Sunday in Playa del Carmen was filled with motivation and fun at the 1st annual 5k and 10k Solidaridad race! The race started at Centro Maya and continued on highway 307 over the bridges! The great thing about this event was that the energy reached all different crowds. Some younger, some older, some runners some walkers! In any case we saw a great diversity running this race and many expats involved.
A World-Wide Trend
Over the last couple years these kinds of races as well as marathons have become extremely popular and it’s providing motivation to get people to train and be in better shape! This trend has gone all over the world and of course in Mexico as well!
Ready, Set, Go!
On Sunday the race started at 7 am! Runners were given chips to put into their shoes to track their times! The runners took off from Centro Maya, up the highway bridges and around back to Centro Maya for the finish line! At the end of the race there was a lot of energy and a big party to congratulate the runners but also to wish Playa del Carmen a happy 20th Birthday! (… as a municipality; the town is much older.)
Mmm … Food Again
Pizza was provided by De local restaurant as well as many food options available including fruit, sandwiches, sweet breads and pastries, plenty of water, juice and rehydrating beverages! Besides the generous breakfast there was energetic music, an announcement of the winners and we can’t forget FREE massages for all the runners! It was truly a well thought and organized event and was definitely a great and rewarding experience for all that participated!
Top Mexico Participates … Along with Everyone Else
One of our very own team members ran the 10k race and finished in one hour and six minutes! She says she loves these kinds of events because it gives her motivation to practice, train and stay in shape; and at the end of the day makes her feel proud!
We saw men and women of all ages running including children, people running with their dogs, mothers pushing their babies in the strollers, even a very talented man balancing a soccer ball on his nose all throughout the 10k course! Incredible! We think it’s great that there was so much turn out and excitement here in Playa for this event! It makes us feel more proud every day to see the love everyone has for our small beach town and to see so much turn out for community events!
If this kind of activity is something you enjoy doing go ahead and add some of the Riviera Maya races to your list. Following this last race there will be a night run in Cancun with glow sticks and Neon lights in August. If you like more of a challenge you might want to join the Cancun Marathon in December which has a route running throughout the hotel zone! If running isn’t your thing come out and cheer the runners on! They always appreciate the support!
-by Bea Lozano
