Active City Spotlight: Running in Miami

Keep your beanies and running gloves and long underwear at home. No matter what time of year it is, it's always warm enough for a run in South Florida.

Granted, sometime it's too hot, or too wet, to be completely comfortable. But running in Miami is without many setbacks. On the contrary, it's full of great opportunities.

With miles of incredible coastline, plenty of amazing houses to see, lots of landmarks to pass and dozens of great races to sign up for, Miami is an awesome place for runners. For those new to the South Florida scene, here's what you need to know to get started running in Miami.

Places to Run

Tourists have to hit the Miami Beach Boardwalk, probably in the early-morning hours, to combine scenery with tourist central.

The boardwalks goes from 21st Street to 46th Street, with paths that extend it even further south. It is a great way to get several miles of running in—with the beach to the east and world-class hotels to the west.

Other popular routes:

Morningside Park is bayside and has plenty of shaded paths for a hot-weather run. Tropical Park has it all—paved trails, off-road trails and even a track for specific workouts.

Races to Remember

Close to 20,000 runners turn out for the Miami Marathon and Half Marathon each February.

The courses take runners alongside Miami's most famous landmarks, as-seen-on-TV locations and world-class beaches. The race starts and finishes downtown with stops in South Beach, Coconut Grove, and on multiple causeways linking South Florida's islands.

Other well-known races include:

  • Up the road in Fort Lauderdale is the A1A Marathon, another coastal race in February that shows off South Florida's beauty. It also has a half marathon and 5K.
  • The Live Ultimate South Beach RUNcation Weekend in December features a half marathon, quarter marathon (6.55 miles) and a 5K on Ocean Drive in South Beach.

Stores to Check Out

The Runner's High (11209 S. Dixie Highway) is a specialty running store opened by two avid runners, one a licensed physical therapist and the other a longtime retail footwear specialist. They offer free video analysis to help you find the right shoe, living by the motto "We don't care how long it takes to find you the perfect shoe."

Other running stores include:

  • iRun Running and Walking Specialty Store (5050 Biscayne Boulevard)
  • SoleRunners Running Store (11650 SW 88th Street)

One Last Tip

The Ragnar Relay makes its first stop of the year in South Florida with a 197-mile relay race in February. It starts at Virginia Key and runs all the way to Key West along South Florida's incredible coastline. Teams of 12 are the norm, with each runner doing about three legs each.

More: Inside the Ragnar Relay

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About the Author

Ryan Wood

Ryan Wood is an editor for Active.com. He enjoys a good ride and loves participating in endurance events throughout the year. Follow him on Google+.
Ryan Wood is an editor for Active.com. He enjoys a good ride and loves participating in endurance events throughout the year. Follow him on Google+.

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