2023 Miami Half Marathon Race Experience
Sunday, January 29th, 2023 marked my 11th consecutive year running the Miami race. In 2012 I ran my very first half marathon at this race, in 2015 I ran the marathon, and in 2021 I ran the virtual edition of the race; every other year has seen me toe the start line in downtown Miami for the half marathon. It’s hard to believe that the woman who showed up to run back in 2013 has come back each year to give it another go at becoming #MiamiFamous. Read on for my experience of the 2023 edition of the race.
Accommodations
The best accommodations because it was my house. The biggest difference this year was that I drove to the race instead of taking the train in. While I have enjoyed taking the train in the past, I will admit that I did like being able to leave exactly when I wanted to without having to wait around for the train or for transfers from the Metro Mover to the Metro Rail.
Expo
The expo was held at the Miami Beach Convention Center. There were parking garages near the convention center and access to the expo was pretty straightforward. Bib pickup was set up near the entrance with t-shirt pickup set up near the back end of the expo room. The expo featured local running stores and vendors, along with vendors for national brands and booths for races taking place across the country (and world). I went to the expo with the intention of accomplishing three goals: pick up bib and shirt, register for the 2024 event, and buy shorts from a local company. Even so, I still spent about an hour at the expo. My biggest issue with the expo was the location as there tends to be a lot of traffic in and out of Miami Beach, which can be an issue when you are on a strict timeline.
Pre-Race
One of my goals for this race was to practice my marathon fueling plan, so I woke up at 3:00am to eat some oatmeal. I arrived in downtown Miami at 5:00am (no traffic!), had my pre-workout drink, and walked over the race area. After using the bathroom, I made my way to my corral. Entering the corral was a bottlenecking mess because volunteers were checking everyone’s bibs to make sure people were entering the correct corral. The volunteers did their best, but I was disappointed in the behavior of the runners because, as petite woman, I was pushed around (looking at the men here). Once in the corral, there was plenty of space for all the runners.
Post-Race
The Miami race was part of a long run workout for me, so once I finished the race, I still had another mile to run. At this point, I was so hot and tired that I just wanted to go home. I checked out the finisher’s area, but didn’t enjoy much of it because I was I was focused getting home, getting in the shower, and taking a nap.
On the Course
The route for 2023 was the same route as the 2022 event, taking runners from downtown Miami into South Beach and back into downtown Miami. The first 6K of this race features two bridges, a bigger one (MacArthur Causeway) in the first mile and a smaller one right after the 5K mark. The course is pretty flat the rest of the way until you hit the chain of islands connected by smaller bridges (Venetian Causeway) after mile 8. Miles 11-13.1 are almost a straight shot back into downtown Miami, where runners finish a few blocks away from the start line. Water stations and bathrooms were positioned at about every mile. If there was fuel on the course, I missed it. There was music along the course as well with plenty of spectator support in the last 2 miles of the race.
Note: The course splits near 13, with half marathoners going into the finisher’s chute and marathoners splitting off to go into Coconut Grove. Both groups share the course up until the split off.
Race Experience
This race is notoriously difficult for me. In past years, I’ve tried to PR, but have not been able to pull off a strong race experience that results in a PR. Part of it has to do with the weather (it’s almost always too hot for me), part of it has to with that big climb in the first mile (I always go out faster because it’s the beginning and I get pulled forward by the crowd of runners), and part of it has to do with my mental state never lining up with having the resources to want to fight hard to work hard. As a result, I went into this race thinking of it as a long run with a medal at the end. My goal was to find a steady pace and hold on through the rush of 18,000 runners.
Let me tell you, the race was hard. It was hot, as expected, but the effort also felt hard! In the few days since the race, I keep feeling amazed at how different training runs are experienced when compared to runs done in a racing environment. The pace I ran during the race is a pace that is typically “easy” for me on my training runs. This race was a great reminder that there are so many factors that impact effort and that I cannot focus on the metrics alone to tell me how I am doing. With that said, the race was a success. I went in with three goals:
Practice marathon fueling: Nailed it. I felt great the whole race and the only issue that I need to address is hydration as I got really thirsty toward the end of the race. (Process goal)
Finish feeling strong and joyful: This is the strongest Miami race I have experienced in a while. I felt so strong throughout the race and smiled almost the entire time. Yes, I was relieved to be done, but I was also happy that I felt so steady from start to finish. (Feeling Goal)
2:15-2:25 time range for finish time: I came in at 2:28 with a bathroom stop and two walk breaks. I was really proud that the time goal I set for myself – based on where I thought I was mentally with running – was in alignment with where I physically was on race day. (Time goal)
Overall Impression
All in all, this year’s Miami race was a strong run and a positive experience for me. I have sentimental ties to this race because it was my first half marathon ever and I consider it an anniversary race because I run it each year, but I am disappointed with how expensive the race has gotten (I paid the “early registration” fee of $140 for the half marathon). The race has gone through ownership/management changes and I can’t begin to understand how much it costs to put on a race that services 18,000 runners, but it still makes me question how accessible this race is for others. Yes, I paid to do the race next year, but my feelings are mixed because I haven’t noticed that the race experience has improved in a tangible way for me; this year felt like 2022 which felt like 2020, but with less runners because now the race “sells out.” So, while I had a positive experience, I’m confused about the accessibility, inclusivity, and impact of this “local” race on the greater running community.
Pros
Big expo with lots of vendors.
Smooth bib and shirt pick-up.
Large field, if you like racing with a lot of people.
Water and bathrooms stations throughout the course.
Music at various points on the course.
Spectator support in miles 11-13.1.
Beautiful course along the water.
Start and finish in the same area.
Post-race meals, snacks, and drinks.
Spinning finisher medal.
Plenty of parking within walking distance to the start line.
Free race photos.
Option to take the train into downtown (parking at the stations is free, but train pass is not).
Cons
Depending on preference, 6:00am start time for the first few corrals can be challenge.
Large field, which can feel overwhelming or impact your race plans.
Weather is a wild card in Miami.
Price of entry.
I missed the on-course fuel.
Depending on preference, expo can be a hard location to get to with traffic.
For those of you who like the numbers, our official time for the Miami Half Marathon was 2:28:00 Next big race for me is the London Marathon in April! I might do another half marathon in March, but I’m still undecided.
You can support my #TeamSunshine fundraiser for the London Marathon by making a donation to my fundraiser here.
