Guam Ko’Ko Road Races set for Oct. 30

The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) has announced the 11th Annual Guam Ko’ko’ Road Races is now set for Halloween weekend at Governor Joseph Flores Memorial (Ypao Beach) Park. With an increased focus on entertainment for each race course, which consists of a half marathon, ekiden relay and the new 10K run/walk, the Ko’ko’ Road Races will be considered Guam’s most fun run in 2016. This year’s event set for Oct. 30 will also incorporate a costume theme and contest that will reward solo and relay runners for the most original, best superhero, or scariest costumes with cash prizes.

“The addition of the costume contest is an added incentive for our international and local runners to come together and celebrate the eleventh year of our GVB signature event,” said GVB president and CEO Nathan Denight. “We look forward to Ko’ko’ Weekend because it caters to the entire family and takes sports tourism on island to new heights. We highly encourage all runners to register, learn more about our endemic Ko’ko’ bird and run in costume to win big.”

A Post Race Monster Bash will begin immediately for participants and the public after runners complete the course, with vendors and live entertainment rounding out the Ko’ko’ festivities at Governor Joseph Flores Memorial (Ypao Beach) Park.

GVB also selected three new runners to be the official 2016 ambassadors for the Ko’ko’ Road Race. Also known as the “Ko’ko’ Krazies,” the masked ambassadors will be training in the heart of Tumon until the event this October. The Ko’ko’ Krazies will be dressed in one of the three costume categories for the race—Most Original, Best Superhero and Scariest. Runners are encouraged to run with the Krazies, snap a photo and upload it to the event’s Facebook page (@guamkokoroadrace) or GVB’s Instagram (@visitguamusa) with the hashtag #kokotraining for a chance to win a free limited edition Ko’ko’ training tee, while supplies last.

The Guam Ko’ko’ Road Races includes three dynamic and distinct races in one—a half marathon course, a 10K Run/Walk course and a four-person Ekiden Relay race. From start to finish, the race courses will be filled with lively cheering groups, water stops and entertainment. The Guam Ko’ko’ Kids Fun Run will offer races for three specific age groups—a 3K for 10 to 12-year-olds, 2K for 7 to 9-year-olds and 1K for 4 to 6-year-olds the day before or on October 29. Space is limited to the first 500 registrants. Each finisher will receive a t-shirt and finisher’s medal.

The Ko’ko’ Road Races help support the plight of Guam’s territorial bird, the Guam rail or ko’ko’ bird—a flightless bird endemic to Guam. Race organizers work closely with the Department of Agriculture, Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources to raise awareness for the ko’ko’ bird. Che’lu is the official mascot for the Guam Rail and will be found interacting with children, big and small, to heighten their knowledge of the ko’ko’ bird.

Online registration is open at guamkokoroadrace.com. Follow the Guam Ko’ko’ Road Races and Guam Visitors Bureau on Facebook (@guamkokoroadrace), Instagram (@visitguamusa), Twitter and Snapchat (@visitguam) for the latest event updates and exclusive online promotions. This GVB event is proudly sponsored by KUAM, United Airlines, Pacific Islands Club, T Galleria by DFS, Project Inspire, Powerade, Fruita Plus and the Pacific Daily News. (PR)