B.D.F. running festival set for Sunday

Due to Hurricane Dean many activities across the country had to be postponed. One of those events was the annual Belize Defence Force Running Festival which is now set to take place on Sunday, September second. This year the soldiers have teamed up with main sponsor Belize Natural Energy and a number of local businesses to encourage the public to be healthy.

Lt. Derrick Castillo, Organizer, BDF Running Festival
“The motivation for organizing an event like this every year is to try to maintain a level of fitness, Belizeans ona whole, knowing for a fact that we are suffering from diabetes and other illnesses, contributing being overweight and that sort of stuff we try to maintain physical and healthy lifestyles.”

Janelle Chanona
“And of course the cash incentives are pretty good too?”

Lt. Derrick Castillo
“Of course the cash incentives are pretty good. For the full marathon it’s one thousand dollars first prize to one hundred dollars for the tenth person coming in. That’s male and female. There is also another prize to the first place personnel which is a trip form Continental two way or a trip to San Pedro, having lunch and staying out there for the day.”

“It’s not a matter of competing and competing and want to beat everyone on this run, at the end of the day the physical effort is in there, you get some sweat in and you get a good workout for yourself.”

The full marathon is scheduled to start at five-thirty while the half marathon will move off at six. Participants in the six mile event will start running at six-thirty while those in three mile run should be ready to start at seven. Interested persons can register at the tape. All events will end at the Marion Jones Stadium and organisers have also planned a series of track and field events for the rest of the day.