Health & Wellness | Living Healthy Health & Wellness Run for the Redfish 9 The <strong>Beach</strong> <strong>Chamber</strong> is proud to present the 4th Annual Run for the Redfish on December 1, 2012, a certified course featuring a half marathon, 5K run and kid’s fun run. <strong>This</strong> event brings awareness about our coastal redfish and its habitat. <strong>This</strong> year’s run will benefit Ocean Conservancy. “It is our collective responsibility to protect and conserve the marine environment <strong>of</strong> the Gulf,” maintains Paul Wohlford, co-creator <strong>of</strong> Run for the Redfish. Everyone’s invited to come and enjoy the festivities. The race starts at 8:00 AM for the half marathon, 8:30 AM for the 5K run, and 10:00 AM for the kid’s fun run. It starts and ends in Pier Park and takes runners on an out-and-back route that unfolds entirely along Front <strong>Beach</strong> Road. 9 Where Do the Runners Come From? The turnaround point is prior to Carillon <strong>Beach</strong>. Once runners hit the turnaround point, they begin running back along the route they’ve just run, back to Pier Park. Afterward, everyone enjoys an exuberant after party at Margaritaville. Last year, over 600 racers participated. Cost is $45 for the half marathon and $30 for the 5K run. Kids under 12 run free in the kid’s fun run. All runners must pre-register; visit RunfortheRedfish. com. Registration forms and The runners come from all over. Last year they came from twenty-two states and two countries. A college cross country team from Kansas came and competed as well. It was a pretty even split between half marathoners and 5K runners. We had many first time runners. We promoted Run for the Redfish through running clubs in the southeast, and word <strong>of</strong> mouth now, as we have a great reputation. payment can also be mailed to the <strong>Panama</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Beach</strong> <strong>Chamber</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Commerce</strong>, 309 R. Jackson Blvd., Ste. 101, <strong>Panama</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Beach</strong>, FL 32407. For more information, contact the <strong>Beach</strong> <strong>Chamber</strong> at (850) 235-1159. Race sponsors include Pier Park, The Resort Collection <strong>of</strong> <strong>Panama</strong> <strong>City</strong> <strong>Beach</strong>, Ocean Conservancy, the Bay County Tourist Development Council, <strong>Beach</strong> TV and Margaritaville; sponsorships are still available. Q & A with Paul Wohlford Co-creator, Run for the Redfish How was Run for the Redfish first created? I am an avid runner, and wanted to put on a race that was all about runners. A small group <strong>of</strong> four local runners, including myself, started this race four years ago. Why the name? I like to fish for Redfish, and I also want to protect the coastal areas for my kids and future generations. I wanted to produce an event, rather than just compete in an event. How did you get into running? A good friend challenged me and said I couldn’t go out and run a mile. The very next day I did it, and within three months I was doing half marathons. I did my first marathon last year in Key West, the Halfway to Marathon (Key) Marathon. How big is the race? There are between 600 and 700 runners annually, and we plan to keep growing that number every year. <strong>This</strong> race is all about the runners who come out to enjoy all the fun, the great weather, the after-party at Margaritaville, and the best race shirt going! Of course, running along The World’s Most Beautiful <strong>Beach</strong>es isn’t too bad either. For more information and to register for this run, go to RunfortheRedfish.com. 18 THE CIRCUIT September/October 2012
CHEF PREPARED FOODS & HAND SELECTED WINE & BEER VIP TICKETS: $50 PER DAY | $80 FOR FRIDAY & SATURDAY EVENT SPONSORS THE CIRCUIT September/October 2012 19