While it’s often the stories of incredible journeys taken by Cayman’s marathon runners that make the spotlight, none of those would be possible without volunteers like Judy Dilbert, who has spent the last nine years working behind the scenes to ensure the event goes smoothly.
Asked if she had ever run the 26.2-mile event herself, Dilbert said jokingly, “I would die.”
“Those who cannot run, volunteer,” she explained, when she spoke on the phone with the Cayman Compass on Tuesday, ahead of Sunday’s 20th Walkers Cayman Islands Marathon.
Dilbert, from Prospect, has spent years volunteering with Kelly Holdings, the organising team behind the marathon, to help make the experience memorable for participants like those profiled in the Compass’ ‘why we run’ series. It’s all the more special for her, as the marathon falls close to her birthday.
“I’m up at 2/3 o’clock in the morning ready to go. But it just makes sense for me, because I like to give time, I like to volunteer for different things. Everyone comes from all over to enjoy the marathon and it raises money for good causes and people enjoy it. And I enjoy making it possible for them,” she said.
Dilbert said, prior to working on the marathon, she would help with other Kelly Holdings events and, one year, she was asked to lend a hand. She never looked back.
“Without people volunteering, a lot of things wouldn’t be possible. People don’t realise just how much volunteers actually do… They spend hours and hours behind the scenes making sure that everybody is enjoying the event,” she said.
She added that when the runners come over and they say thank you and they are happy “you feel accomplished, at least for me”.
She said she admired the participants, particularly because the event raises funds for important local charities, like the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. This, she said, also drives her to keep coming back every year, especially as cancer hits close to home for her.
Dilbert, just last year, lost her uncle to the disease. Due to COVID restrictions, she could not go and spend time with him before he passed. She said she was grateful that the hospice was there for him.
“I’m hoping one day that they’ll be able to find cure for it or, if not find a cure, at least not have people suffer as much with it. So it has touched my family a lot because we’ve had several people that have passed due to cancer. So it is a very, very worthy cause for me to go out there and help and to make sure that things go the way they need to,” Dilbert said.
She had a message for the runners heading out on Sunday.
“I just want them to enjoy themselves and have fun and most of all, be safe out there. If you feel you can’t do it, take a break. If you’re getting tired, just run at your pace, don’t try to beat everybody. Everybody [who] crosses the finish line gets their medal. So don’t worry about being first or last, it’s your accomplishment,” she added.
She also encouraged the community to show their support for the runners, to respect them for doing it and keep them motivated.
“[Runners] look forward to [supporters] on the road, cheering them on, dressed up… yes, it is early, but it’s once a year for us. So why not just do it?” she added.
Next up for her, after the marathon, is the Addison Kelly Butterfly 5k fundraising event for the Addison Kelly Memorial Scholarship in February.
- The Compass ‘Why we run’ series aims to celebrate the personal stories of those who compete in the Cayman Islands Marathon. If you have an interesting or inspiring story about the race, email us at [email protected].
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