Now called the Fitbit Miami Marathon & Half Marathon was just held again this past Sunday January 27th. As a pacer for Marathonpacing.com I was officially pacing the 1:45 goal group which averages out to an 8:01 per mile split time. We had rain right upto the start of the race and a changing weather pattern. The cold weather was staved off and turned out to be warmer than expected. Streets were slick mostly which was a minor traction disturbance and a few mid-street puddles had to be avoided. Otherwise we also had strong winds coming from the east. Heading west on the Venetian Causeway we had the wind with us and that made it feel warm. It's my 4th year pacing this race and the first time at the half marathon. The first mile was busy as I was in Corral D which required a lot of weaving around slower runners for the first 2-3 miles. I couldn't rely much on my GPS as the cloud cover was interfering with it and my splits were terribly off for most of the race. Thankfully the miles were marked and I went off the printed pace band. I held the pace of 8 min miles through 20k and only had 1k to go when I slowed down thinking I had more time banked. That made me miss my mark by 41 seconds. Alas you live and learn. The course for the half marathon had not changed and followed the previous year mostly. Marathoners and Half Marathoners split within less than 0.5 miles from the finish. The race is not inexpensive but then it also has a huge international feel. Lots of post race activities. During the race I met several of my run club friends some of whom had spectacular race days. After returning my pacing sign at the VIP tent I headed home so Nicole could go on a run. It's always a very long day when you are a pacer. Up at 3am. Off to the start of the race at 3:30am. 4am found parking at the Intercontinental where there is 5hr max limit with the PayByPhone app for a total cost of $8.75. Pose for the Pre-race pic in front of the American Airlines Arena then stand in the Corral at 5:20 and speak with runners for the next 50 minutes. At 6:11am Corral D was making its way to the starting line. By the time I got home at 9:30am I was beat! Not so much from the physical activity but mostly from the early morning pre-race waiting. The nice thing about a half marathon is you can be mostly recovered only a day later. It's definitely the premier race in Miami and if you get a chance to do it, I recommend it. read more

ING Miami Marathon - Races & Competitions Near Me - Miami, Florida

This is my first marathon, so I was a chicken and did only half. This thing is just massive! I never saw so many people gathered on Biscayne Blvd before the crack of dawn! Everyone starts in front of the American Airlines Arena and then we move on to beautiful Ocean Drive on Miami Beach, then after mile 9 you run towards the Venetian Causeway, then back towards downtown to the Finish Line!! The skies were grey, but the cold wind and light drizzle was just what all the runners needed! By mile 10 my feet felt like they were walking on hot coals! Besides the smelly BO and the occasional urine smell along Miami Ave, it was awesome! Everyone should try it! If enough yelpers gather, you can have your own yelp t-shirt! We run for Yelp! yay! read more

ING Miami Marathon - Toll plaza on Venetian Causeway - Races & Competitions Near Me - Miami, Florida

AMAZING! INCREDIBLE! EXHILARATING! WONDERFUL! FUN! ENERGETIC! and oh sooooo many more adjectives that I can not think of right now but WOW!!! what an event! I wasn't able to participate this year but I'll be ready for 2011 (God willing) This event is incredible well planned and organized. You have more that 18,000 people participating and the energy is hard to describe. Even though you have to get up before dawn (up by 4am) it is worth it. I waited at the cheering zone by mile 10.8 along with hundreds of other supporters and, let me tell you, it was an experience. Like I already said but HAVE to say again, the energy is HUGE! they have a huge tent with water and juice, delicious Publix chocolate chip cookies, posters you can use to cheer the runners/walkers, cow bells, cones, whistles and balloons. The weather was perfect, it wasn't too hot but it wasn't cold either, the sun stayed out of the way for the most part and the rain was very light and only a couple of times. At the finish line, all the participants get a gorgeous medal, they get water, fruits, cookies and their families excitedly waiting for them. The wheelchair participants are AMAZING too, they give you more energy than you already have. Looking forward to a year full mental and physical preparations to participate in the event next year. read more

ING Miami Marathon - Races & Competitions Near Me - Miami, Florida

Usually I am a cheerleader/spectator at no less than 5 races a year. I got fed up wondering "Can I?" and finally taking the plunge. This Marathon was my first ever. OK so I did the half, I am good with that. Leave the full for the more daring folk. So this is was my inaugural run, and I am hooked. The race is an amazing race with beautiful views, who knew it was that nice to run up the Causeways and Ocean Drive? There were so many people out enjoying our pain, laughing at what crazies we are for willingly putting ourselves through this apparent torture, it was nothing short of inspirational to see all the people laughing at us. All jesting aside, yes you do encounter a few confused vampiric club kids wondering what is going on with priceless looks of confusion that only fueled my run. That part alone was worth the 13.1 miles. Luckily there are a few selfless souls (read: kids racking up community service hours and/or people guilt ed into it by their club or job) handing out water and Gatorade to the runners (AND at the Miami Beach Senior High they had GOO, saaaweeeet!) that without them this type of effort would be impossible. Oh before you start slamming me, yes I do know that there ARE selfless souls who really do volunteer willingly. I have in other races, I speak as a volunteer myself: THANK YOU. I most definitely agree with Sharie about encouraging walkers to stay towards the right, especially when walking in a line of 3 or 4 - its very difficult to pass as a runner and most of us have a time frame in mind, this will cut into our run as much as ten minutes and/or cause injury as we try to hop out of the way. (To the lady who was walking in the middle of the road and stopped cold to tie your shoe: REALLY?????) It is known as a walker friendly event, but it seems that many walkers may not realize the hazard they may cause. We do unfortunately have a community in Miami that is not race friendly as with the bigger marathons in Chicago, Boston, New York and San Fran and unlike those cities that have no problem understanding the draw, it seems our population doesn't get it yet. In the bigger cities you will see citizens offering water from their hoses to hot runners, treats and the much needed smile or "YOU GO GET 'EM TIGER!" that the runners desperately need as they pass by their house or building. Chicago has one of the BEST neighborhoods known worldwide for being one of the best to pass through in a race: Boys town. Its a huge party thrown by that community just for the souls running through in pain - its a much needed boost. Miami has a lot to learn, but maybe it could be a case of the race organization changing or increasing marketing? I must send a shout out to that family in Miami Beach with the lawn chairs handing out apple slices! Thank you! YOU DO GET IT! As for the organization for the race. When the race started it was a small unknown race that drew approximately 5,000 runners. Since then it has grown to 20,000 however the finish area hasn't seemed to have changed all that much except for the maze they make you walk through after you are done. Gear check should be INSIDE the finish area where only racers are permitted. Its a ridiculous mass of humanity to try to get through to pick up your gear. Let's keep that area inside the runners only zone. No Oranges? Ouch. That was the ONLY thing I had been looking forward to after the run. The bland and plain bagels were too heavy for my stomach and the cookies even more so. Banana? Oh sure, but Oranges would have completely hit the spot. If you didn't know where your 'tent' is before the race, good luck finding it. The tent areas have no direction so you may end up wandering around for a good while before finding it. Last, maybe an area with water sprinkler to cool off. Our core temps have risen and although the day was perfect, we do need to bring the temps down a bit. All in all, great race, great time had by most. read more

5 Stars...Of course I have to give 5 stars! I finished!! Woot Woot! Not only does crossing the finish line and knowing you just ran for hours on end and burned God knows how many calories make you feel accomplished, how about getting a beautiful big spinning palm tree medal! Hell YEAH! My favorite parts were running on Ocean Drive and watching the sunrise...It was beautiful. The other place that really gave me a second wind was mile 11...the cheering section was AWESOME! I got goosebumps and suddenly my knees felt as good as my college days...oh the feeling! I can't forget the walk to the race- I was passing club 50 at the Viceroy at 5:00AM, ran into some still tipsy clubgoers who were completely confused haha! I thought how ironic that I'm usually right there with them, and today I'm sober as a whistle and you can smell the alcohol emitting from their bodies They were laughing, taking pictures of us, and all I could do was laugh right back and take pictures of them! Memories. Here's a word to all you runners using the Port-a-Jons....THERE'S A HOLE! Don't crap on the toilet and just leave it there!!!! If there was anything to seriously disgust me after the race was that people think because they are running a marathon that their manners go out the window. DECENCY PLEEEEASE! it's called tissue paper. USE IT! I can't wait to see the photos on the website...they were all over the place. I just hope they didn't see me in agony because of my bum knee. I still feel a slight pinch everytime I attempt to put pressure on it (totally sucks). But now it's on to the next race. I'm glad I did it and accomplished my goal, saw some crazies and had a blast! Awesome ING Race! read more

ING Miami Marathon - Miami famous 2011 - Races & Competitions Near Me - Miami, Florida

This was THE BEST half marathon I've ever run. Granted, I've only run 2 other halfs before this one.... Reasons: - Early morning race means you get to see the sun rise in front of you! - You run next to the beach - You run next to the boats - You run next to palm trees - Spinning medal and Romero Britto ribbon! (2015) - DELICIOUS PINEAPPLES during the race - refreshing after 11 miles and got me through the next 2. - Enough water stations, gatorade gels, snacks along the route - Music along the route keeps you going - SO scenic (did I mention that already?) - Free rice and beans after the race - Fruit cups!!!!! mandarin oranges, peaches, all the dole products! - Broke my PR :) The only gripe about it was the wait time in the corrals... waited an hour in 45 degree weather with shorts on (Tips: wear long leggings)! Other than that, everything was perfect -- none of that humidity previous reviews mentioned (must've been a good year!) read more

Since this was my first full marathon ever, I can't compare it to any others. The total experience was very good--the race was extremely well organized, with plentiful aid stations and tons of smiling volunteers who offered help and encouragement the entire 26.2. And the finisher's medal is pretty slick. That said, I have two complaints: 1.) They were throwing bags of water at us instead of having us pick them up as we ran by. Not only was this highly annoying, because the bags would explode like water balloons when people inevitably dropped them, but it was dangerous as hell. The empty plastic bags were like cartoon banana peels, all slippery and treacherous, and dodging them was sometimes impossible. Completely insane and it made me dread every single aid station along the course. 2.) It was crowded. I mean really, really crowded. Until the halfers branched off to finish their race, I was running practically elbow-to-elbow with thousands of people...and I'm kind of slow, all things considered, so it's not like this was only happening in the front corrals. As others have suggested, why not start in waves? It's no fun to feel like you're being stampeded--or trying not to stampede slower runners--for like 13 miles. Most of the other runners we encountered were amazing people--here's a huge shout out to the kindly guy who overheard me complaining about a massive blister and gave me his extra nipple shield, and the super cool lady who appeared out of nowhere to offer me some salt pills because she could see that I was fading. You two are awesome human beings and I hope you both had a great race. Cheers! I'm super excited to have finished the marathon a few minutes under my goal time, and I'll never regret the experience. It was cool to run some of my favorite routes (Venetian Causeway, Rickenbacker Causeway, Brickell Avenue) surrounded by a sea of equally crazy masochists like myself. Overall, the energy was very exciting and I had a good time, so all in all I really enjoyed running the ING Miami. Just maybe not enough to risk dodging flying water bags again. read more

ING Miami Marathon - 2012 Finisher's Medal - Races & Competitions Near Me - Miami, Florida

Had to update the review for the start of the race this year. It was awful. It's like this is the first time they're doing this! This was my 7th time running and the start was awful the first few years but they really got it together the last 3 or 4. This year was a cluster-bleep, however. The corrals on the AA arena side were not open at 5:50 so the sidewalks were packed and at a standstill. People who were trying to get to their corrals could not because you couldn't move. Then when they reopened the corrals, everyone just poured into corral C and they were not even trying to keep people out. So what's the big deal?, you may ask. Well here's the deal. The start is already very narrow and very dark. The conditions are not optimal. So when you have people who are walking or running much slower than the people who are supposed to be in corral C in the way, it causes runners to have to stop suddenly or swerve and it increases risk. I saw people fall, knock into people, etc. They're lucky nobody got hurt. That would never fly in NYC. And while we're at it, can we ban the people who run with the weather balloons strapped to their waist? When there's a breeze, those big ass balloons are knocking people in the head. Get it together ING. You run the NYC marathon so you should be ashamed. The rest of the race was fine (after mile 3), great volunteers, super finish line. But that start. Awful! read more

Just updating to say that while this race TOTALLY ROCKS the organizers absolutely have to institute a wave start. The streets of Miami and Miami Beach simply cannot handle the volume of runners all at once. I heard so many complaints about how crowded the first half was. They are going to lose participants over the crowding if they don't do something about it. Other than that, I could not have been happier with this year's event. And I loved the water baggies. It made drinking on the run so much easier! read more

This is their 10th year and it gets bigger every year but seems they get cheaper every year too. This is my third and though the most beautiful route for a race, as a spectator, not much area to be able to see the finish line. You have to be creative and squeeze into a spot. A few negatives: This time if you run the half or full you get the same shirts, not fair. There weren't as many toilets around. And there weren't as many food options for runners afterward. They ran out of some drinks too. Could use more garbage cans and/or recycling containers too. Seemed that was less as well. Parking is what you expect, impossible. Even if you got a taxi, they can't get very close. Expect to walk and walk and walk. Still a fun gathering of supportive family and friends celebrating a good cause. Not bad for handling over 25,000 runners! read more

The Miami Marathon/Half Marathon is no longer sponsored by ING. It is now known as Lifetime Miami Marathon & Half Marathon. This was my first time running this event and I just ran the half. I've ran 5 marathons and over 25 half marathons... this was by far one of the worst races I've ran. I ran this race as a pacer for my cousin who recently had a baby and she lives in Miami. I was expecting humid weather and therefore made sure I was hydrated. But I did not bring a water belt or hydration pack because half marathons usually have enough water/gatorade stations. That was my first mistake: expecting a large race to provide enough water/gatorade stations. Silly me. Here is a list of major areas of opportunities: 1) Corrals: My cousin and I got assigned to different corrals but I was pacing her. I requested to have my corral changed to hers, which was for slower runners, and got refused. Other races are a lot more accommodating. Race morning, the men guarding the race corral entrances were extremely rude to us. Yet they ignored the other runners jumping the guard rails. 2) Water stations: Water should be available on both sides of the street. You had runner's dashing across the street - including me - trying to get water from two small tables. Really? Race directors should also consider keeping the water bins under a tarp or have ice in it because the water was so hot it was making me feel worse as the race went on. There should also be more trash bins available for runners to try to throw their cups away or volunteers trying to keep the area a little more organized. There was so much trash on the street it was hard running over it. 3) Gatorade: I am from Los Angeles and I am not use to the humid weather. For this reason, I made sure I was well hydrated before the race. But having Gatorade is major when it comes to staying hydrated during a hot race. Race directors knew it was going to be hot and humid. Why not provide more stations with Gatorade? This is why I regretted not carrying my hydration pack with Gatorade in it. 4) Wider streets: I get it, they want the race to be scenic. At some point though they should consider a way to try to have the crowd spread out more. Instead the streets got more narrow and more crowded. I always expect a race to be crowded for the first few miles. It was mile 8 and I was still rubbing elbows with runners. Hot, humid, and crowded is not a good mix. 5) Finishers area: When I thought the race couldn't get any worse, I finished and walked into the finishers area... Disgusting. Trash bins were completely overflowing and there was food everywhere. More trash bins please! Banana peels, tangerine peels, water bottles, etc. I had to make sure I didn't slip on anything. To top things off, it was wet and muddy. I had no desire to hang out in the finishers area for pictures or to even enjoy a banana. Another tip, don't give out tangerines. Sliced oranges is much easier for a runner to eat. After I've finished a race and I have nothing to carry food in and no where to sit, I don't want to stand and peel a tangerine. I would not recommend running this race. I've ran inaugural races that have been better organized than this one. read more

Just got home from my third ING Half Marathon. What a great race, beautiful course and friendly runners. Just some suggestions to the race organizers for 2012. 1) Please suggest that pace groups and walkers and runners (when walking) to move towards the right of the course. It was bobb and weave for 3 hours for me. Finally just took to the outside cones. The pace groups were good at keeping right. I think new runners have no idea about this ettiquette. 2) The local business community needs to more involved in this race. At every mile there should be music, cheering, snacks and lots of excitement. Not one business on Ocean Drive cheered us on. When is the next time they will have 22,000 people passing their business in a few hours? 3) Local sports coverage - while it was mostly human interest stories that dominated the news in the final few days there was no real sports reporting on the event. The Herald should devote a column to the event and list running news, tips, guidance, meals, training groups, etc beginning in October to inform, educate and motivate others. 4) Thanks for adding the yoga class on Saturday. Hope to see this again next year. My 2 cents worth! read more

So much fun!! The race route is nice & it's fun to be able to see all the sights I'm normally driving by -- or worried some driver will take me out -- so I could really enjoy running MIA. It really is quite a site to see over 21,000 all running the same way. I couldn't help but smile when looking up the slight elevations on the MacArthur and Venetian causeways all you could see were bodies running. It really is a sight to see! Yes, the course was a little crowded, unless you're an elite runner, this might not be the course to stress about times. Just enjoy the scenery!! I gave it 4 because of the crowding & because at the finish line it was a bit of chaos. We you just finish you were herded into a VERY narrow corral and there was no other way out. Not the greatest for slightly claustrophobic people, and you couldn't really figure out what was going on (I don't know if it was the same before because this was my first time running it). It was super nice to get some carbs & drinks right when finishing, but the official photo lines should probably have been marked. I got all the way up to it before realizing I wasn't in the line that went halfway back to where I came from. And once you got through that madness it was another sardine smash down to try to get out to meet up with people & get to the vendor extravaganza. Maybe a couple guarded exits instead of 1 would be helpful? I really enjoyed all the tents -- the rice & beans, and beer tent were personal favorites! Thanks for the great event overall! If this event continues to grow like it has been, someone will have to figure out the puzzle of the crowding logistic nightmare. Good luck to that person & I'm looking forward to running again next year!! P.S. this gets on the eye candy list because one of my fellow runners said to me "Geeze, they really should make a dating site for runners..." haha, I wonder if they have one? read more

The ING is Miami's premiere annual Marathon and Half Marathon. It's been getting bigger and bigger each year. I think this year they're expecting upwards of 25,000-30,000 participants. It's a wonderful course that's flat mostly and takes you from downtown, and down the Mac Arthur Causeway towards S. Beach. Those first 3 miles are great in that, you get to run along side the docked cruise ships that are all lit up in the pre dawn sky. As you proceed to run through S. Beach and back up the Venetian, you are greeted by spectators throughout the entire course. Running through S. Beach is a real treat. You may even come across the occasional partier leaving an all night club/bar, stumbling home. When you see that, it will feel good to be on this side of the course divider as oppose to the club zombie trying to seek refuge from the onset of daylight. The race gets better from there. I won't spoil it for you, but if you haven't signed up for it, do it at least once. Look for Early-Bird opportunities to sign up at a discounted rate. Early bird offers for next year's event usually start the Monday following the current year's race. Yes, that far AHEAD ! The weather is usually great for running this time of year (late January), the humidity levels are down, and it makes for a VERY entertaining challenge. read more

Sorry to rain on the parade... erm, marathon, but this event lacks serious consideration for the residents of Miami Beach. I'm glad there are opportunities like this in our fair city and I appreciate the fact that they close off the street so runners can safely participate. For this considerable accomplishment, I award you two stars, ING Marathon. However, I have a problem with the fact that the majority of South Beach is either locked out or locked in to their homes and businesses for the duration of the event. The organizers should be more respectful of the local community. Several alternative routes could be used that would not require anyone to be trapped in or out of their homes (for example, using West Avenue or going up and down 5th Street with a linear segment on the sand in between). I hope the City collects a pretty penny for the major inconvenience that its residents experience annually due to the event. Now, I have to give props to the hard working runners that participate in this event; I have mad respect for you guys! read more

Best course I've done out if 6 other courses. Lots of fun, some bridges but not many, awesome views. Lots of food and water. This years medal was an awesome huge "10" for their 10 year anniversary which was awesome. Could definitely be a PR course. read more

This was my first time running the ING Half Marathon and I am very proud to finally take part in a Miami tradition. The event was well-run but CROWDED which is part of what makes it fun, the energy gained from running with over 20,000 other people! The expo was well-organized and I did not have to wait in line at all for my packet or goodie bag. I loved the gender-specific t-shirt! The vendors were decent, though most of them were local running companies so I did not do much shopping. Some girl scouts set up shop outside with their cookies. Smooth move, girl scouts!!! I think staggering the starts would be a really good idea for this race. I also think something as simple as some flashing signs asking walkers/slow folks to keep to the right would help. It would have made the first part of the run a little less uncomfortable. I do not like seeing people angry/frustrating. I find it distressing. Now excuse me for a moment while I passive-agressively vent: ATTENTION RUDE LADY WHO WAS RUNNING NEAR ME THE FIRST FOUR MILES - THERE IS NO REASON TO SCREAM AT EVERYONE TO GET OUT OF YOUR WAY AND CUSS IN EXASPERATION WHEN YOU RUN A 12-MINUTE MILE. YOU HAVE NO HOPE OF QUALIFYING FOR THE BOSTON SO SUCK IT UP AND LEARN TO GO AROUND PEOPLE POLITELY. I HAD TO TAKE A BATHROOM BREAK JUST TO GET AWAY FROM YOUR CRAPPY ATTITUDE. KARMA IS A BITCH AND I HOPE YOU ARE RECOVERING FROM YOUR INEVITABLE SHINSPLINTS. Better now :-) The aid stations and bathrooms are plentiful on the course which is nice. They were even passing out oranges towards mile 11 which was awesome! Such a treat as the day warmed up. The cheering section as you passed over the Venetian was awesome. I wish more of the race course had fans like that. I agree with some of the other reviewers that better publicity/public relations are needed. Ocean drive was pretty dull and other than a few early morning walkers there was little support. Two special shoutouts are needed, though. "The Raven" was out there cheering us on and I had fun explaining to some folks from Boston who he was. One family on Prairie Avenue was passing out Jelly Beans. That was really cool. Thank you so much!!! The other major problem I has was with the Shuttle service to/from the race. It was a total ripoff. The price of a round-trip ticket on the shuttle is the same price as a round-trip cab ride from Miami Beach. And if you take a cab in you can sleep an extra hour and a half! On the shuttle ride home I was directed to the wrong bus and ended up with a group going to a different hotel. Oops! There needed to be a little more clarity on the shuttle situation. But all in all a good race. That medal was some great bling and I am registering for the full marathon for 2013. The highlight of finishing for me was staying around to watch the children's' race. 5,000 kids in orange running down the road was such a great sight. Especially with the elite runners cheering them on! One of the female athletes was handing her roses to girls as they finished. Such a sweet gesture. read more

You know, I was very hesitant to sign up for the Miami marathon. Most people would be intimidated by the though of running 13.1 or 26.2 miles. But not me. What I was nervous about was the amount of people registered for the race. Usually running with thousands of people is a recipe for a disaster. I experienced it in a 10K that I ran in New Orleans. But, this was not the case here. The Miami marathon, though crowded, was a greatly organized event. My girlfriend and I decided to run the half marathon with a group of her college friends. Did I mention that all of us wore batman t-shirts? No? Well we did. We all had such a great time at this event. Though the weather is not controlled by the race organizers, we couldn't have asked for better. All of the post race snack that were supplied were perfect, I really like the chocolate chip cookies. Can't wait to run the full marathon one day. read more

Just ran the 2014 Miami Half Marathon. Unfortunately for everyone the weather was hot and high humidity. Organizers have some important opportunities. Provide larger water stations on both sides of road; have cold water and cold energy drinks, this is of essence!; Have cold wet sponges available; choose wider roads; punctual starting time. We were standing over an hour in our corral; cold water at the end of race please. Large part of the race I was stopping completely to get water or bumping into runners who either walk in large groups, or decide to stop while making a corner turn, or simply because there was no way to go around people because streets were too narrow. On a race you want to keep a steady pace and have a strong finish, and here was very hard given the scarce conditions. Also you do not want to interrupt your hydration. I decided to skip many stations in order to keep pace, until I had to stop to reach a cup of warm water and resume. On the positive side, race has beautiful scenery, enthusiastic people cheering, plenty of food at the end of the race and you don't need to park miles away to go home. read more

I had a freaking blast running the ING Miami Half Marathon. Okay, that's not true. But the race itself was pretty great! I loved the route. It was scenic and offered a great deal of visual stimulation to keep my mind off of the fact that I was, in fact, running 13.1 miles. I also loved the food afterwards. I have issues with fruit and high acidity after a hard work-out, so I really appreciated the variety of options! In the end, I went with a couple chocolate chip cookies, which really did the trick to jump start my energy again. The race overall was a great experience. It started on time, it was far less crowded than I expected once people started running, it was FLAT and the weather ended up being absolutely perfect. Around 70 degrees and overcast. I know they can't plan for that, but I'm glad we got lucky! My only issue with the race is the last mile or so. It kept twisting and turning, and it had all of these FAKE-OUTS that made me think we were crossing a finish-line when we weren't! I kept seeing people continue running, and getting extremely frustrated that they weren't crossing the finish line. I was definitely one of those frustrated people. When we finally saw the finish line, I noticed that there wasn't much space and that spectators couldn't really see their racers crossing the finish line! Isn't that the most gratifying part of the race? Why wouldn't it be more spacious and obvious, and why is the final trek to the finish line such a winding path? Other than that, I really enjoyed having run the race. Will I do it again? No, but I do highly recommend this race to others! read more

The Miami Marathon was my first marathon ever, I ran it with my dad and fiancé and we had an unforgettable time. It was well organized and parking was relatively easy. We got there at 6:45 in the morning and really could have gotten there later. The path was pretty flat except for a few bridges, but overall it was absolutely perfect. I highly recommend this race, check out our post for more tips and epic photos from race day! You can do it :) http://mrandmrsadventure.com/2015/01/29/running-the-miami-marathon/ read more

On your mark...get set...GO! I must confess this was my first major race, so I might be a bit naive. However I thought the entire event was incredibly well organized. From the packet pickups beforehand to the frequent water stations throughout the beautiful race route, I found it very well planned. On the day of the actual race you are assigned to a start area based on your expected finishing time. Considering how many people there are I thought this was the best way possible to control such a large crowd and to give the fastest a chance to get out of the way. The trail you take is beautiful, giving you a great look at the city of Miami. In addition, you have people cheering you along the whole route and there is water and porta-potty's established so you don't need lengthy stops to add on to your time. The only negative was that they ran out of tp towards pretty quick (please have the stations keep these stocked). However, I saw people of all ages (including some mother's with their strollers) giving it a go, and at the end you get your medal and can then grab some refreshments. My friend told me that in all the medals they give out, one has a real diamond (you have to check yourself), which just adds another element of fun to the event. Last year had a variety of sponsors so I received everything from bananas to beer from Shake Shack and then rice from Pollo Tropical. You can go online later to check your rankings and to see pictures. Lots of fun, I'm looking forward to the next one! read more

This was my 3rd marathon at age 53. I ran the Chicago marathon twice in younger years. The course was beautiful. However, my problem is for those who ran (and planned and trained) for a 5-7 hr finish. I planned on jog walking this marathon. I put myself in corral I and got out 25 mins. after the start. It went downhill from there. I hit the halfway mark at 3 hrs flat. As I split to the right for the full marathon, I was under the impression that I would have at least 3 hrs of race support. The marathon booklet stated that the course would start to shut down after 6 hrs but the finish line would be open 7 hrs. As I got further out, by mile 17-18 (4-5 hrs in) no one was around. A few marathoners here and there. Many of the water stations were being torn down. No food available. The biggest disappointment and what really pissed me off was when I got to mile 22. Myself and a handful of others were told that the section 22-24 was unavailable for us to run!!!! It was not even 6 hrs yet! They stated traffic was open and we could not go into that section at all. It is hard enough to run a marathon, and to find out (WHEN EVERY STEPS HURTS AND COUNTS) that you have to skip a section........ What the hell! I went on with the others. I still got a medal. But in my heart and mind I was depressed that I was technically short 2 miles. I agree with the others that there was very little thought, proper planning or support for those who run a long marathon. We matter too! Don't say in your booklet that you can finish on the sidewalk and then take part of the course away! You are taking away our pride in a full accomplishment. Only marathoners know what that means. The goal is to finish every mile at all costs. Thanks for not allowing that to happen. ING, get it together. read more

This was my first stab at a half-marathon, and it was an incredible day. The weather was perfect, the course was perfect, and the energy of the crowd cheering us on--particularly near the Omni station--was immense! I will definitely be back next year!! read more

I thought it was fantastic. It was my first half so I have no way of comparison, but between the great scenery and amazing supporters and volunteers the 2+ hours run just seem to fly by. Nonetheless I would have to agree that the start let a lot to be desired, just by opening the corrals earlier would have made a world of difference. It felt crowded at times and limited to race up to my full PR, but it was fun, clean, mainly well organized, and exciting. Cant wait to do it again, perhaps the full version in 2014 will be fitting for me. read more

Meh. I must be the only one that was a bit taken back by seeing the vollunteers leaving the area wih boxes of Gatorade and cookies and fruit cups and bananas. It was a great run and loved the scenery but was not impressed with the "project management" of this event. From picking up my pack and hearing the occasional F bomb being dropped by a vollunteer, to an elderly man waiting at the finish line to scold me like my 3rd grade teacher use too, to the caravan of vollunteers making out the back with the goods like a scene from Goodfellas. And, aside from the couple that came into the race at the 11 mile marker to claim their "well deserved" medal for running a 5k I would say that scene alone would sum up this race. Half Donkey. The only thing I can say is "unimpressed". Well, at least the National Anthem was done right. I can't wait for the next ING marathon. How about this for investment advice. Invest in different vollunteers next race. Scott from the 727 read more

This run was my first full marathon. I have done 7 1/2 marathons in the past and was really looking forward to this marathon. I feel bad for giving this race only 2 stars but I was unhapy with the final outcome. The course itself was beautiful, running along and seeing the water on either side of you and cruise ships docked made me forget about the actual run. The problems I faced were at the end of the race. I admit that I didn't run very fast and was within the final 500 that fiished the full. When I reached the finish line all I wanted was a bottle of water and food to replinish from the run. As soon as I crossed I was greeted with my medal and a bottle of water. Moving further along I saw the tables where food was to be and only found a few bananas, cookies, and sort of stale bagels - I didn't even see the beans and rice everyone was talking about. It took a while to find the Gatorade protein drink since there were so few left. After I grabbed my banana, protein drink and water I moved on to find the medical tent. About 5 weeks prior to the race I sustained a stress fracture in my foot and I was in some pain, looking for an ice pack and possibly some some medication I didn't see anything. The experience at the end of this race was awful. In my opinion (after having done 1/2 marathons and now a full) the food and drinks at the end should be rationed and some set aside for those that finish at the 5 hour mark and later. Those of us running the full are running twice the distance and using twice the amount of energy that need to be replinished after the run but when we cross the finish line we are left with nothing but a few crumbs. Same goes for the medic tent, when you need it the most it wasn't there. After I had enough time to recover I headed back to my car to get my pain medication. I find it interesting that while I was walking to my car I was passed by volunteers who were leaving the race with boxes of protein drinks and food (such as fruit cups) that I did not see anywhere at the end. Why were they taking these items home by the box when people were still finishing? I was happy to be a part of the run and happy to see so many people taking part in this but the organizers of the race need to do a much better job taking care of the runners who finish the full marathon, especialy those that finish within the 4-6 hour mark. I'm glad those that ran the 1/2 had a great time and plenty to rave about at the end, I just hope that the others who ran the full were able to find something other than a bottle of water when they were finished. Organizers -- next time please make the finish line better by having more food/drink and a medical tent that doesn't pack up before everyone finishes. read more

I agree with other reviewers that the first half was way too crowded. I ran the full and it was desolate after the split. This race seemed to be geared more towards the half than the full. When I finished there were only bagels and cookies left. I was hungry and disappointed. I saw non-runners walking around with boxes of food. I did enjoy the fruit on the course. The strawberries at 23 were great and the pineapple was a nice treat too. The second half needed more entertainment and support. During the first half there were so many people running that you were focused on getting around them and not tripping. The second half was empty and boring. There were some supporters in the neighborhoods, but not enough to really motivate. Try to do better for the second half next year. read more

1/30/2011...Ran the half marathon today and I must say the weather and scenery were great. As for the event itself I must say organizers have much work to do. First, the route never really opened up, it stayed narrow for the majority. After bobbing and weaving through walkers, runners/walkers taking pictures, it wasn't until the 8 mile mark when I was able to find a decent pace. Second, there was not a lot of themes/supporters along the way, it was pretty lame. Finally, the finish line was kind of confusing/congested. You may want to have people spread out handing out medals as people cross to alleviate this problem. I must say I was disappointed as a whole. read more

I have to agree with Bill T; it was total chaos with the corrals not opening them until so late everyone was jammed on the sidewalks and against the port a cans. Why can't they put the port a cans where they aren't interfering with the ripunners trying to get to their corrals? Walkers should be in the LAST group; ridiculous to have to try to get around them at the beginning of the race and they should move to the sides. I found this race very frustrating as they did not compensate space for so many runners. Miles 6-8 were one lane. I found it tiring that the entire race I was shoulder to shoulder with runners and never got my pace going. And why do you not have roads totally closed so that we are not dodging cones. There should be water/Gatorade stations on both sides! To try to have all the runners go to one side was crazy, dangerous and slows your pace. Also the flow after the finish was terrible. I am getting the impression the committee likes getting all the money for the races but as they grow in numbers they need to accommodate. Sad I won't be participating in this again as Miami is a great city but I can't stand the unorganized race. read more