The Jill Stewart MoBay City run is set to make a high-energy return for its 10th staging, with the promise of miles on the road plus a healthy mix of philanthropy, fitness, and entertainment.

Chairperson of the organising committee Janet Silvera highlighted the event’s expanding place in the wider western Jamaica community and pointed to an increase in participants and sponsors as an indication of the event’s growing impact and credibility.

“We have a lot more sponsors this year than we have had over the years. We have new sponsors like American Airlines, Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, and JetBlue will be sending down its staff to help us as volunteers during the event, so those are some of the things that we never saw happen over the years,” Silvera told the Jamaica Observer ahead of Sunday’s event. “The support has grown exponentially; many organisations want to be associated with the run and it is because of its reputation, its credibility, the integrity of the run, why we will have so many businesses and individuals gravitating towards the event.”

Of note, Sandals Resorts International and its CEO Adam Stewart have committed $6 million towards this year’s staging of the event, which is named in honour of his late wife. Sandals has contributed $3 million, a figure that was personally matched by Stewart.

After attracting over 7,000 runners and walkers last year, close to 10,000 participants are expected, this year, to take part in the event, which features a 5K and a 10K course.

As participation increases, so do the expectations around the event and organisers have moved to meet these demands by curating an expanded entertainment package that will feature rides and activations at Harmony Beach Park, which serves as the starting and ending point for the race as well the central point for all activities, including a concert, which will feature several big names.

“We are going to be having an after-party, which we are calling a “run fete” which will feature the likes of Ding Dong, Christopher Martin, Miss Kitty, Ashe and a number of dejays including DJ Bambino and Crazy Neil from here in Montego Bay,” said Silvera.

“It’s not just running and walking anymore. People want more than that when they go to these events and that is what we are delivering on,” she shared. “It is our 10th staging, and that alone meant that we had to come special. People’s expectation is high; they go to the running events these days and they go for the fun and the excitement as well.”

Importantly, organisers have identified seven schools from the hurricane-ravaged western region as beneficiaries of the run: Belmont Academy (Westmoreland), Maggotty High School (St Elizabeth), Rusea’s (Hanover), Cambridge (St James), Herbert Morrison (St James), Cornwall College (St James), and Maldon (St James).

“In addition to that, we are sending two students on a fellowship — they are from Trelawny — they are going to be part of the Peace Boat. They will leave Jamaica in June, they will start in Panama and end in Mexico,” added Silvera, who underlined the increased value of the event to people from the region.

“We find that this has become a very important aspect of people’s lives. Montegonians weren’t doing these types of things before or the people in western Jamaica weren’t flocking running events like this,” Silvera said.

“People have become more health-conscious as well, so with the running comes the fact that many people are out there on a daily basis exercising and they want to see how much their bodies can withstand and that is why they are out on the road running and walking.

“In addition to that, they are helping a worthy cause. We are helping with the recovery of education in western Jamaica. We have always helped education but it is even more important now than any time in our history to ensure that we make meaningful contributions to not just tertiary students but also high school students and many people have bought into the idea of making their personal contribution,” she said.

The 5K route will go from Harmony Beach Park onto Howard Cooke Boulevard, to the police station and back to Harmony Beach Park. The 10K course runs from Harmony Beach Park to Montego Bay Freeport and back.

Silvera informed that the entire Howard Cooke Boulevard will be closed from 5:30 am to 8:30 am.

“We know that might be an inconvenience to persons but we will reopen the roads as quickly as possible,” she apologised.

The event is set to start at 6:00 am.

SILVERA… the support has grown exponentially; many organisations want to be associated with the run and it is because of its reputation, its credibility, the integrity of the run, why we will have so many businesses and individuals gravitating towards the event (Photo: JIS News)