--- Meisje Connor <meisje@...> wrote:

> They tell you to pick a flat course for your first marathon, don't they?
> Idiot that I am, I'm going to try to run the Miami marathon, with its
> six bridges, at the end of January.
>
> If anyone out there has run Miami, please give me your opinion on how
> brutal the bridges are. ("Not very" would be a good answer.) I'm
> wondering how much work I need to do on the causeways beforehand.
>
> MJ
>

I ran the Miami Metro-Dade marathon many years ago (I think 1990) and I recall
it was completely flat (and warm and humid). I don't remember any big
bridges. Maybe it's a different course now but the bridges in Miami aren't
any steeper than the causeways around here in Melbourne.

Anyway it's not hard to find a flat course in Florida. Space Coast, Disney
and the Orlando Xtreme marathon (in spite of its name) are flat. Ocala is a
little hilly, but I find that small ups and downs are actually easier on the
legs. If you need to take walking breaks, you can take them on the climbs
without losing as much time.


-- Matt Mahoney, matmahoney@...