Guyp Dubois, Claudia
Ferrari, Philomena" Philo" Robertson and Adam D'Monte will compete in
Saturday's New York City Marathon. PHOTO:
Dean "The Sportsman" Greenaway
Four BVI residents, including two debutants and those who will mark their fifth event, will compete in the weekend New York City Marathon.
All four used the Ceres Juices 10K Series race on Beef Island earlier this month as a final opportunity to get some speed work in.
"This is my fifth Marathon," Claudia Ferrari said. "My fastest was in Chicago in 4 hours and 23 minutes in 2013. I'm hoping to beat that this year, fingers crossed. My training has gone good, but it has been too hot here over the last few months to run, but I did 20 miles before this 10K, so this was a nice break from that."
New York will mark Guyp Dubois' debut Marathon. "It's just to try it," he said. "I started racing with this 10K a year ago and since then I've decided to build it up so the next logical step is a Marathon. Training has been hard. It's hot in the morning and I have to wake up really early to be able to do long runs so it's brutal, but good fun."
Like Dubois, Adam D'Monte will be making his debut. "I love running and I've never done that sort of distance and I registered to run when I was 29 because I actually wanted to do it before I was 30," explained D'Monte who can be seen in races pushing a stroller with his daughter first and now his young son during 5 and 10K races around the island. "I couldn't run for about a year after I came to the BVI and slowly but surely, I have been coming and enjoying these great events. I have been trying to get in year after year and finally got in this year. I'm hoping to have a great time, finish and not pass out on the side of the street and embarrass myself. I just want to soak it up and be with a lot of like minded people and have a great race."
Philomena "Philo" Robertson will be doing New York for a third time followed by Memphis in December.
"The first time I did it, I had basically six weeks to prepare, which was absolutely crazy and my goal was 4:30 and I did 4:38," she reflected. "Last year was a bit of a challenge. I did the work, I did months of preparation, made a lot of progress and I was really hoping to run four hours. But, couple weeks before the race I had some problems with my ankle and then on race day, it grew progressively worse. At mile 20, I had to stop for medial help and the last six miles was really a struggle. I felt good body wise but the ankle just wouldn't cooperate and my time was horrible, but this year, I really have to redeem myself."
Robertson said this year too has been a challenge. Her training had been going great, then she got rear ended and was off training for two months, got back and has been really pushing. Her aim is 4 hours.
"I run for charity--so it's not about me--but the children who benefit from the work of the charity, Reach Within, that works with vulnerable children who have been abused in my home country Grenada," she stated. "It helps them with recovery. It also works with the persons who provides care for these children because they need a support system as well."