December 8, 2024
Half Marathon, 10K & 5K Races

Dining under the stars

Dining under the stars at the Reggae Marathon Pasta Party is the first taste of the Reggae Marathon Experience. Call it Carbo Loading if you must but with the music and entertainment, it’s easy to enjoy sharing a meal with old friends while meeting new ones.

The Reggae Marathon Pasta Party takes place at the Couples Swept Away Sporting Complex.  It’s the same location where you can register (last minute if you really must) and pick up your race kit.  If you can’t pick up your race kit Thursday or earlier Friday morning, then arrive early and pick up your kit before heading over to the Pasta Party.  As a runner, the cost of the Reggae Marathon Pasta Party is included in your race registration fee…what could be better?

While pasta of course is the main menu item at each of the food serving stations, various salads are also available. It’s easy to fill up quickly so pace yourself.  And that’s from personal experience!  It’s claimed that ‘Rasta Pasta’ made it’s tasty debut at the first Reggae Marathon back in 2000 and even if it’s a ‘Jamaican Tall Tale’, it is tasty!

RM Pasta Party 1

What’s the best strategy to navigate the Reggae Marathon Pasta Party?  First, get there early.  The exact start time will be confirmed as we get closer to Reggae Marathon December 3 but think 5 pm ish.  Your first priority is to secure a table.  You’ll be with your running friends of course but even if you’re not, a table with a few untaken seats means you’ll be eating with fellow runners…what better way to make new friends!  Then head over to one of the food tents.  Each one features pasta dishes created by chefs and teams from one of the participating Negril-area hotels. Hot or cold pasta…the choice is yours.  Then to your table to eat…and share running stories.  Repeat until full!  But again, be warned:  Pace yourself!  It’s easy and tempting to over do it…race time Saturday is 5:15 am.

Once twilight passes the live entertainment starts.  A staple of the Reggae Marathon Pasta Party is the Silverbirds Steel Orchestra.  If you’ve overdone it at the food stations, you’ll have the opportunity to work some of that off dancing and shaking to their infectious performance.RM Pasta Party 2

It’s a warm Caribbean evening.  Stars shining brightly.  The sound of the Caribbean Sea slapping the shore never far away.  Perfect for dining under the stars!

Until next time…

Reggae Marathon RunninGuy (aka Sugar ‘Tuff Gong’ Bong)

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