Florida Marathon & 1/2 Marathon - Race Reviews

The "corporate" nature of this event was apparent. Course: Generally flat with a few gradual inclines/declines and four bridge crossings of the Indian River. Though generating complaints by some runners about the steepness of the bridge inclines, I found these the most appealing part of the course, especially seeing small groups of dolphins on three of the four crossings. There was quite an eclectic mix of music on the course and all was wonderful and appreciated. Organization: Packet pickup was the day previous to the event at 10:30 am, and I arrived before 10 to find a line already forming. By 10:30 the line was substantial. Volunteers were very friendly and helpful before, during, and after the event. Volunteers are always cool. Aid stations were pretty much limited to water and Gatorade. If there were gels on the course, I did not see any. Traffic control and other law enforcement was outstanding. The City of Melbourne charged 15 dollars to park in an outdoor lot. Several runners who did this event previously told me this lot was free in previous years. Spectators: There were few spectators, but most were enthusiastic and encouraging. Some provided additional aid, much welcomed in the staggering sun and heat after the fog burned off and cloud cover lifted. This was pretty much a no frills event, but any opportunity to run a marathon is greatly appreciated.

Great views of the Indian River Lagoon, but mostly devoid of spectators. Must be able to run well solo and handle four climbs over steep causeways including one in the last mile. Violin and acoustic entertainers were not exactly uplifting.

It was wonderful having an in person marathon which is rare due to the pandemic. The course was beautiful! The weather...brutal. Hot at the start (73 at 0600), then there was heavy rain and lightning (very rare for this time of year) but hey, I don't run marathons because they are easy. I appreciate all of the staff and volunteer effort that went into pulling this off! There is also a local airport that is very convenient (MLB).

This was my 5th running and I'll let others tell you of the course and the rain we had this year...I want to cheer for the Volunteers of this run...those at the start at 5am day of the race for last minute bib pick ups were quick, attentive, supportive and always looking for ways to keep the line moving; My Pacers - Sherri and LoriLee for the 5 hours group were a perfect tag team; then imagine being a volunteer and many of them kids - standing in the rain for over 5 hours and always being supportive - same for the music groups and a very special shout out here for Music Director - Bethany and HUGE shout out for her daughter who was so special with her guitar (last year a uke) and her smile and her singing; the ladies at the Bag pick up could not have been more welcoming and truly interested in wanting to know IF there was anything they all could do to make the race better and they were the ones who advised of Bethany as the Music Director and then to the enthusiastic welcome from the announcer and those holding the medals (and yes the driving rain was still going on and they were still there cheering us home ) and finally to Sidney and Morgan at the FL - IPA beer truck who were so impressed with my story and so generous with topping off my 16 oz pour!! I love this race and THE VOLUNTEERS here make allllllllllllllll the difference...and this from a guy for whom this was my 156 race so I have a good basis of comparison! WILL be back next year.

I'm local so I've run this race about five times. The course is ok, though it's nothing particularly scenic and does include both of the local causeways (the closest thing we have to hills in this area). The weather is usually a mess, often wet and windy, and the race organization is usually a complete disaster. For example, in 2019, I had to push my way past dancing mascots just to cross the timing mat at the finishing line because the organizers decided to start a 'mascot race' while others were trying to finish their marathon and half marathon races. In previous years there has been issues with having food and drink available at the finish line.

Confusing route, many runners cut the course short in 2nd loop; incompetent race officials unable to distinguish half marathoners, first loop and second loop marathoners; sleepy volunteers; crowded route and constant slalom between walkers; crowded aid stations.

I ran the 1/2, the Marathon is a double loop. Came from the northeast for the race, and was not very familiar with the area. Nice small expo on the barrier island. Race starts and finishes in a park on the mainland. Weather was very unusual at 46F and steady 20 MPH winds. It was a cold bitter morning. Would normally be in 60's. Two bridges are basically the only two hills. Course does not run along the ocean - it's not an especially scenic race. Police and volunteers were very nice. Pacer for 1:55 could not have been more consistent - amazing given the high wind. Hotels are limited immediately near the start. Residence Inn Marriott (mainland) is 1.5 miles from ample race day parking, and offered a $99 race rate. It's a nice hotel but not a lot around it. Old town Melbourne a short drive and has restaurants. The Expo hotel is on the ocean, and there are several others on the ocean as well. Plenty of water and Gatorade along the course. This is primarily a 1/2 marathon due to the differential in the number of finishers, however if you are looking for a FL Marathon, I would not ignore this race. Marathon starts at 6am, and 1/2 starts at 7am (started a little later than that). This is a nice small race.

Fabulous details make this worth running. You're in a great town on the Atlantic, the music along the route is really good (and I've run some races where I've sped up just to get away from the musiciansnot so here), even the Nat'l Anthem singer was spot on her marks! Love the pianist and his grand piano on the bridgeand I've run Big Sur. Good open area for the start and finish, lots of traffic controls wherever needed and spirited volunteers. I love this course, even in wind. Since it's a loop, double loop for we marathoners, if the wind is against you, it will change and support you at some point. Neighborhoods are fun to run through as well.

New management and absence of hand cycles have made this a great event. Nice course, plentiful support, nice finish area - everything was well done.

This event has vastly improved since I ran it a couple years ago. There was plenty of food and beer at the finish even for 5+ hour finishers. Food included pancakes, sausage, pizza, several kinds of fresh fruit, and craft beer. The pre- and post-race gatherings are now at a nice waterfront park. The double-loop course is authentic old costal Florida and includes 2 large bridges crossed 2X each. There are many diverse musical acts on the course some of which are quite good. At the top of the first bridge one can get a photo at a grand piano with a tuxedo-clad pianist. Besides the standard finishers medal and shirt runners get a matching logo hat. The only slightly negative thing is that there is a handcycle race going on simultaneously with the marathon on the same course. The wheelchair racers have police escorts who come up behind the runners and essentially force them off the road during the run. It feels disrespectful and a little scary but otherwise this is a fine event that I recommend and would gladly run again.

The fans are many and energized. The Course is flat except for two bridges that you climb twice each in this double loop course. The water stops are plentiful and even manned for the slowest runners. My only annoyance is that the hand cycle race begins while the slower runners are still on the course, but I appreciate the race allowing the slower runners time to finish. I will run this race again.

I did the full marathon and chose it because it is a Boston qualifier with a high percentage of qualifications. Pros: Volunteers were terrific. Everyone was very friendly. Water stations were well manned and the music was awesome. Course isn't bad except for Riverside which was full of holes and cracks. Cons: Where do I start? First of all, the app. There are still people in this world without a smart phone and those that do who don't use apps. There was no tracking. My husband and friends could not locate me even after the finish. Old school timing chip you attach to your shoe. Really? This is 2014 isn't it? No clocks on course. The only clock at the finish line was recording the half marathon. Only one first aid tent on course. Fine for half marathoners but us full marathoners were out of luck if you had an issue. No ice or sponges/wet towels on course. The finish line support was lacking. I was handed one small paper cup of water. Full bottles of water are needed at the finish. Especially since it was so hot and humid. The post race party was quite a ways away and we had to walk across the course to get to it. Some of the volunteers in this stretch were not at their posts. We left the party after noon and the marathon results were still not posted and no announcements about the awards were made. It turned out I placed in my age group and when I contacted the director about my award, I was told to send them a check for $20.00 and they would mail it. I can understand paying for postage but That's a bit steep. The shirt is nice but it is the same for both full and half marathons. It would be nice if they were different or said which race. The medals are nice. I do not feel the marathon was supported and don't think they should continue to have it. If you can't embrace it then don't have it.

This is a smaller marathon with only about 200 finishers in the full marathon, but this race is ran better than most big marathons. Packet pick up was a breeze, the course is a two loop course that is very flat. There is a lot of musical groups and most are very good. The medal was awesome, organization was 5 stars and the spectators were very encouraging for such a small size race. The only complaint was the weather, it got up to the mid 80's, but i was use to zero degree days so every year would be hot to me. I saw dolphins swimming when i ran over two different bridges. There are not many marathons where you can see dolphins swimming. GREAT JOB MELBOURNE!!!

I ran the marathon while several friends did the half. This is a 2-loop marathon, and everything was great for the larger half-marathon field, but I felt that the organizers dropped the ball on the second loop for the marathoners. It was a humid and hot day, yet the waterstops did not have ice (thank goodness for the few volunteers who gave me some of their ice). The last 2 miles there were few volunteers on the course and little to no support. I went off-course twice because I mis-read the signs at a turn where there should have been a volunteer. I was really disappointed in the finish line; no food at the finish and very little crowd support. I never made it to the party at the park which was some distance away. I would love to see the finish at the park, volunteers at every turn, and especially on a hot and humid day. The expo and registration were great and appreciated lots of porta-potties and support at the start. Great shirt and medal.

This has been my favorite 1/2 marathon by far. Loved the volunteers, vendors and spectators. The view was the best of all. I look forward to next year!

We have run this half twice and the full once before, and this year was by far the best yet. The organizers nailed it this year with great volunteers and aid stations and the best after party of any like sized race. The weather was in the low 50s so all in all a great day for running. Congratulations Melbourne!

As a marathon maniac I felt the need to come in and squash some of the negative comments already posted. THIS IS A GREAT REGIONAL RACE that is still going through some growth issues but is one of the best races of this size I have ever run. PRO: - Well organized and a very helpful staff and volunteer team. - Medal, shirt and hat are better than you find at most national races. - Expo is great! - More cones on this course than I have ever seen at a race! - Looping course with bridges provide nice scenery and a good challenge. - The piano player at the top of one of the bridges reminded me of Big Sur Marathon. - Plenty of water stations on the course. - They recycled everything. CONS: - Weather was warm and humid. - Early water stops need to be spread out more. - A bit of a bottleneck for the first mile or so. Other than the weather, I can't think of any issues that can't be easily corrected. I will run this one again and encourage fellow Maniacs and 50 Staters to do the same.

First and last time I do this race. Organization was poor and that is being kind. The first two aid stations were SWAMPED with runners and not enough volunteers. The piano at the top of the causeway would have been nice...if it left room for the runners to get by. The majority of the bands or DJs were taking a break when I went by or were playing low key music...nothing up beak. At the finish there wasn't enough water and they ran our of food. It looked like there were plenty of homeless, spectators, and volunteers that had eaten before the race participants. I realize this race is still young...but this was the 3rd or 4th year of its existence. The race director should have these issues ironed out by now. I heard several similiar complaints from others around me.

Nice marathon, aid stations were adequate although a bit overwhelmed at the first two. Tough day weather wise but at least the sun stayed away. Love the medal and shirt.

This is my second trip to Melbourne first time for the Full Marathon. Pro 1. The Medal, Shirt and Hat are nice and well done. 2. Music on the course - Grand Piano at the top of the bridge was great - very different collection of musicians was nice change of pace. 3. Easy parking near start and finish. 4. Yes you had to look out for the Hand Cyclist BUT what an inspiration - I have nothing to complain about with these veterns who have served our country cycling their hearts out. Cons 1. No food at finish - I finished at 4:55 and got a banana and a water. There was no other food I felt bad for the slower runners behind me - I knew I had food in my car and was only one hour from home. They were shutting down and packing up when I finished. 2. Some water stops thinly supported - but the volunteers were great. The expo is basic and easy to navigate. I ran the 8k and the 5k on Saturday and enjoyed Saturday more as there was plenty of food and entertainment after the race.

Very good for a small marathon. Course - Fully 'coned' and felt safe at all times. Plenty of room to run. Nice views from bridges and along the bay. Crowd - Not a lot, small bunches along the route. About right for the size of the marathon. Music - A lot of varied types, a couple bands, a couple DJ's, several different orchestra members, and a grand piano being played at the top of the causeway bridge! I also loved the group of accordian players. Weather - 2012 Hot and very humid, can happen in Florida. Back it down and have fun. 2010 and 2011 weren't bad. Water stations - crowded at the beginning, but no problems later in race. Volunteers were great. Expo - About as good as it gets for a small marathon.

This is the 4th time I have ran this race and it keeps getting better each year. Great music along the route and plenty of portapotties along the course. They need more portalets at the start and I heard food ran out after the 5 plus hour folks finished but it was great for everyone before that time. This is probably one of the best half courses around and highly recommend!!

The Good - Parking was a breeze and right next to the starti - Nice Shirt, Hat, Medal - Food at the finish was very good - but I only ran the half and do feel bad for those marathoners who didn't get anything - Musicians along the course were great - Volunteers were awesome - Frequent Water/Gatorade stations - very important given the humidity - Course was scenic and running the causeways added a little bit of a challenge to an overall flat course. The Bad - 1st 2 water stations were overwhelmed. I couldn't get to the 1st one and had to wait at the 2nd one because the volunteers couldn't keep up. - Gels should be handed out at the 3rd or 4th station, not the 1st. I planned to pick one up at the 1st and eat it about mile 5, but I couldn't get to it and had to do without until mile 9 (which was the only other place to get gels) - Spectators were sparse but I'm okay with that. - Was given a bottle of water at the finish, but had a hard time finding any more water. The Ugly - Very humid this particular day - not normal for February and nothing anyone has any control over. - Because the course is a double loop, not sure what can be done about the hand cyclists interfering with the runners. Letting them go 1st doesn't solve the problem since they will just impact runners on the 2nd time through. A wider course may alleviate the problem. Overall, Everything is setup for a really good 1/2 marathon and I'd like to come back and do it again, but more though needs to be done to accommodate the issues encountered by the full marathoners.

I ran the half and my husband ran the full. Prepare for high humidity/warm conditions for this race. Thanks to mostly overcast skies, it made the conditions for the runners alittle more favorable, but still high humidity. Thanks to the volunteers and their support. Loved the orange half's, I took one at every aid station if available. The Gatorade was horrifically watered down and speaking of; found a piece of the plastic cup in the bottom of my Gatorade cup as I was drinking it; don't know how it got in there, but could of been ugly. The course was nicely planned; crossing over the 'causeways' was interesting and having a piano player at the top of the south causeway was cool. I would suggest, opening up the course where there was cones; it was very narrow for runners and was hard to find a flat area to run on. The roads dipped to the right, probably for storm drainoff's. Great finish area with plenty of good food. Loved the pizza and orange juice. I loved the announcer at the finish, he's comical. Nice medal and tech tee. Thanks Melbourne!

Course layout was interesting with the four causeways to cross. May for some interesting Florida hills. I know the organizers cannot control the weather but it would have been nice to start earlier than 7 to be able to beat some the heat. Finish line was a little unorganized, I had to search for water and there was no sports drinks or food for the finishers. After a hot and humid marathon I am not ready to eat pizza and beer. Would have like to had a few more people to run the full with because most of the pack I run the first lap with where only doing the half.

Several problems the organizers should fix: 1) Shirt size requests not honored for pre-registrants. Why didn't they set aside the shirts ordered for pre-registrants? 2) The food was gone before the >4.5-hour marathoners finished. Half marathoners, spectators, and homeless folks ate everything. Couldn't they control access and/or make sure there was enough for everyone? 3) Hand cyclists started behind runners on same course then pushed runners off the sometimes narrow course at up to 30mph. Why not start them first as other sensible organizers do? Disappointed in this one. Not recommended.

The half marathon was a simple course with few detours. However, it was very crowded at the start and for the first 1-2 miles. The initial left turn after the start jammed up the runners who were not properly staged (corralled for pace time) at the start, crazy mix of very fast and slow runners. The US1 (Harbor City) leg was narrow and the shoulder was crowned so you had to run on the cones (left edge near traffic). After 3 miles the packs of runners spread out and this was not an issue. It was a warm morning with humidity and as a sports medicine specialist, I had concerns real and convenient: 1. too few medial aid stations they appeared under-staffed. 2. water/Gatorade stations had very helpful volunteers, who could not keep up with clusters of runners, you just had to stop and drink 3. Convenience: I can't imagine the port-o-pot problems for women; there were only 4-5 on the course. Guys just left the course for a bush. This is and should be remedied especially before the first causeway and on Riverside drive. Overall, it's a flat and scenic course with many fast, competitive runners, it's not the Rock n' Roll series. So if you are a leisure runner, stay home as the temperature and humidity, if you haven't trained in that climate, are risk factors. Note the number of runners from FL to confirm this observation. I'm not a serious, competitive runner, I run for my own goals and I love Melbourne Beach. I'm glad that I did this half marathon once, but I'm not in the league for this group and it wasn't fun (music sucked as did peeing outside), when you consider the registration fee. As a medically educated, recreational runner, race organization, safety (medical and police), water/GU/Gatorade, and potties are essential. As such, the rating in this regard was a 1 or 2-star. Huge potential to improve, which I'm sure the organizers will do.

The 1st half is okay, but the 2nd time around I nearly got run over by the hand cycles, there was no Gatorade at the last few water stops, no food at the end, and the age group awards had been removed by then time I finished. Poor grades. It would be so much easier to start the hand cycles early.

My friend and I finished her first marathon sub 5:30. VERY DISAPPOINTED and will NOT return to this race and will urge all my running friends to avoid it all costs. We were ignored on the second lap, water stations empty, muscicians quit, had to dodge handcycles for 13 miles and forced on sidewalks and dodging locals on bikes. NO food, fanfare nor amenities other than water at the finish. The shuttle from the host hotel had multiple schedules floating around and several runners missed it to the start. We were stranded at the finish without a shuttle and no cash for a cab back to the host hotel. We are not all elite runners that will finish sub 3. The course was open 7 hours and RDs must plan as such.

For a smaller marathon, this is a very good marathon. I got a PR with a push at the end. Overall - B+, but I expect it will keep improving. Please don't let the B+ fool you. Read on... Before I give you my detailed assessment, I want to give the organizers their due.... Organizers - A+ - you can see the effort in everything they do, even if it is not "there" yet. If they keep improving this marathon (and I have no doubt they will), it will quickly become one of the best mid-size marathons in the USA. Here is the breakdown... Start - A+ - where else can you park and be at the start in a few minutes? A little confusing, but, a great recovery with megaphone lady! Crowd - C - very sparse, but those who were out were fun. Scenery - B+ - running around the water was great, but I couldn't help but think... gee, we are so close to the ocean. (I understand logistically that that may not be possible.) Course - A- - I liked the bridges as a nice way to breakup the run. Some of the roads do have strong curve/bank to them, but if you pick your path carefully, you will be okay. Water Stations - C- - I always appreciate the folks who volunteer, but weneeded more of them and needed 2-3 more stations and it would have been an A! Bib - D - I have never scored a bib before, but this one was not made of the usual material, so it ripped early. (No photos for me. :( ) Finishing area - A - it was great. Very loud (in a good way). Strong fan support here. Internet feed of finish - A+++ - smile; you are on TV (or at least the internet)! My family saw me finish - and they were in NC. That was cool. Food (post-race) - A+ - the pizza was so good. And then they offered breakfast to boot. It was great. (Sorry to hear about the later finishers who did not experience the food.) Additional thoughts... Having run several marathons recently, the cotton shirt was a nice change, but I can see why people might object. Word of caution: the hand bikes come through around 10 a.m. In one turn, the guy just missed it and crossed all lanes - had you been running at that time, yikes. That being said, it was a nice distraction and it was uplifting - ("What am I complaining about?").

This was a very special race with the presence of runners like Zola Budd and Bill Rodgers. Got to meet them at the pasta party on Friday and it was a great experience. In general, the race seemed well-organized and there were plenty of water stops and entertainment along the course. Having pizza, beer, and live music at the finish was a nice touch. Small expo, but nice goody bag with a beautiful (cotton) t-shirt and hat. The shuttle from the host hotel was convenient. There are plenty of restaurants and shops nearby. It would have been nice for the hotel to offer a pasta dinner (Saturday) or early breakfast for the runners (Sunday).

I've done tons of marathons but this was my first Melbourne Marathon and overall I thought it was a great race! The course was super flat except for the 4 bridges, but I personally like the mix up of terrain and you could see them in the distance as incentive. The only negative comment as far as course is concerned is that the road is banked on the flat sections enough that I could feel it in my ankles, hips, and knees. Luckily the road is wide enough and the runners sparse enough that I could position myself as strategically as possible, but it still wasn't enough to avoid the angles. The aid stations were great in that they were well stocked with water, Gatorade, and Clif Gel (at most of the stations!). The volunteers were super supportive but they needed more as sometimes they simply didn't have enough people to both fill cups and hand them out. It wouldn't have been a big deal if the tables had been long enough to grab and go but the card tables they were using just cause bottlenecks. The second loop wasn't an issue since the majority of the runners did 1 loop (half marathon). The medal is awesome and they gave you a shirt and a hat, so a nice amount of schwag. Although I'm not a fan of cotton T-shirts, the design was nice and the cotton was a good quality. Expo was decent for such a small venue. Crowd support was on the sparse side, but for such a small race I actually thought it was pretty good. It's all about perspective here. If you're used to the Rock 'n' Roll marathons you'll think there's no one out there, but everyone that was out there was cheering and got really excited when you acknowledged them. I love that you can literally be dropped off AT the start line within minutes of the start and that your family/friends can easily follow you along the course. Very low-stress. Awesome! I would definitely recommend this race for everyone!

I did the full marathon, so by the fourth bridge, I was hurting - in a dementedly good way. :) PROS: Scenic course, plenty of pre-race updates, few but very enthusiastic fans (if you really need thousands of cheering fans, pick a different sport), nice hat, beautiful medal, good support staff at finish area, and plenty of food IF YOU ARE FAST ENOUGH TO GET THERE BEFORE IT'S GONE. CONS: Cotton shirt instead of tech shirt, a bit disorganized at the start until the lady with the mike showed up, first couple of water stations too short for the throngs of people to get to, and I felt really bad for the folks finishing after four and a half hours as booths started packing up and the promised food was going fast. Marathoners deserve the same post-race fuel that the half marathoners get.

I have run this marathon twice and absolutely loved it. I was registered to run again this year but will be unable to due to doctor's orders. I have run over 20 marathons, never having to ask for a deferral. I emailed Ashley requesting a deferral of my entrance fees until next year, and within minutes Ashley responded with an approval. Thanks, Ashley; you have a fan of this marathon for life!

Great course. There was plenty to keep your mind off of the task at hand. Musicians were encouraging runners, and the police support did same - there was a very friendly feel to this marathon. If you were not making an unexpected turn, you were going over a bridge and the scenery just kept changing until you hit the final stretch of the beautiful downtown area. I actually was not looking forward to this marathon but had a wonderful time - the miles flew by. I would do it again. The 5K was fantastic the day before as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed every part of this race. As my second marathon, I was better prepared for what to expect in a race, so I found the number of port-o-johns, spectators, and course layout all to be very reasonable. There were tons of aid stations with plenty of bananas, oranges, Clif Shots, water and Gatorade. Even if they ran out of one thing, there was something else to be had as a substitute. The musical acts around the course were entertaining even if they weren't full bands; you've got to respect their 5 hours of playing. The course was beautiful, ocean views or not. I wasn't expecting the causeways to be such a large incline, but hill training covered that just fine. I also found the 0.5-mile stretch before the finish line an ample view of it. There wasn't tons of food at the end, but the cookies, fruit, water, and beer were plenty for me. I would definitely run this race again!

This was my second half since October '09. I had a blast! Yahoo to all of the volunteers. Loved it!!