Race a sellout but lottery chances remain
The Life Time Miami Marathon is about to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
But if you were planning on still registering for the Feb. 6 marathon/half marathon, which still starts in front of the FTX Arena (formerly AmericanAirlines Arena) and finishes down the street in front of Bayfront Park, you’re out of luck.
Organizers capped the event, which usually draws 22,000 to 25,000 participants, to 15,000 after the February 2020 race for a variety of reasons that eventually included uncertainty of supply-chain issues caused by the pandemic, and initially because the event was getting too large and unwieldy for the streets and an optimum running experience, race director Frankie Ruiz said.
The event, however, will initiate a lottery for any spots that open “through cancellations or those who
defer to the following year,” said Ruiz, who estimates 1,000 or so spots will be released in the lottery. Anyone who wants to be included in the lottery must put their names on a waiting list, and will not have to pay until, and if, they are informed their name was selected.
LOTTERY WAITING LIST
As of this week, 5,100 people already had entered the waiting list by visiting www.themiamimarathon.com.
The waiting list for the lottery will close Nov. 30 and the spots will be announced by Life Time on Dec. 7.
The marathon informed participants about the 15,000 limit after the 2020 event, Ruiz said, through emails and on its website, but many runners wait until late in the process to register. The limit was set to be imposed regardless, he said, but the impact of the pandemic and uncertainty of new variants when supplies such as T-shirts, medals, cups, bottled water and more had to be ordered in mass quantity, made it unavoidable.
Last year’s marathon was replaced by a virtual version that allowed runners and walkers around the world to participate. A virtual version will again be offered.
EARLY SELLOUT
“We didn’t think we were going to hit that 15,000 limit so soon,” Ruiz said, “so that definitely surprised us a little. “You sort of saw the world taking a better turn and then a little bit after that it seemed the world kind of took a deep breath and said, ‘It looks like we’re headed to normal again.‘ It coincided with the return of Chicago and New York [marathons] and other races were starting to come back and show they were going to happen.
“This was not our usual pace of registration. It would typically be a little slower and we’d get a rush toward Thanksgiving and December.”
Added Ruiz: “I’m excited to be able to celebrate 20 years of the marathon, with Life Time at the helm. “Miami has a great thing going”
The marathon expo will return for the 2020 race at the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Virtual personal marathon training is available through Life Time digital membership. Runners also can join local running clubs for training.
For more information go to www.themiamimarathon.com.