Endurance race to challenge the islands’ fittest

(CNS): Following last year’s successful race Kenneth Krys is looking for competitors for the 2nd annual Off The Beaten Track road race set for Sunday, 27 February. The ultra-marathon is designed to reflect the ultra-distance race run every year in the hot sands of Morocco – the Marathon des Sables. This race however takes places on the warm, even muggy, but breezy beaches, dyke roads and back streets of Grand Cayman. Runners will compete in teams of 6 running in relay over a distance of at least 50 kilometers. For fit and seasoned runners, the race can be an individual effort, which will undoubtedly be a unique and challenging experience.

Last year, 18 teams and two individuals competed in the event. The winning relay team was Burton’s Burners with a time of 4:01:44. Richard Barber was the first individual runner to finish, completing the course in four hours and 41 minutes.

All proceeds from the race will again be donated to Facing Africa – a charity dedicated to helping children in Nigeria and Ethiopia who suffer from a disease called NOMA. NOMA is an acute and ravaging gangrenous infection affecting the face. The victims are mainly children under the age of 6, caught in a vicious cycle of extreme poverty and malnutrition. The mortality rate for this disease is estimated at about 90%. Those who do survive suffer from immense distress and social isolation as a result of their facial deformities.

Krys, a long-standing marathon enthusiast and supporter of Facing Africa, participated in the 2009 Marathon des Sables and the Antarctic Ice Marathon in December 2010. He is encouraging more organizations to become involved to support this great cause. Joining some of Cayman’s most well known professional services firms, potential contributors can help by entering a team for this one-of-a-kind ultra-marathon.

The event has already gained the support of Tower Marketing, Governor’s Square, Stuarts Walker Hersant, PwC, Mourant Ozannes, MCS, dms Management Ltd., Maples and Calder, Maples Fund Services, Solomon Harris, the Caymanian Compass, Vision Marketing / Signs of Paradise, and Foster’s Food Fair.

Following the race there will be a nominal prize for the winning relay team and best individual male and female winner, with a BBQ and a medal distribution ceremony at public beach.

For more information regarding registration and sponsorship, contact Kenneth Krys at Kenneth.Krys@KRyS-Global.com, call 815-8401 or visit www.offthebeatentrack.ky

More information on Facing Africa and NOMA can be found at www.facingafrica.org