‘Everyone is happy’: The 14,000-strong Lexus Corporate Run electrifies downtown Miami
Thousands of energetic workers, managers and CEOs wearing their colorful company T-shirts proudly huddled shoulder-to-shoulder Thursday night on Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami.
The 39th running of the Lexus Miami Corporate Run drew 14,113 participants from 539 companies to Miami’s largest office party where — for at least one night — a diverse group of employees and executives worked together as equals to get to the finish line.
The corporate run was created in 1985 as the 1,300-strong Manufacturers Hanover Corporate Challenge.
Maikol Monsalve, 44, was jogging up and down the starting line with the aid of a prosthetic leg minutes before the start of the race. It was the first time the Miami Shores resident ran in the corporate run but it wasn’t his first race. He’s participated in 5Ks, 10Ks and paratriathlons.
His wife works in the finances department of Imusa, a company that makes kitchen electronics, pots, pans and stovetop coffee makers.
“It’s a beautiful, colorful race. It’s an opportunity to run with friends and family,” Monsalve said. “Happiness and exercise are always welcome. I’ll run the best I can, taking into consideration that the most important thing is to enjoy it.”
Crossing the finish line
The person who crossed the finish line first, who outran the thousands of participants in 16 minutes 48 seconds, was immediately disqualified because he did not register.
Runner-up Gael Dumortier, 32, who works for CBNA and finished in 17 minutes 5 seconds, was named the winner on Friday — after race organizers on Thursday night mistakenly announced the runner who arrived at the finish line after Dumortier as the winner.
“After reviewing our backup systems, which include video, we learned that Gael Dumortier is in fact the Lexus Miami Corporate Run winner,’’ said race director Laurie Huseby. “We want to congratulate Gael.”
Hanna Hauschild, a 27-year-old who usually runs the 26.2-mile marathon distance and works for Starwood Property Trust, led the women’s field in 18 minutes 3 seconds.
“It was crazy,’’ said Hauschild, a Miami Beach resident and Starwood senior associate who lends money to borrowers to buy commercial real estate. “I went last year and it rained. Today was super great weather, but everyone was elbowed out at the start because it was just so packed with people.’’
Hauschild said she ran nearly the entire race Thursday with two other women, then “broke away the last half mile.’’
Her next goal: to complete running all six major world marathons — New York City, Boston, Chicago, Berlin, London and Tokyo. She still has London and Tokyo to go. Her marathon best is 3:08 in New York. But Thursday’s 5K, with about 24 other runners from Starwood, was plenty fun, she said.
“It’s a great way for companies to come together and do something outside the office,’’ Hauschild said. “They know me as ‘the runner,’ so I had a little pressure on myself.’’
Visa Inc. was the largest team with 260 participants, followed by Citi with 244 and Gables Engineering Inc. with 202. Even the higher-ups competed, 83 CEOs in all.
Meanwhile, Bayfront Park was occupied by hundreds of tents where participants and their friends and families partied and feasted. Apart from the normal crowd was a quartet with large colored Afros walking on stilts posing for pictures.
Huseby, 72, who co-founded the Corporate Run with her late husband, Hans, told the Herald the race is the lifeblood of FootWorks, a running store she owns in South Miami. Huseby noted the event — which at its peak had over 28,000 participants in 2017 — is still recuperating after it went virtual in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We survived the pandemic but we’re halfway back,” she said.
Huseby said the race is an opportunity for workers and executives to run side-by-side in a non-stressful, fun atmosphere.
“People complain about their companies, complain about their bosses, complain about what isn’t done right, but for one night they’re holding their company shirts up at the starting line, shouting, ‘Call out our companies name!’” Huseby added. “For one night everyone is happy with their companies, work, coworkers and bosses. And they’re all on the same playing field, wearing running shoes and shorts.”
“It’s not easy, but I’m proud.’‘
Miami Herald reporter Devoun Cetoute contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 27, 2023 at 10:25 PM.
