Running with pack has its advantages
By Casey McGuire-Turcotte
Special to The Advertiser
The Honolulu Advertiser will begin a series of “start-up” and “sign-up” articles for readers who are interested in learning the rudiments of a popular Island outdoor activities.
In the coming weeks, The Advertiser will feature instructional stories on swimming, surfing, hunting and sailing.
Also in the coming weeks, The Advertiser will begin a series of “sign-up” articles for those interested in joining a social or recreational activity. Stories will include hiking, biking and running/walking.
If you want to suggest an article, call Brandon Masuoka at 535-2458 or e-mail bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.
If you have been in Waikiki at around 6 on a Wednesday evening, maybe you have seen them: a large flock of brightly dressed runners in all shapes and sizes, moving up Kalakaua at anywhere between a brisk walk to an all-out sprint.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
It's not a race, rather, it's the Niketown Running Club, one of the largest running groups on the island.
"Some people bring baby joggers, others walk," says Keala Peters, the marketing director at Niketown in Honolulu. "We've really got quite a mix."
In the four years since its start, runners of all ages and ability levels have taken part in the free, non-exclusive outdoor fun each week.
"Running is the foundation of Nike, it's how the company started," said Keala Peters, marketing director at Niketown Honolulu. "This club really symbolizes what Nike is all about."
The idea for the Niketown running club started in Boston, where employees training for the Boston Marathon decided to do their long runs together after work once a week. The word spread, and soon customers and community members were included.
Today, 11 Nike stores across the nation, from Baton Rouge, La., to Los Angeles, offer the free running club. Although Hawai'i's group is the newest addition, it is also the largest in participation and, thanks to the weather, one of the few that runs year-round.
"There were about 20 regulars when we first started four years ago, which was already big," Peters said. "Now we get 60-100 people on any given week."
No registration is necessary, and there are no fees. Simply show up at the front of the Niketown store in Waikiki on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.
Participants choose between a 3-, 5- or 7-mile course. All courses are loops that start and finish at Niketown, and each have breathtaking views along the way. The Ala Moana Beach Park/Magic Island and Diamond Head runs are group favorites.
Fresh fruit, bagels, and bottled water, all paid for by Niketown, await the runners when they finish.
The majority of the participants are kama'aina, but the club has won over the hearts of many visitors and tourists as well.
"Tourists love running with the locals," Peters said. "We actually have a group of flight attendants who plan their stops and layovers in conjunction with our Wednesday sessions."
Peters said that although there are several elite athletes, such as Jonathan Lyau, Mina Casey-Pang, and Nina Christensen who run at Niketown each week, there are people of all ability levels at the sessions.
"Some people bring baby joggers, others walk. We've really got quite a mix," Peters said. "Anyone can find a compatible group here."
The club is also a great social outlet.
"People have met here, dated, become friends, you name it," Peters said. "It's a great chance to meet the running community in Honolulu."
The Kawana family drives from Mililani each week for the sessions, and have made the event a family affair.
"The people are great, Waikiki is always nice, and this is much safer than turning the kids loose on the streets to run," mom Linda said.
Clint Iizuka-Sheely has been a part of the club for a couple of years, and said Niketown is a good place for beginners to start.
"You'll start to recognize friendly faces from these sessions at races, even if you don't know their names," he said.
Newlyweds Jackie and Kane Ng-Osorio, who are training for their first marathon, have found motivation running with the club.
"Sometimes the hardest part is just getting out the door," Jackie said. "Running with a group really keeps you going."
