Guest Blog by Rey Smart - Taking on 100km Around Barbados With Incognito: A Partnership That Delivered

I’m Rey Smart, an endurance athlete and destination running ambassador based in London. Barbados has always been part of my story, but the island also has a way of humbling you quickly. On my early runs through St Peter and St Lucy back in 2023, I learned fast that Bajan mosquitoes don’t negotiate. The bites were sharp, painful, and persistent — the kind that remind you the tropics have their own rules. It was a small but honest preview of what running long distances on the island would really feel like.

Those mornings exploring the north — passing fishing villages, cane fields, and even climbing up to the Mount Gay Rum Distillery — planted the seed for something bigger. That idea eventually became Project Run 246, my solo 100km journey around the entire island of Barbados.

In January, I based myself at Rostrevor Hotel in St Lawrence Gap, settling into the south coast rhythm while preparing for the challenge. Training was one thing, but planning for nearly a full day on foot was another. I knew I’d be moving through rural backroads, humid coastlines, and long, exposed stretches where the environment becomes part of the test.

A few days before the run, a package from Incognito® arrived — their full range of protection essentials: roll‑on, lotion, shower gel, bracelet, and spray. I didn’t overthink it; I just worked the products into my routine. But by the time the run started, they’d already become part of the preparation.

At 5:39 p.m. on Saturday 10th January, I set off. Starting in Speightstown, the sun was already dipping, and I knew I’d be out long enough to watch it rise again. There’s something surreal about that — moving through the night, hearing the island quieten, then feeling it wake back up while you’re still running.

The journey took just under 19 hours. Long enough for the terrain, the weather, and your own thoughts to shift multiple times. What stood out was how little I had to think about anything other than the run itself. No irritation, no painful bites, no distractions. The protection held up across every environment I moved through. When you’re pushing your body that far, even one small discomfort can snowball. Not having to worry about that mattered more than I expected.

Project Run 246 wasn’t just about endurance. It was a fundraiser for Cancer Research UK, and I ran it in memory of my Barbadian grandparents. That purpose carried me through the hardest moments, especially in the quiet hours of the night when the island felt both vast and familiar.

Looking back, I’m grateful — for the miles, for the island, for the people who supported the journey, and for partners like incognito® who genuinely helped make the experience smoother. Some challenges test your body. Others test your spirit. This one did both.

If you’d like to support the cause, the fundraiser remains open here:
https://limitseekers.huel.com/fundraising/huel-rey-runs-barbados

And to incognito® — thank you for backing the mission and delivering when it mattered most.