Want to watch today's ING Miami Marathon? Better be up early Get Adobe Flash player

Unless you are an early riser -- a very early riser -- it could be too late to catch the start of the ING Miami Marathon and Half Marathon.

But there might be time to make it to the finish.

The races start together at 6:15 a.m. Sunday in front of AmericanAirlines Arena, with wheelchairs taking off at 6:05.

Last year's men's winner took 2 hours, 17 minutes, 43 seconds to reach the finish. So anyone wanting to see the last kick should arrive well before 8:30.

The women's winner usually comes in about 20 minutes or more later.

For the first time in the race's seven-year history, the field is full with 15,000 entrants. About 3,900 of them will go the full distance of 26.2 miles.

Together, they have pumped plenty of money into the local economy.

''We've had a cumulative six-year local impact of more than $105 million,'' race director Robert Pozo said. ``The municipalities have believed in us since Day One, allowing us to use and close down 26.2 [miles] of their busiest streets, giving us police support as well as guidance.''

The weather forecast calls for a clear, sunny day, though it could be too hot for the slower runners who are winding down as they head into late morning. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-50s for the 6 a.m. start and should rise to above 70 by noon.

The run starts in front of the arena and continues over the MacArthur Causeway to South Beach, through the Venetian Islands to the arts district, downtown Miami, Coconut Grove, Brickell Avenue and back to Bayfront Park for the finish.

Thousands of spectators are expected at the ING Cheering Zone at Omni Center on NE 15th Street and Biscayne Boulevard (Mile 10.5).

-- SUSAN MILLER

DEGNAN
TROPICAL 5K

With the finish line less than a mile ahead, leader Jonathan Mederos refused to look back during Saturday morning's Tropical 5K race.

Mederos, 23, of Miami, was in control from the start and beat the field of 1,330 in 16:21, averaging 5:16 a mile.

But after running comfortably in 60 degree weather with low humidity, Mederos, a teacher at Belen Jesuit Prep, heard footsteps while going up the MacArthur Causeway.

''There was no wind, but my legs were burning because the bridge was tough,'' Mederos said. ``But I never turn around because it's a sign of weakness.''

The fifth annual 3.1-mile race began at Watson Island and ended at South Point Park on Miami Beach.

John Mass, 36, a tennis pro from Key Largo, finished second, four seconds behind Mederos.

''By the time I got to the peak of the bridge, I had passed 10 runners and thought I was going to catch him,'' Mass said. ``But the finish snuck up on me, and I ran out of real estate.''

Santiago Zerda, 16, finished three seconds behind Mass in third.

Unlike Mederos, women's winner Marlene Persson, 38, of Deerfield Beach didn't take the lead until the halfway point.

After running behind defending women's champion Courtney Filliben, 14, averaging a 5:58 pace, Persson made a move just before the bridge and was never challenged. She won with a time of 18:31, 25 seconds ahead of Filliben.

''I'm just coming back after running the West Palm Beach Marathon in December, and I am getting ready to run the Stockholm Marathon in May,'' said Persson, a physical therapist.

``When I took the lead, I felt good.''

Emily Hernandez, 13, took third in 19:18.

Sylvia Weiner, 78, of Miami, finished first in her age group in 33:04.

''The bridge was so easy I didn't even know it was there,'' said Weiner, a Holocaust survivor who has finished 44 marathons. ``I've run thousands of races, and it always comes down to the will to survive.''

-- BUTCH STALLINGS
Men overall: 1. Jonathan Mederos, Miami, 16:21; 2. John Mass, Key Largo, 16:25; 3. Santiago Zerda, Miami, 16: 28; 12 under: Nicolas Lopez, 23:40; 13-15: Kenneth Castro, 17:32; 16:19, David Ramirez, 17:30; 20-24: Felipe Rubio, 17:10; 25-29: Nathan Bradford, 17:28; 30-34: Jimmy Mann, 17:41; 35-39: Joe Loparco, 20:15; 40-44: Edmundo Herrera, 16:42; 45-49: Monte Stickel, 18:20; 50-54: Alan Davis, 20:55; 55-59: Patrick Gaughan, 18:26; 60-64: Humberto Rubio, 21:25; 65-69: Albert Leon, 24:35; 70-74: Michael Goldman, 24:53; 75-over: Martin Quinn, 31:51.

Women overall: 1. Marlene Persson, Deerfield Beach, 18:31; 2. Courtney Filliben, Miami, 18:56; 3. Emily Hernandez, 19:18; 12-under: Lauren Archer, 20:27; 13-15: Aylwyn Hernandez, 19:18; 16-19: Yisel Chong, 24:57; 20-24:Cherie Cantie, 25-29: Asha Hadley, 22:36; 30-34: Amanda Held-Gannon, 20:35; 35-39: Tracy Jurgus, 22:00; 40-44: Carol Fumo, 25:58; 45-49: Ana Luiza Garcez, 19:56; 50 -54: Cynthia Raes-Barnard, 22:52; 55-59: Pamela Richardson, 25:28; 60-64: Sally Lindbergh, 29:00; 65-69: Erica Gassen, 28:52; 70-74: Audrey Slee, 42:08; 75-over: Sylvia Weiner, 52:48.


Source: miamiherald.com