Runners and walkers at Tropical Park will spend a September morning collecting capes, masks and gloves at checkpoints scattered along a 5K course, assembling full superhero costumes by the time they cross the finish line. The event, called Superhero Miles: A Miami Joy Project 5K, is set for September 13 at 7:30 a.m. and benefits children with special needs and medically complex conditions across South Florida.
The race, held at Tropical Park, 7900 SW 40th St. in Miami, benefits Miami Joy Project, Inc., a South Florida nonprofit dedicated to celebrating children with special needs and medically complex children, according to WSVN 7News. The organization works with hospitals, schools, care facilities and pediatric programs throughout the region, providing celebrations, gifts and outreach to children and families facing extraordinary challenges. Miami Joy Project, Inc. is registered as an active Florida non-profit corporation based in Coral Gables under officer Kelly Vedrani, according to Florida Division of Corporations records.
How the Superhero Checkpoints Work
Along the course, organizers have positioned interactive superhero checkpoints where participants sequentially collect custom costume pieces — capes, masks, gloves and other accessories — before crossing the finish line in full superhero attire, per RunSignup. The race is open to all ages and fitness levels, and every participant receives a personalized bib, an official race shirt and a finisher medal, per the same report. Registration currently costs $39, with the price set to increase after August 31.
Race organizers will present awards to the top overall finishers as well as individual age-group winners, the outlet's report notes. The course will use personalized bibs fitted with RFID timing chips managed by Victory Sports Management, a firm that chip-times the race and brings more than 20 years of South Florida sports management experience to the event, according to Victory Sports Management. The company organizes and times dozens of cause-driven 5Ks, endurance races and community athletic events across the region each year.
The Medical Need Behind the Race
Miami Joy Project's outreach touches on a category of care few outside the pediatric health world encounter directly: Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care, or PPEC, centers. Under Florida Statutes Section 400.902, these are state-licensed nonresidential medical daycare facilities providing up to 12 hours of daily skilled nursing and therapy to medically dependent children, according to the Florida Division of Law Revision. PPECs allow children with complex conditions to receive daily clinical care while still living at home with their families.
The scale of that need is substantial. National health survey data reported in 2025 found that roughly 21% of U.S. children — more than 15 million youth — have special healthcare needs requiring specialized medical or developmental services, according to Spark Pediatrics. Families of children with complex conditions often face shortages of accessible recreational programs, a gap events like Superhero Miles aim to address through community fundraising.
A Historic Park Built for Community Events
Tropical Park itself carries a long history as a Miami-Dade gathering place. The 275-acre venue in southwest Miami-Dade's Westchester area was converted into a public county park in 1979 on the site of the historic Tropical Park Race Track, which hosted horse races from 1931 to 1972, according to Wikipedia. The park now features paved multi-use running paths, four freshwater lakes, a specialized track stadium, 12 wheelchair-accessible tennis courts and the Ronald Reagan Equestrian Center.
The venue has increasingly become a hub for inclusive and adaptive programming in Miami-Dade. Hoodline previously reported on a festival for people with disabilities that Miami-Dade County's Therapeutic Recreation & Inclusion program hosted at Tropical Park last October, and the park also hosted its fifth annual Glow to Thrive After Dark 5K and wellness festival in January. Miami Joy Project has also drawn local philanthropic support, receiving a $12,000 contribution from the Cayon Family Foundation Inc. in 2025, according to Grantmakers.io.
Runners, walkers and families are invited to participate in Superhero Miles regardless of experience level, with the September 13 event designed to welcome everyone from competitive age-group racers to families walking together. Those interested in registering before the price increase on August 31 can find details through the event's official listing.
