Stevens, a 1997 Hawai'i Baptist graduate and three-time state cross country champion, made the transition back to competitive running after taking four years off to go on an odyssey.

His return has been successful — he won two of the first three local meets this year. Stevens, a junior in eligibility, won the 8K Chaminade Invitational in 26 minutes, 46 seconds and 6K Hawai'i Hilo Invitational in 19:41. In the 5K Big Wave Invitational last Saturday, he placed fourth in 16:06.

"There are just some people, no matter if they are running an 800 or a marathon, they put in 100 percent effort," HPU coach Christian Friis said. "I like the way he runs and attacks the races. He's not worried about peripheral things that other people are worried about. Other competitors, minor things you don't have to worry about."

Running for HPU isn't the first intercollegiate experience for Stevens, who ran for Harvard after an illustrious prep career that included state titles in the 800-, 1,500- and 3,200-meter runs in his senior year.

But after competing for the Harvard cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field teams for two years, he felt burned out, and left school "looking for something more authentic," he said.

In 2000, he went to Kenya for six months as a missionary with Africa Inland Mission, a non-denominational Christian group.

He taught geography, history and Bible at a boys boarding school in Bonjoge, a western Kenyan village. His students ranged in age from 16 to 21 — Stevens' age at the time.

"I really wasn't prepared at all," the Kailua resident said. "It was a lot of culture shock. I lived in an area with no running water or electricity."

Stevens arrived at the school in its second year of existence, and was encouraged to begin the running programs. He said "the area had a lot of good runners."

The school hosted the zonal championships, or what could be considered a league championship. He said eight schools participated, with about 60 girls and boys competing.

"I got to set up the whole trail and scored the race," Stevens said.

When he started the track and field team, he said 500 kids took hoes out to the soccer field next to the school and carved lane markers, and "at the end of the day, we had a 400-meter, 8-lane track."

He said the experience still enhances his life because some HPU teammates and assistant coach Shadrack Nabea are from Kenya.

"It's kind of neat how it all came together," Stevens said.

After his mission was over, Stevens went back to Harvard but "had a hard time transitioning back to school."

He returned to Hawai'i in 2001 and worked at Twogood Kayaks, building kayaks and canoes. He went back to Harvard for one semester, but "decided it wasn't the right place for me."

In 2002, he was back at Twogood Kayaks as store manager.

Last spring, Stevens coached track and field at Hawai'i Baptist. That, and training with Bob Dickie, winner of several local races, sparked his competitive fire, and he decided he wanted to get back into "hard training."

Stevens won the Mango Days 5K Run and Hawaiian Half Marathon in June and "did well enough to get on the team at HPU."

"I worked during the spring specifically to get on the team," he said. "It's great to be back on a team again. When you train on your own, it's a lot harder to stay motivated."

Because HPU is an NCAA Division II school, eligibility rules are more relaxed than Division I, allowing Stevens to continue running at age 25.

He said the major difference between running in Boston and Hawai'i is the weather, with the heat and humidity making it more difficult.

"For me, being back home and living in Hawai'i is such a huge thing for me," Stevens said. "I'm actually racing on some of the same courses I did in high school. It's sort of come full circle."