Lyau, Christensen claim victories in 5K
By Casey McGuire-Turcotte
Special to The Advertiser
Gov. Linda Lingle spent an hour yesterday doing what she does every Sunday morning — walking. But instead of circling the State capitol and downtown area, she and dozens of staff members were among the 380 participants up at dawn for the 7th Annual Faerber's Flyers Race Against Violence.
Wearing bib No. 1, shorts, a light green t-shirt and a lei, Lingle finished the 5K course in Manoa a little before 8 o'clock.
"This is a cause our office feels very passionately about," Lingle said after the race. "We encouraged anyone in the office who could make it to come out here and support this event."
Attorney General Mark Bennett and more than 40 others from his office also participated.
While Lingle and her entourage caused a buzz at the back of the pack, the lead runners produced their own excitement.
In the men's race, Jonathon Lyau held off a huge come-from-behind effort by defending champion Christian Madsen of HPU to win in 15 minutes, 32 seconds, only eight seconds off the course record.
Madsen finished second in 16:04, and Siul Michel was third in 16:12.
Madsen and several others took a wrong turn near the end of the first mile and came through the mile mark in a disappointing 5:40. Despite averaging a sub-five minute pace the rest of the race, Madsen couldn't catch Lyau.
"There was Pawaina Street, where I was supposed to turn, and Pawaina Lane, where I did," Madsen said. "I felt really good today, but coming back up that hill was hard. I would be lying to say I'm not frustrated."
Lyau said he ran faster than he expected and felt good, considering he's not training for anything specific.
"I guess it's a good thing I knew the course," Lyau joked. "(Madsen) and those guys kind of gave me the win today."
In the women's race, Nina Christensen completed rehab on a pulled stomach muscle suffered during the Great Aloha Run just in time to claim her third consecutive title in 18:12.
"This was my first race back, and it was good to be out here again," the 28-year-old junior at HPU said. "I'm not too impressed with the time (she won in 17:10 last year), but I was hungry to race again, and am happy to be running without pain."
Jeannie Wokasch broke away from HPU's Janine Brown in the final 400 meters for second and third, respectively.
Race proceeds will go to the Domestic Violence Clearinghouse, an abuse and legal council program, and the University of Hawai'i cross country team.
