© Life Time Miami Marathon
How to Register for the Miami Marathon?
When you think of Miami, a dream backdrop immediately comes to mind: palm trees, white sand beaches, turquoise water, beautiful cars. But the city known as Magic City also has a genuine passion for sport — and running holds a special place here. Since its inaugural edition in 2003, the Life Time Miami Marathon has grown into one of the most popular marathons in the United States, now drawing 18,500 runners from all 50 states and more than 70 countries. In 2027, the event will celebrate its 25th anniversary — a quarter century of racing in one of the world’s most electric cities, at the crossroads of North American culture and the boundless energy of Latin America. Colombians, Mexicans, Peruvians, Ecuadorians — they all converge on the streets of Miami each year for something that feels as much like a street carnival as a serious marathon. But before you run alongside the turquoise waters of Biscayne Bay, you’ll need to secure your bib. And you’ll need to be quick — spots go fast.
✓ How do you register for the Miami Marathon? Here’s everything you need to know.
| A flat, fast, Boston-qualifying course
The next edition of the Life Time Miami Marathon takes place on Sunday, January 31, 2027. The race starts on Biscayne Boulevard, facing the Kaseya Center — home of the Miami Heat — in the heart of Downtown Miami. The course is a single loop, USATF-certified, virtually flat (just 70 meters of elevation gain), winding through some of the city’s most iconic neighborhoods and scenery: the MacArthur Causeway over the bay, the Art Deco buildings of South Beach, the Venetian Causeway, Coconut Grove, and the Port of Miami. The only real challenge comes from the bridges — about half a dozen in total, with modest inclines (maximum 9 meters). Thanks to its certification, the course qualifies for the Boston Marathon, making it a prime target for runners chasing a time and a qualifying standard. That said, be mindful of the weather — often very warm — which will inevitably have an impact on performance.
Note that the marathon and half marathon share most of the course and finish at the same location: Bayfront Park, on the waterfront, with Miami’s skyline as a backdrop.
| Multiple distances available
The event offers three formats in 2027:
✔ Tropical 5K — Saturday, on South Beach, along the waterfront. The entry point into the Miami Famous weekend. A warm-up for some, a real achievement for others
✔ Half marathon (21.1 km) — open to runners aged 18 and over, same course as the marathon for the first half.
✔ Marathon (42.195 km) — open to runners aged 18 and over, Boston-qualifying.
A Kids Run is also organized for younger participants, and a dedicated program for athletes with disabilities (wheelchair, handbike, ambulatory) is offered in partnership with The Way Forward association.
| How to register for the Miami Marathon
Registration is exclusively online through Let’s Do This, the event’s new official platform partner.
➜ Visit the official race website
➜ Select your preferred distance
➜ Enter your estimated finish time — this determines your start corral assignment
➜ Complete payment online via Let’s Do This
Bibs are strictly personal. However, a transfer to another unregistered runner is possible before January 22, 2027, subject to a $40 administrative fee via the partner platform. Deferral to the following edition is also available within the same deadline, without a refund of the registration fee — useful in case of injury or unforeseen circumstances. No refunds are issued in other cases, except for deployed military personnel and pregnant women.
| When should you register?
You need to act very early to have any chance of running the Miami Marathon. For the 2026 edition, general registration opened on August 1, 2025, and sold out by August 15 — in less than two weeks. The half marathon goes even faster — under a week in the most recent edition.
One date to save: August 1, 2026 For the 2027 edition, general registration opens on August 1, 2026. In short, registering on the very first day is the only reliable strategy to guarantee your spot. Following the race’s Instagram account and subscribing to the official newsletter are the best ways to stay on top of the registration window.
Life Time gym members get one week of early access before general registration opens. After that, registration is open to all until sold out — which, in recent editions, has meant just a few days.
Once registration closes, a waitlist is set up with a lottery draw. For the lucky few who miss the window, results are communicated in mid-September. If spots are fully gone, two alternatives remain: the official waitlist lottery, and the VIP Experience Entry Bundle — a slightly pricier bib that includes race entry with premium perks.
| How much does a Miami Marathon bib cost?
Final pricing for the 2027 edition has not yet been announced. For reference, general entry pricing for the 2026 edition was:
➜ Half marathon: $180
➜ Marathon: $210
A VIP Experience upgrade is available for an additional $175 on top of the bib — hot breakfast, private lounge access at the finish area, recovery massage, drinks, and a priority corral. A Spectator VIP Experience is also available at $125.
| Bib pickup at the expo
Bibs must be collected at the official expo in the two days before the race. In 2027, the Expo will be held on Friday, January 29, and Saturday, January 30, at the Mana Wynwood Convention Center.
The pickup process is standard: bring a valid photo ID. If you are unable to attend in person, someone else can collect your bib provided they bring a copy of your ID and your bib number. No bib distribution takes place on race day. Running with someone else’s bib is strictly prohibited — in the United States, this is taken very seriously.
Key info – Miami Marathon
- Date: January 31, 2027
- Participants: 18,500
- Distances: 5K, half marathon, marathon
- Start: 6:00 AM, Biscayne Blvd, Downtown Miami
- Elevation gain: 70m for the marathon
- Time limit: 7 hours for the marathon
- Minimum age: 18 years
- Registration: Bibs go on sale August 1, 2026
- Label: USATF-certified course
- Men’s record: 2:12:22 (David Ruto, 2003)
- Women’s record: 2:29:00 (Martha Akeno, 2022)
- Average temperature: 20°C at start
| Race day
The race starts on Biscayne Boulevard from 5:55 AM for para-athletes, followed by successive waves between 6:00 and 6:45 AM. No runner may start after 7:00 AM. The early start is intentional — designed to limit the impact of the heat. That said, in Miami, you can never fully escape it. Temperatures often hit 20°C at dawn, and weather management will be a serious factor to avoid overheating.
A baggage check is available for runners, located three blocks south of the start line near Bayside Marketplace. The organizer also runs a paid shuttle service from Miami Beach to the start area — spots are limited and must be booked online in advance.
Start corrals are assigned automatically based on the estimated finish time entered at registration — no surprises there. Access is available from 5:00 AM. An opening ceremony is scheduled for 5:45 AM, complete with the classic American national anthem before the gun — a quintessentially American moment, full of patriotism and emotion, the perfect way to launch the day.
| A dedicated elite athlete program
Elite runners receive special treatment. The race offers a discount ranging from 25% to 100% on entry fees based on performance level.
✔ Men’s marathon: free entry under 2:18, 75% discount up to 2:25, 50% up to 2:30, 25% up to 2:32
✔ Women’s marathon: free entry under 2:46, 75% up to 2:53, 50% up to 2:58, 25% up to 3:00
✔ Men’s half marathon: free entry under 1:05, sliding scale up to 1:12
✔ Women’s half marathon: free entry under 1:15, sliding scale up to 1:22
| Miami and the AbbottWMM Masters Championship
For several years now, the Life Time Miami Marathon has been selected as a qualifying race for the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group world rankings. In short, runners hitting the qualifying standards for their age group accumulate points toward the AbbottWMM Age Group World Championship, which will be held in Tokyo in 2027 — an additional reason for masters runners to pencil Miami into their calendar.
The Miami Marathon means that dream backdrop with the skyline behind you and the Atlantic Ocean ahead. It means a massively present Latin community bringing energy and emotion unlike anything else on American soil. It’s that unique blend that shapes the race’s identity just as much as the city’s. And 25 years in — that’s no small thing. The Miami Marathon has become a monument of American running: the Saturday Tropical 5K sets the tone, and the Sunday half and full marathon confirm that Miami knows how to put on a show. But with limited capacity and sell-outs in under two weeks, the equation is simple: plan ahead. Registration opens August 1. Miami doesn’t reward improvisation.
✔ Find all Miami Marathon registration details
Clément LABORIEUX
Journalist
