GOVERNMENT Senator and Director of the Centre for Disabilities Studies at the University of the West Indies, Floyd Morris, is issuing a challenge to all those who will be participating in the Everyone’s A Winner Best Dressed Chicken 5K Road Race Series which is scheduled to start on Sunday, March 24.

Senator Morris, who was speaking at the launch of this year’s event at the Tree House, Hope Zoo, in Kingston on Thursday, said he fully intends to participate in the series and is inviting other individuals to accept his challenge of “catch me if you can”.

The senator said the rise in non-communicable diseases in Jamaica “is posing a major challenge for the society, and if we were to see more individuals engaging in serious exercise and other healthy lifestyle practices there would be a marked improvement in the health of our people”.

Making the link between healthy lifestyle and disabilities, Senator Morris made mention of those who have lost their sight because of complications brought on by diabetes or others who have lost mobility because of stroke resulting from hypertension.

He said, while he may “make being disabled look easy, it is very hard”.

Morris, who lost his sight at the age of 20, said he did not allow that to deter him. “Individuals must understand that while there’s a prize for coming first, everyone’s a winner when they participate. Through diligence and consistent effort they too will cross the finish line,” he said.

Morris added that he has set himself the target of completing six road races this year, and has already improved his time to approximately 30 minutes for the 5K distance.

Also speaking at the launch, Race Director Alfred Francis, said the three-race series, which continues on April 14 and June 16, is “a unique boutique race series,” which has been tailored to offer “an outlet for persons to participate in a potential life-changing activity and track their times and progress.

Francis said that, in addition to athletes who may see the series as a useful training event, the Everyone’s a Winner Best Dressed Chicken 5K will seek to cater to those who “are really determined to incorporate fitness into their lifestyles and make dietary and other changes that will contribute to overall good health”.

He added that this year’s sponsors are also fully on board with the idea of “catering to the total person, and we really want to send a message that personal fitness can also help us to be more socially aware”.

Runners/walkers will start in Hope Gardens then proceed along the historical pathway and exit through the historical gate, then turn left onto Old Hope Road. They re-enter Hope Gardens using the eastern entrance, then proceed through the gardens, exiting onto Gibson Close, then right onto Hope Boulevard, left onto East Charlemont down to Monterey Drive; right onto Hope Boulevard, then left onto Gibson Drive, right onto South Monterey Road, back to Hope Boulevard, left onto Old Hope Road, then re-enter Hope Gardens using the historical gate and proceed to the finish at the fountain.