11 posts tagged “wayne roberts”

CariFin Personality of the Month of March Denise Rodriguez – Archie of Central Bank.

She has a terrific story to tell. She plays tennis, does aerobics, workout on strength routine in the gym. Did the marathon a couple of times, does maintain an active lifestyle by exercising at least three times a week.

We feel she extols the attributes of what CariFin has been promoting from its inception.

Please click the start button to see and hear what Denise has to say.

Friday, November 21, 2008

The weekend round – up

First on the agenda for runners would be the final leg of the Kiss Enriched Bread Road Race Series – 5 and 15K. Both races start at 6.00 am at Jerningham Avenue on the Savannah. Registration closes on 5.45 a.m. the morning of the race. Registration: Children under 12 is $20.00 and Adults is $30.00.

Rainbow Warriors Triathlon Club will hold it’s annual Lady Chancellor Hill Charity Fun Run walk on Saturday November 29, November at 4.00 p.m. 

The NAAA is schedule to hold its national Cross Country championships this consist of a part three  series November 30, December 07 and 14, 2008 all would be held at Sevilla Golf Course Couva.

A number of runners both competitive and of the corporate level would be heading out to Barbados for the Run Barbados Series which is carded for December 05 – 07, 2008.

Post and Win!
The winners for the second and third week of Post and Win are Melissa Berkley and again the winner from the first week Darren Cole.  Nature Valley Granola has agreed to give the winners one box of Nature Valley Trail Mix, Fruit and Nuts.  Thanks for participating, thanks for contributing.

Running Quotes

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”
"Some people create with words, or with music, or with a brush and paints. I like to make something beautiful when I run. I like to make people stop and say, "I've never seen anyone run like that before." It's more then just a race, it's a style. It's doing something better then anyone else. It's being creative."
 “Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.”
“You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back.”
“A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.”
“Life’s battles don't always go to the strongest or fastest man,
But sooner or later the man who wins is the fellow who thinks he can.”

Thank You

CariFin group shot

UWI SPEC International Half Marathon 2008 was a great experience for our team. It was the 2nd year that we produced a CariFin – Team in Training for UWI SPEC International Half Marathon.

In 2007 we had a cool 54 participants on our team.

The great Confucius said that greatest thing in life is to pass on to others what one has learnt for oneself. So it is with great humility and pleasure that I am involved in a project like this. But more importantly it is to see the first timers gain confidence in themselves and attempt the distance or see a runner enjoy the satisfaction of improving from year to year.

This year we upped the ante a bit with 80 runners signing up for our Team in Training program.
To get this show on the road I will like to recognize and thank the following people.
Allison Field for handling the administrative and financial aspects of the project, placing orders, collecting uniforms, seeing about printing and distribution.
But most critical I will like to thank those who understand – the passion, the business model and made a contribution to the furtherance to the sport and business.

I will like to recognize the people who made a contribution to the blog through their contribution in the “How I Trained” series – John Donaldson and Darren Cole. Participation in this aspect contributed a lot to the aggregated information that is necessary for us to build our information stock.
Again, to Darren Cole and Melissa Berkley two team participants who post comments on our blog, comments are a great way to have opinions other than mine on the blog. Thanks again guys…. For the people who was willing to be interviewed on camera for the “How I Trained” series – Wendy D’arbasie, Melissa Berkley, Nikosi Mc Leish as well as Angela Parris, Petrenie Roberts, who willing chat with us about their participation and training on camera.

We got to remember Vanessa Le Foon who personally was responsible for actively recruiting a large number of new people to our team. Let us not forget the team captain who assisted in getting teams to the starting line all ready to race.

And there is the sponsors representatives: Representing General Mills, Cindy Gafoor who increased sponsorship to cater for our increased sponsorship requirement this year. Vemco ‘s James Robertson representing the Gatorade brand stepped up to the plate by adding running shorts to the uniform mix.

 As far as the internet goes with blog and e-news letter and videos, every time you access our blog and read the article or open our e-news it is registered as a hit and it is an indicator of how many persons read our blog.

These statistics are very important to our business model which depends on community involvement and support to move forward. Even of greater importance are members like Darren Cole and Melissa Berkley who keep their own blogs and link to the funfitnessfriendship blog.

So it is good when people subscribe to our business model, this takes place when people honor their commitment when we register them, to show up and wear the team’s uniform. People help our business model when they read and comment on our blog, when they open our e-news letter, when they submit articles to our blog, when they subscribe to our blog via our RSS feed using Google reader or some other or even when our members keep their own blog and then link back to us.

 This way we will continue to do business, attract more sponsors, offer more benefits to the people who sign up to participate with us and have a bigger team. When we have people do faster times and introduce more people to the sport, we move closer to our goal of promoting a more active lifestyle and lift the flag of fun, fitness and friendship higher.

My Friday Rant

The Heart Foundation 5K race, that ran off in San Fernando on Sunday 05, 2008.  Lionel Dangrade of Guyana triumph over a second grade field in a some what slow time of 15 minutes 27 seconds. Niamo Reyes tops the females in another very slow 21.17 timing.
These results had me asking some very relevant questions. Mainly being the time for the men – 15.17.  The world’s men’s 5k time is 12.37.35 and the women’s is 14.11.15.

The Berlin men’s marathon 5k splits is (14.35/14.51) basically.  And this race the best runner could only go a little better or faster than what the marathon men could run for one of their 5k in a 40K. The top women would run rings around our men and our men wouldn’t be able to catch them. To add insult to injury a Guyanese got the better of some of our top runners.  Albeit, the best local runners, avoided that race for obvious reasons. Mainly they are focusing on their training for UWI SPEC International Marathon. Not a local runner at that race could post a better time than the Guyanese. Not that I have any beef against Guyanese. It is just that our runners have to learn to run properly.

The situation with local running is totally pathetic. After attending the press conference for the launch for UWI SPEC International Half Marathon at First Citizen’s at Queen’s Park East on Wednesday August 20, 2008 at 10:00 am at First Citizens Corporate Center at 9 Queen’s Park East, Port of Spain I have a greater appreciation for applying science to running and doing things well. Dr. Dr. Gloudon Director – Sports and Physical Education of UWI said that sports are not a happenstance, we must understand how things are done and apply it, and sports is a science.How could you have athletes running the same time year after year? Probably the solution is to stop racing altogether and send most of the runners to school to learn how to run efficiently and effectively. Be it running camps, be it at the University of the West Indies, be it foreign coaches, be it scholarships.

Learning has to take place. Our runners have to learn to run better/well.  Government, the Ministry of Sports, NAAA has to step in and take responsibility for this debacle – that is present day running. At best middle and long distance in Trinidad is mediocre. Sprinting has been more fruitful for us, and the question has to be asked, is it because it was done more on a scholarship basis with our runners using the resources of another more developed country.

It will be nice to see what kind of budget and development plans are in place to deal with a problem like this or rather if any thought was given to sort out this vexing problem in our sporting sphere. Or if the authority realizes that a problem even exists.

Melissa Berkely - interview questions:

Melissa at the mile-08

CariFin E-news: How is training coming along for UWI SPEC International Half?

Melissa Berkely: It has been going well so far. I’ve been training at least 4 days a week and I am beginning to see improvement.

CE: How was Newsday 5K for you, what time you did?

MB: The Newsday 5K was quite challenging for me. The weather conditions were unsuitable for running. The sun was too hot and I was dehydrated before during and after the race. I was able to finish in 25mins 19secs. I personally feel that I could have done it in a faster time but I was not too disappointed, as this time was more than 2mins faster than my time at Scotia 5K 2008 which was my first 5K race.

CE: You are on a specific training program, how is that coming along?

MB: It has been coming along well so far. I have been sticking very closely with it.

CE: What did you do in racing for 2007/2008?

MB: This year I’ve competed in about 4 races: Scotia Bank 5K - 27: 34, Granny Luces 15K – 1:32:03, Butler Classic 20K – 02:11:00 and Newsday 5K – 25:19

CE: What kind of race conditions, weather etc are you looking for on race day?

MB: Overcast skies would be perfect but no rain. I definitely am not looking forward to hot sun on the day.

CE: You are very passionate about running is the marathon your next hurdle?

MB: Yes I would like to try to do my first full length marathon early next year. That would be a big challenge for me.

CE: There are countless people training for UWI half, some are barely holding on to the dream, while some have fallen off along the way. What would you say to them to help them pick up themselves and continue on the way?

MB: I would tell them to not be discouraged. In the early stages training is always hard but improvement will come if you remain consistent and dedicated to your training.

CE: Thank you and the best in your training for UWI half and see on November 02

My Granny Lucess 15 and 5K – Rant!!

Granny Lucess 15 and 5K has the distinct potential to be one of the better participated races in Trinidad and Tobago and give the runners a great sense of satisfaction. From the onset it had that kind of community feel to it and it has not lost its identity as some of the big races have with 85 % of the participants who are supposed to be running just hobbling along or worse just walking.
This is a genuine race, filled with people with hearts and spirits trying to make to the finish line. This is well reflected in the person for whom the race was named, Granny Lucess, who has the heart of a lion (lioness) and has never not finished a race. There is a sense rivalry among every category of runner that gives you that impetus to finish the whole course at your best. Why? Because  you are on the main road and you are most likely to be seen by someone who knows you and you want to look good at least! And the 15K is only 9.3 miles so with a bit of a push and determination … you will get home. So you try and try, through the pain and sometimes discouragement and finally there it is… the finish line…where you’ll find your running buddies, water, Gatorade and samplings You’ll collect your token, you’ll lime and discuss your time and experience in the race.
Starting at 6.00 am that was a big positive and having two races helped to boost the participation level.
The one aspect of the race that lets a lot of us runners down is the fact that the prize package doesn’t go deep enough. They don’t seem to cater well enough for the age-groups so a significant number of runners don’t feel compelled to leave where they living that early in the morning to come out for nothing. It just seems that the organizers don’t understand the correlation between offering deep prize packages and its appeal to runners.
This fact is played out in my conversation with Suzanna Joefield, “I feel so bad, just coming in third and I have nothing to get, I am not running in this race next year, ah tired ah this thing!”
Just two prizes in an age-group and not the full sleuth of the age-group category either as if they wish that just a couple hundred show up for the race. If this race is to take off, live up to it’s full potential and demonstrate it’s real value to the running community as the only (maybe) 15K on the calendar then the prize package needs to be looked at.
Registration has to be the number one problem with this event, at least for some people. I know of people who were training specifically for this event only to be confronted with a number of obstacles in their path to get register and eventually deciding against taking part.
I went to get registered on the Friday before the race at 3.30 pm to be told by the security officer at the closed front door, that the people who was supposed to man the registration weren’t there from sometime after lunch and that they closed at 3.00 pm so I can’t be registered. The officer returned to tell me after a while that registration will be done on the morning.
I think in addition to Eastern Credit Union doing registration, somewhere like Kenny’s should be used for that purpose, that way we get the same registration experience we get from other races. Or Eastern Credit Union can have a special group of staff to handle registration.
The token - the gym bag was a good idea, electronic timing, - good. Sampling very good, announcements after the race helpful and entertaining, medical, safety issues good.

What do you think?
What was your experience like in this event?
Do you think that the Granny Lucess Classic 15 and 5K have the potential to see a participation figure of 1000 plus to start with and grow to big race status?

Let us hear from you? What are your views as a runner in the community…? Is the prize package what you think will make the runners feel good enough about the races to make the effort and come out

Richard Jones Blast 4.26 in NAAA Marabella Road Mile

Hey blogging couldn’t get any better, could you believe that the man himself, the number one runner in Trinidad and Tobago, just submitted a report on his most recent victories at racing. I am talking about Richard Jones. Here you will have the distinct pleasure and opportunity to get an instant by instant view of the final stages of what took place at NAAA Marabella Mile Race.
Like I say keep reading this blog for the latest in running news in Trinidad and Tobago and  as the year is counting down there are some great races to look forward too.

IAAF World Road Running Championships, Udine, Italy, 14 October 2007 is fast approaching and I have some great info about Trinidad and Tobago selection and preparation for the race.
So without any further ado… Let hear what our top man in the running business has to say on Lat Saturday race.
Sit back and relax and take in a scintillating report!

Richard Jones

Last Sunday there was the NAAA's Marabella Mile. It started at TECU Credit Union and ran towards the roundabout and headed back towards the credit union. There were many age groups. Under 15, under 17, under 20, open & masters, both male and female.
Again, even though I had a twenty mile workout the previous day I was excited to see how things would turn out in a flat basically all out mile {1600 m}. there were some stiff challengers which included track men Jules La Rode (who has been showing some decent road form} Nigel Phillip, and the usual suspects- Errol “Ballhead” Williams, Turner, Maynard , Curtis Cox etc.  
At the start of the race the pace was very fast!!!
Turner {Tobago} and La Rode took it out. Baldhead, Maynard and I tried in vain to keep up with the leaders. As we approached the round about I decided to make a move to close the gap but at that point my body was telling me that I had already used up all my remaining gears and all I can rely on now is "Guts" {Ha!} 
 So as we came off the roundabout, La Rode had pulled ahead by about twenty meters from Turner with me another ten meters behind. I caught Turner with about 700 m to go and focused my mind on catching la Rode. La Rode by the way had no intention on letting me catching him as was evident by his long loping strides and brisk arm actions. I was somehow able to dig really deep and close the gap and with 250 meters remaining I made one last shift and that managed to break the front running La Rode. I got passed the line in 4:26 with La Rode close behind in 4:28 and Turner 3rd in 4:42, Nigel Phillip 4:45. 
In the end when I had to make my usual go around and congratulate all the runners I said to La Rode, "Great race that's what it's all about."
My body hasn't been in so much pain in a long while and my heart rate didn't drop back till 45 min or so after the race. I am happy to have won but even happier to have found something inside when I was really pushed and asked to rise up to the challenge.
 
Take care
rj