The 20th annual Fort Lauderdale Running Festival takes over Las Olas Boulevard and A1A on Sunday, Nov. 8, with four races starting and finishing at Las Olas Oceanside Park. The half marathon and a two-person relay go off at 6:15 a.m., and the A1A 10K and A1A 5K follow at 7 a.m. For anyone driving to the beach that morning, the city has posted road closures that begin at 4 a.m. and run until 11:30.

Four ways to race

The festival offers a 13.1-mile half marathon; a two-person relay split into legs of 6.4 and 6.7 miles; the Fort Lauderdale A1A 10K; and the Fort Lauderdale A1A 5K. Every entry includes a technical running shirt, a finisher medal, professional timing and race photos, according to the race organizers. Registration is handled through RunSignUp, capacity is limited, and prices rose after Oct. 2.

The start and finish are at Las Olas Oceanside Park, 3000 E. Las Olas Blvd. There is no gear check: the organizers point runners to the parking garage beside the start and finish line to leave their things in their cars.

The route

The city's advisory traces the course. It starts on Brickell Avenue (SW 1st Avenue) north of SW 2nd Street, heads east on Las Olas Boulevard to Poinciana Drive, loops south on Poinciana and back north on Idlewyld Drive, then continues east on Las Olas to Seabreeze Boulevard. Runners go south on Seabreeze to a turnaround at SE 23rd Avenue (Harbor Inlet Drive), then north on A1A in the northbound lanes to NE 30th Street, and back south on A1A in the northbound median lane to Las Olas, finishing just before Seabreeze.

Road closures, Sunday, Nov. 8

From 4 to 11:30 a.m.:

  • Las Olas Boulevard is closed from A1A to Seabreeze Boulevard.
  • One eastbound lane of Las Olas is closed from Seabreeze to Andrews Avenue.
  • One southbound lane of Seabreeze Boulevard is closed from Las Olas to Mayan Drive until 7:15 a.m., after which counterflow starts for northbound and southbound traffic.
  • Both northbound lanes of A1A are closed from Mayan Drive to Oakland Park Boulevard.

From 5:30 to 7 a.m., SE 3rd Avenue and Andrews Avenue are both closed from Broward Boulevard to SW 6th Street.

The city advises drivers to expect congestion and plan extra time. Anyone heading to the beach, a Las Olas brunch or a Harbor Beach address before midday on Sunday should plan a route that avoids northbound A1A between Mayan Drive and Oakland Park Boulevard.

How to take part

Runners can still check availability and register through the festival's site, which links to RunSignUp. Spectators can line Las Olas near Oceanside Park for the finish, or A1A north of the beach for the long stretch of the course. Questions go to the organizers at [email protected].

Sources