Home > Runs & Races

Fun in the sun at Run Barbados including remarkable 10K finish

Run Barbados Marathon Weekend, a popular destination race among Canadians, was this weekend in Bridgetown and featured two Olympians. (Photo: Inge Johnson / Canada Running Series.)

Run Barbados

Runners had some fun in the sun in Barbados this weekend.

Run Barbados Marathon Weekend, which includes a fun mile, 5K, 10K, half-marathon and marathon, was held near the shores of Carlisle Bay, a small harbour off Bridgetown on the southwestern corner of the Caribbean island. Considering the setting, warm weather and post-race festivities, there’s no wonder people “come for the run, stay for the fun.”

Taking a dip in the Ocean is an added bonus after the weekend’s races. There are non-stop flights to Bridgetown from select Canadian cities making the easternmost island in the Lesser Antilles an accessible destination.

What do we do after a marathon in Barbados? Jump in the sea just past the finish line!

A photo posted by Run Barbados (@runbarbados) on

This year’s event had two special guests as Natasha Wodak and Lanni Marchant made the trip south. Both doubled in Barbados running the 10K on Saturday afternoon followed by the half-marathon on Sunday morning. Marchant doubled at the Olympics running the 10,000m and marathon in Rio while Wodak too contested the 10,000m at the 2016 Games in August.

RELATED: VIDEO: Lanni Marchant addresses women’s issues in sport to Canada’s MPs.

Wodak won the half-marathon Sunday with Marchant in third. According to Canada Running Series director Alan Brookes, Wodak “dropped the hammer” with 1K to go. On Saturday, there was quite the sequence of events in the late stages of the Colombian Emeralds International 10K as Marchant and Wodak crossed the finish line hand-in-hand. To their surprise, Trinidad and Tobago’s Tonya Nero nipped both of them at the line as the three ran times between 36:36 and 36:37. Inge Johnson of Canada Running Series caught the sequence of events, which can be seen below.

Run Barbados

Video

RELATED: See the clip featured on ESPN’s Around the Horn here.

Brookes says that there was a cash prize for top-three in each race as well as a free trip back to the race in 2017 for the event winners. Canadian Matt Loiselle also doubled up on the 10K and half-marathon finishing third in both events. Results have not been posted online as of Sunday afternoon. (Update: Results can be found here.)

RELATED: Also this weekend, Reid Coolsaet threatens Canadian record, runs 2:10:55 in Fukuoka.

This year’s destination race was held as Barbados celebrates its 50th year of independence. The event offers scenic routes, a flat course and a variety of distances whether you’re looking to run fast or want to test your fitness while on vacation.

Wodak winning the half-marathon on Sunday

Marchant finishing third in the half-marathon on Sunday

Matt Loiselle finishing third in the Colombian Emeralds International 10K on Sunday
Run Barbados
Photo: Inge Johnson / Canada Running Series.
#RunBarbados Instagram photos from the weekend

Today I reached my goal! #personalbest of under two hours! #feelingblessed #runbarbados

A photo posted by Bump & Run Apparel (@bumpandrunapparel) on

Vacation! ? #runbarbados

A photo posted by Ryan Duffield (@4mple4th) on

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

The best trainers in Canada under $150

We curated the best performance trainers under $150 to meet your 2024 running goals, while staying on budget