Some 1,000 participants representing dozens of U.S. states competed in the 40th annual Seven Mile Bridge Run Saturday, crossing the longest of 43 spans that help comprise the Florida Keys Overseas Highway.
Staged each April, the footrace typically fills 1,500 racing slots, and its panoramic views over the convergence of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico make it one of the most popular running events in the southeastern United States.
This year, organizers limited the field to U.S.-based registered entrants who had previously registered for the 2020 run, which was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.
Race officials took precautions to help mitigate potential coronavirus spread among competitors, staggering their starts in socially distanced groups of 10. Participants also were required to wear masks before beginning the race and after they finished.
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Small, electronic chips were embedded in each runner’s race number placard to be read by a computer sensor at the start and finish lines to determine times. Because of the staggered starts, it will take several days for race officials to determine overall and divisional winners.
