Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands – 14 November 2017 – The 2017 Intertrust
Cayman Islands Marathon takes place on Sunday, 3 December, and for some
participants, crossing the finish line will mean more than just getting a shiny
medal placed around their necks or posting a great time in the results. Instead, it
will signify the achievement of a goal that a few months or years ago would have
been impossible because of debilitating injuries and health issues.
Caymanian William Foster will be running his first half marathon, three years
after suffering a massive stroke. He is determined to get fit again and, in doing
so has discovered a passion for running.
“It has been a tremendously difficult road, and one that I am still on. I had a very
dense right mid cerebral attack (ischemic stroke) leaving me completely
paralyzed on my left side,” said 36-year old Foster. “I could not use the upper left
side of my body for the first few weeks at all, until finally I felt a little movement in
the shoulder. Slowly, things started to show signs of life, and today I am using
my left side again, but in a diminished way.”
Foster says he was a very keen recreational athlete, and loved football, squash
and baseball. He proudly revealed that he did regain the ability to play two of the
three, but sadly has lost the love for football because it just isn’t the same.
Instead he has developed a love for running and says it is the closest he feels to
his former self. He started out training with CrossFit 7 Mile’s Scott Ruby through
his Couch to 5K programme and then progressed to the half marathon training.
“I actually think I am a better runner today than I was in the past because I have
learned to be more strategic,” said Foster. “As my endurance and abilities have
increased, I want to push myself a bit further, and that’s why I chose the Cayman
Half Marathon. I am looking for any excuse to spend more time exercising as it
has always been a part of my identity, and I am trying to reclaim as much of it as
possible.”
Kelly Watson, like Foster, is no stranger to fighting her way back to health. She
is also participating in the half marathon after recovering from back surgery.
“I originally looked at running as a way to try and lose weight – perhaps not the
noblest of reasons to start something like running. However, I certainly have no
regrets,” she said.
Watson joined the Couch 2 5K (“C25K”) programme which is run out of CrossFit
7 Mile and taught by Scott Ruby, and actually completed the 2016 half marathon
under three hours using the techniques and tricks she learned in her classes.
However, 2017 took a bad turn when she discovered she had a collapsed disc,
with the disc above the collapsed disc beginning to bulge out as well in her lower
back. The subsequent surgery put her on the sidelines from March.
“All that time, all I could think of was getting back to running, and running under
the coaching of Coach Scott and my new-found friends and running partners,”
recalled Watson.
Once she was cleared to start running again, her two running partners stepped
up and supported her by getting up at “crazy morning hours” to walk/run daily
5Ks with her as she worked to build back the strength and endurance that was
lost.
“I am forever grateful to my running partners. I still have a long way to go to gain
back my strength and ability, but I feel like the 2017 Intertrust Cayman Islands
Marathon is an event I need to do, just so that I know I can (still) do it,” she
stated. “Even if I must walk a bit more than run, I will finish. 2018 now, that will
be a completely different story!”
Yvonne Carter from Baltimore, Maryland is competing in the full marathon, her
first time running the Cayman race and her first run after recovering from both a
torn hamstring and a torn calf muscle. She is determined to finish her year
strong.
“I set out to run three marathons and compete in at least five duathlons this year,
but the torn hamstring and a complicated cross-country move prohibited that,”
explained Carter. “After nursing my hamstring back to running condition, I tore
my calf muscle about six weeks out from the Boston Marathon. Needless to say,
my time sucked and I completely stopped running for about three months to give
my calf time to heal.”
Yvonne says she saw a man wearing the 2016 Cayman Marathon shirt and
decided to look the race up. Since it takes place later in the year, the Cayman
run will allow her to fulfil one of her goals, and she’s hoping to end 2017 with a
faster time than the disappointing one she ran in Boston.
Online registration for the Intertrust Cayman Islands Marathon is still open
through the Cayman Islands Marathon website or at the Marathon office.
The Intertrust Cayman Islands Marathon is a Kelly Holding event and is
sponsored by Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, Flowers Bottled Water,
BOB FM, NetClues, Webster’s Tours, Gatorade, Health City Cayman, British
Caymanian Insurance, Cayman Cabana, Westin Grand Cayman, Bliss Living
Yoga, Smoothie King, Cayman Airways, Ministry of Youth & Sports, CINICO,
Cayman National, Massive Equipment, Hopscotch Productions, FastSigns, CUC,
Phoenix Group, Cayman Compass, KPMG, Caybrew Light, Milo, Quaker,
Explore Cayman, Netclues, eCay Trade, Mike’s Ice, Cost-U- Less, Reviv
Wellness and Island Companies.
For more information email info@CaymanIslandsMarathon.com or call Rae
Lopez on 345.623.8822.