Call it the Great Aloha Springboard.

For nearly a quarter century, the Great Aloha Run has distinguished itself from the weekly parade of local road races not just with its unusual distance and emphasis on charitable fundraising, but with its success in sparking the athletic ambitions of thousands of participants.

At 8.15 miles, the run (it's not a race, officials emphasize) is certainly doable for reasonably fit recreational runners and walkers, yet still challenging enough to pique the curiosity of those who have yet to explore their athletic potential.

Less intimidating than speedy 5- and 10-K races and less daunting in its physical and mental requirements than a marathon, the Great Aloha Run offers a safe, inclusive, well-organized environment for newbies to experience a large-scale road race situation without the pressure to perform at a high level.

Jewels Calvin, 31, of Makiki, ran the first of her three Great Aloha Runs 10 years ago, at the not-so-subtle coercion of her friends.

Calvin's friends, who were in the Army, wanted to take advantage of a provision that would allow them to run separately from their unit if they intended to run with a friend. Calvin was that designated friend.

"It was painful," Calvin remembered. "I ran the first four miles then ran and walked the rest of the way."

Calvin didn't attempt another Great Aloha Run until last year, when the lingering question of how much better she could do with a little training spurred her to action.

With help from another experienced runner, Calvin slowly built her running base, learning in baby steps how to start slow, hydrate properly and maintain a sustainable pace.

Calvin completed the run in a very respectable 1 hour, 31 minutes and 20 seconds.

"It was just a fun experience," she said.

And once a recreational athlete discovers fun in what was once arduous, the exploration never stops. Ten months later, Calvin completed her first Ho-nolulu Marathon.

"The Great Aloha Run is a great springboard for beginning runners," Calvin said. "For me it was a springboard to the marathon."

Forest Frizzell, 33, did his first Great Aloha Run in 2002 to lose some post-college weight.

"Doing the Great Aloha Run was part of my commitment to staying in shape," he said.

Frizzell, who also paddles for Healani Canoe Club, hopes to build on his running and ocean experiences by participating in this year's Tinman Triathlon.

Before that, however, he will run his fourth Great Aloha Run on Monday. And this time he's bringing friends.

A field engineer for Nordic/PCL, Frizzell recruited 13 of his co-workers to give the run a shot; another seven or eight plan on volunteering.

"I just kind of told everybody how much fun it is," Frizzell said. "For most of them, this will be their first time running."

The folks in the company are used to doing things together — from park cleanups to the Susan B. Komen 5K — but the Great Aloha Run still represents a significant commitment of time and effort.

About half of Frizzell's co-workers intend to run all or most of the course; others will walk and jog together under the watchful eye of Tehani Kupau.

Kupau, 27, played softball and basketball at Moanalua High School and still runs three to four times a week.

To help keep her co-workers on track, Kupau organized workout sessions at Ala Moana Beach Park. While her charges were "not too enthused," she has faith that their Great Aloha Run experience will only hasten their tentative steps toward better health and fitness.

Kupau knows what her next goal is: the Honolulu Marathon.

Rosemary Kyte, a volunteer coach at the Honolulu Marathon Clinic, has seen plenty of runners make the marathon leap after gaining a foothold at the Great Aloha Run.

"It's where a lot of runners start running," Kyte said. "Once they realize they can do it, they start thinking about what else they might be able to do."

Reach Michael Tsai at mtsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.