Merritt Perlyn, a Miami Beach resident and 10-year-old runner, competed in the Shonan Fujisawa City Marathon in Fujisawa, Japan over the weekend. Perlyn was the youngest participant to gain permission to join the competition. The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, Fire Department and Running Club recently hosted a collaborative ‘run off’ event for Merritt to show the city’s support before his departure to Japan.

Dr. Craig Spurdle, orthopedic surgeon and chief of the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Orthopedic, Sports Health and Spine Institute, has been helping Perlyn stay healthy while preparing for the grueling endeavor. The institute is dedicated to enhancing young athletes’ sports performance by focusing on injury prevention, performance optimization and individualized injury management.