Racers' resolve
By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| This year's Honolulu Marathon has brought more than 15,000 out-of-state runners who will go from Ala Moana to Hawai'i Kai to Kapi'olani Park.
Advertiser Library Photo • December 1997 |
("What goes best with Amino Vital, vanilla or passion fruit PowerGel?")
They're jogging through Kahala with downloaded maps clenched tight in sweaty fists.
("Turn right on Kalaniana-what?")
They're the quickest, leanest — some might say looniest — tourists in town, and come Sunday, there'll be no ignoring their numbers.
More than 15,000 out-of-state runners are expected to be at the starting line for this weekend's Honolulu Marathon.
And while that number is notably smaller than recent years — largely because of concern from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the United States' subsequent military action in Afghanistan — little has been lost in the out-of-towners' annual infusion of energy and enthusiasm in Honolulu.
Jim Higgins said he had no intention of canceling his Honolulu Marathon vacation, war or no war.
"I feel that when it's your time, it's your time, no matter where you are or what you're doing," he said.
The only time he's concerned with this week is the three-plus hours he'll spend running the 26.2-mile course from Ala Moana to Hawai'i Kai to Kapi'olani Park. Higgins, who was raised in Hawai'i but lives in Texas, has been happily re-acclimating himself to the local humidity and prepping his legs for their date with Diamond Head Road.
Vancouver native David Heidt ran the Honolulu Marathon last year and couldn't wait to return.
"I really enjoyed the Island friendliness," he said. "It was great running with 30,000 people and passing through Waikiki with all those people watching from along the sidewalks.
"It's the best-organized marathon I've been in. And it's great because there are events in the days before and after the race."
Indeed, thousands of competitors and their families are expected at tonight's carbo-load lu'au at the Waikiki Shell, which includes a performance of Getback, a concert starring the original Broadway and London cast of Beatlemania.
As of Wednesday, Japanese participation was down more than 35 percent from last year. Japanese runners traditionally account for roughly half of the marathon field.
On an otherwise slow first day of business, workers at the Niketown souvenir tent at Kapi'olani Park, several of whom had flown in from other Nike shops on the West Coast, were more than happy to see Kintetsu guide Reiko Koizumi and 26 of her Japanese clients emerge from a Roberts Hawai'i tour bus Wednesday afternoon.
Koizumi said Kintetsu, a Japanese tour company, usually brings 2,000 Japanese runners to Hawai'i for the marathon.
"This year, it's much smaller than usual" she said. "Maybe half."
Many of Koizumi's clients, roughly half of whom will be running their first marathon, have expressed concerns about their safety because of recent world events.
Runners who gathered at Kapi'olani Park and the marathon headquarters at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach Hotel in the days before the event said the events of Sept. 11 were also on their minds. But most said it didn't affect their decision to participate.
"I think about what happened," said Gary Wong of Manoa, but I want to do it because I enjoy it. Also, it's good for the Hawai'i businesses and we need that."
Mike Houston took up running when he came to Hawai'i from Missouri two years ago. He did his first marathon on Maui earlier this year, and he's eager to see if he can better his time of 5 hours, 21 minutes.
"Running a marathon has always been a personal goal for me," he said. "I've never run with this many people before. It'll be interesting."
Deborah Moses of Oakland, Calif., said she's running her first marathon for herself and a cause that is important to her.
For six months, Moses has been training with the National AIDS Marathon Training Program, which raises money for AIDS research.
Several similar programs, which exchange marathon training for fund-raising, will be represented at Sunday's race. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program is bringing 1,550 runners from 19 states.
