Streak The Cove 5k

Streak the Cove is a clothing-​option 5k that takes place at the beautiful Cypress Cove Nudist Resort in Kissimmee. I ran the race this past Sunday and let me just say that it was quite an experience. The 150+ person race was made up of individuals from 13 states across the southern US and, you guessed it, about 75% ran it nude, including myself. When in Rome, right?
The race itself was well organized. I pulled into the complex and gave them my name at the gate. The friendly staff directed me to parking and packet pick-​up. The small race meant pack pick-​up was breeze and really just consisted of giving my name, receiving a bracelet, and picking up a shirt (yes, even nude racers get shirts!). The shirt was made of a super-​soft cotton and came in a fun color and design. I was impressed. Since this was a «fun» nude race, there were no chip timers and no race bibs. They do offer bottles of wine to the top 20 female and male finishers, but none of the results are saved or posted online to protect runners’ privacy.
The 8:30 start was a bit late for a Florida race in May, but the shady course helped protect everyone. They do HIGHLY recommend wearing sunscreen for this race. Even though a majority of the field is doing the race in the buff, that does not mean there aren’t serious runner out there. The front of the pack was fast and I struggled to keep it. I held my own for the first part but the chafing for the best of me (naked running rookie mistake). Even so, the course was great and the resort’s nudist residents who came to cheer us on were amazing. The two laps went quick and I finished in 24:26 — my first official naked PR.
I might not have set any crazy speed records, but I did come in at a fast enough time to earn a shiny bottle of wine. The race festivities concluded with a post-​race poolside celebration and awards ceremony.