The runners came dressed for success
It was a warm and wonderful Sunday on Belle Isle, and some 25,000 runners crossed our island, pursuing personal milestones. Volunteers gave them water and Gatorade and we cheered them on….(Thanks to Belle Isle’s Steve Neifeld for the photos)
Posted in Belle Isle Park, Events, People, Venetian Causeway
Tagged marathon, Miami Marathon 2014, runners
Scenes from 2013 Miami Marathon
We’re in the countdown to Miami Marathon (and Half-Marathon) Sunday.
The big race happens Sunday morning, with a 6 a.m. start downtown near American Airlines Arena downtown. The route should bring the first races (wheelchair competitors) to Belle Isle around 6:45 a.m.
We can expect runners crossing the island and the rest of the Venetian Causeway in a steady stream at least until 9:30 a.m. — 27,000 in all.
Plan ahead — for breakfast at home, or a walk to the story, or better yet, getting up early to go out and cheer the runners.
When runners pass us by, they will be about 8 miles into either a 13.1-mile or 26.2 mile journey. They’d love your support, and they have worked hard for this day.
If you have to leave the island, know you can only go east, and it will be a slow slog…..
Posted in Events, People, Traffic, Venetian Causeway
Tagged Belle Isle, half-marathon, Miami Marathon, runners
Runners in high spirits crossing Belle Isle
They wore running gear and wedding gowns, kooky headgear and Kinesio tape, their own names (Go, Charles!) and the names of honored loved ones on their shirts and hats and shorts.
And on their faces, the 25,000 or so runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes who crossed Belle Isle in Sunday’s ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon wore the look of pride you get from working hard and achieving a personal goal.
Wheelchair athletes started before runners.
The first wheelchair competitor crossed the island at 6:34 a.m. (after a 6:05 a.m. start). Our first runner crossed at 6:58 a.m., following a Nissan Leaf pace car. And the rest of the field streamed over bridge from Sunset Harbour headed west across Rivo Alto, DiLido, San Marino, San Marco and Biscayne islands on their way to the mainland.
First runner to Belle Isle
They were cheered on by a smattering of family, friends and Belle Isle residents, along with the water-and-Gatorade crew from Baptist Health, If you were running in Sunday’s ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon, you might have wished it was a little cooler. But the overcast skies kept the heat down as the sun rose in the early morning.
The volunteer crew from Baptist Health (station G) filled paper cups in the darkness before 6 a.m. By 7:30, they were awash in Gatorade and up to their ankles in crushed cups.
But the story of the day was the runners — fast, slow, elite athlete and weekend warrior. Here’s a look at the rest of the runners (click on any photo to enlarge and get a better view. Maybe you are in there!)
Dennis “Coatman” Marsala
Posted in Events, People, Traffic, Venetian Causeway
Tagged achilles, Baptist Health, Belle Isle, half-marathon, ING Miami Marathon, runners, Team in Training
The 2013 ING Marathon path across our islands.
The 2013 ING Marathon and half-marathon — the huge community event that brings 25,000 runners across the Belle Isle and the Venetian Causeway — returns in one week, on Sunday, Jan. 27.
Ask the runners, and most will tell you that the Venetian Causeway crossing is the most beautiful stretch of the race.
The organizers delivered marathon hangers to Venetian Isle homeowners earlier this week, to make sure we’re prepared for the Sunday morning traffic disruptions and know when to get out and cheer. Later this week, we’ll see portable toilets and other necessities moved into place.
The marathon brings money and visitors to the community, and the group that runs it works hard to ensure it isn’t too disruptive on Sunday morning. Event manager Whitney Murphy promises all you’ll hear are the footfalls of runners, and our islands will be cleaned up by afternoon.
Here’s some Belle Isle Blog advice on how to make the best of the event:
– Get out and cheer the runners. The race starts at 6:05 a.m. for wheelchair competitors and 6:15 a.m. for runners. We’ll see the leaders pass Belle Isle (mile 8) around 6:30 a.m., and we’ll see people who have trained for months crossing until 9:30 or 10 a.m. They range from elite athletes to average folks who committed to goal and are on their way to achieving it. Make signs to motivate the runners. Your enthusiasm will help lift them to success.
Lady Liberty?
– Plan your morning around the race. From about 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., you’ll only be able to go east on Venetian Way by car, and quite slowly. If you want to go to breakfast, you might want to walk. That way, you can cheer the runners as you go along. IF you HAVE to go to the mainland in the morning, plan to ease your way east on Venetian Way, then south on West Avenue, and east on the MacArthur Causeway, where westbound lanes will be open.
There are several key water stations on the Venetian Causeway leg of the route, one on Belle Isle (mile 8), San Marco Island (mile 9) and Biscayne Island (Mile 10)
Enjoy the race . Belle Isle Blog will be taking photos of the runners from our island, and promises to post them on the site as early as possible Sunday morning. Here’s a look at last year’s coverage.
Posted in Events, Traffic, Venetian Causeway
Tagged Belle Isle, ING Marathon, marathon, runners
Volunteers from FIU hydrate the runners as thousads cross the bridge to Belle Isle.
Fast or plodding, amid splashes of clear water and green Gatorade, the 25,000 runners in Sunday’s 10th ING Miami Marathon brought cheers and energy as they crossed Belle Isle and the Venetian Causeway.
Volunteers prepare for a city of runners in the ING Miami marathon
The race ended up with the closest finish in marathon history. But the story on Belle Isle was the achievement of all the mid-pack runners, the folks who trained to prove something to themselves, to make a statement for a loved one, to raise money for a cause.
Eager volunteers from Florida International University staffed the Belle Isle water station before 5 a.m. to fill cups with Gatorade and water while preparing energy snacks for the runners.
One of the first wheelchair runners reaches Belle Isle.
The first wheelchair competitors crossed the island at about 6:25 a.m. (after a 6 a.m. start); the first runner reached Belle Isle at just before 7 a.m., about 41 minutes after the elite runners got going.
The first of the elite runners reaches Belle Isle in under 41 minutes.
Just as the sun began to rise, a bank of clouds blocked the sun, great news for the runners. It was a little warmer than most of them wanted, but overcast skies kept temperatures down for a good portion of the run.
The elite runners just fly by. It's a blur!
As usual, the race brought out some inventive running apparel.
Elvis was running about a 7:10 pace.
Dennis "Coatman" Marsella always makes the marathon.
And this tutu is a little too-too.
Lady Liberty?
The crowd cheering them along included friends, family, passersby and Belle Isle residents who just got out early to be a part of the event. Although the race causes disruption for a few hours on Sunday morning, it showcases all the Venetian Islands as the runners head from Miami Beach back to the city of Miami.
We also saw a good number of pets out to cheer the runners.
Mile 8 seems a little early to be out of breath.
Watching the race -- and not watching the race.
As usual, the horde of runners left bushels of crushed cups in its wake. But with almost military precision, race organizers cleared the route within hours of the last runner’s footfall.
Here’s a gallery of other great moments. We have more than 100 photos of groups of runners. Maybe you are in there!
Posted in Events, People, Traffic, Venetian Causeway
Tagged Baptist Hospital, Belle Isle, FIU, ING Miami Marathon, runners, Venetian Causeway, Volunteers, Yachad runners
The Belle Isle water station included a bathroom stop for 21,000 runners.
The 2011 ING Miami Marathon made good on its promise Sunday morning: The water station crews were quiet, the runners were happy and the cleanup happened with amazing swiftness — a great event and great morning on Belle Isle.
The first three men crossed just after 7 a.m.
There were runners (and wheelchair athletes) of every speed, shape and size — from the three front-runners who crossed our island just after 7 a.m. to the walkers working their way along two hours later.
Belle Isle residents cheered, held signs, kids and pets. Your Belle Isle Blog got out early to document the moment — and here are lots of photos to share.
Belle Isle residents and pets cheered the runners.
When the race started at 6:20 a.m., there were 21,400 registered runners for the 13.1 mile half marathon and and the 26.2-mile marathon, a record for the race.
Workers dispensed an amazing amount of water and Gatorade.
By 10:30, almost all the crushed cups were gone — and amazing cleanup by a well-organized crew that spent hours dispensing water and Gatorade to the thousands of runners.
Then they took up rakes to clean up the cups, while trucks moved in to pick up and remove the mess — from the Venetian Causeway and the dozen Port-O-Lets set up in front of The Standard.
The cleanup went quickly.
Here is gallery of images from Belle Isle.[
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Posted in Belle Isle Dogs, Events, People, Venetian Causeway
Tagged Belle Isle, cleanup, ING Marathon, runners
At risk of repeating ourselves, your Belle Isle Blog blares this reminder: It’s ING Marathon weekend.
There is a 5K run on Saturday morning that will mean lane closures on the MacArthur Causeway, pushing traffic to the Venetian Causeway betweej 6 and 9 a.m.
And Sunday morning will require closures on the MacArthur and a shutdown of the Venetian Causeway between 6 and 9 a.m.
So either get off the island early, or — better — get out there and cheer the runners!
Posted in Events, People, Traffic, Venetian Causeway
Tagged ING Miami Marathon, runners, Traffic, Venetian Causeway
Runners and volunteers on Belle Isle during the 2010 marathon.
The ING Miami Marathon happens Sunday, Jan. 30, and organizers promise this year’s event won’t repeat the mistakes of 2010.
That’s when volunteers at the Belle Isle water stop used bullhorns to cheer and guide runners crossing the island, waking up some island residents as early as 5:30 a.m. The announcements continued through the morning.
In the aftermath of that race, Venetian Causeway Neighborhood Alliance vice president Barbara K. Bisno and Belle Isle Residents Association President Scott Diffenderfer complained to race organizers that Belle Isle and causeway residents support the event, but the noise was not acceptable.
The mistake won’t be repeated, marathon representative Whitney Murphy promised residents at a meeting last week. Murphy, one of two ING Miami emissaries who attended the Belle Isle Residents Association meeting, said special care will be taken to make sure the race is a better experience on the islands.
Some 22,000 runners for the marathon and half marathon will cross the Venetian Causeway. There will be a water station and Port-O-Lets, once again, on Belle Isle, which is just past the 8-mile mark in the race, Murphy said.
The race course includes two other water stations/bathroom stops on the causeway, one one between San Marino and San Marco islands, and one near the toll booth on Biscayne Island.
The Venetian Causeway will be closed from 6 to 9 a.m. for the race, so residents should plan their Sunday morning schedules around that.
Murphy promised a quick cleanup of water cups and debris from the runners once the last competitor crosses the island around 9:20 a.m. Residents association vice president Josh Fisher complimented the organization for the fast cleanup last year.
Posted in Events, Traffic, Venetian Causeway
Tagged Belle Isle, cleanup, ING Miami Marathon, noise, runners, South Beach
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