Whether travelling by foot, kicking along on a scooter, pushing a stroller or holding hands with a partner, participants in this year’s Stride Against Cancer showed tremendous support for the Cayman Islands Cancer Society’s largest event of the year.
An estimated 1,200 joined the main race starting and ending at Seven Mile Public Beach, said CICS Operations Manager Dave O’Driscoll. Others planned their own routes, and 75 striders also participated in the North Side race, which kicked off at Rum Point.
“It took five minutes just for everyone to leave the starting line,” he said of the main race.
Last year’s turnout was high as well, but this year 1,800 people registered, with more than 100 participating in the half marathon. O’Driscoll said both are new records. In total, the society raised $95,000.
Sunday’s West Bay Road races included a 5K, 10K and half marathon, providing opportunities for community members of all ages to join.
“The money raised from this will directly help the men and women [in the Cayman Islands] right now who are fighting cancer,” O’Driscoll told the first wave of half-marathoners as they collected around the inflatable arch serving as the start and finish line.
Even with a late start, the mob of yellow-clad racers set off well before sunrise, making their way down West Bay Road. Along the way, volunteers cheered the striders on and kept them hydrated. On the final stretch of the route, roadside volunteers even rolled out the red carpet for striders to tread.
Joining the fight
While participants said they were glad to cross the finish line for the early-morning race, many said they were even more excited to be part of such a sizable show of support in the fight against cancer.
Jessica Ebanks, who competed in the half marathon with her friend Scott Ruby, said she was glad to participate in support of her mother.
“I have a lot of people in my life who are affected by cancer, and my mom specifically, so it means a lot to me,” she said of joining the stride. “Sadly, it affects a lot of us, but it’s good that we take a positive turn, come out here, be healthy, and support those who are going through the fight.”
She encouraged even more people to turn out next year for what will be both the 20th anniversary of the event and the cancer society’s 30th anniversary.
The cancer society has been holding the race every year since its inception, even holding a virtual version in 2021, and community support for it has continued to grow. O’Driscoll said he was especially proud that this year is the first ever with a title sponsor — Cayman National.
Deputy Governor Franz Manderson commended the company for its involvement and striders for their investing in their health that morning.
Top finishers
The top finishers in the men’s division of the half marathon were Christian Henning (first), Andrew Morrison (second) and Teddy Mercer (third), and they agreed that this race surpassed last year’s gusty event.
Henning said they appreciated both getting to support the cancer society and squeezing in some early-season tuning for upcoming marathons in 2024.
“It’s especially good for the guys training for the April marathons, which a lot of people will be,” Morrison said. “It’s a good way to start the year — it’s like a fitness test. The times in the half were super competitive, which is nice.”
Mercer added that appreciated getting to see so many running clubs unite for this event, and his peers agreed they loved to see a solid turnout for a good cause.
Participants in the half marathon had the opportunity for their runs to be officially timed with a chipped bib they wore. O’Driscoll noted, however, that not every finisher got their times because the race started about 45 minutes late and the cutoff wasn’t adjusted accordingly.
“I wanted to include the running community of Cayman in this, the biggest NPO-run procession of the year, and offer you a chance to record a proper time, even if just for yourself,” he said in an apologetic press release on Tuesday. “We will be having a post-race meeting with Race Caribbean to discuss the event and to learn from it.”
Those who did get their recorded times will be able to view them through Race Caribbean.
‘Raise the roof’
Beyond supporting the cancer society’s everyday efforts to educate the community, provide access to screening and support the medical care of those in need, funds raised through entry fees and donations will also go toward its “Raise the Roof” campaign for expanded office space, O’Driscoll said.
“At the end of the day, this is a fun event, and we want people to have fun together, and for the community to grow stronger,” he said. “We’re all a family, all living on this tiny island, and we’re doing it for each other. Please, look after each other and look after yourselves.”
He thanked the community for the sweeping show of support and reminded everyone to do any necessary screenings this year. He also extended an offer to businesses, schools, churches and other organisations in the territory for experts to give on-site educational presentations on cancer prevention.
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