In this episode of Running on Pixie Dust, I’m recapping a huge running win: my OUC Half Marathon in downtown Orlando—aka the race I signed up for literally the Monday before. Training has been going really well (I even hit a 50-mile week, which is wild for me), and with Florida finally giving us a little stretch of cooler weather, I wanted to take advantage of it. After missing my half marathon time goals at both Portland and Wine & Dine (and feeling honestly vengeful about it), I decided to give myself one more shot at my sub-2:08 goal. I walk you through the whole chaotic morning—getting lost, picking up bibs way too late, gear check panic, porta potty lines at the literal start time, numb hands trying to pin my bib, and starting in the back near a 3-hour pace group. But once I actually got moving, I settled into my plan: start a touch conservative (around a 9:55 pace) and build, using lap pace on my Garmin instead of obsessing over instant pace. I also share what worked for fueling (my pre-race carb drink and why Taco Bell was the move), why I’m loving “running naked” without carrying water, and how working with a coach has completely changed my consistency and confidence going into marathon weekend goals.