Completion of the Pelican Run 5K

After joining Bearly Runners, the very first message I received was about an event. That first event was the Pelican Run 5K.

The Pelican Run 5K is an annual charity run and walk held at Haulover Park in Miami Beach. The 2026 event took place on Saturday, May 2, 2026. Proceeds from the race are donated to the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station to support wildlife rehabilitation and environmental education programs. The course consists of flat, paved roads. 

Haulover Park is a large beachfront park of about 177 acres (approximately 720,000 square meters) located between Miami Beach and Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. Situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, it is one of Miami’s most popular destinations, offering beautiful ocean views and a variety of marine recreational activities. About one-third of the park’s northern section (between Lifeguard Towers 12–16) includes Florida’s only legally designated clothing-optional (nude) beach, as well as family-friendly areas and a dog beach. (Address: 10800 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33154; Hours: open daily from sunrise to sunset; Parking: approximately $5–7 on weekdays, $7–11 on weekends and holidays.) 

With the Peachtree Road Race 10K coming up on July 4, I felt like I should at least try running a 5K once, so I signed up—but since it wasn’t originally in my plans, I started to feel nervous. My “official” record is last year’s Turkey Trot 5K at 58 minutes. I’ve been gradually increasing my mileage on weekends lately, but I still didn’t feel confident. 

Since it was my first time there, I left early at 6 a.m. with Kim, but Haulover Park is so large with multiple entrances that we circled three times before finally finding the starting point hidden under a bridge just 15 minutes before the race. Later, I checked the website and realized the directions were actually quite detailed—I must have skimmed them. I thought I should be more careful next time, though these chaotic moments tend to make the memories more vivid. 

With around 400 participants, it was a small race—not too crowded, and actually less intimidating for first-timers. After picking up my bib, taking photos, and getting encouragement from my husband, I started the race. I ran steadily for the first 1.5 miles, occasionally looking out at the ocean. Kim had already passed the turnaround point, and I tried to pick up my pace, but I became short of breath and my knee started hurting, so I walked about 0.3 miles. 

Once my breathing settled, I started running again. I saw my husband cheering and filming from the roadside, and even though I was struggling, I tried to smile as I ran. Then he started running alongside me, and while my speed picked up, I felt like I couldn’t breathe—like my vision was fading. I think I heard someone say I was almost there, but I don’t remember anything until I crossed the finish line. 

I sat down, and my husband poured cold water over my head to help me come to my senses. When I looked up, I was already wearing a medal. My pace was 13 minutes 20 seconds per mile, with a finishing time of 41 minutes 20 seconds. I placed 13th in my age group—a proud achievement for me. Kim placed 2nd in her age group, as expected—she’s amazing. 

Afterward, I enjoyed cold water and a banana provided by the organizers, took some finisher photos, and then we sat on a bench by Haulover Inlet. We chatted about the race, cooked cup noodles, drank coffee, and enjoyed the cool ocean breeze before heading home.