I can’t even explain the things I felt the day before the race when I went to Miami to pick up my race kit. I signed up for Miami Marathon (half) 3 months before and I was craving for that day to come.
This blog wasn’t born at that time, but it’s one of the main reasons I created it.
Miami Marathon is the first huge event I ran in the United States, together with over 25.000 runners, so obviously it will always have a special place in my heart. Holly mother of marathons this was extraordinary, spectacular, incredible, unbelievably awesome. So awesome, I actually started to slow down on purpose only to make it last longer!
The start was at 6 AM, but let me tell you I couldn’t sleep all night. Can you believe that? Haha 😀
So (my friend Oana -who happily decided to join me – and I) we woke up at 4AM, together with the rain, and Ubered our way to the start.
25.000 people is not a small number and seeing them all together gives you the chills and make you forget about the small rain drops. The truth is, weather sucked. Rain and wind during all the race, so cold that it almost felt like those mountain trail runs during winter. Good job Florida. I never believed I could freeze in the sunshine state.
The course is flat only, starts in downtown Miami (American Airlines Arena), there are several bridges spread out along the course, in order to add a very slight graduated incline and goes all the way to Miami Beach and back. So you have plenty of different slights, including buildings and ocean. And entertainers aaaallll the way ❤
Bad weather, cold, wind, discomfort…none of this matters after crossing the finish line. Every runner knows that feeling.
It may not be a big acomplishment as winning the RIO olympics for exemple, but completing any race and having that colorful medal around your neck means something big for a runner. And for me, borned and raised in Romania, completing the Miami (half) Marathon meant one of the biggest achievements in my life.
I was in the first 1000 out of over 14.000 half marathoners. I was happy 🙂
Look at my happy face:
But the struggle wasn’t done once I finished my 21k. The real struggle was waiting for Oana to finish, because she started one hour later then I did, being on the last corral. Only THEN, I felt the real freezer. I didn’t have clothes to change or at least to cover, only a big garbage bag.
Oh, memories ❤
Here’s a video with her finish:
Run the World 