Press Release from ‘4 AM Running Club’
Three of Guyana’s masters amateur distance runners- Tanika Jones, Vaughn Felix and Randy Bentick- and amateur distance runner Jonathan De Groot, will represent Guyana at the 2025 Run Barbados Marathon on December 7, marking Guyana’s first masters amateur team at a regional long-distance race.
This year, the team’s preparation has received a boost through sponsorship from KFC Guyana, proudly fuelling the runners with the iconic KFC Zinger®, and Hydr8 Fresh Coconut Water by Sterling Products Limited, which supports the athletes’ hydration and electrolyte recovery during their high-mileage weeks.
The quartet, all sub-4 marathon athletes, have formed a disciplined training group known as the ‘4 AM Running Club’, defined by its commitment to high-performance preparation despite demanding full-time careers and lives.
Their training typically begins between 03:00h and 04:30h, with runs stretching up to 22 miles.
Collectively, they have accumulated years of road-running experience, regional and international race participation, and consistent high-volume training, with each athlete chronicling their progress, long runs, and race-day preparation through the running community both locally and online.
Tanika Jones, a leading local female masters runner, is the first in the group to enter the marathon circuit and has completed two marathons and multiple half marathons.
She is encouraged and inspired by Moen Gafoor, a multi-World Marathon Major, and Onika Jervis, founder of STRIDE592.
Originally focused solely on Caribbean Road races, she has shifted her ambitions toward the World Marathon Majors as the regional distance-running landscape continues to evolve and remains uncertain.
Her progression inspired teammates Vaughn Felix and Randy Bentick to pursue the Majors as well, with Vaughn already earning finisher medals from Chicago, Tokyo, and London and Randy earning finisher medals from London.
The team’s newest member, Jonathan De Groot, recently completed the New York City Marathon, solidifying his entry into the global marathon stage.
Although committed to excellence in their previous endeavours, the team has said their focus in this run is to highlight the rise of long-distance running locally, increased involvement in endurance sports, and the growing visibility of Guyanese athletes running beyond the traditional 10K distance on regional and international platforms.
The team also hopes to inspire more women and youth across Guyana to embrace long-distance running, moving beyond conventional middle-distance events, and to see the sport as a pathway to discipline, wellness, empowerment, and community.
The 2025 Barbados Marathon is expected to attract elite and recreational runners from around the world.
The team’s sponsored partnership also signals a new era where private-sector brands such as KFC Guyana and Sterling Products Limited are investing in community health, athletic development, and representation of local talent on the regional and international running circuit.
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