KAILUA-KONA — Santa’s sleigh is still a few days away, but Big Island athletes got into the swing of the jolly holiday season at the 14th annual Jingle Bell Beach Run on Saturday.
Starting in front of Coconut Grove Marketplace, the 5K offers a little something for everyone, from a competitive race with elite runners and grudge matches to a fun, festive, leisurely stroll down Alii Drive for family, friends and pets.
Taking first place early on Sunday was Washington, D.C.’s Max Pedrotti, who completed the 5K in a fast time of 15 minutes and 51 seconds.
“I am here on vacation with my family and we were looking online and saw there was a race right down the street from where we were staying,” Pedrotti said. “We love running road races where ever we go and just couldn’t pass it up.”
Pedrotti has an extensive background in racing. He was a cross-country runner in high school before going to the University of San Diego, where he competed for four years on the cross-country and track team, setting several school records at the NCAA Division I school.
The visiting speedster currently runs for Georgetown Running Club, the elite running club in Washington, D.C., and he just competed in the Cross Country Club Championships in Spokane, Washington.
For Pedrotti, the Jingle Bell Beach Run finally offered him a chance to run in warm weather again.
“This was a fun experience and I loved the holiday vibe, even though there was no snow,” Pedrotti said. “But I would much rather see Santa Claus on the beach than in the snow.”
Pedrotti has visited the Big Island three times, but this was his first competitive race here. His father, Kevin Pedrotti, who also ran the 5K, competed in the Ironman World Championships about 25 years ago, two years before his son was born.
“I ran pretty well and my time was exactly what I expected,” said the younger Pedrotti. “I went out in a five minute pace and I was able to hold it right there.”
Top Female
Brenda Avery, who moved to the Big island about a year and a half ago, was surprised with her first-place finishing time of 20:36, mostly because she describes herself as a new runner who would much rather be in the water.
“This is only the second time I have done a 5K and I really have no idea how to race them,” Avery said. “I am usually a swimmer, but I have done a couple of half-marathons and a couple of 10Ks. I just went out there and went all out.”
Avery added she did few little running races before moving here, but the people in the active community have made it easier for her to compete.
“The races here are more fun because the people are nice and are supportive,” Avery said. “This race is one of the most fun in the community because everyone comes and and dresses up. I love the holiday spirit.”
Large turnout
This year’s 5K race drew more than 750 registered runners, according to Rani Henderson, who runs the event with her husband, Penn, and the help of the Big Island Running Company.
“This is our 14th year and I am so happy to put on this event, but I could not do it without the support of our sponsors and volunteers,” Henderson said. “This year we had 70-75 volunteers. That says a lot about how much this event has grown from the 40 finishers we had in 2005.”
Henderson also competes in the race, but does it for fun more than the competition, since she is usually pushing a double stroller with her sons on board.
“I am competitive, even with my double stroller, but for me this race is fun,” Henderson said. “This is a short, family oriented event where people can dress up. it is also a good way to wrap up a long season of running triathlons. I am happy to finish my year off with this race.”
Henderson was the fifth female and 39th runner overall to cross the line with a time of 21:51.
Grudge match
A pair of Big Island runners who take the race a little more seriously than most are David Wild and Billy Barnett. The duo have had a friendly grudge match over the past few years, with Barnett usually getting the better of Wild.
This year Barnett placed second in the 5K with a time of 16:59, while Wild finished third at 17:08. Fittingly, Barnett led Wild to the finish line while wearing a reindeer costume.
“I guess that makes me Santa Claus,” Wild joked at the finish line. “I have to hand it to Billy again, wearing that stupid — I mean cute — reindeer costume. I guess this is what being Santa feels like.”
For Wild, the Jingle Bell Beach Run finished off a strong final two months of competition filled with personal record times after what he described as a “not so great” run at the Ironman World Championship in October.
“Over the past two months I have had some really awesome coaching from Purple Patch and coach Steve (Borowski),” Wild said. “I PRed my last half marathon and a half Ironman last week. Now I PRed today. It is a great way to end the year.”
For Barnett, he was just happy to finish 2018 injury-free.
“I had a pretty good year. I wasn’t injured,” Barnett said. “That is the goal, to stay healthy.”
Running couple
For one of the Big Island’s premier young running couples, Dan Gampon and Mercedes DeCarli, the Jingle Bell Beach Run wrapped up a year of contrast.
Gampon had an excellent year, competing in the Ironman World Championship for the second time.
“This year was a dream come true for me,” Gampon said. “The Ironman World Championship was something I grew up watching, and to represent my family and Kona town, that made my 2018 incredible.”
For DeCarli, she ran into a bit of fatigue and took about four months off, coming back in November.
“I took a long break, but I am happy to be back out,” she said. “Today’s race was fun but I have a lot of work to do.”
Gampon finished the Jingle Bell Beach Run in a time of 19:37, good enough for 14th place. DeCarli placed 72th in a time of 24:15.
Positive vibes
The most positive person at the Jingle Bell Beach Run may have been Sean “Peaman” Pagett, who described his year as “awesome” despite suffering five broken bones and having multiple surgeries.
“I had some really fast races and some slow ones this year, but this race was awesome because I haven’t had a surgery since June and I think I just ran my fastest time in years,” Pagett said. “As you know, five and a half years ago I was 80 pounds and supposed to die. Today was a pretty good race for someone who is going to be 55 on Dec. 26 so I am stoked.”
Pagett, like many of the runners in attendance, enjoyed the race’s festive atmosphere and Christmas theme’d costumes on the way to a 20th place finish in a time of 20:06.
“The costumes make this race a lot of fun because it is silly and fast,” Pagett said. “It is amazing how fast people go, especially with the heat. I will see someone dressed as an abominable snowman and I mean it looks cool in perspective, but not in temperature. I give them credit.”