Keys' Seven Mile Bridge to Close Temporarily for Run Saturday, April 1

MARATHON, Florida Keys -- The Seven Mile Bridge, longest of 42 spans on the Florida Keys' Overseas Highway, is to close temporarily to vehicular traffic during the early morning hours Saturday, April 1, for the 36th annual footrace over the convergence of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.

Monroe County Sheriff's Office deputies are to stop traffic for the Seven Mile Bridge Run beginning at 6:45 a.m. and are to reopen the bridge at 9 a.m.

The race is set to begin at 7:20 a.m. at the east end of the bridge in Marathon.

The field of 1,500 runners has been filled since mid-February, said organizers. Each year, competitors represent dozens of U.S. states, as well as often runners from international countries including the United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland and Netherlands.

Some runners in the 2017 men's division will aim for the course record that has been held since 1998 by former Keys resident Paul Marmaro, at 32 minutes and 59 seconds.

Sonja Friend-Uhl of Brentwood, Tenn., set the longwithstanding women's record of 37:15, in 2004.