Sunday, December 18, 2016 • 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, the mid-December running of the Down 2 Earth Oleta Trail half marathon, 10K and 5K marks the series’ final half marathon of 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 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 mild weather in December, when average monthly temperatures range between 62°F and 77°F.
On the day of the race (Dec. 18), the average low is 62°F and the average high is 77°F, while rainfall totals average just over 2.6 inches for the month, making December the city’s driest month of the year.
Course Map
See the race route map for the Down 2 Earth Oleta Trail Half Marathon here.
Starting Time
7:30 AM
Fees
See race website
Registration
To reserve your spot in the December 2016 running of North Miami Beach’s Down 2 Earth Oleta Trail Half Marathon, 10K or 5K race, register online at the event website here.
Official Race Website
Facebook Conversations
Ever run in the Down 2 Earth Oleta Trail Half Marathon? Share your impressions here, or post your review in the Comments below.
[fbcomments]
