On Saturday, at 5:15 a.m., a starting gun will sound and hundreds of people will being running a 10k, half or full marathon. The race, called the Reggae Marathon officially, takes place in Negril, on the northwest coast. I have yet to go to Negril, so I am excited both for the race and to visit this beautiful town.

I will be running the half-marathon distance (13.1 miles) with Brianna and a visiting friend named Kelly. Erin will be running the 10k and Wendy will be our support team. This is a regular distance for me, so the race is not a stretch physically. As a result, I am more focussed on the energy and adrenaline of race day. There is nothing like having people cheer you on and seeing fellow runners accomplish their goals. And at this race, there will be reggae music blasting along the route. So cool!

This race has become an international event, and indeed, I noticed a lot of tourists in Emancipation Park this week, probably preparing for Saturday. The first Reggae Marathon occurred in 1995. It grew out of a group of runners who go to a reservoir in Kingston called the Mona Dam. They call themselves the Jamdammers.

We leave for Negril early tomorrow morning on the bus. During the day, we will register ourselves then attend the traditional pasta party at night. Then, hopefully, we will get some rest.

Check out the web site for more info, and wish us luck!