Run Barbados in December is always the sporting highlight pre-Christmas, but re-branding has added another dimension with a Wellness component added. Now known as the “Run Barbados Marathon and Wellness Weekend it will be something special.
At the time of going to press in November, it promises to be more of a festival as race coordinator Zary Evelyn believes it will attract a larger audience with the innovative Wellness program and the diversity that comes with this focus on health.
Once again, the Fun Mile and Run Barbados Race Day will be held at the Garrison Savannah -the penultimate warm-up to the big events on Saturday that include the 5K walk, 5K run, and 10K run, followed on Sunday by the Half Marathon and the Full Marathon. The Sunday route remains unchanged from last year as the organisers and runners prefer to stick to the relatively flat course on the East Coast. The shoreline is spectacular, and the run starts at Barclays Park, continues to Belleplaine, St Andrews Church, Walkers, to the bottom of Farley Hill, and back to Barclays Park.
Barclays Park is the base camp with refreshments, music, commentary, and presentations and many of the spectators, friends and teams congregate there. Barclays Park may be remote, but the atmosphere is electric when the runners are in action and the winners of the Half and Full Marathons arrive. The competitors love it too as they head for a quick refreshing dip in the beautiful ocean!
The Wellness aspect includes the Cocoa Hill Full Moon hike on Friday, and the organizers will host events in the Welchman Gully trails while Aniki Barbados will offer daily dynamic mobility yoga, single or double cottage occupancy offers, healthy meals offer, country heritage walks in breezy and tranquil surroundings with breathtaking views. All aimed at calming the soul and the mind!
There will be a 5K hike at Walker’s Reserve on the Sunday. And for the first time, there will also be prizes on offer for school groups. This is a brilliant new concept to encourage the youth to get moving!
The Run Barbados series has been going for 41 years, but the 42nd promises to be something special with the added Wellness component. In 2024 the participants totalled 1,600 with over 25 countries represented and the Marathon was won by Kenyan Alex Ekesa in 2 hours, 29 minutes and 2 seconds. Numbers are expected to be even higher for the 2025 weekend. We look forward to the event as it grows in December 2026 so stay tuned to www.sportingbarbados.com and if you’re up for the challenge, book your sporting visit now.
