What began as a small grassroots senior running event catering specifically to athletes aged 55-years and older, has now blossomed into a wonderful community race open to all ages and fitness levels.
Saturday’s Groundhog Gallop 5K and 1-mile run/walk attracted a diverse group to the West Hawaii Civic Center — all ready to test their fitness over the out and back course on the Queen’s Lei trail path along Ane Keohokalole Highway.
Event organizer, Kelly Hudik, who is Recreation Director for the County Parks and Recreation, said she began this event five or six years ago under the senior recreation program in an effort to get more of the elderly population outside and active.
“We started looking at the results for some of the races and wanted to see how many people were in that 55-years and older age group,” Hudik said. “And I started thinking we always wanted to put on a little home grown type of race primarily because of the number of people in that age group. Having a race for just that age group seemed to take some of the pressure off where people may just show up that might have been intimidated if there was everybody involved. So it was a way to take care of that group.”
Hudik initially staged the event down at Hale Halawai for the first two years with a 5K and 1-mile course held on the shoulder of Alii Drive. Then in 2017, Hudik moved the event to the more pedestrian friendly and freshly paved Queen’s Lei Trail Path along Ane Keohokalole Highway.
But it was a job transfer within her department that gave Hudik the green light to open up her event to all ages.
“I used to work for the senior recreation program for the County Parks and Recreation Department, and then last year, I transferred to regular recreation,” she said. “So now I am Recreation Director down at Hale Halawai. And because we take care of everybody, we could open it up to everybody. But since it started as a senior race and my heart is still with the seniors, we still do prizes for those 55-years and older.
Yet other than the age of the participants, and the name of the event going from the Senior Strut to the Golden Gallop to now the Groundhog Gallop, not much has changed.
“It’s still a little home grown race, it’s still free, we still get all of the prizes donated, so it’s a nice way to have a really casual race that everyone could come and do,” she said. “And it’s a nice mix of people who come out for it. You have those who come out to race and others who just may want to walk and enjoy it.”
On Saturday, Waikoloa’s Liad Shinnar was the youngest to tackle the 5K running race. At just 9-years of age, the Waikoloa Elementary fourth grader said he loves running and the Groundhog Gallop was his sixth time competing at the 3.1-mile distance.
“I just like running because it’s fun to me,” said Shinnar, who finished in a swift time of 25 minutes and 58 seconds. “But my best 5K time is 23:20.”
Shinnar and his family recently moved to the Big Island in December from North Carolina. The young speedster said he’s on the track team in Waikoloa and plans to continue working on his speed at the upcoming LavaKids Biathlon and future Peaman events.
“I don’t know what inspires me to run — it’s just what I do,” he said. “Back in school where I used to live in North Carolina, every year from second grade to fifth grade they make you run a mile. I really liked that and that’s how I started running.”
Kailua-Kona’s Joe Fairchild successfully defended his 5K title by finishing in a great time of 19:38.
“Today was great,” said the 37-year old. “I haven’t been running as much as I’d like, but it was wonderful conditions. My goal today was to finish ahead of her (pointing to his girlfriend, Jessie McCree). It was nice and cool and I think my time was definitely faster than last year’s.”
Fairchild, who is preparing for his upcoming race season that includes the Prologue 10-mile cycling time trial, the Dragon cycling hill climb, and the Run for Hops 10K, said participating in community athletic events are his favorites.
“I like to support the County and smaller events. I think it’s such a good community-building event.
Following Fairchild in the men’s division were Jon Jokiel and Albert Frank with their times of 20:23 and 20:30 respectively.
Vicky Hunter, who was visiting from Colorado, found herself all alone in front of the women’s field and finished fourth overall in the 5K with her time of 21:31.
“I love to race,” said the 59-year old. “And I was looking around trying to find a race here when I saw this by chance at the Kona Pool. I thought it was perfect — it’s free, and a 5K, plus they would give an award to the first 55+ so I thought, maybe, I would place. But I wasn’t expecting to win.”
Hunter said she’s been in Kona since Christmas and plans to return to Colorado at the end of the month.
“I’m retired from teaching Political Science from Colorado University, but now I teach fitness classes part-time,” Hunter said. “And I’m an Ultra Runner. I ran the Hilo to Volcano 50K Ultra Marathon and finished second female overall behind Bree (Brown). I love 5K’s and I love 50-mile races. It’s the in between that’s hard for me. I love 5K’s because it’s basically speed work for me.
A happily pregnant Jessie McCree was the next female to cross the finish line in a great time of 25:31, while Amanda Platter, who is preparing for the upcoming Hilo Half Marathon in March, finished in third at 26:05.
Jerry Sharp was the oldest competitor in the 5K race at age 82 years. Sharp finished the 3.1-mile distance in a fabulous time of 43:22.
Top male and female 1-mile winners went to Jeff Maxey and Rachael Shinnar in 11:42 and 17:01 respectively.
Hudik said she plans to keep the 5K and 1-mile run/walk an annual event the community can look forward to on the first Saturday of February at the West Hawaii Civic Center.
“It’s put on by Parks and Recreation but all of the prizes are donated,” Hudik said. So Big Island Candies donates our prizes for the first place male and female, and other sponsors includes BioAstin, Big Island Running Company, Aloha Sports Kona, Under the Bodhi Tree, and Kunitake Coffee.
“And the distances make it more assessable for everybody. I appreciate people coming out and I love the fact that we can put on races like these for our community, and that this community is so supportive of these kinds of events.”
Coming Up:
Sunday: Team Mango presents the Super League Sprint Triathlon at the Kailua Pier starting at 7 a.m. The distance features a 400-meter swim, 10K bike, and 2K – done twice. For more information contact Carl Koomoa at 324-7252 or visit teammango.org.