KEY LARGO, Florida Keys — More than 330 participants have already registered for the third annual Key Largo Bridge Run, a spectacular out-and-back foot race offering panoramic views of the Upper Keys and the eastern edges of the Florida Everglades. The race is set for Saturday, Nov. 12.
The 10k, half marathon and 5k run/walk event typically entices running enthusiasts of all ages. Entrants in the 2011 challenge hail from 24 American states, the Bahamas, Brazil, Germany and Switzerland. The 2010 race attracted more than 900 contestants.
Runners along the USA Track & Field–certified course cross the 65-foot-high, 1.25-mile-long Jewfish Creek Bridge and occupy the northbound lanes of the bridge and the southern portion of the 18-Mile Stretch, a section of the Overseas Highway that connects mainland South Florida with Key Largo.
The Key Largo Bridge Run is to be held in conjunction with a Health and Fitness Expo sponsored by Florida Keys AHEC. The expo is set for noon to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at the Key Largo Holiday Inn, mile marker (MM) 100.
A variety of vendors and health screenings are available from noon to 9 p.m., and race participants can pick up race packets during that time. A silent auction is scheduled as well.
A Friday night spaghetti dinner is to be hosted by DiGiorgio’s Café Largo, MM 100 bayside, between 4:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. Tickets are $12 per person.
Race entry fees are $35 per person for the 5k, $70 for the half marathon and $50 per person for the 10k through Nov. 4, with a $5 discount for runners whose registrations are received on or before Oct.14. Participants age 17 and under pay $12. The first 1,000 race registrants receive a free T-shirt. There is no admission charge for the Expo.
Event proceeds benefit local charities including Key Largo Baptist Church, the Autism Society of the Keys, Florida Keys Down Syndrome Educational Fund and the Key Largo Bridge Run Scholarship Fund.
Event information: www.keylargobridgerun.com
Key Largo visitor information: www.fla-keys.com/keylargo or 800-822-1088
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