Honoka'a 5k, Half Marathon and 30k

A week and a half ago, several of our Kona runners made the trek up to the Hamakua Coast to run in the first annual Honoka'a 5k, Half Marathon and 30k, a benefit for the Brantley Center. Race Director Steve Pavao timed these races so that people training for the Honolulu Marathon in December could fit in a good training race or long run. 

Race participants with race director Steve Pavao

For a first year event, there was really a good turnout.  All distances started at the same time and ran out to the highway towards Waipio Valley.  The challenge to this course is that the first half of all of the distances was downhill and the second half was mostly uphill.  Hopefully most people realized that and were able to conserve some energy for the second half, but I'm sure times were slower than usual for these distances.  In the 5k, Rob Van Geen took first place in 23:25 and Lorri Hays was third overall and first for the women in 25:36. Full results from the 5k are available here.

Race Winners Rob Van Geen and Ellis Andrews

The half marathon kept continuing on at a pretty good pace on the downhill before hitting the turnaround before Waipio.   From my spot, I was happy to see several Big Island Running Company runners in their Run Big shirts leading the race.  The men's winner was Ellis Andrews (1:41:01) who will be competing in this year's Ultraman World Championships, followed by John Ferdico (1:42:10) and then Chico Barrios (1:44:20).

Second place in the half - John Ferdico

Third place - Orestes "Chico" Barrios

I ended up in sixth overall and first female with a time of (1:52:01), not quite the time I was looking for, but ok for this challenging course.  And of course I kept up my half marathon tradition of coming in just a few seconds over a time (:01) instead of just under (:59).

Me and Race Director Steve Pavao

Several other runners also represented Kona and Big Island Running Company well, winning awards for their age groups, including Lisa Bryant, Sandi Shepherd, Jon Kunitake, Linden Villena, Ricci Racela, and Maggie Murphy. Full results from the half marathon are available here.

Nate (left) and Donna (second place female in half marathon)

In addition, Nate Stanis ran the half marathon distance in the middle of her quest to run around the island, which she just completed yesterday. You can read about her journey on her blog.

Jon Kunitake and DJ Blinn clowning for the camera

Thirteen runners continued along to Waipio Valley and tackled the 30k distance.  In addition to running to Waipio Valley, they also had to do an approximately three mile loop in Honoka'a after coming by the finish line for the first time.

Chris Gregory was the men's winner in the 30k with a time of 2:12:02 and Kona runner Julia Crawford was the women's winner with a time of 3:25:36.  Full results from the 30k are available here.

Chris Gregory

Julia Crawford

Thanks to all of the volunteers who helped make this first time race a great one.  We'll hope to be back next year - and maybe train a little more for those hills!

Surviving Ironman

Well, here it is almost November and we're just now posting a recap of the craziness that was Ironman.  And embarrassingly this is our first post since August.  Needless to say, Ironman took a lot of time and energy from us.  But it was a fantastic success with some really great moments.  Here's a sample of some of the photos we took over the course of Ironman week.

Bree, Kawika and I modeling Run Big tighty whities for the Underpants Run.

Underwear made out of KT Tape!

Start of the underwear run

Even though she wasn't racing, Chrissie Wellington was still in town and spent some time at the Cannondale tent by the store.

Andy Potts - in the lead after the swim

Amanda Stevens - women's leader after the swim.

Local triathlete Bryan Sawaya finishing the swim well within the cut off time after swimming entirely breaststroke!

Pro Fluids Aid Station

Men's Winner Pete Jacobs with only 2 miles to go

Women's Champion Leanda Cave after taking the lead with 2 miles to go

John Simmerman on the run

Garrett Oka running strong past Humpy's.

Although we didn't make it to the finish line at night, it was great to see so many local triathletes during the course of the race.  Congratulations to all of them on a great job! Also, special thanks to John Ferdico, Alexandra Herd, and Erica and Ryan Speegle for putting in a lot of long hours and hard work over the course of the week to keep the store running and the sales coming.  And thanks to a great crew of volunteers who helped make the Pro Fluids aid stations a success for the second year in a row.

Now the town has quieted down and it's time to get back to normal.  But I'm sure it will be October and Ironman time again before we know it!

Brown Bear Bash and Sunny Sprint

In addition to the Volcano Rain Forest Runs on Saturday, there was also a Peaman event in Kona on Sunday. The Brown Bear Bash and Sunny Sprint was a relatively short 1/3 mile swim, followed by a 3.1 mile run.  A few people including Jason, John Ferdico, Ali Steiner, and Jason Shepard completed both a race on Saturday and the Peaman race on Sunday.  Unfortunately I had to do the timing for the Peaman race otherwise I would have done both as well - I love the ones that have a short swim!

Also, since I was timing and Jason was completing his first Peaman race, we didn't get any pictures.  But thanks to Kawika Singson who got some great water and finish line shots! 

The turnaround buoy. Photo by Kawika Singson

Kristina Sawaya saying hello. Photo by Kawika Singson

Congestion on the turn. Photo by Kawika Singson

Gabriella Hurtado from under the water! Photo by Kawika Singson

As I mentioned above, this race was Jason's first attempt at a Peaman swim/run event.  He's been working on his swim as a way to cross train lately and is definitely improving.  Of course, this event was also Luis De La Torre's return to Peaman races after a long layoff and he crushed the course, taking first place in a time of 24:55.  Marius Acker was second in 25:01 and Vaclav Seifert was third in 27:50.  Jason finished in fourth in 29:09, putting together a 19 minute 5k after his swim. Chris Prater was about thirty seconds behind Jason, followed only 3 seconds later by Mike DeCarli.

Jason at the finish. Photo by Kawika Singson

Chris Prater. Photo by Kawika Singson

Mike DeCarli. Photo by Kawika Singson

First place for the ladies was Rebecca McKee in 30:33. Alexandra Herd was second in 32:27.  Third place was essentially a tie with (mother and daughter?) Tessa and April Peerless crossing the line hand in hand in 34:51.

Winona Chen Photo by Kawika Singson

Cecilia Woodbury Photo by Kawika Singson

The team of Mike DeCarli and Doug Leopold took first place for the relays in 29:59.  Orestes Barrios was first place in the adult "run only" event with a time of 23:00.  In the peawee race, Kaiden Leito took first place in 11:30 after coming back from his summer away.

Full results from the race are available here.

After the race, prizes were raffled off, kids won toys, and the Perpetual Pea was passed along.  This month's recipients were the DeCarli family who make it to nearly every race with the whole family participating in one way or another - whether competing, volunteering, cheering or taking photos.  

Congratulations DeCarlis! Photo by Kawika Singson

The next couple of weeks are a little quieter with no races going on in Kona.  If you're looking for a different type of workout activity up north, though, check out the Pololu Challenge this Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. Details are below.

Volcano Art Center's Rain Forest Runs 2012

Yesterday we closed down the shop and headed over to Volcano for the 3rd Annual Volcano Art Center's Rain Forest Runs.  These races offered a half marathon, 10k and 5k through Volcano Village.  Since Volcano is up at elevation (approx. 4,000 feet), the temperatures are quite a bit cooler.  The weather forecasted 60 degrees at the start and that felt downright cold to all of us Kona folks. But luckily it was another perfect day in Volcano, with no rain, plenty of sun and a nice cool breeze.

Jason and Chico took some great pictures after the race was over, so you can check those out here.

Even though the weather was great, the half marathon course still provided plenty of challenges.  Rolling hills are scattered through the first 6.5-7 miles of the course and then you hit the killer hill.  This hill last more than a mile, but really feels like forever. But once you hit the top, you get to turn around and fly right back down it.  Then it's mostly downhill to the finish.

This year, Billy Barnett took first place overall with a time of 1:19:21 (he also won the race in 2010).

Billy Barnett

Steve Manning of Kailua, Hawaii took second in 1:24:22.  Jason (who won last year) took third in 1:26:02. 

Jason with his art award.

For the women's race, Amy Gordon of Waialua, Hawaii won in 1:38:25, followed by Caitlin Catella of Oneonta, New York in 1:42:06.  Elda Carreon of Kailua-Kona was third in 1:43:55. Full results from the half marathon are available here.

This run started off pretty much like a lot of Saturday mornings, with most of our Saturday morning run group racing (and wearing their Run Big! singlets).  I ran most of the race with Chitwin San Tun and Danny Jesser, finishing in 1:49:16, a time I was pretty happy with. Here are some photos of our training group and other Kona people finishing the race. (We missed one of our running group members, Don Kirby who just ran too darn fast for Jason to finish and get the camera before he came through - congrats to him for his age group win!)

John Ferdico (who did finish ahead of Chico, below)

Chico

Danny Jesser

Chitwin San Tun

Serena Chamberlain

Lisa Bryant

Lava People

Marissa Bryant-Manago

While the half marathon was out running up the last hill on Wright Road, the 10k runners were doing their thing in the Village.  Chris Gregory took first place overall in a time of 36:25, followed by Stephen Hunter in 39:10 and Joe Barcia in 39:39.  For the women, it was Keri Ogden in first place in 42:56.  Noe Waller was second in 45:05 and Kerstin Busse was third in 46:34. Full results from the 10k are available here.

Kerstin getting her award

Andrea Cobb coming into the finish

The biggest race of the day was actually the 5k, with 255 people finishing that distance.  The numbers were likely helped out by the Kea'au Cross Country team who came out and ran (and took home quite a few awards and apparently balloon art).
 

Kea'au Cross Country

Todd Mahronic of Hilo was the overall winner of the 5k in 19:30.  Basil Schuerch of Bern, Switzerland was second in 20:08 and Jeffrey Ferrell of Hilo, Hawaii was third in 20:21.  For the women, it was Shayli Nakamoto of Kealakekua, Hawaii in first place in 22:31.  Lory Hunter (22:58) and Kaylee Rapozo (23:37), both from Hilo, were second and third place for the ladies.  Full results of the 5k are available here. 

Ali Steiner representing Big Island Running Company with her age group award in the 5k.

The event also hosted the ever-popular keiki runs, with distances of 100 yards and 200 yards. There were definitely some future running stars at the event!

Congratulations to all of the finishers! And big mahalo to all of the volunteers and race director Sharron Faff for another great event!

After the race, we hurried back to Kona so we could be ready for the Peaman race this morning.  Results from that will be up tomorrow!