Although running is a very popular sport in Cayman, the events tend to stick to a number of well-trodden routes. There are few runners who cannot run South Sound Road blindfolded, with the stretch along Seven Mile Beach being every bit as familiar. However, the Off the Beaten Track run is just a little bit different.

As the name implies, the run takes participants off the beaten track, using the beach, back streets and dyke roads to take participants on a roughly 50 kilometre exploration of Grand Cayman.

The event can be completed as a member of a relay team or as an individual, although the individual event is definitely only for the fit and foolhardy.

The idea for the event came from Ken Krys who wanted to create an event that would recall the spirit of the Marathon des Sables, an ultra distance race that takes place on the scorching sands of Morocco.
The run is set to take place on 27 February, and will once again present runners with the unique challenge of having to figure out some of the route as they go along. Last year a last minute change had to be made to the route when the original course was blocked by a new fence, but the organisers and participants have learnt to take these things in their stride.

Rather than focus only on raw fitness and speed, the event brings an element of survival to running, for although there is no danger involved, apart from the ever-present potential for a sprained ankle, just finding your way through the event makes it quite a challenge.

Depending on the weather and the tides, runners may even have to improvise somewhat – last year a Nor’wester made it impossible to run along the length of Seven Mile Beach as originally planned, with runners having to find a new route to get to the first handover point.

All monies raised will again be donated to Facing Africa – a charity dedicated to helping children in Nigeria and Ethiopia who suffer from a disease called NOMA.

The entry fee for the event is $270 per team of six, or $85 for individuals, with pre-registration available on caymanactive.com. Completed entry forms will also be accepted at Calico Jacks on Saturday 26 February from 10am to 4pm.

The event will start at 6.30am, with a barbecue and medal distribution ceremony following the event, as well as a nominal prize for the winning team,

For more information on Off the Beaten Track 2011, visit offthebeatentrack.ky

NOMA
Facing Africa is a charity dedicated to helping sufferers of NOMA, a severe flesh eating disease, which affects young children, the poverty stricken and malnourished who live in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is estimated that over 140,000 new cases are recorded every year, of which 90 per cent will be fatal. All monies raised will be used to pay the transport costs of teams of up to five surgeons, their medical assistants and the purchase of medical materials. Each visit to Africa costs an average of $100,000.

For more information on Facing Africa and NOMA, visit facingafrica.org.