Life Time Miami Marathon event sells out in record time. How to get on wait list

Life Time Miami Marathon and Half director/co-founder Frankie Ruiz declared late last week that "running is having more than a moment right now'' -- across all levels, among all ages and throughout cities large and small.

The runners have proven him right again.

Road racing is thriving in South Florida, which is why it's not surprising the 23rd edition of the Miami Marathon event, set for Feb. 2, 2025, has officially sold out in record time.

The marathon and half marathon races, which start together outside Kaseya Center on Biscayne Boulevard, will activate a wait list Sept. 16 through Oct. 31. To get on the list, go to www.themiamimarathon.com. Slots will be filled beginning Nov. 7 as spaces become available.

The wait list for last year's race grew to 9,000, and will probably exceed that for February's race.

Last year, event registration closed in mid-September for the marathon/half marathon that was run this past Jan. 28. That mid-September sellout occurred five weeks earlier than the 2023 sellout. And last Thursday's sellout occurred about three weeks earlier than in 2024, despite the 2025 race increasing the field by 500 to an 18,500 cap.

In January, when a combined 16,000 of 18,000 registrants crossed the finish line of the event, organizers thought they might have hit the sweet spot for participation. But Ruiz said the larger field will still have an optimum race experience.

"We're not taking 25,000 [registrants] because we want runners to have a good experience,'' Ruiz said. "We had some hiccups last year, and those hiccups are being addressed.''

One of the problems the event faced in its last running was a shortage of people working some of the 23 aid stations that provide water to the runners. So many runners approach the stations in short spans of time that "the overseeing and delivery of water'' will "be reimagined to serve the runners in a more efficient way,'' Ruiz said. "Runners will benefit because the distribution will be better."

Race organizers estimate that 30 percent to 35 percent of the registrants are from Miami-Dade County. Ruiz stressed the importance of keeping the field packed with Miamians and South Floridians in general.

"A lot of times these signature events of cities tend to become only attended by out-of-towners,'' Ruiz said. "I want our locals to still drive the race,''

As for the race course, Ruiz said the start and finish will be the same, but there might be some minor changes, because as with most years, several roads will be under construction along the route.