Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Trudging, Dashing and Galloping

The middle of February means it's time for Peaman's annual run-only event that's measured in inches.  The Terrific Turtle Trudge (332,640 inches), Dragon Dash (126,720 inches) and Golden Fox 1-mile Gallop (63,360) are also divided into weight classes for the finishers. Full results from the races are available here.

As usual, Jason and I had to split this one up, so he timed the race while I got to run it. And thanks to Maggie McCleery for sharing some of her photos with us!


Everyone lined up and got ready to run:


Since all the races start together, it's a little difficult to tell who's racing which distance. At Bubba Gump's the participants in the Golden Fox Gallop started to turn around.  Coming in first in that distance was Jake Lacey in 7:29, followed by Max Musacchia (8:20) and Michael (Teagan) DeCarli (8:26). 


The runners in the Dragon Dash had to climb the hill by the Royal Kona and then turned right to make the loop past the Royal Kona and Huggo's before finishing back on Alii Drive. Carl Millen came in first in that distance in 12:41.  Ruben "Shark Bait" Ruiz was second in 13:49 and Mike Masuda was third in 14:12. And some of the participants in our last Couch to 5K group came out to run, too!


The runners in the Terrific Turtle Trudge finally got to turn around just past Royal Poinciana at Living Stones Church before heading back along Alii Drive.  Allen Wagner was the first place finisher in a time 28:25, breaking the course record that Jason set last year by just a few seconds.  Tai Scarbrough came in second, finishing in 31:50 even while pushing his son in a baby jogger!  Bree Wee was the first female and third place finisher in 33:00.

I was a little bit worried about this race from the beginning because it had been a rough week of running for me.  And I knew what I had done the race in last year and all I was really shooting for was getting under 38.  But I wasn't even sure that was going to happen.  On the way out I tried to keep the pace under control but pushed it a bit to keep up with a pack of runners, including Kawika Singson.  The two of us ended running the majority of the race together, and I think it really helped both of us keep the pace going. Kawika pulled away on the way up the last hill, but I managed to keep it pretty strong after the top of the hill. I never caught up to him again, but I did finish in 37:28, over 30 seconds faster than my run last year.  I was definitely pleased with this effort and am looking forward to the next couple months of racing coming up!

This weekend's Team Mango event has been cancelled due to permitting issues, but some people are getting together around the same time to do some informal swim-bike-run training.  Also on Sunday, there is a run on the other side of the island - the Waikaumalo Challenge at Waikaumalo Park at 7:30 am.  There are two distances in this run, 4 miles and 7 miles.  The course is on the Old Scenic Route, so it's a great practice run for the start of the Big Island International Marathon and Half Marathon.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Team Mango's Monster and Mini-Monster Races


For the past three years, Team Mango and Carl "Gecko" Koomoa has been putting on an event that allows people to compete in an Ironman-distance race in Kona, without having to qualify.   That event took place this past weekend with the Monster and Mini-Monster Triathlons.  Another nice thing about these events is that relays are allowed, so more people can get in on the fun.

Water Patrol
The day started off with the pre-race briefing by Gecko. 


Both the Monster and the Mini-Monster started at the same time, with a swim out to the 1.2 mile buoy and back. For Monster participants, it was then back into the water for another loop.  Meanwhile, the Mini-Monster participants headed out on the bike course, which was on the highway out towards the Mauna Lani and back to Alii Gardens Marketplace on Alii Drive.  From there, the runners ran out towards Old Airport and essentially took a lap around Target before heading back down Alii Drive, all the way to the bottom of the hill in Keauhou.  The finish line this year was in Alii Gardens Marketplace, which really was an ideal location for a post-race gathering and transition area.  The Monster participants rode all the way out towards Hawi on the bike before turning around and heading back to the transition area.  Their run course was two loops of the Mini-Monster run course.  Full results from the races are available here.
Jason with swim coach Steve
Jason and I decided a couple of months ago to do a relay.  Obviously Jason was going to be the cyclist and I said I would do the run.  Somehow I then got assigned the swim portion as well, which I was dreading.  Enter my savior, Sarah Chang, who stepped in last Thursday and agreed to do the swim for us.  Add the fact that she's a fantastic swimmer to my great relief in not having to do the swim, and I was a happy camper.

Sarah getting (or giving?) race tips
The day before the race, rumors were circulating that there might be a super speedy swimmer doing the relay.  That turned out to be true as Lance Armstrong came to swim for Bree Wee's relay team. Regardless of everyone's personal opinion towards him, everyone showed their aloha towards him. Of course, he turned in the fastest swim split of the day with a 26 minute swim. 
Lance after the tag
Tony Frost from Canada came out of the water second in 29:14.  Next came the first woman and our relay partner Sarah who swam a 30:19 and got Jason out onto the bike in good position.   


The rest of the swimmers kept streaming in, with Lori Montgomery leading the way for the Monster participants with a time of 1:03:23 for her finned swim.  Kuba Wuls (1:11:06) was second, followed by Dene Sturm in 1:12:20.  

After the swimmers were done, it was time for a little waiting and resting while the bikers were out on the course.  Everyone moved down to Alii Gardens Marketplace where T2 was set up.

Sarah and Chico
Meanwhile, the cyclists were having a heck of a time out on the Queen K.  Everyone commented on how strong those winds were.  Apparently most people were struggling to hit double digit miles per hour on the way out, but once they turned around they were immediately up to 30 MPH! I'm guessing the ride in was a lot more fun than the ride out.

Thomas Vonach hit T2 first after the fastest bike split of the day, but Bree Wee was hot on his heels.  She tagged off to Dana Hendry for her relay run, while I waited to see how much time I'd have to try to make up on the run. As usual, I initially said I'd do the run as a "training run" (and Jason agreed), but as it got closer to the race I started realizing that neither Jason or I would be happy if I didn't try to run a little faster than training run pace, depending on where the other relay teams were. In a little bit, Jason came in after a 2 hour and 50 minute bike. At that point I pretty much realized we weren't going to catch Bree's team, but we still took off at a pretty good pace.  (My running partner Chitwin came out to run with me, which was a little crazy, but super nice of him).

For the first part of the run, you could see where the people around you were - the bikes were coming in along the same route and runners were going back and forth. I was a little worried about this run, since it was taking place at 10:30 in the morning, which is not a time I usually run.  And boy was it hot! But luckily the aid stations were plentiful, and they were handing out full bottles of water. At each aid station I grabbed a bottle and threw 3/4 of it over my head and tried to drink the rest.  By the end of the run I was dripping wet and could wring out my clothes.  But that really helped, along with the arm coolers I wore for the first time, and I was able to run just a bit faster than last week, finishing in 1:49:47, a time I was pretty happy with given the conditions.

Our relay ended up in third place. I never really came close to Bree's runner and their team took first. I did catch up to Rob Van Geen who was doing the relay with Kym Kiser (and then later that night ran the marathon portion of the Monster for a relay, too!).  But at about that same time I got passed by a super speedy Dan Hodel who was running for Dave Pratt, taking second place for the relays. 

In the Mini-Monster race, Thomas Vonach held on to his lead to win for the third year in a row in a time of 4:21:28.  Christopher Caswell of Canada was second place in a time of 4:38:21 and Jano Soto was third in 4:40:30.  Jeni Winegarner was first for the ladies in 5:01:44.  Nancy Fedeyko was second for the women in 6:07:52 and Susan Nixon was third in 6:11:28. 

For the full Monster distance, Dene Sturm was the first one to complete the full distance in a time of 13:10:15.  Kuba Wuls was second in 13:37:07 and Jim Moore was third in 14:52:50. 

In the Monster relays, the team of Lori Montgomery, Jay Plasman and Chica Barrios edged out the team of Daniel Brandis and Rob Van Geen by about 1 minute.  Congrats to everyone who competed, especially those who were doing this distance for the first time! You completed a hard course without a ton of spectator support, which is quite an accomplishment! 

Special thanks to Gecko and all of the volunteers for making this event a success and an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday!

Friday, February 8, 2013

February's Kickoff

While the pro football season was winding to a close last Sunday with the Super Bowl, local athletes were kicking off a busy month of events in Kona.  Two events were held simultaneously last weekend before all the Super Bowl parties got underway.

At the pier, triathletes gathered for Team Mango's Springtime Triathlon, a 1/2 mile swim, 15 mile bike and 6 mile run.  The bike was three loops of the hilly course that we covered a couple weeks ago at Team Mango's Super Sprint Triathlon.  Then the run was one loop of that same hilly course.  At the end of the event, Thomas Vonach was first with an overall time of 1:25:56.  Kym Kiser was the sole woman to complete the course in a time of 1:44:59.  Unfortunately the other female race participant, Ricci Racela, had a bike wreck mid-race so we wish her a speedy recovery.  Full results from the race are available here.


At the same time, runners gathered north of town for the annual Strang Super Bowl Sunday 1/2 Marathon and Pick-up Run.  The unofficial first starting point was the Four Seasons where four individuals ran all the way into town to Yoga Hale for a 16.25 mile run.  Congrats to Brooke Myers, Scott Jewsbury, Jeff Strang and Jessica Robinson for completing that long run!
16.25 Mile
Brooke Myers 2:16
Scott Jewsbury 2:17
Jeff Strang 2:25
Jessica (& Wyatt) Robinson 2:40

Photo by Dana Strang
A short while later, a little larger group gathered at Kua Bay for a 13.1 mile run into town.  This is the group I joined up with, along with Chitwin San Tun and John Ferdico.  After a slightly fast start, Chitwin and I slowed it down (and I dragged quite a bit by the end) to finish in 1:51.  My stated goal before the run was to at least finish under 2 hours, so that goal was accomplished! Congrats to Daniel Hodel and Julie Curwin for their first place finishes and to Kevin Lannen and Joe Piekarski for setting new PRs!
Photo by Dana Strang
13.1 Mile
Daniel Hodel 1:35
Chris Milburn 1:40
Julie Curwin 1:40
Stephen Cosgrove 1:40
Jesse Palema 1:41
John Ferdico 1:44
Jeni Winegarner 1:44
Kevin Lannen 1:46
Joe Piekarski 1:50 (PR)
Melissa Braswell 1:51
Chitwin Santun 1:51
Cassidy Landes 1:52
Nadia Stanis 1:57
Tiffany Lindsey 2:03
Raul Ramirez 2:03
Martin Evangelista 2:06
Wendy DeWeese 2:13
Colin Whiting 2:13
Another group started their 8-mile run at Kaiminani before following the same route back into town. Andrew Delos Santos and Kerstin Busse were the first finishers in that distance.
8 mile
Andrew Delos Santos 1:04
Kerstin Busse 1:04
Vicki Brasher 1:08
Jenna Fear 1:09
Rockey Shorey 1:10
Hazel Brackett 1:11
Diana Trevino 1:14
Rebecca Dewhirst 1:20
Cliff Acheson 1:20
Ryan Nuckols 1:26
Michael Traub 1:27
Mike Drutar 1:27
Lisa Vos 1:27
Monica Scheel 1:27
Maria Hillman 1:27
Jess Knudson 1:27
Patty Ferrington 1:40
Angee (& Kids - plural) Lincoln 1:41
A couple of others joined in at different distances:
6.2 mile
Lani Kai Lindsey 1:08 (First ever 10k!)

4 mile
Joni Loando 54:00
Stevie (& Emmy) Strang 1:27
This was a really fun event and definitely something different.  I never realized how many hills there were running in that way! Those little coolers of water along the way were definitely a nice, welcome surprise.  Thanks to Jeff and Dana Strang for hosting this, along with the Mullaheys and Janet Miller (and I'm sure many others) for helping out with the event.   
Up this weekend is Team Mango's Monster and Mini-Monster Triathlons. The Monster race is a full Ironman distance race with a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run.  The Mini-Monster is half the distance of the Monster with a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run. Relays are allowed, so look for Jason and I out there, along with our super swimmer Sarah Chang! To do this race, you must register and pick up your packet at Alii Gardens Marketplace by tomorrow (Saturday). I also heard they are still looking for volunteers, so if you are interested, contact Carl Koomoa at teammangoraces@aol.com.