At this time of day, the gentle breeze coming off the water adds a warm, yet refreshing caress to those competing in the short event.Įfforts are made to hold the race early so it has minimal impact on traffic as well as on a runner's health. The 7MB Run is held in March or April, before the humidity picks up and the heat builds. The awards are presented immediately after the race, but the participants must be present to receive their prize. There is also a wheelchair division with first, second and third place winners honored. They are the top 3 male and female overall winners, male and female overall Master, Grand Master, and Senior Master winners. The Seven Mile Bridge Run is broken down into different categories of winners. Since the race began in 1982, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been presented to various organizations in the There is an entrance fee and the revenue generated from this Florida Keys race was donated to schools and athletic groups throughout the Middle Keys. Typically there are 2 different registration dates, 1 date of registration for Monroe County residents, and a later open registration date to all other entrants. Since events can be fluid and registration details can change often, I suggest checking out the 7M Bridge Run official registration page to see what is new or modified. Race registration usually occurs 2 months before the Seven Mile Bridge Run. This was so successful, that registration for the Seven Mile Bridge Run was closed within 6 minutes. In 2012, they implemented online registration for the first time. Registration for this well known Florida race is limited to only 1,500 entrants. She successfully ran the race in 2004 in just 37 minutes and 55 seconds. In fact, as of the morning of the ill fated 2012 race, he still held the top male runner time when he completed the race in 1998 in just 32 minutes and 59 seconds.Īlso as of that morning, the record for the top female runner was held by Sonja Friend-Uhl. Some of the contestants are avid runners, and enter this popular Florida Keys race year after year.Įntrants like Paul Marmaro, who is a fitness trainer, has successfully finished first countless times. I use the word 'short' because it doesn't take long to run if you happen to be a conditioned athlete. In terms of races, this is relatively short. Once the 80 minutes are up, stragglers are picked up by volunteers in small yellow buses and returned to the starting point. Since this bridge is the only way for traffic to flow through the Florida Keys, entrants are given about 80 minutes to complete the Seven Mile Bridge Run. Currently the 2023 Seven Mile Bridge Run is scheduled for Saturday, April 1. Mother nature and COVID-19 restrictions will determine the race's fate. It was however, the only decision that could have been made. The 7MB race was called off - the first time in it's history. There was no shelter to seek, and no way off the 7 mile bridge once they were on it.Įven though this was a highly anticipated Florida race, with considerable time, money and effort invested, safety was first and foremost the consideration at stake.įlorida Keys race officials were forced to make what many believed to be the unthinkable, and even for some, the unforgivable decision. Plus runners were sitting ducks on the bridge. Since the race is held on a raised bridge that runs miles over water, the fear of lighting strikes became a real possibility.ħMB Run entrants would be prime targets for the massive electrical storms passing through the area. On Apstrong thunderstorms and heavy rain passed through Marathon Florida, and the rest of the Florida Keys.
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