The community running club 501 Run Club held its second annual 5K Glow Run on Friday, August 30th, at Central Park in San Pedro Town. The event drew many runners of different ages who participated in both male and female categories. At the end of the 3.1-mile race, the top three runners in each category received medals, and organizers encouraged everyone to continue practicing a healthy lifestyle.
The race participants gathered at Central Park at 6PM. They started running north on Barrier Reef Drive when the horn sounded. The lead runners made a loop at the turning point, were guided by volunteers and traffic wardens, and then raced back to the starting line at Central Park. Jesus Alberto Contreras, also known as the Yellow Flash of Belize, won the Male Open category with a total time of 16:36. Shanir Thompson followed him with a time of 19:15. Rudy Novelo finished in third with a time of 19:55. Contreras mentioned that this race was another step towards his goal of becoming a better marathon runner and representing Belize on the international stage. In the Female Open category, Merlin Sansores was the top runner at 23:24. She expressed her gratitude to the organizers and felt proud of her accomplishments.
After all the runners crossed the finish line, a brief ceremony honored the top three male and female athletes. Councilor Adaly Ayuso from the San Pedro Town Council, Kian Trejo, and Marissa Guerrero from 501 Run Club congratulated and thanked all the runners for participating in the annual event. The volunteers were also acknowledged for their support and help smoothly organizing the sporting event. The top winners in the different categories received their medals to recognize their efforts.
The top female under-ten division runners were Genesis Guerrero, Faith Esquivel, and Mila Guerrero. The top runners in the 11-14 age group included Ava Guerrero, Lia Alcantara Vargas, and Oceane Vigma Milner. Seleste Leiva, Alysha Raymundo, and Heidy Ricarte were the top three in the 15-17 age group. The female open category recognized Luisana Guerrero, Ayako Suginaka, and Merlin Sansores.
In the male category, under 10 top runners were Lucas Castañeda, Jr. Lopez, and Josiah Esquivel. In the 11-14 age group, the top runners were Malick O’Neal Bowen, Kelvin Almendarez, and Ethan Guerrero. Anthony Mark Jones, Jahmari Avila, and Elwin Glenn secured the top three spots in the 15-17 age group. Finally, the open category saw Rudy Novelo, Shanir Thompson, and Jesus Contreras as the top three runners.
The 501 Run Club, committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle, thanks all the sponsors and runners who have supported this initiative since it started last year. The club reminded those in attendance about their weekly community runs every Friday. They assemble at the central park at 5:30AM for a park clean-up before the morning run. Everyone is invited to join them every Friday and start the weekend with this fun and healthy activity. The club can be followed through their Facebook page: https://shorturl.at/iOAwB
