BY SEAN PAGETT
How can you be a pea? Well, it’s actually so simple it’s confusing.
With the release of our 2012 Frozen Pea Productions schedule of fun, free things to do, I have been getting a lot of phone calls and questions about our events. Most often, how to sign up becomes puzzling, but since we sign people “out” when they’re done, they don’t have to worry about registration, applications or entry fees.
Right now, our 2012 calendars are available at all FPP events, at The Club in Kona and on Rani “The Roadrunner” Tanimoto’s website, www.bigislandruning.com. Every bit of information you will need is on our calendar, and if it’s not, you can call my 24-hour holiday and event hot line: 938-2296.
Our so-simple-they’re-confusing events are definitely community events put on by the community. We are proud of our diversity and love having Olympic medalists and Ironman champions as much as a first-timers who end up doing the pea-wee course. We also pride ourselves on our motto of, “If we don’t have a pod (division) for you we will create one.”
Yes, you can be an individual who also has 10 split-pea relay runners who take off after your swim. Fast, medium or slow, everyone is welcome. You want to wear fins and a mask, wonderful.
The variety of ages and abilities at each FPP event constantly amazes and uplifts me. Our main goal for our negative profit organization is to continuously encourage anyone and everyone to join us for a morning of family, friends, fitness and fun.
All our events are on Sunday at 8:03 a.m. All are free, and all but two start and finish next to Kailua Pier. Also, all of our events have a shorter pea-wee course for pea-ple of all ages. Our 2012 calendar contains the same 15 events as last year, and of the 15, two are organized by other members of our Pea-mania ohana.
We will kick off the year with the Peaman Splish-Splash and Superbowl Shuffle Biathlon. It always takes place on the last Sunday of January, which will be Jan. 29 this year. The course includes a half-mile swim and 3.1-mile run, and the usual 200-yard swim and one-mile run/walk pea-wee course. The theme is, of course, football and the upcoming Super Bowl.
Wearing your favorite team colors and logos is encouraged. Our special food will be Cathee Palapit’s world famous salsa and chips from Cathee’s Café at The Club in Kona.
In February, we will honor Gene “Turtle” Power and Lenny “The Golden Fox” Katz and celebrate the memory of Gary “The Dragon” Grubb at the Terrific Turtle Trudge, Dragon Dash and Golden Fox 1-mile Gallop. The run/walk event will take place on its usual third Sunday of February, which is Feb. 19.
We will have weight divisions instead of age groups, and to further our weirdness, we will have distances in good ol’ American inches. The Trudge covers 332,640 inches, with the Dash at 126,740 inches and the (hint-hint) Gallop at 63,360 inches.
When March arrives, we will celebrate the life of a great friend who taught me many life lessons, Zak Harvey. The event, always on the first Sunday of March (March 4), is the Zoomin’ Zak Plunge and Plod Biathlon. The course will feature a half-mile swim and 3.9-mile run, with the standard pea-wee course. Our color theme will be green for St. Pea-trick’s Day, and we will remember Zak, who passed away because of Down syndrome a few years ago.
On April 15, we bring three more run/walk events named after members of our extended pea family. We will salute Craig “Carboman” Leeper, Rani “The Roadrunner” Tanimoto and Linda “Mouse” Kelley at the Carboman 10-mile Mosey, Roadrunner 3.5-mile Romp and 1-mile Mighty Mouse Scamper. We will have an Easter theme and enjoy lots of sugary and sweet treats. Marshmallow “peaps” will definitely be on the menu.
In May, we have reserved the second Sunday, May 13, which is Mother’s Day. We will enjoy mothers’ special morning with Polar Bear’s Pinto Bean and Pinata Biathlon. The course will include a 3/4-mile swim and 3.1-mile run, and the standard pea-wee course. The theme is, of course, Mother’s Day and all of the love and appreciation that goes along with it.
June will bring up Papa Pea’s Birthday Biathlon and Celebration of Summer. The event is always scheduled 15 days after Rohto Ironman 70.3 Hawaii. In 2012, it will be June 17. We will celebrate my progenitor’s birthday with a half-mile swim and two-mile run and, of course, the usual pea-wee course.
Besides celebrating Papa Pea’s birthday, which is actually on June 6, we will also salute everyone who was involved in 70.3 Hawaii, or “Honu,” and play with lots of super soakers and water toys.
We will continue our summer fun with a slightly belated Fourth of July celebration. Our Peaman Red, White and Blue Biathlon is always set for the third Sunday in July. This way, it follows the Hapuna Roughwater Swim (first Sunday of July) and the King’s Swim (second Sunday of July). This year the half-mile swim and 3.5-mile Roadrunner Romp course run will take place on July 15.
We will have an Independence Day theme, and we will enjoy a day of red-white-and-blue fun with tasty summer foods like watermelon and the fireworks created when our wonderful pod gathers to celebrate life.
Well, this gets us almost halfway through our 2012 schedule. Next week, I’ll share the details of August through December.
Finally, mark Feb. 11 on your calendar. On that day, we will be at Great American Storage for a huge facilitywide garage sale. We are hoping to raise a few dollars to help cover a bit of our event expenses.
If you’ve got something you want to get rid of, we will gratefully accept donations. Our goal is to sell all items for what the buyer can afford. This way we can make sure people get what they want even if we pass it on for free. Yes, we truly are a negative profit organization.
Call 938-2296 with questions or if you have any items to contribute to our big sale.
