18th Annual Life Time Miami Marathon presented by cbdMD Sells Out; Runners Revel in Sunny Skies and Ideal Temperature

February 10, 2020

Saidi Juma Makula takes first place in his second US race; Aydee Loayza Huaman claims first place in women’s division at her first-ever marathon

Saidi Juma Makula takes first place in his second US race; Aydee Loayza Huaman claims first place in women’s division at her first-ever marathon

MIAMI, Fla., Feb. 10, 2020 – In its 18^th year, the 2020 Life Time Miami Marathon presented by cbdMD was a sell-out event for the first time in more than five years. 18,493 toed the line as the music, lights and fog machine smoke danced around the starting line arch on the breezy Miami morning. 15,426 opted for the half marathon while 3,067 took on the greater challenge of the full distance; all 50 states and 83 countries were represented in the group. 49 percent of participants were female while 51 percent were male. The youngest participant was 5 and the oldest was 89.

“Taking a step back to see the enormity of this event and how it has evolved into a full weekend that celebrates the welcoming nature of our Miami community is awesome. I want to thank everybody for coming out and experiencing it,” said Frankie Ruiz, founder of the Life Time Miami Marathon and Chief Running Officer at Life Time.

Saidi Juma Makula, 25, of Arusha, Tanzania claimed first place in the men’s marathon with a time of 2:21:59, ten minutes behind his personal best of 2:12:01.When asked what he thought of his run along the famed course, Makula said, “The [causeway] ascents in the beginning before it flattened out, along with some wind and natural humidity, added some challenge.” This was Makula’s second time competing in a United States race.

Elkin Serna, 35, of Guarne, Colombia, took second place after crossing the finish line at 2:27:28. Serna was closely followed by Hillary Too, 40, of Kenya, whose time of 2:28:09 placed him third in the event.

In her marathon debut, Aydee Loayza Huaman, 25, of Lima, Peru was the first woman to cross the finish structure after completing her run in 2:46:52. Loayza Huaman remarked how the spectators made her smile throughout the 26.2 miles, exclaiming, “Miami is very beautiful; I loved the numerous hydration stations and the people cheering as I ran by them.” Loayza Huaman is a full time trail runner in the mountains of Peru and is looking forward to using her prize money to learn and study English.

Lana Gobert, 37, of Noord, Aruba placed second with a time of 2:54:13 and Rebekah Mayer, 38, of Eden Prairie, Minn. took third at 3:02:05. Mayer is the National Run Program Manager at Life Time, overseeing run programming at the premier healthy lifestyle company’s 150 premier athletic clubs throughout the country, including two new locations in the greater Miami area scheduled to open later this year.

In the men’s division of the half marathon, Dominic Korir, 26, of Kericho Kenya, secured first place after running the 13.1 miles in 1:03:52. Daniel Kemoi, 33 and also of Kenya, followed closely, finishing just two seconds later at 1:03:55. Mario Pacay, 22, of Guatemala finished third at 1:06:11.

In the women’s half, notable Israeli-American “Marathon Mother” Beatie Deutsch, 30, placed first at 1:16:50. Deutsch was followed by Jhoselyn Yessica Camargo, 23, of La Paz, Bolivia, who was next to cross at 1:17:44. Rebekah Stowe, 29, of New York, NY, earned third with a time of 1:18:20.

About the Life Time Miami Marathon

Founded in 2003, the Life Time Miami Marathon has evolved to become one of the fastest-growing annual marathons that hosts tens of thousands from around the world. Known for its scenic, USTAF-certified, flat, single-loop and Boston-qualifying course, the event attracts first-timers and elite distance runners alike each January. Note: the 2020 events took place two weeks after their customary dates to ensure an exceptional athlete experience on the heels of the big game, which was hosted at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 2.

The Miami Marathon is owned and produced by Life Time, the premier healthy lifestyle brand. It is among more than 30 premier athletic events owned by the company, including the New York City Triathlon, Leadville Race Series, Dirty Kanza and the recently announced Big Sugar, debuting on Oct. 24, 2020 in Bentonville, Ark.

About Life Time^® – Healthy Way of Life
Life Time champions a healthy and happy life for its members across more than 151 destinations in 40 major markets in the U.S. and Canada. As the nation’s only Healthy Way of Life brand, the company is focused on encompassing the full spectrum of healthy living, healthy aging and healthy entertainment for all ages. In addition to its athletic lifestyle resorts and Athletic Events portfolio, Life Time is expanding its brand to include Life Time Work coworking spaces and Life Time Living high-end leased residences. For more information, visit lifetime.life.

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