An Outstanding Experience at UWI Half!

The next client who requests “a team builder” will be advised that the team should run the “UWI Half Marathon 2015”.  It will provide long term focus on a common goal and an experience of oneness that can only be earned by each person’s singular effort for the team.

UWI/SPEC INTERNATIONAL HALF MARATHON 2014 was an outstanding experience.  I am however disappointed that  24 hours later, the results are not yet on-line and available.

The Race organisers finally made the sensible decision to begin the race half hour earlier at 5:30 am and that made a positive difference especially to those of us finishing in more than 2 1/2 hours.   Thankfully the weather was on our side with great cloud cover for most of the race.  The course was well resourced with water and the Police did a great job of keeping the course closed.

The inclusion of drumming, tassa and steel band at strategic locations made for enjoyable distractions away from the focus on my aching body.  People line the course to cheer, jeer or heckle the runners as they see fit but Her Excellency seemed to be singled out for special treatment.  From the chant of “Go Reema!, Go Reema!, Go Reema!” to “Rachel Price waiting for yuh up de road”.  Along the way a friend handed me a beastly cold “Powerade” which I gulped but had to reject the “shot of white rum” offered by a group calling themselves “Road Rummers”.  They set up near to the seven mile marker with their table 

and beverages and warmly offered shots to the runners.  Not sure if they had any takers!

The finish was sweet as I simultaneously chased and urged on a young women.  As we bounded towards the finish line, the feeling of accomplishment was ripe.  Running a half Marathon is hard and there is so much to learn and so much to be thankful for.  It is always about the effort of the collective … the members of Trinidad and Tobago Road Runners Club (TTRRC) who selflessly give advice and guidance during training … family and friends who support the training efforts … the hundreds of volunteers manning the aid stations … the Police directing traffic and the Runners who just by putting one foot in front the other and refusing to quit inspire their fellow runners to do the same.

Well done UWI Half and First Citizen’s Bank!