Mount Dora Half Marathon & 5K

Mount Dora Half Marathon & 5K runs in Mount Dora, Florida, on December 19-20, 2026. The 5K run/walk goes off on Saturday at 7:45 a.m., the USATF-certified half marathon (13.1 miles) follows on Sunday at 7:05 a.m., and the Dora Double combines the two for a 16.2-mile weekend. Both courses start from Mount Dora's central parks and wind through tree-lined waterfront neighborhoods and rolling hills, with the sunrise coming up through Spanish moss. Custom medals go to every finisher, age-group winners are recognized, and entries support local youth sports programs.

Rolling is the word to plan around here, because this is not the flat Florida half you might expect: pace the climbs by effort and let the descents give the time back. Twelve weeks with a weekly long run and one hilly route each week is a sensible build for 13.1 miles. If you sign up for the Dora Double, run Saturday's 5K as a sharpener rather than an all-out effort, since the half is the harder half of the weekend and your legs will still be answering for the day before.