The 2022 Zooma Amelia Island Half Marathon was hot, but an enjoyable race!

I drove down to Amelia Island on Friday afternoon. It was nice because then I had a car so I could pick my mom up from the airport. Her friend AJ lives there and was a very gracious tour guide on Saturday. They have the best sun rises and sunsets! The three of us had dinner at Cafe Karibo, which was excellent! The area is very touristy so it was great to have a local tell us which places were tourist traps.

Packet Pickup & Swag

We stayed at the the Spring Hill Suites, which was 0.1 miles from the start line and maybe 0.3 miles from the packet pick-up. Super convienent! There were friendly workers, tons to purchase and even dressing rooms to try on items.

Since we signed up extra early we received a long sleeve shirt in addition to all the included swag. Other than the patch, I’m sure I will use everything else. The tank top and shirt appear to be good quality.

2022 Zooma Amelia Island Half Marathon Race Review

Overall, I liked the course! We got to see a lot of the island and there were a few minor hills. A lot of the course was shaded and there was plenty of water and later Gatorade/Gu stations.

The first few miles went through downtown. Granted it was 7:30am on a Sunday, but the entire town was very quiet. Hardly any spectators but great views of downtown and the yachts docked at the marina.

Between mile 5 and 6 a short out-and-back was added that was a change from the published course above. It was on a trail that was really uneven. It really slowed me down but not too slow because I was afraid there was an alligator waiting in the stream. It was also not marked very well so I didn’t want to lose sight of the runners ahead of me.

Just past this bridge around mile 10.5 was the best aid stop. There was music and a very loud guy yelling encouraging things at everyone. I also passed a Packer’s house, which made me smile because I was sporting my Vikings. 🙂 Also funny since later the Vikings won and the Packers lost.

The last few miles were in Fort Clinch State Park. It was shaded, flat and cool. But there were no spectators. The shade was a lifesaver though and I knew as soon as we got out of the park there was hardly any distance left. I saw my mom right at mile 13 and then sprinted to the finish.

Do we look better before or after? 🙂 My pace was very slow, even slower than the last half I did in Eau Claire, but I actually felt better. I didn’t start to feel like I was fading until mile 11-ish. I slowed down before then, but I was in a good headspace.

I’m so very grateful to be able to travel to another city, meet my mom and run a race with her. (“With her” is a bit of a farce since she finished way ahead of me, but you get it.)

Post Race Party

The post-race festivities were great! They had massages, yoga, food, drinks and of course more stuff to buy. My only complaint is that there wasn’t much shade, so instead of using the picnic tables, we found a shaded spot in the parking lot to enjoy our mimosas and snacks.

Full or Half Marathon in Every State

Florida was state #17 and my last race in 2022. Upcoming I have (the rescheduled) Charleston half in January and Jackson Hole, WY in June. At this point, I’ve done all the states nearby, so future races are a much bigger time and financial commitment. Notice I haven’t done Alaska or Hawaii yet. 😉 The next closest states would be either Virginia (Blue Ridge Half?) or Alabama (Mercedes Benz Half?).