THE JAMDAMMERS Running Club in the Corporate Area has added another component to this year's Reggae Marathon to be staged in Negril on December 6.

A 10K race will be added to the popular Reggae Marathon and Half Marathon.

Race director Alfred Francis explained the reasons behind a 10K at yesterday's launch at Altamont Court Hotel in New Kingston.

Embrace more people

"We have added the 10K to embrace more people," said Francis, who explained that a marathon is 26.2 miles, a half marathon is 13.1 miles and a 10K is six miles.

"We have visitors who come with their family members and they are participating in the marathon and half marathon and the other family members would participate in a 10K," Francis said.

"So what we have done is broaden the spectrum where involvement of our participants is concerned," he said.

As usual, the races will all start at the Long Bay Beach Park at 5:15 a.m. and take runners into Negril, then north towards Green Island and then back to Negril.

As far as Lebanon

Touted as a family affair, about 900 participants from as far as Lebanon, South Africa and Mexico are among this year's field.

The winning purse is $1 million. The male and female marathon winners will each walk away with $75,000, while second and third will get $50,000 and $25,000, respectively.

In the half marathon, the winners will get $37,500, second $25,000 and third $12,500.

The 10K will offer $20,000, $15,000 and $10,000 for first, second and third, respectively.

Cash and computer awards

Apart from a cash award for high-school teams, Pan Caribbean will donate six computers - three to the first-place team, two for second and one for third.

Francis said, "We are working with our partners to pull out all the stops to make this the best Reggae Marathon ever."

Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, minister of information, culture, youth and sports, along with president of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association, Howard Aris, endorsed the event yesterday.