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Athletics past and present – Fernando Galvez

SportsAthletics past and present - Fernando Galvez

BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Feb. 26, 2015–Born Fernando Galvez, but better known to most everyone as “Journey,” this carefree and energetic individual played a big part in long distance running in Belize throughout the years of his running career, a career that spans over quarter of a century. One day he told me, as I sat with him and interviewed him for this article, that running started from his good friend Louis Haulze, whom he saw come in from just running a race. He said to himself, “I could beat him;” so he started to train, till eventually he and Haulze started to run together, and he said he helped to train Haulze as well.

In 1987, he ran his first race, which was a 10k run. Haulze beat him; Joseph Carr was second; and he came in third place.

The love of running got stronger, so he kept at it, although the majority of his races were 10k (6.2miles).

He also did the half-marathon (13.1 miles). His first was the prestigious Annual Holy Saturday Race against legendary names like Polin Belisle, Joseph Carr, just to name a few. That race was won by Polin. An American Peace Corps, Paul Hamilton from New York, came in ahead of him, as he came in fourth.

The following year, Eugene Muslar came from the States and ran the same Holy Saturday race. That was the race in which he got disqualified because Haulze came to help him and ended up touching him; that’s why he was disqualified. The rule is, no one was to touch the competitors during a race. Thus, Muslar won, and he settled for second. Haulze did not run due to being shot, and was not competing for some years. However, this race sparked Haulze to try running again, and the following year he did.

The year 2013, the BDF Half-Marathon was the last race he ran. He did well in the Master’s category; but he still works out. He states that this upcoming Holy Saturday Bob Lightburn Classic will see his return to running.

His advice to the youths is, try to pick up a sport, because it benefits your health; and always do your best and work hard. In closing, he says he wants to thank Bob and Gilbert Lightburn. “I saw Bob run when I was a kid at the Holy Saturday race. Thanks also to Ernesto Reid, Louis Haulze and Ian Gray.”

Just want to say from me a big Thank You to Journey also for your contribution to the sport, and also personally for the advice, and for having the privilege to have competed against you in the early years of my running career. Like I said, people, this upcoming race dubbed Clash of the Legends 2015 Bob Lightburn Classic on 4th April, you will see Journey, Haulze, Joesph Carr, Sabeh, just to name a few old-school runners who will face off again and against the new-school runners.

Until next week, have a safe and healthy week!

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