Sunday, July 26, 2015 • North Miami Beach, FL • Course Map
One of a series of trail races that takes runners through the winding, twisting turns of North Miami Beach’s Oleta River State Park from February through December each year, the late July running of the Down 2 Earth Oleta Trail half marathon, 10K and 5K is one of several events that take runners through this park throughout the year.
The setting for the race of course is Oleta River State Park, which is something of an island of nature in the midst of urban surroundings. Set between the waters of Biscayne Bay to its east and the densely populated city blocks of the North Miami and North Miami Beach areas to the west, this 1,033-acre park offers 15 miles of mountain biking trails in addition to beaches and a mangrove forest preserve near the northern end of the park, which overlooks the banks of the Oleta River flowing by.
The race course will take runners over the mountain biking trails inside the park for all three races, and runners will encounter a variety of terrain along these trails — the easier trails, designed for beginning bikers, are flatter and featured some paved surfaces, while the 10 miles or so of intermediate to advanced trails are definitely more challenging.
Runners should expect plenty of twists and turns along these hard-packed dirt sections of the trails, organizers note, as well as rocks, sticks, roots, potentially muddy spots and some sharp banked turns along the route.
The starting time for the race is 7:30 AM, and due to both the time of year the race is held (late February) and its location (out on the trails), runners are encouraged to dress for a variety of weather conditions and to bring their own water bottles with them out on the course.
These races usually bring out between 150 to 200 runners and sometimes more, with around 30 to 40 runners taking part in the 13.1-mile race.
Race Weather & Climate
Located along the South Florida coast just over 12 miles north of Miami, the North Miami Beach area typically sees mostly warm weather in July, which has brought record temperatures here as low as 64°F (in 1975) and as high as 99°F (in 1980).
On race day (July 26), the average low is 76ºF and the average high is 90ºF.
Course Map
See the race route map for the Down 2 Earth Oleta Trail Half Marathon here.
Starting Time
7:30 AM
Course Time Limit
3 1/2 hours
Fees
See race website
Registration
To reserve your spot in the late July 2015 running of North Miami Beach’s Down 2 Earth Oleta Trail Half Marathon, 10K or 5K race, register online at Active.com here.
Official Race Website
Facebook Conversations
Ever run in the Down 2 Earth Oleta Trail Run? Share your impressions here, or post your review in the Comments below.
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