When I first began running in my early 20s, I have to admit, I really had no clue. Yet, somehow running felt second nature to me even though I had never turned out for the cross-county or track team during
When I first began running in my early 20s, I have to admit, I really had no clue. Yet, somehow running felt second nature to me even though I had never turned out for the cross-county or track team during my school years.
Back then I didn’t own any fancy GPS gadgets to determine my pace or to let me know how far I had gone, no heart rate monitor sounding off every time I moved too fast or too slow, and no gels or sleek electrolyte drinks tucked discretely in my back pocket.
I simply just ran based upon feel.
Born and raised in Kealakekua, I focused my high school years playing team sports. Girls basketball, softball, cheerleading, and yes, but don’t laugh — bowling. It sure kept me busy year-round and I always felt that I didn’t need to be on a team to be a runner. If and when I wanted to, I could do it on my own.
While I dabbled in two Great Aloha Run events with my dad, I really didn’t consider myself a runner. My priority then was just to finish before they ran out of the famous Molokai sweet bread waiting at the finish line.
After graduating from college I decided to return to Kona. Far removed from playing the team sports that I once enjoyed so much in high school, I finally turned to running as a way to keep myself in shape. And eager to immerse myself within the very social, yet laid-back running community, I entered my first race.
The Huggo’s Summer Solstice 10-Miler used to be held in June and organized by Carl Koomoa of Team Mango Races. While this race no longer exists, it attracted many of the island’s top runners including the legendary Karl “Mad Dog” Honma, Jon “Kuni-Jockey” Kunitake, Harry “The Hammer” Yoshida, and the always-consistent Stewart Miyashiro.
True to Koomoa’s grassroots style, this event was one of the most unique. It was the only race that began late in the afternoon in celebration of the longest day of the year. The out and back course traversed along Alii Drive, and started and finished in front of Huggo’s Restaurant.
The best part about finishing was diving straight into a hot spaghetti dinner served with an endless supply of salad and garlic bread. All this for an event that was free.
To my surprise, I won that race in what turned out to be challenging conditions. Heavy rain showers and rumbles of thunder somehow didn’t seem to faze me as I just kept on running. Ironically, as I stood under the finish line tent, shivering in the cold with shoes completely soaked and covered in mud, an amazing sense of euphoric happiness pursued. I was hooked.
The Nickname
As I continued to pursue my passion for running at other local race events, I began to meet more people with interesting nicknames like those that I met at Huggo’s.
Sean “Peaman” Pagett, Lenny “Silver Fox” Katz, Gene “Turtle” Power, Linda Jane “Mouse” Kelley were people that I began to know as staples in the athletic circle and longtime community contributors.
Then one day, Peaman came up to me and said; “I’ve been trying to think of a name for you. You see, we all have these fun nicknames. It kind of represents who we are in some way, shape, or form.”
It may sound silly but back then, it was an honor to be given a nickname by Peaman. It meant that you were now accepted to being a part of an elite group of athletes, an extended “ohana,” that simply enjoyed to play hard by swimming, biking, or running. It was so pure.
“Is there a name that you like?” Peaman asked.
It didn’t take me long to tell him that my father always liked to call me, the Road Runner.
My dad, who has competed in 10 Honolulu Marathons, numerous triathlons and local running events, and is a 1985 Hawaii IRONMAN World Championship finisher, said that watching me run always reminded him of the cartoon character, “The Road Runner.”
The Road Runner — a fast running ground bird — was famously featured with Wile E. Coyote as the duo of characters from the popular Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons.
Peaman agreed and thought it was perfect. And ever since, I became “The Road Runner.” Still today, I smile when people call me by this nickname as it brings back fond memories of how it all began for me.
Peaman’s Relay Partner
When I first began doing Peaman events, I couldn’t swim, so I was Peaman’s relay (run) partner. And it always amazed me at how exceptionally fast Peaman was, and still is, as an athlete.
I won’t forget my first few years attending many biathlon events, standing at the top of the cement stairs next to the Pier, waiting for Peaman to complete the swim and exit Kaiakeakua Beach with the best of them. After a quick tag, I would take off running going full speed down Alii Drive while he transitioned into his run shoes. It wouldn’t be long though, before Peaman would come blazing by to beat me before the finish line. That’s how fast he was.
Now years later, I have learned to swim and felt humbled to have an event named after me. However, I was unable to attend The Road Runner Biathlon as it was held on Easter Sunday. Having two young boys of my own, the Easter hunt at home was on well before the 8:08 a.m. start of the biathlon event.
The Race
Two weeks ago, Frozen Peas Productions presented The Road Runner Biathlon. The inaugural event featured a ¾-mile swim in Kailua Bay and 3.5-mile run on Alii Drive. It was yet another honor bestowed upon me by Peaman, my longtime friend and relay partner.
Kona’s John Howerton and Nate Grocholski had a great duel for overall bragging rights. In the end, Howerton used his fast turnover to sprint through the finish line in 45 minutes and 47 seconds.
Grocholski kept it close finishing just a few strides back in 45:59, while Mike PeaCarli finished in third place at 46:20.
In the women’s race, Mercedes DeCarli won her first Peaman Biathlon event with a fabulous time of 48:50. Liesel Anderson, who has seen her times improve at every biathlon event, finished second at 50:54. A finned Lori Montgomery was third with her time of 58:57.
The Ankrum brothers, Aiden and Alec, continued their complete dominance in the Split Peas relay division with their combined time of 43:12. Kiana Wiley ripped through the ¾-mile swim in 20:53, with Leonard Torricer topping the 3.5-mile run division in 26:03.
Halle Nottage and Joe Ironman swept the female and male LavaKids Pea Wee course of a 200-yard swim and 1-mile run with their times of 14:53 and 47:31 respectively. Brandon Lacuesta won the 200-yard swim with his time of 9:04, with Anna Catanzaro topping the 1-mile run in 8:31.
It was yet another great Peaman Biathlon event and another successful Sunday Easter Hunt for my two little boys. Until the next race, “Beep-Beep.”
Off Island Race News
With the swim-bike-run season now in full swing, it’s hard to keep track of all of the exciting races happening every weekend, on the island and off.
Yet over the past month, several Big Islanders adventured across the Pacific Ocean to represent Hawaii in their respective races.
While I apologize if I missed a few names, here is a list of some incredible results:
IRONMAN 70.3 Subic Bay Philippines (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run), March 12th
Michael DeCarli, Kailua-Kona (5:06:04)
Challenge Melbourne (1.9K swim, 90K bike, 21.1K run), April 9th.
Ingrid Hillhouse, Kailua-Kona (6:25:31)
121st Boston Marathon (26.2-miles), April 17th
Alan Ryan, Laupahoehoe (2:58:56)
Sally Marrack, Hilo (3:55:07)
IRONMAN North American Championships Texas, April 22nd
Jose Graca, Kailua-Kona (9:31:27)
Keish Doi, Kailua-Kona (10:26:59)
Don Baldassari, Kailua-Kona (10:51:53)
Dave Pratt, Kailua-Kona (14:40:21)
Mikey Brown, Kailua-Kona (16:01:26)
