The ING Miami Marathon and Half-Marathon® will celebrate its 10th annual race on January 29, 2012 by presenting finishers with a unique commemorative medal that weighs 8.1 ounces and comes with a ribbon designed by celebrity artist Stephen Gamson.
To get an idea of the medal's size and weight, the first ING Miami Marathon medal weighed 1.3 ounces 10 years ago. This medal is more than six times the weight.
Many of the record 25,000 runners who will participate in the ING Miami Marathon and Half-Marathon® are collectors of the medals through the years. Miami has been known to have the one of the hottest participant medals in the running industry. Over the event's decade-long history, the medal has been innovated to include 3-D palm trees, double spinners, and even the inclusion of a one-carat diamond.
A great deal of thought and design went into the 10th annual commemorative medal. It features the Miami skyline and contains a series of etched words which relate to the 10-year history of the event. As in past years, the palm tree featured center of the medal spins.
"In true Miami fashion, the medal design has echoed the growth of the city and the race." said Frankie Ruiz, co-founder of the event and the creator of the spinning medals which have been awarded to Miami finishers through the years. "From diamonds to spinners, the finisher's medal transcends fame and glory."
In another unique twist, the ribbon that will accompany the medal this year was designed by celebrity artist Stephen Gamson.
Gamson's art has a unique style that is easily recognized for its bold colors, iconic symbols and mass appeal. He is collected by A-list celebrities, corporations and art enthusiasts internationally. Gamson's art was shown with Plages Magazine at the 2011 Art Basel in the Miami Beach Convention Center. He was commissioned by Prince Albert II for the 67th Monaco Grand Prix, his art was featured on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, and he also has done work in South Florida for Café Bustelo, the Sony Ericsson Open, and the City of Miami's recent Birthday celebrations.
The ribbon features runner stick figures, the event logo and stars interspersed into the design.
The event has had to order more medals this year than in any year in the past, with entries almost certain to hit the 25,000 runner milestone for the first time.
In addition to the 25,000 runners, more than 5,000 South Florida middle school students will also participate in the Run For Something Better, a 1.2 mile run from the county courthouse on Flagler Street that culminates a 15-week program designed to promote fitness to kids.
The Publix Tropical 5K, a great family event annually held the morning before the marathon, will also have approximately 3,000 runners. The race, expanded from a sellout of 2,100 runners in 2011, will start at Watson Island and end on South Beach.
Registration is $110 for the marathon and $85 for the half-marathon through January 20, 2012, when the price becomes $125 for both events.
Runners can register at INGMiamiaMarathon.com or by printing an entry form and mailing it to US. Road Sports, Attention: Registration, PO Box 56-1081, Miami, FL 33256. If space is available, walk-up registration will be open at the Nissan Health & Fitness Expo presented by The Miami Herald /El Nuevo Herald on January 27-28 at Miami Beach Convention Center.
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