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Jul 7, 2024

Miami Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Miami Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.5

Organization 4.2

Spectators 3.5

Number of comments: 312 [displaying comments 201 to 211]

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K. L. from Alexandria, VA (8/18/2006) "Flat, easy course, but boring and uneventful" (about: 2006) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Miami Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This was my third marathon (I only did the half) and probably my least favorite to date. The expo didn't offer much, the race itself was very flat and boring - I don't know the Miami area well but I was hoping to see more! There was VERY little crowd support - I love when the public comes out to cheer, and I think I could have counted the people out on this course! There was one or two places that people attempted to play music (one from a boat, another from the back of a truck) - usually I love music on a course, but this was just disappointing! On on the upside, it did seem well organized and transportation was easy. I guess this would be a good beginners event if running with a group or friends, but I need more motivation when I'm running!
L. S. from Pittsfield, MA (4/20/2006) "A great 1st marathon!" (about: 2006) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Miami Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon, and I loved it! Pros: Packet pick-up was very easy. I stayed in the Marriott, which was 1 block from the the Sheraton (the host hotel), and it was just as nice and much cheaper. The expo is fantastic with many vendors and lots of information. It has a very early (6 a.m.) start to avoid the heat, but it still gets hot early. I like that, but I heard a lot of other runners complaining. My favorite part about this marathon were the other runners. I met so many great people both before and during the race. Everyone was really supportive of each other, encouraging you just as you thought you'd fall. The course is great, too, because it is not a loop - and you actually run through people's neighborhoods and they stand on their lawns and cheer the runners on. Their support was exhilarating. The water/Gatorade stops were placed every mile and there were plenty of porta-potties at the start of the race. There were a couple issues, however. Cons: * The first Gu station at mile 13 (I think) was very small and I missed it. Luckily a spectator was handing out oranges a little down the road because the next Gu stop was not until mile 18 or so (that one was much more obvious). I finished in 4 1/2 hours (4:27 to be exact) and the massage people were already packing up. I know I was not nearly the last runner, so a lot of people missed out on the massages. The post-race food left a lot to be desired as well. They only offered cookies, and beans and rice. Anyway, the pros far outweighed the cons, and I would recommend this marathon to anyone.
M. J. from Montclair, NJ (3/31/2006) "Average Race/Few Suggestions" (about: 2006) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Miami Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 Overall, I thought the 2006 race was a pretty good experience. I have a few constructive criticisms for the race organizers, however. 1) Make sure that the mile markers are accurately placed (measured). Several markers were clearly wrongly placed, including the first, which is frustrating when you're trying to settle into a pace. 2) The first water station needs to be placed earlier in the race. Miami is hot, and waiting until mile 3 for the first aid station is too long. Place one along the bridge somewhere. Also, place tables on both sides of the road. 3) There is nothing you can do to encourage more specators, but when you have designated areas for specators - like the one around mile 10 or so - make sure you have volunteers to monitor the area and, in particular, maintain a wide enough running area for the racers. When I reached this area, we basically had to stop running and walk through in single-file. 4) For miles 21-26, please consider closing the road to all traffic. By keeping only the right lane open for running, runners were forced to run on a very slanted road during a period of the race when their muscles are most fatigued. I had foot problems after the race that I'm convinced were caused by this portion, though thankfully the problems were not serious.
F. A. from Daytona, FL (3/29/2006) "Nice Nice Nice Race" (about: 2006) 6-10 previous marathons \| 4-5 Miami Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Overall I have nothing but great things to say... the race will only get better. Keep this one on your radar screen; it will become one of the big ones. It will join the ranks of the top 10 sooner rather than later.... See you for the 5th anniversary of the Miami Marathon in 2007!!!
Melanie Borgia from Québec, Canada (2/17/2006) "From Quebec cold to warm Miami!" (about: 2006) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Miami Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I just wanted to take a few minutes to say thanks to all of you!!! Miami was my first marathon and it will remain a memorable & amazing experience! My running partners and I were very impressed by the departure site, lights and music. It was a magic start, really! I really enjoyed the first half of the course, especially in South Beach. I found the second half a bit less entertaining and could have used greater support from more cheerers and DJ's along that part of the course. But hey, I was pretty exhausted (and suffering!) and understand that it might have biased my views of the 2nd half. I really appreciated the water stations (frequency) and their courteous volunteer staff! The finish line area was well organized too and food was great! In any case, you guys did an amazing job! I will recommend the ING Miami Marathon to all my fellow runners and might come back myself again some day. Thank you so much for having made my first marathon a FANTASTIC experience! Way to go Vero & Pris... and Claude too!
d. s. from Atlanta, Ga (2/12/2006) "excellent logistics and support, great destination" (about: 2006) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Miami Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Fantastically organized. I took a cab from South Beach and was dropped off 30 feet from the start line. I had to wait 20 minutes for a cab in South Beach, so I piled in with a few nice folks. They had water and sports drink every mile, as well as electric timers. Great support at water stations. Very little fan support, except at mile 10. Course was scenic and very flat with only 240 feet of ascent. It was a nice way to see the city and neighborhoods. I will definitely do this one again.
Naeem Ravat from Johannesburg, South Africa (2/9/2006) "Miami Barefoot Marathon" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon barefoot, so I took off my shoes and put them in my Camelback, and wore my ChampionChip on a Neoprene de Soto band around my way-cool ankle. Now I know why triathletes like to wear them - they really look so cool! 5:30 a.m. - At the foot of the gigantic American Airlines Arena, bright neon lights, music bull horn, wld Texan drawl. The atmosphere was magical and a charged herd of 16,000 runners was calm and limber. A couple passed me on the steps looking at my singlet and the woman said, "Vasbyt" I think, and he smiled saying, "Ho gaan dit?" I smiled and we loved the moment. And there is Eric the leader and race director of the "Inaugural Okeechobee 130-mile run around Lake Okeechobee," with stylish Steve, braveheart Chris and gorgeous Mona. 6 a.m. - Somebody stopped moo-ing and we were let out of our corrals on Biscayne Blvd. up I-395 and then down along the MacArthur Causeway for magnificent views of Watson Island and Biscayne Bay, as we witnessed the sun rising between gargantuan cruising resorts. Into South Beach, the footing is cool and smooth. Then up Ocean Drive, I ran on the grass, through Art Deco past the Versace mansion to turn off Washington and across the Venetian causeway. Right about here at mile 8 I preferred running on the new, smooth, bright yellow painted lines. Mile 11 was back on the continent and there were visible signs of broken glass as we re-enter downtown. Mile 13: the clock said "2:30." By mile 14, the road got really rough and there were no more painted lines. My calf and hamstring were trying to compensate, ouch!! I pulled over onto the grassy hill abutting the metro-rail to put my shoes. My feet were supple, smooth, clean and there were no blisters or cuts. The sun came up and we headed onto The Grove. My feet were fine but cramped in these shoes. I did pack ibuprofen and a dozen endurolytes, but cramping struck my calves and hamstrings. I kept on keeping on at a race-walk in the bright heat, drinking all the water and Gatorade that the sweetest aid stations handed out. But I didn't pee or even feel like peeing one drop. Compared to the first half, the second half was boring, tedious, hot. My lungs were not short of air and my feet were fleet, but my calves and hammies were cramping me. Then ahead I saw a mermaid watering plants. She was very generous and giddy to give me a cool shower, and doused the back of my calves. Then another angel of the grove was dispensing ice cubes, so I filled up my hat and put it on. Now my skull was getting numb, which took the attention off my calves. Mile 22: I was passing two coaches leading their runner (Team in Training) who has doubled over in back pain. I remember that according to Ezzudin Abdesalaam, one of the blessings of calamities is to help those that are in tribulation. I gave them the tube of Icy Hot I had in my Camelback and took the moment to apply it copiously to my calves and hammies. Then it was just 4 long miles to the finish downtown at Bayfront Park for a time of 6:39. It really is a luxurious, heavy, beautiful spinning medal. Lessons Learned: 1. Barefoot running? The best. 2. E-caps have only a fraction of the sodium that S-Caps have. No wonder I cramped up. And all that water didn't get processed, just bloated my stomach while still dehydrating me. 3. I must do my long training runs of 20 miles barefoot regardless how slow I go. Cheers, Salaams and Namaste, - Naeem bib #5561 "It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult." -Seneca "Running provides happiness which is different from pleasure. Happiness has to do with struggling and enduring and accomplishing." - George Sheehan "Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go." - T.S. Eliot
Lianne Griffin from Atlanta, GA (2/9/2006) "Miami is a MUST-DO race!" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miami Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Miami is great. The expo was large and very nice - good assortment of free stuff and great support from ING. They had orange posters, orange sunglasses, those inflatable orange "Rooters" sticks that you clap together, water bottles, chapstick and sunscreen. They had a photo booth where you could get a free picture taken on the ING bench with the beach in the background. Lots of food, water bottles, magnets, and other goodies too. The t-shirt was a plain cotton short sleeve t-shirt with an art deco design by the famous Romero Britto - cute, but CoolMax would have been better. Also, the only difference between the half and full marathon was the bottom of the design was orange for the full, blue for the half - same with the medals: orange ribbon for full, blue ribbon for half. The corrals were set up with the slower runners in further back corrals, but it was still good - just 3 minutes off the gun time for my next to the last corral. It was 68 degrees at the start (the warmest it's been in all 4 years) and we had a good bit of headwind, too. We started at the arena downtown, then ran across the Macarthur Causeway past the cruise ships and multi-gazillion dollar houses owned by scads of famous people, over to South Miami Beach and through the Art Deco District, paralleling the beach. We wound around in South Miami Beach, then ran back across the Venetian Causeway and back into downtown. There were lots of places with no shade and by mile 15 or 16, the heat had gotten up to the mid-70s. When we were back on the downtown side, there was little/no breeze at all. Many of the snacks on the course were gone by the time slower runners like me came by. As we ran through the residential areas headed towards Coral Gables and Coconut Grove, it was pretty and shady, but there was no breeze at all. Some of the residents were out handing out oranges and ice (blessings!!) and that helped. The course was well marked and the crowd support okay, although there were some "dead spots." GREAT support by the Miami police at traffic control!! Could have used more port-a-johns in the 1st half, but there were no lines in the 2nd half (maybe just because I was so far back! Ha!). Transportation was really easy - we used the free Metro Mover to get most everyplace, including the expo, and my husband took the Metro Rail to get down to Coconut Grove to cheer; it was $1.50 each way. Would have been nice if the rail line/free tram had been overlaid on the course map so it could have been easier for the spectators to chase us around. And, the medal makes it all worthwhile!! It looks even better in real life. Overall, this race gets on the list of MUST-DO runs! P.S. The Tropical 5K on Saturday was basically mile 1-4 of the marathon - good preview, and a nice easy warm-up run. Plus, you got a cool spinner medal for that, too! Two spinners in two days? HEAVEN!
C. B. from Tarpon Springs Florida (2/9/2006) "Best marathon I have ever run!" (about: 2006) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Miami Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 When my sister told me she was coming to Miami from Montreal to run this marathon, I thought it was time for me to run another marathon. I am very happy with my results and very impressed with the whole organization. The weather was great, the spectators were everywhere and that really made a difference for me. Thank you for everything!
B. J. from Atlanta, GA (2/6/2006) "flat, fast and fun" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miami Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was one of the best organized races I've run. Having the number pick up area separate from the expo was a fantastic idea. There were tons of volunteers at the water stops and aid stations, all very enthusiatic and supportive. And it was GREAT to have water and Gatorade available every mile or so. Thank goodness the heat and humidity stayed low. The only thing that should have been better was the host hotel. It took they Hyatt longer to find me a room than it did for me to finish the race. Poor performance and service by the Hyatt. The Intercontinental was visible from the start/finish area. Maybe they're a better choice?

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