Coast Guard Marks Belize at 45 With 45-Mile Run

The Belize Coast Guard is celebrating Belize’s forty-fifth anniversary of Independence with a special 45-mile run from Belmopan to Belize City.  The initiative, dubbed “Run 45,” is being held under the theme, “Look at Me. I Am Belize at 45.” It brings Coast Guard personnel together to commemorate the national milestone through physical endurance, unity and service.

Gregory Soberanis Commandant, Belize Coast Guard: “The Belize Coast Guard has decided to celebrate and commemorate our 45th independence with a 45 mile run just outside of Cotton Tree within that general area to the flag monument here in Belize where we will then hoist our flag and pay tribute to our nation by members of the Coast Guard and other members from other agencies or partner agencies by singing a national anthem. As the Coast Guard to ensure that we remind our members that our independence is not to be taken for granted. It is something that needs to be honored. For us, independence and this time of the year is more than just concerts. It’s more than just carnival, it’s more than just the popping of confetti. It’s about honoring our champions of democracy and we want to ensure that our members are mindful of that and the role that we as an organization play in ensuring that Belize remains a beacon of democracy. We have about 60 runners that will be running on the road. We’ll be running with our national flag and with a torch. From Cotton Tree to the roundabout in Belize City at the Hand Monument, it will be members of the Belize Coast Guard. Once you reach the Hand Monument anyone can join really. So if there’s anyone who is available at around 1 p.m. on Friday and want to do a little one mile jog, it will be going very slow, you know, to accommodate those who can’t run really fast, this will be at a very slow pace. Anyone can join in and join the Coast Guard as we pay tribute to Belize, we pay tribute to our flag, to our anthem.”

 “Run 45” forms part of the activities leading up to Independence Day, with Coast Guard personnel using the occasion to celebrate Belize while proudly representing the institution they serve. /