First I?d like to say thanks to all the volunteers who helped make this race possible, I myself volunteered last year rather than participate in the inaugural running of the M.T.M.

Considering the weather conditions I was surprised to see the people out there along the streets in the middle of the course

I don?t really have much to say about the scenery. It was dark when we went over the causeway and a downpour came as I went through the grove. But I know the area and hopefully it?ll be cool and clear next year.

Question: Other than the few elite runners who get their own start, why aren?t the runners placed by their chip time. I was placed overall male 660th by gun time. I would have been 583rd by chip time. With such a small starting chute, there?s not much of chance of a when you?re in the back of the pack at the start.


I have some suggestions for next year's race.

First and foremost, PLEASE keep the diesel vehicles from driving along with the runners. The first mile up and over the causeway a fire rescue ambulance paced us. The fumes for these engines are nauseating.

The mile markers were very poorly marked and/or secured. As I ran the course I could not see many of the signs and painted mile markers on the roads.

Having previously been both a sideline spectator and a water stop volunteer, I understand the enthusiasm that can be brought to the moment. And although greatly appreciated (we couldn?t do the race without them), the people at the water stops need a little bit more of an understanding of what the racers need. If the runners are not reaching for a cup, that does not mean they should step out into the running lanes too hold the cups out further or higher. Again, I emphasize great appreciation for these volunteers, but at several of the water stations it was necessary to go around these over enthusiastic volunteers.

And my final and most important request: Better beer at the finish line; after 26.2 miles I need a beer with extra carbs, not fewer J. No more Ultra maybe a nice ale or stout.

I took one look at the weather in the week before this race and felt sorry for the out-of-towners. The heat and humidity must have been brutal for those used to the Northern winter, but I was acclimated and ready for it. (I usually live in MD but am going to school in Florida.) More than ready. I went into this race expecting a PR of 7 minutes and set a PR of nearly 12 minutes, finishing in 3:00:36.

The spectators were few but very enthusiastic, probably mostly because of the rain. The water/Gatorade stations were plentiful and well-staffed. The course was beautiful - South Beach at sunrise, the Venetian islands and the finish downtown. The miles were well-marked with clocks at each mile. There were plenty of bathrooms. The starting gates - at least near the front - were well-organized - no problems with crowd control as far as I could see. Actually had small t-shirts. Great post-race refreshments and massage and I think the spinning palm tree medal is awesome!

Only complaints I have are the Venetian Causeway bridges which were very slippery when wet and the lack of race photos along the course.

Awesome race! Definitely do this one!

I live in Florida and run here almost everyday, so the idea of doing another Florida (after Hops in Tampa) marathon was not that appealing. I'm glad I got talked into it, though, because it definitely was among the best I've done. Superb organization. Awesome course... killer diversity of locales... interesting mix of urban and suburban... great range of terrain. Under more ideal weather circumstances the fan support would have been thicker, but for someone who loves running in the rain, I'll take the natural hydration over fans any day. Wayyy cool medal. For an event this size and price, a very so-so expo and average T-shirt, but those are about the only negatives I can come up with. Oh, and yeah, carpet the drawbridge grids... super dangerous, particularly at the end... giant thanks to the unbelievably enthusiastic volunteer support, particularly considering the conditions, and thanks for the free beers at the finish line!!!!

Also, if it's in your budget stay at The Delano...It has no equal.

This was my first Miami Tropical Half Marathon. I think it is one of the best organized races I have ever entered. Keep up the good work and I will be back next year to run the full marathon.

I did this marathon thinking I could escape the cold winter in the north and have a relaxing warm run, but didn't bargain for the unbearable humidity. Even at 6am you feel the sticky air. Also beware that the early start can make timing meals & sleep a little tricky (but not impossible) the night before. The first half is more scenic, but it's dark, so you can't really see too much and the half-marathon people are running with you. The second half is mostly residential and since you see all the halfers finish it's a lot less crowded and a little disheartening.

Personally, I think they should reverse the course and have the half start at mile 13 then the end of the marathon is more scenic & the energy of the halfers can help pull the others along. There's also not a lot of crowd support, but the volunteers try to make up for it. At some points there are actual cheerleaders, which was very motivating. When I did it, it rained the whole way, which seemed fortunate at the time considering the heat/humidity. The temp might have been good for vacationing in FL, but for a 26.2 mile run, way too hot & humid (in this gal's opinion), I can't imagine how much worse it would have been if the sun was out.

It was very organized though, and easy access to start & finish from downtown Miami. Although the course was flat as promised, expect the 'tropical' conditions to temper the effects of that if you are not used to the climate. The beer at the finish line was pretty awesome and they call out your name as you approach the finish line so the crowd can cheer you. No long lines or any inconveniences afterward, you're bags are all out ready & waiting for you. Pacing teams don't seem to have a lot of confidence in themselves, they were barely a presence at the expo & general buzz is that they are unreliable.

I agree with all the positive comments below. This race was super. This was my 2nd marathon. The course was soooooooo fast, I beat my previous PR by 17 minutes. The tropical downpour late in the second half of the race was awesome... I think when it started, many runners must have gotten the same feeling Andy (Tim Robbin's character) must have had when he busted out of jail in Shawshank! The course is very flat, and the scenery is beautiful. My only bad experience was the hotel I chose (Sheraton Biscayne Bay), a dump compared to the Intercontinental, JW Mariott, Hyatt, etc., all also very close to the start. The medals are very cool, and there's a lot for you, family and friends to do in Miami. Definitely a good race for a broad cross-section of runners.

This race was number five for me, and the rain never bothered me, partly because I have never had perfect weather yet. In fact, it cooled things down a bit when in the first few miles I thought the heat was going to be too much. So what with the drenching in Coconut Grove? Look out for that black mud at the Bay Side! The fan support was excellent; the motivators and the real cheerleaders. As for the Superbowls-- win, win, win.

Their first year they had unusually perfect weather, but this year it was typically hot Florida weather (high in the high 70's, 100% humidity and heavy rain). So if you are thinking about this marathon, you should almost expect hot and humid weather.

Pros:
1) Beautiful, flat course (steepest part of course is in first mile)
2) Lots of water stops
3) Sparse but enthusiastic spectators
4) Good race organization
5) Strict enforcement of starting corrals
6) Great finish area set-up
7) Great medal!
8) They serve Gatorade

Cons:
1) Hot weather
2) First water stop was not until the mile 3 marker (Put a water stop at least at mile 2 because it is darn hot)
3) Many mile markers seemed misplaced and many mile markers were blown off by the wind. The misplaced mile markers (and I am talking several here) made it hard to run on pace. They should also place mile markers on both sides of the road
4) Why have a separate 2-minute early start for the elites? Just start everyone at the same time
5) The drawbridges (especially the last one and especially in the rain) are very hard to run on and slippery. Wouldn't have been much effort to have carpet over them

Overall, the race (but not the expo) was very well organized. It truly is a wonderful course. Don't believe previous posts complaining about some real scary or seedy sections (these people must have grown up in a suburban vacuum). If you don't mind running in some possible hot weather, then you won't be disappointed!

Miami 2004 was my first marathon and what an excellent choice Miami was. From the minute I got off the plane, the tropical palm trees foretold a great weekend. Thank goodness for the rain - I smiled the whole way through the tough mile 17-20 in the pouring rain. Spectators were relatively few in number but made up for it in warmth and spirit - they cheered on EVERYONE. A big 'thank you' to the staff and spectators.

The half-marathon course was great. I loved running over the bridges and through South Beach. The rainy weather was probably good to keep us northern runners from overheating but, unfortunately, it also kept the spectators away.

My beef with the organizers is that there wasn't enough scheduled time for packet pick-up. There was no race day pick-up (understandable with a 6 am start time), but the expo on Saturday was scheduled to end at 5 pm. As it turned out, the time was extended to 10 pm because of delayed flights from the Northeast. To attract out-of-towners, the scheduled time should be extended. Another irritant: my sister tried unsuccessfully to pick up race packets for me and my friends (since we were arriving after 5 pm) - security to get the packets was ridiculous!

Even with those irritations, I'd recommend the race and I will probably do it again!