU LIVE ON WESH 2 AND PRESENTED BY ADVENTHEALTH. WELCOME AS WE CONTINUE OUR LIVE COVERAGE HERE. IT’S THE THIRD HOUR OF OUR ORLANDO HALF MARATHON HERE IN THE HEART OF THE CITY LAKE WEIR JUST TO OUR RIGHT. AND WE HAVE GOT CROWDS AND CROWDS, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HERE TODAY AT JEFF DENGATE WITH RUNNER’S WORLD JASON GUY. WE’RE HAVING A BLAST THIS MORNING. HI, GUYS. OF COURSE, MEREDITH MCDONOUGH, DON’T FORGET ABOUT YOURSELF. AND I MEAN, JEFF, THIS VANTAGE POINT HERE WHERE WE JUST GIVE A LITTLE TURN, WE SEE ALL OF THESE ELITE RUNNERS AND OUR NEIGHBORS AND MEMBERS OF THE WESH 2 NEWS TEAM COMING ACROSS THIS. IT ALMOST WANTS TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE CHILL HERE FIRST. NO MICHELLE IMPERATO AND BY HER SIDE, HER HUSBAND THERE GO ANDREW. WE LOVE THESE GUYS. WE’VE BEEN WAITING UP. SHE LOOKS STRONG. SHE’S DOING GREAT. WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT FOR THE FOLKS AT HOME. IF YOU’RE JUST TUNING IN, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE WESH TEAM ARE RUNNING THIS RACE THAT IS MILE EIGHT THAT SHE JUST KIND OF CROSSED THERE. SO MICHELLE SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, I’M ENTERING A NEW DECADE. I’M GOING TO RUN THIS HALF MARATHON. OUR HUSBAND ANDREW, BY HER SIDE, PARENTS IN FROM NEW YORK. SO WE’RE CELEBRATING THIS FOR HER. CAN’T WAIT TO SEE HER ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. JEFF, IT IS FOR SO MANY PEOPLE, A DIFFERENT THING. THEY HAVE A WHY I DID THIS BECAUSE OF THIS THING. THAT’S WHY I’M RUNNING. AND FOR YOU, YOU YOUR RUNNER IN CHIEF FOR RUNNER’S WORLD, HOW DID YOU GET INTO THIS SPORT? WHY DID YOU START RUNNING? I GOT INTO IT WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID. I ACTUALLY WENT TO KARATE AS A LITTLE KID AND WE WOULD RUN TO A PARKING LOT AND WE WOULD DO A SATURDAY MORNING WORKOUT AND THEN RUN BACK AND THE LOCAL FIVE K, WE WERE ENCOURAGED TO GO RUN THAT. SO I’VE BEEN RUNNING SINCE I WAS LIKE 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD. IT’S JUST WHAT I DO. IT’S WHAT I’VE ALWAYS DONE. IT WAS THE SPORT I WAS TERRIBLE AT STICKING BALL SPORTS AND THAT’S HOW A LOT OF US END UP GETTING INTO IT. AND IT’S JUST I LOVED IT. I FOUND A GROUP OF FRIENDS THAT I HAD HUNG OUT WITH AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS MY MY COMMUNITY. AND THAT’S WHAT I REALLY LOVE SEEING ABOUT THIS. YOU SEE A MEREDITH THERE WITH THE BIB BIB WITH THE WESH TEAM BIB ON THE BACK OF HER SHIRT. RIGHT. SHE’S OUT THERE WITH THE COMMUNITY. PEOPLE RECOGNIZE HER FROM THEIR TV SET, BUT NOW SHE’S THERE WITH THEM ON THE ROAD. SHE’S SHARING THE SAME JOURNEY WITH THEM. THAT’S REALLY, REALLY COOL. AND THAT’S WHAT’S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS ACTIVITY FROM ANYTHING ELSE YOU GET TO DO IS WE ALL DO IT TOGETHER. WE’RE GOING THROUGH IT TOGETHER. I LOVE IT. OKAY. WELL, LET’S CHECK IN NOW WITH NANCY ALVAREZ JOINING US WITH ONE OF THE WINNERS HERE TODAY, OUR WHEELCHAIR WINNER, NANCY, TAKE IT AWAY. HEY, GUYS. YEAH, I JUST BECAME FAST FRIENDS HERE. TELL ME YOUR NAME AGAIN, SIR. MICHAEL ROSE. OKAY. A WHEELCHAIR. PARTICIPANT TODAY. BUT HERE IS THE EXTRAORDINARY THING. YOU WERE IN THIS RACE, WHAT, 45 YEARS AGO? YEAH, 1978, 70. HOW HAS IT CHANGED OVER THE YEARS? I DON’T KNOW. I’VE CHANGED. WHAT WERE THE. YEAH, I BET THAT IT’S GROWN RIGHT? WHAT A DIFFERENCE IN THOSE 45 YEARS THIS IS A IT’S QUITE AN EVENT. I’M DOING THIS, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATION OF HUMAN SPIRIT. LAST YEAR’S BEEN KIND OF A ROUGH YEAR, SO. YEAH, YOU KNOW, MY LIFE DEALS YOU A CRAPPY HAND. YOU CAN FOLD OR YOU CAN PLAY. YEAH. HOW ARE THE CONDITIONS OUT HERE TODAY FOR YOU? I MEAN, IT WAS HUMID, BUT DID YOU DO WELL? YOU’RE HAPPY WITH YOUR PERFORMANCE? YES. NO, BUT I’M NO, I WAS I WASN’T REALLY SHOOTING FOR A TIME PER SE. YOU KNOW, BUT I, I THOUGHT I’D BE SOMEWHERE IN THE 100 AND 30S BECAUSE WHEN I RAN 45 YEARS AGO, I RAN 140 AND CHANGED. HEY, I RAN 142 SO THAT’S PRETTY GOOD. YEAH. YOU KNOW, WHAT’S YOUR MESSAGE TO FOLKS AT HOME? A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WE’RE BROADCASTING THIS LIVE AND THEY’RE SEEING ALL THIS EXCITEMENT DOWN HERE. MANY HAVE NEVER PARTICIPATED IN A RACE LIKE THIS BEFORE. GIVE THE FOLKS AT HOME A LITTLE INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION. WHAT YOU GOT? YEAH. I MEAN, PEOPLE WHAT GETS ME THAT I’LL BE 77TH DECEMBER 23RD AND I AND I’M GOING AROUND TOWN THIS IS HOW I GET AROUND YOU KNOW I DON’T I DON’T DRIVE AND YOU SEE KIDS WITH THOSE SCOOTERS OR ELECTRIC BICYCLES AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO GET OUT AND RECREATE IF YOU KNOW, IF YOU’RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO DO PHYSICAL THINGS, YOU SHOULD DO THEM. I MEAN, AWESOME. GET OFF YOUR --. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. I CAN’T HELP. I HAD TO SIT ON MY --. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE’RE GOING TO SEND IT BACK TO YOU GUYS. JASON AND MEREDITH. ALL RIGHT, NANCY, TELL US. GET MOVING. THAT’S FOR SURE. WELL, LET’S CHECK IN WITH MR. STEWART MOORE. STU, CAN YOU HEAR US? OKAY. ALL THE WAY FROM JAPAN. AND I CAN HEAR YOU GUYS. GREAT. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU, BUD. HOW’S IT GOING. STEVEN? CONGRATULATIONS. IT’S GOING GOOD. IT’S HOT, LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE SAID. AND THE TEAM. TEAM WESH BIBS ARE OUT HERE IN FULL FORCE. AND WE’RE HEARING A LOT OF WATER STOPS THAT ARE GOING ON. I DID START DRINKING WATER A COUPLE OF DAYS EARLY. HEY, LADIES, LET ME WALK SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT I’M SAYING. BUT NOW IT’S A SAY, HEY. YEAH, BUT I’M GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? WE’RE ON LIVE TV RIGHT NOW, SO WE’RE AT MILE NINE. WE GOT A LITTLE BIT WAYS TO GO. SO WE HIT THE HALFWAY 13.1 MARK. FUNNIEST SIGN I’VE SEEN TODAY, SAID, WAIT A HALF BLINK A MARATHON IN AND IT WAS GOOD, BUT WE’RE GOING TO START RUNNING PRETTY SOON TIMES LOOKING AROUND 245 THIS HEAT TOLD ME TO SLOW DOWN AND NOT NOT PUSH IT. WELL WE CONGRATULATE YOU, STEWART. THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR JOURNEY THERE AND LETTING US FOLLOW YOU ALONG. IT’S SO FUN TO SEE ALL OF THESE RUNNERS STEWART AND MICHELLE AND SHELDON FROM THE WESH 2 NEWS TEAM AND YOU GUYS LOOKED AT SHELDON TIME. ALL RIGHT, KEEP IT UP. KEEP IT UP. ALMOST THERE, BUD. WE’RE CHEERING FOR YOU. WE’LL SEE YOU WHEN YOU CROSS MY FRIEND. YEAH, WE’VE GOT A 3 OR 4 MINUTES BEFORE WE’RE GOING TO SEE SHELDON OVER HERE AT THE FINISH LINE. SO AWESOME. GUYS, STAY WITH US. WE’RE HERE WITH OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF CONTINUES UNTIL 10 A.M. THIS MORNING. WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A SHORT BREAK AND WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK. YOU START YOU START. AND WE’RE BACK WITH OUR COVERAGE OF THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. AND RIGHT HERE AT THE FINISH LINE, WE’RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR OWEN SHELDON DUTES MEAN, SECONDS FROM NOW. HE’S GOING TO CROSS THAT FINISH LINE. YES. HOPEFULLY WE’LL HAVE THAT FOR YOU LIVE. BUT FIRST, LET’S CHECK IN WITH MARLEI MARTINEZ. JOINING US FROM THE DELANEY PARK AREA AT MILE 11, MARLEI. WE’RE AT MILE 11. AND THIS IS REALLY THE POINT IN THE RACE WHERE PEOPLE NEED A LITTLE PICK ME UP. SO RIGHT HERE WE HAVE THIS WATER STATION. YOU CAN SEE THE GATORADE AND THE WATER IN THIS ADORABLE GINGERBREAD HOUSE RIGHT HERE. THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE ARE REALLY KIND OF STARTING TO SLOW DOWN, WHERE THE MINUTE AN HOUR AND 58 INTO THIS RACE AND PEOPLE HERE ARE FEELING THAT RACE RIGHT NOW. HOWEVER, THERE YOU HAVE FOLKS RIGHT HERE THAT ARE HANDING OUT THE GATORADE, HELPING THESE RUNNERS ON THIS HOT, HUMID DAY. WE ALSO HAVE JENNA AND JULIAN HERE WHO ARE YOU OUT HERE SUPPORTING TODAY? WE’RE OUT HERE SUPPORTING OUR DATA. JOAQUIN, HE’S NUMBER 1313 JILLIAN. YOU’RE GOING TO SEE YOUR DADDY CROSS THIS ACROSS THIS FINISH LINE HERE IN A COUPLE MILES. YEAH. AND WHAT IS WHAT IS JULIANNE SIGN? SAY, WHAT’S YOUR SIGN? SAY, BUBBA? DOES IT SAY RUN LIKE T REX IS CHASING YOU KNOW, AND WHEN YOU JUST LOOKED AT THE TRACKER, IT LOOKS LIKE HE’S, LIKE, JUST AROUND THE CORNER. HE IS. HE’S COMING UP ON MILE 11. AND ANY MINUTE RIGHT NOW. SO TELL US ABOUT THE KIND OF PREP HE PUT INTO THIS AND TELL US YOUR HUSBAND’S NAME. HIS NAME IS JOAQUIN, AND HE HAS BEEN PREPPING FOR PROBABLY SIX WEEKS, SEVEN WEEKS. RIGHT. EVERY MORNING HE GETS UP EVERY EVENING. SO IT’S BEEN A LOT. SO WE’RE EXCITED TO BE OUT HERE SUPPORTING HIM. HAS HE RUN THIS HALF MARATHON BEFORE THIS IS HIS FIRST TIME? YEP. HOW WAS HE FEELING THIS MORNING WHEN THAT ALARM CLOCK WENT OFF? WELL, I DIDN’T WAKE UP. I KNOW. LAST NIGHT HE WAS REALLY NERVOUS, SO. YEAH, EXCITED AND READY FOR IT TO BE OVER. WHAT WERE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE WAS DOING TO PREP FOR HIS FIRST EVER HALF MARATHON? A LOT OF, LIKE, CONDITIONING. HE’S BEEN. HE ORDERED LIKE A TON OF LIKE ROLLING THINGS, FOAM ROLLERS, DIFFERENT MASSAGE GUNS AND STUFF, AND THEN EATING, JUST GETTING HIS MIND RIGHT. BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST THING WAS PREPPING LIKE RUNNING AND GETTING AS CLOSE AS HE COULD TO THIS AMOUNT OF MILES. HE HAS NOT RUN THE FULL LIKE HALF MARATHON YET, SO THIS WILL BE THE ACTUAL FIRST TIME. SO AND SO WHAT WAS HIS MAX UP TO THIS POINT? I THINK HE DID 11 MILES, 11, 12, 11 OR 12. IT’S GOING TO BE A BIG MOMENT WHEN HE CROSSES THAT FINISH LINE. AND SO, OF COURSE, YOU MADE IT A POINT TO STATION HERE TODAY. ANY SPECIAL PLANS FOR LATER TO CELEBRATE GETTING A MASSAGE AFTER THIS VERY GOOD. VERY GOOD. AND HOW AND HOW CONCERNED AT ALL WAS HE ABOUT THE HUMIDITY TODAY? BECAUSE EARLIER THIS WEEK, I KNOW IT WAS COLD, BUT IT WAS GOING TO BE COLD. BUT I THINK HE’S OKAY. I MEAN, WE LIVE IN FLORIDA. HE’S USED TO THIS. SO AWESOME. WELL, WE HOPE TO GET THAT MOMENT BETWEEN YOU GUYS HERE ANY MINUTE INTO THE. IN THE MEANTIME, WE’RE GOING TO THROW IT BACK TO YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. OH, I LOVE THAT. THE THE FOLKS ON THE SIDELINES CHEERING ON THEIR LOVED ONES MAKES IT WORTH IT. AND SOMEBODY’S GETTING A AT LEAST A FOAM ROLLER THIS AFTERNOON OR MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE MORE OF A MASSAGE. OH, FOR SURE. THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE A DAY OF INDULGING. I WOULD THINK SO. RIGHT. YOU GOT TO. WE ARE WAITING ON OUR VERY OWN SHELDON DUTES. WE’RE HOPING TO SEE HIM CROSS THE FINISH LINE HERE JUST ANY SECOND. REALLY? AND NANCY ALVAREZ HAS BEEN DOWN AT THE FINISH LINE TALKING TO SO MANY OF THE FINISHERS TODAY. WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT. WE’RE AT TWO HOURS AND ONE MINUTE, 28 SECONDS AGAIN, WAITING FOR SHELDON DUTIES. JEFF DENGATE WITH RUNNER’S WORLD HAS BEEN WITH US ALL MORNING LONG. JEFF, WE TALK ABOUT JUST THE BEAUTY OF THE RACE DAY CULTURE AND THE EXCITEMENT EVERYBODY HAS. I MEAN, YOU COME DOWN HERE, YOU CAN’T HELP BUT JUST GET PUMPED UP. IT’S TRUE. I MEAN, WATCHING IT, I SAW ONE OF THE SIGNS EARLIER. IT SAID, RUN LIKE YOUR MOTHER USED YOUR FULL NAME. RIGHT. THERE’S ALL THESE LITTLE THINGS ALONG THE WAY THAT JUST THEY JUST BRING YOU ENERGY. AND I TELL YOU, IF YOU SAW THAT SIGN AND IT WAS MEANT FOR YOU, YOU PICKED IT UP. OH, YEAH, FOR SURE. THAT’S PRETTY GOOD. I’M GOING TO USE THAT WITH MY KIDS AT HOME RIGHT WHEN YOU KNOW WHAT’S THE FULL NAME, YOU’RE IN TROUBLE. BUT NO, YOU KNOW, IT’S SOMETHING THAT’S JUST REALLY CONTAGIOUS ABOUT THE ATMOSPHERE HERE. THE THE JUST THE ADRENALINE RUSH AND EVERYTHING GOING ON WITH THAT. I FEEL AS THOUGH WHEN YOU SEE THE FOLKS WE TALKED TO, STU, THEY’RE YOU KNOW, THEY’RE KIND OF FEELING IT. THEY NEED THAT EXTRA KIND OF PUSH, THAT OOMPH. IS THAT THE TIME WHERE IT’S LIKE YOU’RE TAKING YOUR LITTLE JELLY, YOU KNOW, THE LITTLE SHOT, WHAT DO THEY CALL THE LITTLE? THE SHOT BLOCKS ARE JELLY SHOT BLOCKS. YES. OR THE GELS, BECAUSE THOSE KIND OF GIVE YOU THAT EXTRA LITTLE PEP THAT’S IMPORTANT ON A DAY LIKE TODAY. YEAH, YOU GET THAT LITTLE SUGAR BURST, IT HELPS YOU OUT. AND THAT’S WHAT OUR FUEL IS FOR OUR BODIES THAT KEEPS US GOING. AND IF YOU DON’T HAVE THAT, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A GOOD DAY. YOU KNOW, WE SAW A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAD SOME SLOWER TIMES HERE, AND IT COULD JUST BE A FRIEND WHO CAME THROUGH ABOUT TEN MINUTES SLOW OF WHERE HE WAS. I KNEW WHAT HE WANTED TO DO. AND IT COULD BE THE FUELING. IT’S PROBABLY THE WHETHER IT’S, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY WHEN YOU FINALLY REALIZE THIS IS GOING TO BE A TOUGH DAY, I’M GOING TO HAVE FUN WITH IT. RIGHT. THAT’S EXACTLY BECAUSE YOU’RE STILL, YOU KNOW, A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT TO BE SO PROUD OF YOURSELF. BUT I LOVE HEARING YOU JUST YOUR EXPERTISE BECAUSE YOU ARE SUCH AN ELITE RUNNER. SO IT’S REALLY NEAT TO SEE FOR FOR US REGULAR RUNNERS OUR EXPERIENCE NOT ONLY EXPERIENCE. WE SAW ELITE OUT THERE AT THE FRONT. I’M NOT THAT WELL, STILL ELITE IN MY MIND. JEFF JEFF. I DO WONDER ABOUT THIS BECAUSE LET’S SAY FOR OUR RUNNERS WHO ARE TWO HOURS AND BEYOND, THEY DO NEED SOMETHING FOR MICHELLE IMPERATO HEY, WE GOT MICHELLE AND CHRISTINA HERE. I LOVE OUR CAMERA CATCHING MICHELLE AT THE WATER STOP. GO GO! EMPEROR, GO, GO, GO! EMPEROR, GO! OH, THAT’S AWESOME. OKAY, BACK, BACK TO IT, THOUGH. WE NEED OUR WATER. OBVIOUSLY, FOR HOURS OUT THERE, LIKE MICHELLE HITTING THAT TWO HOUR MARK OF BEING OUT ON THIS COURSE. BUT DO THOSE ELITE RUNNERS BECAUSE THEY’RE DOING THIS IN SUCH A SHORT TIME, A LITTLE MORE THAN AN HOUR, DO THEY NEED A LOT OF WATER? DO THEY NEED TO USE THOSE GELS? THEY PROBABLY DON’T NEED AS MUCH AS THE RUNNERS WE’RE SEEING NOW. RIGHT. BUT THEY STILL NEED IT. YOU STILL CAN’T GO AN HOUR PLUS WITHOUT HAVING SOME FORM OF ENERGY, SOME FORM OF WATER. AND IT WAS A HOT DAY. SO WE SAW THEM TAKING IT. YOU KNOW, THE RUNNERS NOW DEFINITELY ARE GOING TO NEED IT. AND YOU SEE MICHELLE WALKING THROUGH THAT AID STATION. A LOT OF THESE RUNNERS WE’RE GOING TO SEE NOW ARE GOING TO DO THAT. AND THAT’S THE SMART THING. TAKE THAT TIME, GET THAT WATER COOL DOWN, YOU KNOW, AND WALKING AND RUNNING AT THIS PACE. NOW, IT’S ACTUALLY A REALLY SMART STRATEGY TO GET THROUGH THIS DISTANCE. OKAY, GUYS, IT LOOKS LIKE SHELDON DUTES IS COMING AROUND HERE. THERE WE GO. WE GOT HIM. SEE HIM? OKAY. HE’S GOING TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE HERE. YEAH. OKAY. OUR CAMERAS GOT HIM, AND HE’S COME AROUND. HE’S COMING AROUND THE CORNER. HE’S COMING AROUND THE TURN INTO THE FINISH HERE. OUR OWN SHELDON DUTES DIDN’T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU GUYS THERE, BUT WE SPOTTED HIM, AND LET’S SAY SHELDON HAS BEEN JUST A CHAMP AT THIS. THIS IS NOT HIS FIRST HALF MARATHON OR EVEN MARATHON. HE IS AMONG OUR WESH 2 NEWS SUNRISE TEAM, THE RUNNER OF RUNNERS. AND IT’S JUST REALLY BEEN IMPRESSIVE TO WATCH HIM AS HE JUST TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS AND HE GETS OUT AND HE DOES THIS TEN, 11, 12 MILE RUN AS HE PREPS FOR THIS ON THE WEEKENDS. AND JUST THE CONSISTENCY LEE THAT YOU SEE IN SHELDON. AND THAT’S WHY HE’S HAD SUCH A GOOD FINISH TODAY IN THIS ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. AND JAY, WHAT WAS SO INTERESTING TOO, IS HE WAS TELLING ME AND JEFF TO INCLUDE YOU ON THIS. HE’S BEEN DOING OTHER WORKOUTS, HE’S BEEN DOING YOGA. I BELIEVE HE’S BEEN DOING SOME PILATES AND JUST THE INTERVAL SPRINTS AND SOME STRENGTH TRAINING. SO, I MEAN, IT’S NOT JUST RUNNING. IT’S NOT JUST THE RUNNING GAME, RIGHT? IT’S REALLY SMART, ESPECIALLY AS WE GET A LITTLE BIT OLDER. IF YOU JUST TRY TO RUN, YOU’RE GOING TO GET INJURED. BUT WE CAN DO ALL THESE OTHER THINGS. WE CAN DO YOGA, WE CAN HIT THE GYM THAT’S GOING TO KEEP US STRONG AND THEN ALLOW US TO CONTINUE RUNNING. VERY COOL, VERY COOL. YEAH. HE SAID THAT IT’S DEFINITELY HELPED. ALL RIGHT, HERE HE IS, GUYS, ABOUT TO COME ACROSS. WE’RE PAYING ATTENTION. WE’RE AT TWO HOURS AND FIVE MINUTES, 31 SECONDS, AS I SEE HIM, I CAN SEE HIM IF I TURN AROUND AND LOOK AND WE’VE GOT HIM ON CAMERA HERE ANNOUNCING GIVE IT UP, SHELDON DUTES. YEAH. YES, WE ARE. SO PUMPED FOR SHELDON GREAT WAY TO GO. SHELDON RUN TODAY. OH, THAT WAS TERRIFIC. OH, AND THE ANNOUNCERS GIVING HIM A LITTLE LOVE TO THE CROWD. OKAY, SO THE FINISH TIME JUST POPPED UP. IT WAS WONDERFUL. TWO HOURS, FIVE MINUTES AND 12 SECONDS. ACCORDING TO OUR HANDY DANDY TRACK SHACK EVENTS APP. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO TRACK SHACK, BUT LOOK AT SHELDON. I CAN’T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY TO NANCY. WHAT A GREAT RUN. THAT WAS TERRIFIC. YOU KNOW, HE WAS SAYING THAT AT LEAST YESTERDAY WHEN WE WERE INTERVIEWING HIM ON THE SET, HE DIDN’T THINK THIS WOULD BE ONE OF HIS PERSONAL BESTS. HE WAS PREPARING FOR IT NOT TO BE. BUT, YOU KNOW, TWO HOURS IN FIVE MINUTES. THAT’S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE, RIGHT? AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THE CONDITIONS THAT WE HAVE HERE WITH THE HEAT AND THE HUMIDITY. ALL RIGHT. WE’RE GOING TO HOPEFULLY GET TO TALK TO SHELDON COMING UP. BUT WE CONTINUE OUR COVERAGE OF THE 47TH ANNUAL U.S. ORLANDO HALF MARATHON RIGHT AFTER THIS. CAN’T GO TO NANCY. OH, WE CAN’T GO TO NANCY. WELCOME BACK THIS MORNING TO THE O. C ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. OUR COVERAGE CONTINUES JUST SO EXCITING HERE. JUST NEAR LAKE EOLA. THOUSANDS OF RUNNERS THIS MORNING WITH THE HALF K WITH THE FIVE K AND THE HALF MARATHON. GET IT ALL TURNED AROUND TODAY, GUYS. THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS. FUN. YEAH. WHEN WE’RE ENTERING THE FIFTH HOUR OF BROADCASTING DAY AND JEFF DENGATE FROM RUNNER’S WORLD HERE WITH US, THE RUNNER IN CHIEF. AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THOSE PACE GROUPS, JEFF, BEING REALLY A PARTY THERE, BUT THAT ALSO KEEPS YOU MOVING ALONG THIS COURSE. YEAH, YOU KNOW, I’M SEEING THE BIG GROUPS OF RUNNERS COMING ACROSS AND IT’S NOTHING BUT SMILES. THEY’VE BEEN GOING 13 MILES WITH PEOPLE WHO SHARE THE SAME GOAL. YOU KNOW, WE THINK ABOUT TIME A LOT IN THESE, BUT THEY WERE OUT THERE HAVING A LOT OF FUN AND WORKING TOGETHER, TALKING TOGETHER, SHARING THOSE MILES AND THOSE ROADS. AND IT’S ONE OF THOSE THINGS IF YOU’RE OUT IN A RACE LIKE THIS, GET ON ONE OF THOSE PACE GROUPS. LET THEM DO SOME OF THE WORK AND THE THINKING FOR YOU AND JUST GO. AND BY THE TIME YOU COME BACK, YOU’VE MET A BUNCH OF NEW PEOPLE, YOU’VE GOT NEW FRIENDS THAT YOU JUST SHARED THAT EXPERIENCE WITH. THE THE PACE GROUPS ARE THE PARTY ON THE COURSE. THEY ARE THEY ARE THE PLACE TO BE. YEAH. AND ONE PERSON HOLDING THAT FLAG, KEEPING FOR THE PACE GROUP, I MEAN THAT IS YOU’RE RUNNING A HALF MARATHON AND YOU’VE GOT TO KEEP ONE ARM IN THE AIR. THAT’S IMPRESSIVE. AND THEY’RE A CHEERLEADER. YES, THEY ARE. THEY ARE THERE TO GET YOU ACROSS THE LINE IN THAT TIME. THEY’RE YOUR BIGGEST FAN. YEAH, I LOVE IT, JEFF. ALL RIGHT. GET WITH YOUR PACE GROUP. ALL RIGHT. NANCY ALVAREZ. WE’RE GOING TO CHECK IN WITH HER NOW. NANCY. I FEEL LIKE WE’RE KIND OF THE PARTY PEOPLE RIGHT, OF THE MARATHON? YEAH. HEY, I’M BRINGING THE PARTY WITH THESE SIGNS. SWEAT IT OUT. SHELDON. DO YOU LIKE. YOU DID. YOU DID JUST THAT. GOOD JOB. YEAH. LIKE, NOT ANYTHING ELSE. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE SHELDON DUTES SAYS HERE YOU JUST WRAPPED UP. TELL US ABOUT YOUR TIME, HOW YOU DID, HOW YOU’RE FEELING. I’VE GOT TO PREFACE WHAT I’M ABOUT TO SAY WITH I AM GRATEFUL THAT I HAVE USE OF TWO LEGS. I’M GRATEFUL THAT THERE IS BREATH IN MY LUNGS AND THAT I HAVE BOTH OF MY VISION AND BOTH EYES. I’M MISERABLE. I’M NOT GOING TO LIE. IT’S IT WAS REALLY HOT AND I WENT MUCH SLOWER THAN I NORMALLY DO. BUT I’M GRATEFUL THAT I FINISHED. I’M FROM ORLANDO. I RUN THIS AREA. I LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND IT’S SO NICE TO KIND OF SEE IT COME ALIVE. I KNOW, RIGHT? ISN’T IT GREAT THE ENERGY HERE? SO INSIDE STORY HERE FOR PEOPLE AT HOME. WE’RE NEIGHBORS. WE LIVE LIKE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET AND I KNOW THIS IS YOUR TURF. THIS IS WHERE YOU RUN. YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH THESE BRICK ROADS AND, YOU KNOW, JUST THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND HERE. WHAT DID YOU SEE AROUND YOU IN TERMS OF THE RUNNERS? I’VE SEEN HERE AT THE FINISH LINE, PEOPLE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH THIS HUMIDITY? YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY, LIKE THE LAST FIVE MILES, LIKE MILE EIGHT UNTIL MILE 13. I WAS DOING A COMBO OF RUNNING AND WALKING AND PEOPLE AROUND ME WERE DOING THE SAME THING. I NORMALLY DON’T DO THAT, BUT JUST I DON’T KNOW. I’M TIRED IN A WAY THAT I HAVEN’T BEEN BEFORE. I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S THE HEAT OR WHAT’S GOING ON, BUT IS SHELDON MAYBE GETTING A LITTLE OLDER? IS THAT, OH MY. IT’S JUST A LITTLE BIT. DON’T LET THIS BABY FACE FOOL YOU LIKE THESE JOINTS. ARE 38. WELL, THESE JOINTS LOOK GREAT. YOU DID AWESOME. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU. WE’VE BEEN CHEERING YOU ON ALL MORNING AND. YEAH, SWEAT IT OUT. SHELDON IS WHAT HE DID. WHO MADE THESE? MADE THE SIGN. I LOVE IT. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. OUR COVERAGE CONTINUES HERE FROM THE FINISH LINE OF THE MARATHON. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK. I’M DOING THIS, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATION OF HUMAN SPIRIT THERE WE GO. YOUR 47TH ANNUAL ORLANDO HALF MARATHON WINNER. LET’S GO. COME ON, NICK. GOOD JOB, BUDDY. WHAT’S UP, GUYS? IT’S HOT, BUT WE’RE RUNNING. LET’S GO. STEWART SHELDON. YES, WE ARE SO PUMPED FOR SHELDON GREG. YOU’RE WATCHING THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. LIVE COVERAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY WESH 2 AND PRESENT BY ADVENTHEALTH. WE ARE GETTING INTO SOME OF THE LAST FEW MINUTES OF OUR COVERAGE OUT HERE AT THE 47TH ANNUAL ORLANDO HALF MARATHON AND I JUST GOT CHILLS LOOKING AT WHAT WE’VE SEEN TAKE PLACE TODAY. IT REALLY IS EMOTIONAL AS WE WATCH OUR FRIENDS AND THESE ELITE RUNNERS COME ACROSS THAT FINISH LINE. IT IS. I MEAN, THESE FOLKS HERE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MONTHS. THE PREPARATION AND JUST SEEING ALL THE PEOPLE HERE TAKE PICTURES AND THE SIGNS THAT WE’RE SEEING. I’M SEEING LITTLE KIDS HERE. I KNOW THEY’RE THEY’RE GIVING THEIR PARENTS THE HIGH FIVES AND THE HUGS. SOME MOMS AND DADS OUT HERE GETTING THAT LOVE FROM THEIR KIDS AND TO TO SHOW TO THEIR KIDS WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU PUT THAT EFFORT IN. IT IS IT’S OVERWHELMING. JEFF JASON GUY JOINING US FROM RUNNER’S WORLD. JEFF, IT’S BEEN AN EMOTIONAL SCENE, A FUN SEASON. I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING TO US UP HERE. OH, THAT’S ALL RIGHT. I’M FEELING FEELING THIS ENERGY AND THIS JUST CAMARADERIE AND THE SPIRIT OF THIS THIS EVENT. THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT BRINGS US ALL TOGETHER. CHRISTINA WATKINS SHE’S BEEN ON A LOCATION. SHE’S BEEN CHEERING PEOPLE ON ALL MORNING LONG. JOINING US NOW FROM LAKE DAVIS, CHRISTINA, THIS THING WILL BE WINDING DOWN HERE, BUT STILL, THERE ARE A LOT OF RUNNERS LEFT ON THE COURSE. SO WHAT ARE YOU SEEING WHERE YOU ARE? OH, MY GOODNESS. RIGHT NOW WE’RE SEEING SOME OF THE WALKERS PASS BY. THEY’RE GETTING THEIR WATER. WE ARE HERE AT WATER STATION. STOP NUMBER SEVEN. THESE ARE STUDENTS FROM FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY ARE JUST GIVING EVERYBODY THAT LAST BIT OF BOOST THEY NEED TO CROSS THAT FINISH LINE. YOU GUYS MENTIONED HOW EMOTIONAL THIS IS AND IT REALLY IS SUCH AN EXCITING TIME. I’VE ONLY RAN ONE HALF MARATHON IN MY LIFE. IT WAS NEARLY TEN YEARS AGO. I WAS 25 YEARS OLD AND I REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE CROSSING THAT FINISH LINE FOR THE FIRST TIME. I TALKED TO SOME OF OUR WESH FAMILY MEMBERS. STU MICHELLE, SHELDON ABOUT RUNNING THIS HALF MARATHON. YOU SAW THEM LIVE ON THE AIR WHEN THEY PASSED US HERE AT LAKE DAVIS. WE’RE AT MILE MARKER 9.3, AND BEFORE THE RACE I ASKED ALL OF THEM, GUYS, WHAT WHAT IS YOUR WHY? YOU’VE HEARD JASON AND MERRITT TALK ABOUT THAT ALL MORNING. YOUR WHY WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO DO THIS? MICHELLE TOLD ME THAT SHE HAS A LOVE HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH RUNNING. SHE LOVES THAT FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AFTER A RUN. BUT SHE HATES THE MECHANICS OF GETTING INTO A GOOD RHYTHM WITH IT. SHE SAID WHETHER SHE’S RUNNING A5K, TEN K HALF OR FULL MARATHON RACE DAY IS HER FAVORITE PART OF IT ALL. SHE LOVES THE CULTURE, THE EXCITEMENT SURROUNDING THE ANTICIPATION OF THE START, THAT UNSPOKEN BOND AMONG THE FELLOW RUNNERS AND THE PURE JOY OF CROSSING THE FINISH LINE, SHE SAYS. IT GETS ADDICTIVE. IT’S SUCH A GREAT FEELING. SHE RAN HER FIRST FIVE K BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL, BUT SHE DIDN’T TAKE RUNNING SERIOUSLY UNTIL HER MID 20S. SHE SAID SHE RAN HER FIRST FULL MARATHON AT 26 AND HER SECOND FULL MARATHON AT 29. SHE SAYS THE U.S. HALF MARATHON WILL BE THE EIGHTH MIDDLE DISTANCE RACE. AND THIS IS ACTUALLY SHELDON STORY. SO HE IS AN EXPERIENCED RUNNER. HE SAYS HE’S GOT A RACE DAY PLAYLIST THAT HE’S TWEAKED OVER THE YEARS. IT’S A COMBO OF RAP, POP, ROCK, DANCE, COUNTRY SHOW TUNES ALL THE GOOD STUFF. IT REALLY IS JUST SUCH AN EXCITING TIME FOR ALL OF THEM. SO WE’LL SHARE MORE STORIES FROM SHELDON MICHELLE AND STEW LATER. BUT GUYS, THIS REALLY IS SUCH A GREAT TIME OUT HERE. SENDING IT BACK TO YOU ALL RIGHT. CHRISTINA YEAH, THERE’S JUST SO MUCH THAT WE’RE SEEING IN THE STORIES AND THE EMOTION. I JUST FEEL LIKE THIS HAS BEEN SUCH AN AMAZING DAY AND IT IS NOT DONE YET. WE’VE GOT SO MUCH MORE AHEAD. MARLEI MARTINEZ JOINING US NOW AT MILE MARKER 11 MARLEI. HOW’S IT GOING THERE? RUNNERS STILL COMING THROUGH. WE ARE AT MILE 11 AND YOU CAN TELL THESE RUNNERS OUT HERE ARE REALLY STARTING TO FEEL THE BURN, BUT THEY’RE ALSO STARTING TO SEE THAT THEY ARE VERY CLOSE TO THIS FINISH LINE. JUST TWO MILES TO GO. WE HAVE SOME SMILES. HERE WE GO. THERE WE GO. SOME PEOPLE THERE WE GO. ARE STILL FEELING IT. BUT THIS IS THIS IS A SPOT WHERE PEOPLE MAYBE NEED TO TAKE A LITTLE WALK, TAKE A LITTLE BREATHER. WE HAVE THIS WATER AND GATORADE STAND RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, WE HAVE ANNA AND WHO ARE YOU HERE CHEERING ON TODAY? I AM CHEERING ON MY BOYFRIEND JOSH, AND THEN OUR FRIENDS, AMANDA. THERE’S MEGAN. TRISTAN, AND WE’RE ALL TOGETHER WITH SCHOOL JOSE. AND THEN JOSE’S BROTHER, PETER. HE’S NOT ON THE SIDE, BUT WE’RE STILL CHEERING HIM ON. AWESOME. OKAY. YEAH. HOW DID YOU ALL MEET EACH OTHER? SO AT UCF, WE WERE PART OF DELTA EPSILON MU. IT’S A COED PRE-PROFESSIONAL PRE-HEALTH FRATERNITY. SO ALL OF US WHO ARE LOOKING TO GO INTO THE MEDICAL FIELD AND WE WANTED TO JOIN SOMETHING THAT’S A LITTLE BIT MORE SOCIAL. AND SO WE’RE NOT AS STRESSED OUT. WE KNOW OTHER PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TOO. YOU KNOW, SO AND PRE-HEALTH, HOW APPROPRIATE A HALF MARATHON NOW, HOW’S HE RUN? A HALF MARATHON BEFORE HE’S RUN A HALF MARATHON BEFORE. BUT LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO, HE USED TO RUN CROSS COUNTRY IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO HE HAS A LITTLE BIT OF RUNNING IN HIM, BUT HE’S BEEN TRAINING LIKE FOR FIVE WEEKS. WHATEVER HE PUTS HIS MIND TO, HE WILL DO. SO I’M SO PROUD OF HIM THAT HE’S ACTUALLY GETTING IT DONE. THE LAST TIME THAT YOU CHECKED THE TRACKER, HOW FAR OUT WAS HE FROM HERE? HE WAS TURNING ON TO AVALON. SO THE LAST STREET STRIP HE HAS IS HERE. SO HOPEFULLY WE’LL BE SEEING HIM SOON. TELL US THE KIND OF PREP THAT HE PUT IN TO GET READY FOR THIS RACE. YEAH. SO EVERY DAY HE RAN, HE I GUESS EVERY WEEK HE KIND OF TRACKED HIS MILEAGE. SO HE STARTED WITH YOU KNOW, FIVE MILES ONE DAY AND THEN HE DID TEN MILES ON WEEKENDS. AND, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ONE OR THE OTHER. SO HE. AND HOW WAS HE FEELING THIS MORNING HEADING INTO THE RACE? HE’S ALWAYS SO EXCITED TO DO THE RACES. HE SAID HE’S A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS, BUT HE’S DEFINITELY THE KIND OF GLASS HALF FULL, KIND OF GUY. SO HE I THINK HE’S DEFINITELY HE’S DEFINITELY FEELING CONFIDENT. I SAW HIM A BIT BACK RIGHT AFTER THE FIVE K MARK AND I ASKED HOW HE WAS FEELING. HE WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I’M OKAY, BUT HE’S GOING, THIS THIS IS A VERY TOUGH PART OF THE RACE. I MEAN, REALLY, AT ANY POINT IN 13.1, MILES, IS A TOUGH PART OF THE RACE. BUT WE’RE HERE NEAR MILE 11. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE STILL SMILING, BUT OTHER PEOPLE YOU CAN TELL THEY’RE REALLY FEELING IT GOT PETER, YOU GOT IT. LET’S GO. LET’S GO, PETER, LET’S GO. COME ON, PUSH IT. TWO MORE MILES. YOU GOT IT? YEAH. THERE WE GO. I GOT IT. I GOT TO PUT IT IN THERE, YOU KNOW. SORRY. HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT? IS THAT FOR YOU TO BE HERE FOR YOUR FOLKS TODAY? WELL, I USED TO. I USED TO RUN CROSS COUNTRY, TOO, IN HIGH SCHOOL FOR A LITTLE BIT, AND THEN I SWAM SO I KNEW THAT IT WAS JUST A LOT. BUT I’M HERE TO SUPPORT ANY WAY I CAN. AWESOME. WELL, THANKS FOR CHATTING WITH US TODAY, ANNA. WE’LL BRING IT BACK TO YOU GUYS. DIFFERENT BADER GINSBURG JOSE. ALL RIGHT. MARLEI GOOD, GOOD STUFF THERE. MICHELLE IMPERATO AND HER HUSBAND, ANDREW. WE’RE TAKING A LIVE LOOK RIGHT NOW. THEY ARE RUNNING THIS THING ON DRONE TO YOU. WE ARE TWO HOURS AND 22 MINUTES INTO THIS RACE, WE’RE GOING TO BE CHEERING HER ON AS SHE CROSSES THE FINISH LINE, PROBABLY JUST A LITTLE AFTER 10 A.M. THIS MORNING. STAY WITH US. OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE OF THE 47TH ANNUAL ORLANDO HALF MARATHON CONTINUES AFTER THE BREAK. AND THEN THE WE’RE WATCHING THE FINISH LINE. WE ARE BACK WITH OUR COVERAGE OF THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. THAT’S THE FINISH LINE AS WE CONTINUE WATCHING ALL OF THESE RUNNERS COME ACROSS THAT LINE. AND WE’RE AWAITING IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES TO SEE SOME OF THE WESH 2 TEAM. AND WE WATCH THE SHELDON DUTES GOT OUT THERE AND REALLY FINISHED THIS RACE STRONG STEWART MOORE IS RIGHT AROUND MILE MARKER 11 FOLLOWING HIM ON THE APP HERE, TRACKING HIM MIGHT BE ENDING AT AROUND 225. LET’S SEE 4247 THIS MORNING AROUND 1003 SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW ALL OF OUR RUNNERS HERE. LET’S SEND THINGS OVER TO NANCY ALVAREZ. NANCY. WHO DO YOU HAVE WITH YOU NOW? HEY, SO RIGHT NOW IT’S JUST ME, BUT I WANT TO SHOW YOU THIS LINE OF PEOPLE RIGHT HERE AGAINST THE FENCE. OH, IT’S OKAY. YOU GUYS ARE WAITING FOR YOUR DAUGHTER, GABRIELLA SALINAS. GABRIELLA SALINAS. OKAY. YEAH. SO THEY’RE WAITING FOR THEIR DAUGHTER. YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE JUST LINING THE FENCE HERE. THEIR CHEERING. THEY’RE GETTING THAT CELL PHONE VIDEO. YEAH. LET’S GO. GABBY, YOU CAN. YOU’RE STRONG. THESE PARENTS HAVE BEEN SITTING HERE AGAINST THIS FENCE JUST EAGERLY, EAGERLY WATCHING THAT FINISH LINE, WAITING FOR THEIR GIRL. AND I’M JUST HERE WITH THEM LIKE I’M IN THE MOMENT. I’M IN ALL MY FEELINGS HERE WATCHING THEM WATCH THAT FINISH LINE WAITING FOR THEIR DAUGHTER. IT HAS BEEN A STEADY STREAM OF PEOPLE FINISHING, I CAN TELL YOU THAT. I CAN REALLY SEE THE IMPACTS HERE AT THE FINISH LINE OF THE HUMIDITY THAT WE’VE SEEN IN THE AIR HERE IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. THIS MORNING. PEOPLE ARE HOT. PEOPLE ARE ARE RIPPING THEIR SHIRTS OFF OR COMING IN SHIRTLESS ALREADY THERE IS A TENT HERE RIGHT BEHIND ME WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GETTING ICED. THEY’RE GETTING ICE ON THEIR NECKS, ON THEIR BACKS JUST TO COOL THEM DOWN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WHEN THEY CROSS THE FINISH LINE, THEY’RE GETTING HYDRATED, WARM WATER IS THE THEME OF THE MORNING WATER, WATER, WATER. THERE IS JUST SORT OF THIS MUGGINESS IN THE AIR THAT’S REALLY MADE THIS A CHALLENGE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND THERE YOU CAN SEE THE STAND WITH ALL THE MEDALS. THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE ARE GETTING THEIR MEDALS AS THEY CROSS THE FINISH LINE. A LOT OF EMOTION HERE, A LOT OF CHEERING AND YOU KNOW WHAT, GUYS? I HAVE TO TELL YOU, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT’S REALLY BEEN THE MOST MOVING IS THE PEOPLE WHO’VE NEEDED ASSISTANCE TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE. I HAVE SEEN IN A COUPLE OF INSTANCES, YOU KNOW, GROUPS OF FRIENDS HUDDLING AROUND ONE RUNNER AND LITERALLY PROPPED THEM UP AND HELPING THEM ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. SO THIS IS REALLY JUST SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST RACING. IT’S ABOUT COMMUNITY. IT’S ABOUT FRIENDSHIP, FAMILY, LOVE. AND IT’S ALL ON DISPLAY IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO, ALL ACROSS THIS RACE, AND ESPECIALLY HERE AT THE FINISH LINE. IT’S REALLY BEEN VERY MOVING. LET’S GET BACK TO YOU NOW. JASON AND MARY NOW 100% NANCY. THAT’S SOMETHING WE’VE BEEN NOTICING FROM THIS VANTAGE POINT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HUGGING AND EMBRACING AND THE TEARS IN THEIR EYES AND THE PICTURES BECAUSE OF SUCH AN AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT. THEY WANT TO SHARE IT WITH THE LOVED ONES. YEAH, THERE IS A RUNNERS COMMUNITY AND JEFF HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT THIS MORNING. BUT THERE’S ALSO A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY WE LIVE IN THAT THEY HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THROUGHOUT THIS RACE. AND RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO GET TO MILE 12 AT THE CORNER OF SUMMERLAND AVENUE IN SOUTH STREET WHERE MEAGHAN MELLADO IS SAYING HELLO AND CHEERING ON SOME MORE OF THE RUNNERS. MEGAN. HEY, YEAH, WE’VE BEEN OUT HERE AT MILE 12 CHEERING REALLY LOUD. I’M ACTUALLY WORRIED. I MIGHT LOSE MY VOICE. I’VE BEEN CHEERING SO HARD FOR THESE RUNNERS. I’M SO PROUD OF THEM. THIS AREA HAS STARTED TO PICK UP A LITTLE BIT. WE GOT SOME RUNNERS COMING THROUGH WAVING. HOW ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU GOOD? GOOD. WE GOT SOME THUMBS UP. WE GOT SOME SOME THUMBS DOWN. BUT HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. TWO THUMBS UP. THE RUNNERS ARE PERSEVERING. THEY ARE PUSHING THROUGH. THIS IS MILE 12, SO THEY ARE SO CLOSE. I WILL SAY WHEN I WHEN I CHEERED FOR THEM AND TOLD THEM, YOU’RE ALMOST THERE, I WAS CORRECTED THAT. NOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO SAY ALMOST JUST YET. BUT THEY’RE GETTING THERE. THEY’RE SO CLOSE. SO THIS PART OF THE RACE, YOU CAN TELL PEOPLE ARE FEELING A LITTLE FATIGUED, BUT THEY ARE GOING TO BE SO REWARDED THERE STILL SMILES ON THEIR FACES AND EVERYONE’S JUST SO HAPPY TO BE HERE. HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING? GOOD. GREAT GOING GREAT. YOU HEARD IT. THERE. THEY’RE FEELING GREAT. WE HAVE SEEN OUR SHELDON COME THROUGH. SO NOW WE’RE WAITING FOR STEWART AND MICHELLE. WE’VE GOT OUR GO TEAM WESH SIGN AND OUR PRODUCER IS HOLDING A GHOST TO SIGN. WE’RE STANDING BY TO WATCH THEM PASS THROUGH. BUT FOR NOW, I’LL TOSS IT BACK TO YOU. AWESOME. ALL RIGHT. MEGAN YEAH. CHEERING THEM ON. IT’S 13.1 MILES. AND THAT POINT ONE IS IT’S A PART OF THE DIFFERENCE THERE AS THEY ARE FINISHING THIS RACE STRONG. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE OF OUR COVERAGE NEXT. STORY. WELCOME BACK TO THE OU NESSIE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON. OUR LIVE COVERAGE CONTINUES THIS MORNING. IT IS THE 47TH ANNUAL FIRST TIME THAT HAS BEEN BROADCAST, THOUGH. SO EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS MORNING. THE ELITE RUNNERS THAT COMPETED FINISHED A LITTLE WHILE AGO, ABOUT AN HOUR AGO OR SO. JEFF JASON GUY JOINING US NOW WITH RUNNER’S WORLD. JEFF, YOU BEEN WITH US ALL MORNING AS AN EXPERIENCED RUNNER, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT THE ELITES ARE PROBABLY THINKING WITH THIS WEATHER? ARE THEY CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS IS AN OLYMPIC TRIAL COURSE? AND NEXT IN THE NEW YEAR, THE TRIALS WILL TAKE PLACE HERE. SO WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? DO YOU THINK THEY’RE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS WEATHER THAT WE HAVE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA? THEY WERE DEFINITELY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WEATHER BECAUSE THE START TIME FOR THE OLYMPIC TRIALS MARATHON WAS SUPPOSED TO BE NOON AND IT’S BEEN BUMPED UP TO 10 A.M. THEY WANTED TO EVEN EARLIER. THEY WANTED AN 8 A.M. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, NOON CAN GET REALLY WARM HERE. I WAS LOOKING AT THE HISTORICAL WEATHER FOR THAT FEBRUARY DATE AND IT’S NEVER BEEN ABOVE 80 DEGREES IN THE LAST 25 YEARS. AT NOON. BUT THAT’S WE’RE LIKE THAT NOW. AND YOU CAN SEE THE RUNNERS HERE ARE REALLY, REALLY WET. I MEAN, IT’S A HOT, HOT DAY. SO THE EARLIER THEY CAN GET IT, THE COOLER THE TEMPERATURES THE BETTER. BUT AS YOU KNOW, THE RECENT TEMPERATURES HERE WERE GOOD. IT WAS CHILLY FEBRUARY, IT COULD BE IT COULD BE COOL FOR THEM. SO YOU DON’T REALLY KNOW. IT’S KIND OF A CRAPSHOOT. THEY’RE HOPING FOR BETTER WEATHER. A LOT OF THEM ARE GOING TO COME DOWN AND SPEND SOME TIME HERE LEADING UP TO THE RACE. SO IF IT IS GOING TO BE A HOT WEATHER RACE, THEY CAN GET USED TO IT. BECAUSE IF YOU’RE IN A NORTHERN PLACE LIKE MINNESOTA WHERE SOME OF THE RUNNERS ARE, THEY CAN’T GET USED TO THAT. THEY’RE RUNNING INDOORS ON TREADMILLS. IT’S NOT THE SAME. SO THEY MAY COME HERE AND LIVE HERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE JUST TO ACCLIMATE AND KNOW THAT THEY CAN TAKE THAT FACTOR OUT OF THE EQUATION. AND WE DID HEAR NEELY GRACE SAY THAT. NEELY GRACIE SAID THAT SHE’S GOING TO GET HERE FOR ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE THE TRIAL WITH HER FAMILY AND THAT WILL BE THE CASE TO RUN ON THOSE HOT DAYS IN THE AFTERNOONS TO GET THAT FULL FLORIDA EXPERIENCE. YES. YEAH. AND IN ADDITION TO THE WEATHER, TOO, HERE, YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS THAT ARE RUNNING TODAY, THEY’RE RUNNING ON SOME OF OUR COBBLESTONE STREETS, THE BRICK. BUT THAT WON’T BE THE CASE IN THE NEW YEAR. YEAH, THEY’RE GOING TO RUN AN EIGHT MILE LOOP. THEY START WITH A LITTLE 2.2 MILE LOOP HERE THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND THEN THEY RUN THE SAME EIGHT MILE LOOP THREE TIMES AND IT RUNS ALONG 408 FOR STRETCHES. AND SO THEY’RE THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE SOME PRETTY GOOD FOOTING, SOME SOME PRETTY GOOD SURFACES, AND THEY’RE GOING TO KNOW IT. THEY’RE GOING TO PREVIEW. A LOT OF THEM ARE GOING TO PREVIEW THAT LOOP TOMORROW. THEY’RE GOING TO COME DOWN HERE. THEY’RE GOING TO LIVE HERE AND THEY’RE GOING TO SEE THOSE ROADS A LOT SO THAT THEY JUST THEY CAN CONTROL WHAT THEY CAN CONTROL ON RACE DAY. AND THIS IS SUCH A BIG DEAL BECAUSE IT ONLY HAPPENS EVERY FOUR YEARS. RIGHT? I MEAN, THIS IS FOR THE OLYMPICS. YEAH. AND IT’S A IT’S THE BIGGEST RACE OF SOME OF THEIR LIVES. THEY’RE NOT GOING TO GET ANOTHER SHOT FOUR YEARS FROM NOW, ESPECIALLY IF THERE ARE SOME OF THE OLDER RUNNERS. SO THEY’RE THEY’RE PUTTING IT ALL ON RIGHT NOW TO MAKE THAT OLYMPIC TEAM. SO THEY THEY TRY TO LIKE PREPARE AS BEST AS POSSIBLE, LIKE WE SEE A LOT OF THE RUNNERS OUT HERE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN DO TO GET THROUGH. IT’S EVEN MORE INTENSE FOR SOME OF THESE OLYMPIC CALIBER RUNNERS. YEAH. AND PREPARING FOR WHAT YOU CAN AND THEN JUST LET THE WEATHER DO ITS THING AS WE KNOW HERE, THAT’S WHAT WE GET IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. WE WANT TO GO TO MEAGHAN MELLADO BACK AT MILE 12. WE KEEP WATCHING FOR SOME OF THE WESH 2 NEWS TEAM MEMBERS. SO HERE AT MILE 12, MEAGHAN, HAVE YOU SEEN STEWART MOORE MICHELLE IMPERATO? WE WE SAW SHELDON WE ARE WAITING FOR STEWART AND MICHELLE BUT THEY SHOULD BE PRETTY CLOSE BY. I’M GOING TO STEP OUT OF THE WAY IN CASE THEY’RE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEM. PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING OVER HERE AND HITTING MILE 12. STILL SOME HOW HAVE SMILES ON THEIR FACES. I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE AMAZING ME THEY’RE COMING GIVING HIGH FIVES, THUMBS UP AND ARE STILL SMILING. SOME OF THEM MAY BE WALKING THROUGH THIS PART, WHICH IS TOTALLY OKAY. THEY’RE PERSEVERING. THEY’RE GETTING THROUGH AND THEY’RE STILL MAKING ACTUALLY REALLY PHENOMENAL TIME. HOW ARE YOU FEELING? GOOD. YOU GOT IT. YOU’RE KILLING IT. ANOTHER THUMBS UP FROM HER. LET’S SEE HOW THE FOLKS THAT ARE COMING IN NOW ARE FEELING. HOW ARE YOU FEELING? GOOD. ANOTHER THUMBS UP. GOOD JOB. YOU GUYS ARE KILLING IT. I AM SO PROUD OF THESE RUNNERS. I THINK THAT I MIGHT LOSE MY VOICE MYSELF, CHEERING FOR THEM. HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING? ARE YOU GOOD? DOING GOOD. GOOD. THEY ARE DOING GOOD. THEY ARE DOING GREAT. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE GOING TO BE STANDING BY HERE ON MILE MARKER 12 AS WE WAIT FOR STU AND MICHELLE. WE’LL HAVE A LOT MORE OF OUR RACE COVERAGE AFTER THIS. WELL, WELCOME BACK TO OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF THE ORLANDO HALF MARATHON HERE FROM THE FINISH LINE AS WE WATCH MORE AND MORE RUNNERS MAKE IT ACROSS THE BIG FINISH LINE HERE THIS MORNING, I HAVE JOHN HUGHES WITH ME. RACE DIRECTOR. JOHN, IF YOU CAN KIND OF GIVE US A RECAP OF THE MORNING. I THINK A HEADLINE OUT HERE FOR THESE RUNNERS HAS BEEN THE HUMIDITY. YEAH, IT HAS BEEN. IT IS DEFINITELY HUMID AND A LITTLE WARMER THAN WE WOULD HAVE LIKED, I HAVE TO SAY. OVERALL, MOST PEOPLE HAVE DONE VERY WELL. WE WERE TELLING PEOPLE FROM THE START, RUN WITHIN YOURSELF, BACK OFF. MAKE SURE YOU HYDRATE. IT DIDN’T AFFECT OUR TOP MALE AND FEMALE. REED BUCHANAN, NEELY, GRACIE, MALE AND FEMALE WINNERS. THEY RAN PHENOMENAL TODAY. AND BOTH OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE BACK HERE IN FEBRUARY FOR THE OLYMPIC TRIALS. THAT’S RIGHT. WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED. THANK YOU, JOHN. YEAH, IT HAS BEEN JUST INCREDIBLE WATCHING THESE RUNNERS COME ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. SO MUCH EMOTION. IT’S BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR MANY OF THEM FACING THE HUMIDITY AND THE CONDITIONS, BUT THEY’VE MADE IT HAPPEN AND A LOT OF CELEBRATING HERE AT THE FINISH LINE. WE’LL SEE. BACK TO YOU GUYS. YEAH, AND NANCY, WE SAW THESE COMPETITORS PROVE HEART AND COURAGE CAN PROPEL THEM FOR 13.1 MILES IN THIS HALF MARATHON. AN AMAZING DAY. STEWART MOORE SENT A TEXT MESSAGE US HERE ON THE SET SAYING THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE VIEWERS FOR WATCHING TODAY FOR ALL OF THE SUPPORT OF THE WESH TEAM AND THE THOUSANDS OF RUNNERS HERE THAT TOOK PART IN THE FIVE K AND THE 13.1 MILE HALF MARATHON AND JEFF. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON SET. WE’VE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME HERE. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. THE 47TH ANNUA