Miami Marathon hits 20th running Sunday: ‘Let’s go! I’ve been freezing for three months’

Last year you could run it bundled up in the snow — or in your underwear on a treadmill.

This year it’s back to your running shorts and singlets on Biscayne Boulevard.

After a year of going virtual because of the pandemic (except for 35 folks who were invited to traverse a small loop at Bayfront Park until they finished), the Life Time Miami Marathon and Half Marathon will be back in all its scenic splendor for a 6 a.m. Sunday start outside the FTX Arena.

The weather forecast, which changes just about every hour, calls for likely dry skies and temperatures ranging from 70 degrees with 86 percent humidity at the predawn start to about 74 at noon.

“Oh, let’s go!’’ said Jordan Tropf, 30, among the fastest men’s marathoners (2:25:23 best) and a fourth-year resident orthopedic surgeon at Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. “People think that’s hot, but I love it. I’ve been freezing for three months and you could throw me out in the desert and I’d be alright. The warmer the better.’’

The combined 26.2-mile marathon and half marathon field, which usually draws 22,000 to 25,000 participants, was capped at 15,000 for a variety of reasons, including uncertainty of supply-chain issues caused by the pandemic and initially because it was getting too large and unwieldy for the crammed streets, race director Frankie Ruiz said.

A lottery was initiated for spots that opened because of cancellations or deferments to 2023, and about “1,000 to 1,500” were allowed into the race from the original waiting list of 8,000, Ruiz said.

Surgeon/runner

Tropf, a Navy lieutenant who spends most of his waking hours, including many of them overnight, assisting in surgeries, just wants to keep improving his finishes while checking out the scenery. Last October he ran Baltimore (2:27:23), Chicago (2:31:54) and Boston (2:32:13) on three consecutive days.

“Miami has been on my bucket list for awhile,’’ he said. “I love going to marathons in fun places. This one has an outstanding reputation with a course that hits all the highlights of the area.”

Regarded as one of the most scenic marathons in the nation, the course heads toward Miami Beach over the MacArthur Causeway, through South Beach along Ocean Drive, past the Miami Beach Convention Center (where the race expo has returned Friday and Saturday), over the majestic Venetian Causeway and back into Miami where the half marathon finishes and the full marathon continues into the Brickell and Coconut Grove areas before returning to the finish adjacent to Bayfront Park.

“It’s an amazing race,’’ said event co-founder Ruiz, 43, “a combination of so many things that make it what it has become.”

Ruiz said for 20 years he has seen the city evolve through the eyes of someone who plans the course and knows nearly every nuance of every street. “Just in the past two years there have been like 10 new buildings the runners will go past,’’ he said. “Runners will experience the growing skyline, like that New York City tunnel-type feel in downtown and Brickell. And Ocean Drive — I just don’t know too many cities that can offer a beach atmosphere with Art Deco buildings and afterward one of the fastest-growing metropolises in the United States followed by the old charm of Coconut Grove.

“This gives you a good taste of what Miami is all about.’’

Top woman

Russian Nina Zarina, 34, lives in Los Angeles and ran her best marathon (2:33:22) in December at the California International in Sacramento. Like Tropf, she’s thrilled to compete in her first Miami. Marathon. Unlike Tropf, however, she has never been to South Florida.

“The marathon is the best way to discover a city,’’ said Zarina, who finished third on Nov. 7 in the LA Marathon (2:37:37). “You have a long distance in a short time. This course is pretty flat, a couple of hills that are bridges and a very long part near the beach. For me it’s a combination of course, competition and I like the date. There aren’t a lot of marathons this time of year.

“I saw there will hopefully be a couple fast ladies,’’ added Zarina. “Company can be pretty helpful because we can work together.’’

The other elite women include Kenyan Martha Akeno, 28, whose marathon best was 2:33:25 for fourth overall at the Sofia Marathon in Bulgaria. The top men include Kenyan Jackson Kibet Limo, 34, whose personal best of 2:09:06 was good for fifth place in Paris in 2014. He ran as fast as 2:09:54 in Copenhagen in 2019. Fellow Kenyan Erick Mose, 35, ran 2:10:40 in winning the Torreon Marathon in Mexico in 2012, but most recently ran 2:25:02 for ninth place at Mexico City.

The elite field is expected to be smaller this year because “there’s a considerable amount of uncertainty from the international athletes because of the constantly changing regulations” concerning COVID testing or vaccines related to travel, Ruiz said. “The positive side is I see this as an opportunity for a lot of our U.S.-based runners.’’

International field

The event still attracts plenty of international competitors, with runners from nearly 70 countries expected. Colombia leads the way with more than 1,700, followed by Mexico (856) and Puerto Rico (389). Florida leads the United States with more than 7,200 registered, followed by New York (778) and New Jersey (252).

The prize money is the same: $4,500 to the male and female winners, $2,000 for second and $1,000 for third, with the half-marathon winners earning $1,500, $800 and $450. Other cash prizes will go to masters (40-older) and wheelchair participants.

Ruiz said the marathon once again will have 23 aid stations along the route, not including the comprehensive tented medical tent at the finish staffed by doctors and nurses. Several Baptist Health medical professionals will line the course, as well as fire-rescure ambulances.

Racers long for spectators along the route, so fans are urged to arrive early and either sit on the bleachers near the finish or stand and cheer along the route. The event has designed cheer zones that include Mile 6 1/2 at 2231 Prairie Ave. in Miami Beach (6 to 8:30 a.m.); Mile 11 at the Omni Metrorail Station at Northeast 15th Street and Biscayne Boulevard in Miami (6:30 a.m. to 9:30); and Mile 20 1/2 at CocoWalk at 2982 Grand Ave. in Coconut Grove.

Ruiz said he hopes participates “pay attention to the weather forecast but don’t get too hung up about it.’’

“As runners we’re trying to control everything about our race. We want our watches to have perfect data, our nutrition to be on point, the wind at our back, our shoes to feel comfortable the whole way. But we’re not in a closed environment and the one aspect we really don’t have control of is the weather.

“At least be thankful that on marathon morning you won’t have to deal with snow.’’

IF YOU GO

▪ What: Life Time Miami Marathon and Half Marathon

▪ When/Where: 6 a.m. start Sunday, Feb. 6, on Biscayne Boulevard outside FTX Arena, 601 Biscayne Boulevard; Finish is a bit down the street adjacent to Bayfront Park. There are bleachers for spectators on Biscayne at the finish.

▪ Who: Combined field of 15,000.

▪ Expo: 12 to 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach.

▪ Note: Registration closed. Race sold out.

This story was originally published February 4, 2022 at 6:00 AM.

Susan Miller Degnan

Miami Herald

305-376-3366

Miami Herald sports writer Susan Miller Degnan has been the Miami Hurricanes football beat writer since 2000, the season before the Canes won it all. She has won several APSE national writing awards and has covered everything from Canes baseball to the College Football Playoff to major marathons to the Olympics.