Tom Stieghorst
The annual Miami Marathon was run recently in my hometown, once again attracting upwards of 20,000 participants, including those running a related half-marathon and a 5K race.
This race attracted just 600 participants when it debuted as the Orange Bowl Marathon in 1977, but in recent years runners come from all 50 states as well as 83 countries. The men's winner was from Tanzania, the women's from Peru.
But the biggest winners were the hotels, restaurants and Uber drivers of Miami. In a grant application to the Florida Sports Commission, the event organizers estimate the race attracts 15,855 out-of-state visitors and generates an economic impact over the race weekend of $11.4 million.
Although it is the biggest, the Miami Marathon is hardly the only one in Florida. There are at least a dozen other marathons from Pensacola to Key West. Expand the category to 13.1-mile half-marathons, and there are 121 scheduled this year in 63 Florida communities, according to Halfmarathon.net.
"Race-cations" are a thing for many runners of all ages, and Florida is a natural for clients who consider a challenging road race to be a good use of their leisure time. The state is especially attractive in the winter months, when much of the rest of the country is snowbound.
Walt Disney World hosts four race weekends a year that attract more than 10,000 runners each, including the upcoming Star Wars Rival Run on April 16 to 19,
The triathlon circuit is another lucrative source of visitor revenue. According to organizers, the Ironman Florida race held in Panama City Beach last October generated 15,000 hotel room nights and a $10 million economic impact, which was especially helpful in an area still feeling the effects of 2018's Hurricane Michael.
There are a few exotic races that attract out-of-towners, as well. The TPA 5K on the Runway, scheduled for April 18, is held on a closed course on one of the runways at Tampa Airport and is limited to the first 2,000 to register.
And the 7 Mile Bridge Run, an annual Florida Keys event scheduled for March 28, attracts runners from all over the U.S. and globally, said Justin Nels, managing director of the 200-room Isla Bella resort in Marathon, which is serving as race headquarters.
"This is a bucket-list run for many of the runners," said Nels, who noted he has bookings from England, Sweden and Canada, among other places. "They are coming from all over."
Nels said the resort would be full anyway on a weekend in March, but that rates will be in the $400 to $600 range, up from $300 to $500 normally. Racers coming from afar are also extending their stays. "Year to date our average length of stay is 2.7 nights," said Nels. "Looking at some of the reservations, you've got four, five, six nights."
First held in 1982 to dedicate the new seven-mile Overseas Highway span between Marathon and Big Pine Key, the race bills itself as "the only known run completely surrounded by water from start to finish."
The race is limited to 1,500 participants. A race date has not yet been set for 2021. Registration opens about two months before the race date each year, and the field often fills up within hours; there's a five-day early registration period for a limited number of Florida Keys residents.