Anyone who has attended or participated in a swim, bike, or running event on the Big Island over the last few years has probably seen the DeCarli family in action.
Michael and Christine DeCarli, along with their children, Mercedes, Lexi, Teagan, and hanai son, Dan Gampon, have become permanent fixtures at the local race scene, often working as volunteers or racing for a top podium finish.
All six members of the family have set the bar high. Their contagious “can do” attitude, passion for sport, and willingness to help Kona’s athletic community in every possible way, are certainly positive attributes to be modeled after.
So it was only fitting that Peaman decided to name Sunday’s biathlon in their honor – the DeCarli Run-Swim-Run.
“I don’t know really how he came up with it, but he just came up to us and said that he was going to name one of these events after us and I thought, wow, that’s pretty cool,” Michael said. “I think it’s an honor to have one of these events named after you. Especially after everything he’s done for the community for all these years. He’s pretty amazing.”
Michael’s wife Christine agreed and expressed feeling a bit bashful with the recognition.
“I don’t think that we’ve done anything that anyone else hasn’t done or wouldn’t do. It makes me feel unnecessarily special.”
Just before the countdown to Sunday’s 2-mile run, 1/3-mile swim, 2-mile run Biathlon, Peaman credited the DeCarli family with helping him gain his health back.
“Just three years ago I was barely 80-pounds,” Peaman announced. “If it weren’t for the DeCarli family and Dan Gampon, who is also part of the family – I just have a lot to thank them for. Today’s race is my way to thank them for all that they do for our community.”
Michael said the key toward helping Peaman improve his health began with baby steps. Peaman had not been on his bike in nearly 20-years due to varying health conditions, and Michael felt compelled to help Peaman return to his passion of competing in multisport events.
“I told him let’s go, let’s get on the bike and start pedaling,” Michael said. “We began by just going to the airport, then to Veteran’s Cemetery, then Donkey hill, then to Scenic (Point). He kept getting stronger each time and along with that came the eating, and the confidence to just be happy and start living life.”
Sunday’s DeCarli Run-Swim-Run replaced the former February running event called the Terrific Turtle Trudge, Dragon Dash, and Golden Fox 1-Mile Gallop.
In a creative twist, participants were challenged with an initial 2-mile run that headed to the Old Airport’s Main Pavilion before returning to Kaiakeakua Beach for a 1/3-mile swim, and then finished off with another 2-mile run on Alii Drive.
Strategy was key. Anyone who went out too hard on the first run would most certainly deteriorate into a painful and laborious swim-run that followed.
But Michael had a plan. He began his morning with a pre-race eight-mile tempo run that was part of his training for next month’s IRONMAN 70.3 Subic Bay Philippines triathlon race, and also served as a warm up for the biathlon.
“I began at 6:50 this morning and timed it pretty well to get my workout done before the event so my body wouldn’t rest so much,” he said. “My goal today is just to stay under control, take it smooth, don’t blow yourself up, and go and enjoy the day.”
Immediately after the countdown to the mass run start, Patrick Stover, Cody Ranfranz, and women’s leader, Bree Wee, shot straight to the front. Not too far behind were Josiah Randerson, Chris Chang, Toby Olney, John Ferdico, and Michael DeCarli.
By the time participants returned to Kaiakeakua Beach to quickly grab one’s goggles and swim cap for the 1/3-mile swim, it was clear that racers would be forced into survival mode.
Without having a mass swim start that is the norm of all Peaman Biathlon events, many were left without the benefits of a draft and had to swim on their own to the 1/3-mile turn buoy.
Wee and Ranfranz – who are both swimmers and runners by trade – made it look easy as they exited the water together in a very heated battle for first. However, while heading out for the second 2-mile run, Wee would make a costly mistake.
“If it weren’t for Cody’s parents yelling at me that I was going the wrong way, I would’ve gone to Old Airport again,” Wee said of her error on the run. “I thought both runs were to Old A’s, so Cody got me today.”
Ranfranz finished in an impressive time of 32 minutes and 12 seconds, with Wee in second at 33:28.
The race for third also turned out to be a close one between DeCarli and I.
After a back and forth battle during the initial 2-mile run and 1/3-mile swim, I was finally able to gain the advantage on the final 2-mile stretch to claim the third overall spot in 35:11. DeCarli finished a few strides back in fourth with his time of 35:22.
The Ankrum family once again dominated the Split Peas relay division with their combined time of 35:04. Makena Becker finished the 1/3-mile swim in a time of 9:06, with recent Senior Strut 5K winner, Leonard Torricer, winning the double 2-mile run in 29:57.
Gabrielle Joy Childers won the Pea Wee short course of a 200-yard swim and 1-mile run in 20:19, with the Pea Wee Split Peas relay title going to Ben Bergin and Mandy Minor in 31:29, and Brandon “Wildman” Curry topping the Pea Wee 1-Mile run in 7:16.
It certainly turned out to be another beautiful Sunday to get in a healthy and energetic start for the upcoming week.
As for the joke that Peaman has now integrated himself as a “seventh” member of the DeCarli family, often listing himself as “Peaman DeCarli” in race results, Michael laughed and said; “It just comes natural for us. We consider him family.”
Christine agreed. “It definitely works both ways. He brings a spunk, and fun to our family. He’s just so giving and such a big kid in so many ways.”
Prologue Training Time Trial
On Saturday, the Hawaii Cycling Club hosted their first individual training time trial of the year called The Prologue.
The 10-mile, point-to-point race has been a staple of the cycling club for many years – always featuring a very diverse group of participants eager to test their ability on two wheels against the clock, and Saturday was no different.
Cyclists began at the bottom of Kaiminani Drive and headed 10-miles north, with participants starting individually on 30-second intervals to ensure an honest, no drafting allowed race.
Male and female course records were set in 2015. That particular year, participants took advantage of a massive tail wind that resulted in unbelievably fast times.
Maxfield LaFortune, who now lives in Colorado, set the men’s record with his time of 17 minutes and 2 seconds. Kona’s Kym Kiser established a new women’s time of 19:08.
While no course records were set on Saturday, Volcano’s Todd Marohnic proved to be the fastest of the morning with his blistering time of 23:37, and averaged a speed of 25.41 miles per hour.
Ben Torres followed in second place for the men with his time of 24:08, with Holualoa’s Adam Ankrum in third at 25:04.
Top honors for the women went to Bree Wee who claimed the fourth overall spot with her time of 25:17. Last year’s champion, Tawnie McDonald, took second for the women in 26:33, with Ingrid Hillhouse completing the women’s top three with her time of 30:29.
Next up for the Hawaii Cycling Club is their Kua Bay Training Time Trial, a 12.2-mile course on March 18th.
Coming Up
Sunday: Team Mango presents the Sprint Triathlon at the Kailua Pier. Start time is 7 a.m. for the 1/3-mile swim, 14-mile bike, and 2-mile sprint. For more information and registration details contact Carl Koomoa at 324-7252 or email teammangoraces@aol.com