Marathon features a Herculean streak, lightning-fast handcyclist
Among the thousands of participants who powered through the streets of Miami, Miami Beach and Coconut Grove in Sunday’s Life Time Miami Marathon and Half Marathon, was one of the most intriguing — and impressive — runners.
Mika Shevit of Sunny Isles Beach extended his feat of GPS-documented consecutive days of running a half marathon to 1,033 — this one in 2:19:23.
Shevit, 49, a 6-3, 225pound real estate broker, began his streak on April 1, 2021.
“The unachievable, Mount Olympus, monster goal at first was 1,000 days in a row,’’ Shevit said. “But I feel great. My body is strong. And I still get joy from running.
“The Miami Marathon event is incredible. Every runner that lives in South Florida puts in the work during the demonic, torturous oven of a summer. So, the half marathon is like a celebration for me.’’
As usual, Shevit was recognized by many of the other participants.
“What slowed me down, other than the sun, was people taking selfies with me,’’ he said. “The heat took a lot out of me, but I powered through.’’
Shevit’s next milestone: April 1, his third anniversary of the streak.
PARALYMPIC HOPEFUL WINS AGAIN
Four months after Brandon Lyons dove into shallow water and broke his back nearly 10 years ago, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down, he finished a marathon.
His family and friends gifted him a handcycle while still in the hospital, and he was immediately a natural.
On Sunday, the 33-yearold Lyons cruised past the competition in 1:09.59 to win the marathon handcycle division for the second year in a row. A member of the U.S. National Team, Lyons’ victory at the Miami Marathon was a steppingstone for something much bigger — the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris.
“A lot more humidity,’’ Lyons said of this year’s race. “But I was familiar with the course, so I knew what to expect. Similar to last year, this was a good spot for me in our racing calendar with Team USA.”
Injuries and the COVID-19 pandemic destroyed Lyons’ chances of competing in the 2020 Summer Paralympics, which were pushed back to 2021. Lyons still has to qualify for the 2024 Games, which take place
August 28 to Sept. 8.
Skyler Fisher, 19, won the half marathon race chairs in 49:57, nearly 17 minutes faster than the next competitor.
SOLIDARITY FOR ISRAEL
Spectators only needed to take one glimpse at the marathon’s combined field of 18,000 runners to see someone draped in an Israeli flag or supporting Israel in another symbolic way. Running clubs, including Team Lifeline and Aventura Runners, and individuals alike wore bibs depicting those kidnapped on Oct. 7 when Hamas attacked Israel.
“I want all my family to be safe, and these people need to come home,” said Team Lifeline’s Debra Wunder, whose nephew is a soldier in Israel.
Ten Israeli soldiers were set to join Team Lifeline and run the Miami Marathon. One of them — Moshe Marwick, 21 — was injured Oct. 7 and spent two months recovering.
KIDS RUN
As part of the Life Time Kids Run Miami program, children from Miami-Dade county schools and elsewhere raced the last mile of the marathon. They began training in October 2023.
Juliette Tudela, 11, a fifth-grader from Our Lady of Lourdes, finished the mile in around 10 minutes.
“It was fun,” said Tudela, who wore blue knee socks, black, green and blue running shoes and a bright-blue headband with pom-poms for school spirit. “I liked when a bunch of people were cheering me on.”
Will Tudela ever run a full marathon? “There’s a possibility for everything.”
TONY KANAAN DITCHES CAR
One notable half marathon runners was Brazilian race car driver Tony Kanaan. His career spanned 23 years in the IndyCar Series, winning its championship in 2004. Kanaan currently races in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series. He finished in 2:04.13.
THIS AND THAT
Maria Marin, a member of a Miami Beach inline skate club named Soberollers, does marathons on skates. But on Sunday, she hung up the skates and ran the Miami Marathon.
Valentina Libi had the phrase “For My Grandma” on her shorts as she completed her first Miami Marathon in honor of her grandmother, who recently had surgery. Libi’s father stood nearby at the finish with a shirt saying he was Valentina’s proud dad.