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Run Barbados Archives - Canada Running Series

Apr 30 2018
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Run Barbados Marathon Weekend 2018

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Come for the run, stay for the fun!

Join Natasha Wodak, Sasha Gollish and our Canada Running Series community at Run Barbados Marathon Weekend, December 7th – 9th 2018. We’ll be at the races, on the beach, for a few easy runs, and out on the town! It’s the ultimate CRS year-end reward!

Congratulations to this year’s contest winner, LISA EDWARDS!

You’re invited to join Lisa and our Canada Running Series community in Barbados this year – just follow these 3 Easy Steps:

1. Go to runbarbados.org to register for you event(s).

2. Book your stay at one of the Official Hotels offering great rates.

3. Contact Marge at Marville Travel to get the best deals on airfare.

There’s a race for everyone: 1 Mile, 5K, 10K, Half-marathon, and Marathon, spread through Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Race details: www.runbarbados.org

Oct 12 2016
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The ultimate year-end reward! Join Lanni Marchant, Natasha Wodak & Alan Brookes on the beach for Run Barbados 2016, December 1st – 8th.

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments
TORONTO – October 12th, 2016.

“Come for the Run, and Stay for the Fun!” That’s the tag line of the Run Barbados Festival, a marvelous running experience that offers something for everyone over the December 2nd to 4th weekend. There’s a 1 mile, a 5k, 10k, half marathon and full marathon, as well as miles of magnificent sandy beaches, warm breezes, and even a rum punch or two on offer after the races are done!

You’re invited!

Canada Running Series has organized a trip-of-a-lifetime tour group with Marville Travel, led by our Race Director Alan Brookes, plus Olympians Lanni Marchant and Natasha Wodak. It’s a fabulous opportunity to do a few easy runs with our CRS running stars, and hang out with them on the beach at the magnificent Bougainvillea Resort.

Call Marge at Marville Travel TODAY to find out more, and join us December 1st to 8th. Tel. 905-891-0111 or 1-800-461-0473

Prices start at only $1,600 per person (based on double occupancy: single supplements available on request). This includes:

  • Round trip airfare from Toronto or Montreal
  • 7 nights (December 1st – 8th) at the fabulous 4-star Bougainvillea Beach Resort on Maxwell Coast Road
  • Transfers between airport-hotel in Barbados

For more info on the events themselves, plus online entry, check out Run Barbados website.

And for a great throwback to see Alan at Run Barbados 20 years ago, check out this post on our blog.

Join Alan, plus Betty & Veronica on the beach for the ultimate year-end reward! 

run-barbados-lanni-and-natasha

Oct 09 2015
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My Run Barbados Experience. By Kim Goff, 11-time marathon winner!

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

Did you know? We are giving away two trips to Run Barbados Marathon Weekend, including hotel accommodations by Sugar Bay Barbados and Bougainvillea Beach Resort, airfare, race entry, shuttle and food! Winners will be drawn from all entrants in the full marathon distance and announced after STWM Race Weekend! 

American Kim Goff has won the Barbados Marathon a record-breaking 11 times! This year, will be Kim’s 25th consecutive visit to Run Barbados Marathon Weekend and in the post below she shares how special this event has been to her running career.

My Run Barbados Experience. By Kim Goff, 11 time marathon winner!

Run Barbados Kim Goff

Photo Credit: Sporting Barbados

My first visit to Barbados was in 1991.  I read about the event in the back of a Runner’s World magazine under the marathon schedule.  I emailed the race director, told him of my success as a marathon runner, and expressed interest in competing in the marathon.   I traveled to Barbados for 4 days on that first trip. I was captivated by the beautiful island so soon after my arrival.  I left behind a dreary and cold winter and was suddenly on a lush tropical island with the most beautiful aqua water that I had ever seen.  The race went very well for me.  I had stiff competition with two other female runners for the majority of the race but held strong for the win.  I was so touched by the many spectators along the route even though the race starts as early as 5 am.  I’ll never forget how lovely the women and children looked dressed in their Sunday’s best awaiting their buses to church.

Those four days passed so quickly. I knew I would return the following year and I did.  We came to make friends with many locals that year and another win was such a surprise. The third year,  we decided to make Barbados our holiday and to take the children. They too fell in love with the beauty of the beaches and the friendly locals and another win in the women’s race was again icing on the cake!  The years passed swiftly, and every December was so exciting as it held another visit to our second home.  My many new friends would come out early to greet me along the course on race day and I came to know many by name.  The tenth year was particularly exciting for me as it was said to be a world record for most consecutive wins in an international event.

It was not long before I would be diagnosed with breast cancer.  After discussions with my physician, it was decided that radiation treatment could begin after I competed.  I felt I owed it to my Bajan friends to set the world record and I did!  Originally, I had planned to compete just for the 10 years, but decided to keep going.  My daughter and son continued to return with me each year until they reached university.  I was very sad when the marathon didn’t take place several years ago.  I had planned on going for the 20 year mark but only made it 19.  Since then, I have competed in all of the events during race weekend.  I am a seasoned runner now, the legs are slow, but my spirit soars.

I have always encouraged others to visit Barbados and to Run Barbados Kim Goff 2partake in the Run Barbados series. It is a truly wonderful event with incredible participation of locals and visitors.  I have had many travel opportunities during my running career.  Barbados is a special place for me.  I have been blessed with making lifetime friendships.  I am very excited about competing in my 20th Run Barbados Marathon this year.  This will mark my 25th consecutive year competing in the event.  Last year my son returned, he was 6 during his first visit.  Now at 25, he still feels the same excitement he did as a child.  We did all of the events on race weekend in 2014.  The Run Barbados organisers have been most supportive during my visits over so many years.  I am truly grateful for the warm hospitality shown me by this great event.

Sep 15 2015
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Run Barbados Back Up and Running! By Alan Brookes

By | Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon | No Comments

TORONTO September 15th 2015. It is exciting to see that the Run Barbados Marathon Weekend is back up and running on the weekend of December 4th to 6th. It has been re-energized with a new team at Barbados Tourism Marketing and a new organizing group led by Zary and Kristina Evelyn and Peter Gibbs. Barbados is such an AWESOME destination, and the weekend offers a distance for everyone, from Fun Mile Friday to 5K, 10K, Half-marathon and Marathon over Saturday and Sunday.  View the full race weekend agenda here.

It’s a very special reward at the end of the Canada Running Series year, just as the snow starts to swirl in the North. I recommend that we all check it out! I see they’re still using the slogan I created: “Come for the Run; Stay for the Fun” – and it’s a good one! That’s right, Run Barbados and I go WAY back.RunBdos_Groupshot

It all started in 1984 when then head of Athletics Ontario, Cecil Smith, asked if I wanted to go down and check it out, with the view to setting up a tour group of elite and recreational runners from Canada. I ended up taking a tour group to Run Barbados for more than a decade! Canada and Canadians became a HUGE part of Run Barbados. Richard Lee, who now coaches Natasha Wodak, Dylan Wykes, Catherine Watkins and Kelly Wiebe at the BC Endurance Project, placed 4th in the 10K in 1985; his future wife, Olympian Sue French (Lee) did WAY better, winning the women’s 10k that year in 34:53. Jeff Martin from St. Catharine’s won the marathon that year too! Toronto’s Laura Konantz won the women’s marathon in ’86 – the first of several victories for her – while Toronto Olympic club’s Peter Maher took the men’s marathon title that year.

We raced with some of the world’s best in those years: Irish Olympian John Treacy, 1982 London marathon champion Hugh Jones [who won Run Barbados Marathon SIX times], New York City Marathon legend Orlando Pizzolato. I actually did the Run Barbados Marathon twice, and the 10K a bunch of times. But it wasn’t all about the run. It was always about the fun too. Longboat Roadrunners’ Brian Eley, who still works on our CRS race crew met his wife Carmel in Barbados, fell in love and has been happily married ever since. Olympian May Allison and husband Mark went as a young couple in the early ‘90s, Toronto Olympic’s Laura Konantz beame a perennial marathon podium finisher, and in more recent years the likes of Matt Loiselle have starred in the 10K and half-marathon. Longboat’s Kevin Hayes and wife Melanie became regulars and Kevin designed posters and t-shirts for Run Barbados, as well as making trips to Bert’s Bar in Rockley an annual tradition.

RunBdos_IanMcQueen

Somewhere along the way, in the late 90s, the event lost its way, and our tour group took a break. Then from 2000 to 2003 I actually got a contract as Race Director, to revive the event, and we had SO much fun! We even had “Queen Catherine Ndereba” and her family join us for the 10K and on the beach in 2003. So many great times! Rope swinging on the Jolly Roger. Battling the surf at Bottom Bay. Catching more than a few rays on the pink-sand beach at The Crane or in Worthing or at Accra. Daiquiris at Bert’s Bar. Ian McQueen [who’s been part of our CRS Course Crew for 25 years] and Kevin leading cycling expeditions up to Speightstown and around the island.

And now, after another lean spell, Run Barbados IS BACK!

There are some special fare offers from Air Canada, hotel deals, and Bajan tunes, seasoning, Banks beer and a run or two calling! Let’s check it out, and get Canada back at Run Barbados!

BONUS: WIN one of two Trips to RUN BARBADOS MARATHON WEEKEND, including hotel (accommodations will be provided by Sugar Bay Barbados and Bougainvillea Beach Resort), airfare, race entry, shuttle and food! Winners will be drawn from all entrants in the full marathon distance and announced after STWM Race Weekend! 

Run Barbados 2014