End of the World Marathon 2018: A Belize Marathon You Don’t Want to Miss

end of the world marathon

This year, the End of the World Marathon is scheduled for December 9th in picturesque Placencia, a town nestled up against the white powdery beaches and azure waters of the Caribbean Sea in Southern Belize.

The marathon which began as a celebration of the end of the Maya Calendar in December 21, 2012 has become one of the most sought after running events in Belize. In fact, this year in December, the tournament will mark its 6 years anniversary. marathon_map

The race is divided into two categories: a full marathon and half marathon.

Beginning at the football field at the bottom of the peninsula, the full marathon (26.2 miles) goes through Placencia Village, Seine Bight Village and Maya Beach. The race then loops back a few miles south of Riversale and ends in the village of Placencia.

The half marathon (13.1 miles) begins at the marathon turnaround and also finishes in Placencia Village.

The End of the World Marathon however, is not only about running and fun in sunny and beautiful Belize, but also about giving back to the community. According to the organizers of the event, the proceeds raised goes towards high school scholarships for children on the Placencia Peninsula.

This year, over $10,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in both the men’s and women’s marathon and all entrants who complete the race receive a commemorative finisher’s medal. Special accolades will also be given to the victor in age classes: under 29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and 60 & over.

7379497_origRegistration for the race is now open and can be done on the official website of the marathon at http://www.runbelize.org/register.html. In order to enter the race, you have to be 18 years or older for the full marathon and 16 years or older for the half marathon.

All participants of the competition also receive a T shirt, and an opportunity to win prizes donated by the local sponsors.

Visit www.runbelize.org/ for more information on this year’s race or contact us at: www.chabilmar.com and click on Contact Us.

 

Giant Octopus Discovered in Belize

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Last Tuesday, on his way to work at the Chabil Mar Resort on the Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize, a local man came across an enormous octopus just outside Placencia Village, estimating it to be in excess of 100 kilograms (220 pounds) and almost three meters (nine feet) in length with concentric blue rings on its tentacles. According to the man, who refused to identify himself, the gigantic cephalopod was alive and alert, making its way across the sand towards the Caribbean Sea on the eastern side of the peninsula. Taking several photos of the giant octopus with his phone, the man rushed to the resort to report the sighting, causing quite a stir amongst the guests and staff alike.

Over 300 species of octopuses have been documented around the world but they are rarely seen in Belize so close to the shore. The nearby Belize Barrier Reef, just a few miles offshore from Placencia, is home to the Caribbean Reef species of octopus which rarely exceeds 60 cm in length and 1.5 kg in size.

Jeffrey Eickhoff, a marine biologist from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, was amongst the guests at Chabil Mar who viewed the photographs of the eight-legged marauder. “From the pictures I saw, it looks like an octopus krakenus, the so-called ‘cow eater’ of Madagascar in Africa. How it came to be on a beach in Belize is truly mysterious”.

The presence of the giant octopus was reported to local Belizean officials who scoured the area but found no trace of the creature. Lance Reault, a French citizen who resides full-time in the village of Placencia, told reporters that several tourists have reported having their clothing, beach towels and picnic items stolen in the same area as where the giant cephalopod was seen. “Last week, two American tourists staying at Chabil Mar went for a swim right in the same spot. And when they came out of the water, they said all their food had been eaten and a pitcher of daiquiris had been drained, even though no one was in the area.”

Photographs of the mysterious octopus have been forwarded to marine biologists in the United States and Canada. If confirmed, the sighting of the octopus krakenus will be the second incident involving the newly-discovered species of giant octopus, which was filmed dragging a large cow into the water in Madagascar in 2011.

Happy April Fool’s Day, everybody!

 

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