Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon course and elevation
The Publix Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon is on Sunday, February 14, 2027, starting at 5:50 a.m. at 401 SW 2nd Street downtown and finishing on the beach at 1100 Seabreeze Blvd. The race calls it a fast, flat course ideal for Boston qualifying times, with miles of unobstructed ocean views, and names its USA Track and Field certificate, FL23005JK, on its marathon page. That certificate keeps every point between 0.91 and 4.88 m above sea level.
Runsy is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Publix Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon. Course facts come from the race's own pages and its USATF certificate.
USATF certified · FL23005JK
Publix Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Race day
Sunday, February 14, 2027
18weeks to go · 126 days
- Distance
- Marathon
Verified Oct 11, 2026 from a1amarathon.com
The A1A Marathon course, in order
In the order the race's course and marathon pages describe it. The race gives mile points only for the Birch State Park loop.
| Section |
|---|
| Start |
| Downtown to the beach |
| Birch State Park |
| Two loops on A1A |
| Finish |
Source: Publix Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon: marathon page, Course Information and Maps. Checked 11 October 2026.
Elevation: a 4 m band beside the ocean
The certificate the race names, FL23005JK, puts the lowest point of the course at 0.91 m and the highest at 4.88 m above sea level. That is a band of about 4 m (13 ft) for the whole 26.2 miles. A certificate does not give the total climb in between, so read 4 m as the range the course stays inside.
The race says the course is a Boston qualifier. The B.A.A. accepts qualifying times only from certified courses and adjusts them only for a net downhill of 1,500 ft (457.2 m) or more, which a course this flat cannot reach. See our Boston qualifying times for the standards and the BQ Course Index for other certified courses.
Race morning schedule
From the race's 2027 marathon and course pages.
| What |
|---|
| Free shuttles between start and finish begin |
| Arrive to park (the race strongly recommends) |
| Be at the start area |
| Wheelchair start |
| Marathon and half marathon, mass start |
| Course open |
Source: Publix Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon: marathon page, Course Information and Maps. Checked 11 October 2026.
How to pace the A1A Marathon
This section is Runsy's advice, not the race's. It is how we would run this course from the facts above.
- Flat means even splits. Inside a 4 m band there are no hills to bank time on. Pick goal pace and hold it.
- Seed yourself in the mass start. The race asks faster runners to the front of one corral. Pacers stand in the corral in 15-minute steps from 3:00.
- Count your turns. The marathon turns at the north end twice. After the second, it is straight south to the finish, so that is where to spend what is left.
- Plan for warmth. A South Florida morning race can start warm and humid. Drink at the stations the race puts every mile to mile and a half, and carry your own gels: GU is at one stop.
- Rehearse a very early start. A 5:50 a.m. start means a 4 a.m. alarm or earlier. Do a few long runs at that hour.
Turn a goal time into splits with the marathon pace chart, or sanity-check the goal with the race time predictor.
Running A1A on February 14, 2027?
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Shuttles, aid and race-weekend logistics
From the race's 2027 marathon and course pages.
- Packet pickup: the Publix Health and Fitness Expo at the Broward County Convention Center serves as packet pickup.
- Shuttles: free shuttle buses run between the downtown start and the beach finish, 4 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Hydration: about every mile to mile and a half, with water and Gatorade at each station; station 1 is about 2 miles in.
- Time: the courses are open 6 hours, 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Training for it: our intermediate marathon plans are the base the plan bridge above builds from. The 16-week beginner plan suits a first marathon, and the advanced plans suit runners chasing a qualifying time.
Train for A1A, not a generic 26.2
Knowing the course is the easy part. Runsy builds the marathon block for your race date and adapts it around the weeks life interrupts. $12.99/mo after a 7-day free trial. iPhone only.
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Fair questions
What is the Fort Lauderdale A1A Marathon course?
It starts downtown at 401 SW 2nd Street, heads to the beach and State Road A1A, loops through Birch State Park for miles 5 to 7, then stays on A1A for two loops, turning at the north end twice before running straight south to the finish at 1100 Seabreeze Blvd.
What is the A1A Marathon elevation?
Its USA Track and Field certificate, FL23005JK, puts the lowest point at 0.91 m and the highest at 4.88 m above sea level, a band of about 4 m (13 ft).
Is the A1A Marathon a Boston qualifier?
The race says the course is a Boston qualifier and names its certificate, FL23005JK. The B.A.A. accepts times only from certified courses.
What time does the A1A Marathon start?
5:50 a.m. on Sunday, February 14, 2027, as a mass start with the half marathon. The wheelchair start is at 5:45 a.m., and the race asks runners to be at the start area by 5:20.
Where are the aid stations?
About every mile to mile and a half, with water and Gatorade at each. Station 1 is about 2 miles in, and GU is at Stop 6 at the north end of the course.
When should I start training for the A1A Marathon?
Our marathon plans run 12, 16 or 20 weeks. For Sunday, February 14, 2027, a 16-week plan starts on Monday, October 26, 2026 and a 12-week plan on Monday, November 23, 2026. The plan bridge above dates the weeks for you.