ORLANDO, Fla. – Starting Saturday morning, about 2,000 people will be taking the streets of downtown Orlando for this year’s OUC Half Marathon organized by Track Shack.
The 13.1 mile race will be Orlando’s first in-person race since the pandemic began in the spring, though things will be different this time around.
[TRENDING: Orange County businesses could face fines | Biden to call for 100 days of mask-wearing | Video: High school football player attacks ref]
“What we have done is everything possible using CDC guidelines meeting with medical experts here,” Jon Hughes, Track Shack Race Director said.
On Friday, Hughes was in downtown taking a look at preparations for the race and explained his priority is to try and keep runners and walkers safe from covid-19.
“We have a team in place just to make sure people are following the protocols, beyond our regular staff, and all the extra PPE we will have out here. We are sanitizing. Extra masks,” he said.
Below are the race safety protocols to follow current CDC guidelines:
- Limited capacity
- Participants will start in waves, spaciously released in groups
- Advance health screenings for participants, staff, and volunteers
- Mask requirement for participants in pre- and post-race area
- No spectators in staging area to discourage crowd gatherings
- Staging area designed for social distance
- Ample hand sanitizing stations
- Sealed hydration and packaged refreshments
- Contactless refill hydration stations
Hughes explained Saturday’s race could be an example for organizations still holding off marathons due to the virus.
“What I want to see when this race is done is complaints in the sense that I want to have people say I cannot believe how much they enforced those rules,” Hughes said.
Proceeds benefit the Track Shack Youth Foundation and Florida Citrus Sports Foundation.
According to Track Shack, COAMED Foundation , one of the charity partners, has garnered enthusiasm from 31 participants who have raised $25,000 to provide preventive, therapeutic, supportive and rehabilitation services to under-served communities in Florida and overseas.