It has become Hawaii’s version of the game Hunter and Prey — for runners.
It has become Hawaii’s version of the game Hunter and Prey — for runners.
The formula is quite simple: gather 24 of Hawaii’s fastest runners and give them a head start to run 13.1 miles with the goal to avoid falling prey to four of the world’s fastest runners chasing them down.
The result almost always ends up with an exciting crowd pleasing, grand finale sprint, often with the hunters claiming victory.
At Sunday’s Hapalua — Hawaii’s Half Marathon on Oahu, that became the reality for the invited-only field of local competitors who took part as Team Hawaii in the uniquely formatted race called, The Chase.
In its 5th year, race organizers of The Hapalua — meaning half in Hawaiian — have calculated every bit of the race into a science. The 13.1-mile footrace has grown in size and popularity with a record number of registered participants nearing 8,000. And the competitive Chase race was as exciting as ever.
Jonathan Lyau, one of Hawaii’s most accomplished distance runners, a Honolulu Marathon Hall of Fame inductee in 2009, and who has helped to organize The Chase over the last five years, explained how it all began.
“Jim Barahal, the president of the Honolulu Marathon Association, had this idea to start The Chase and asked me what I thought and if I could help to organize it,” Lyau said. “I thought it would be a great idea because it would give Hawaii people an opportunity to race against world class people and also have a shot to crossing the line before them and winning some money. It would give them an overall experience of actually competing against some world class runners and record holders.”
For the first time since its inception, five members representing Team Hawaii hailed from the Big Island — Volcano’s Billy Barnett, Hilo’s Jordan Lerma, Kapaau’s Jared Burris, Kailua-Kona’s Bree Wee, and myself. The other invitees came from Oahu and Maui.
The Chasers — world-class professional runners, world record holders and Olympians — have produced some unbelievable, and quite intimidating, fast running times in their careers.
Kenya’s Patrick Makau is known for his jaw-dropping marathon record time in Berlin’s 2011 race at 2 hours, 3 minutes and 38 seconds. Makau also has a half marathon personal best at a blazing 58:52.
Fellow Kenyan Erick Kibet Kogo’s personal best at the half marathon distance is a 1:01:10, while Japan’s Royotaro Otani a 1:02:48.
And female Kenyan, Isabella Ochichi, a 2004 Olympic Games Silver Medalist in the 5000 meters who made a comeback to competitive running in 2013 after a seven-year layoff due to maternity leave, boasts a half marathon PR at a sweltering 1:08:38.
With no one from Hawaii’s 12 men and 12 women start list physically capable of beating the foursome outright, Barahal and Lyau’s idea to give Team Hawaii incremental handicapped starting times from the Chasers ranging from 23 minutes to 6 minutes based off of their most recent race performances, helped to even out the playing field a bit.
Thus, it allowed everyone competing in The Chase a legitimate shot at finishing within the top 10 and winning part of an $11,000 prize purse – the winner taking home $5,000.
Dan Cooke, the popular weather anchor for Hawaii News Now Sunrise and emcee of The Hapalua race, blessed participants with perfect running conditions: Clear skies, cool morning temperatures, and no wind or rain.
The hype and hoopla leading up to Sunday’s main event only intensified as media backed by loud cheering spectators lined both sides of the course, and nervous tension circulated among racers at the start line. Before we knew it — boom — we were off and running.
What intrigued me the most of being part of The Chase is the strategy one must think about to run their best in hopes of not getting caught. Being invited for the fifth time and participating in my third Chase race has allowed me the privilege of learning through experience that one needs to focus on their own race — and pace.
At six months post-baby and still feeling like I needed another six months to get back into shape, I found myself running ahead from the others in my wave to catch the five girls that had a three minute head start on me. The goal was top 10 and I knew that I needed to push it from the beginning to give myself a shot.
After 6.5-miles I finally saw them — the women’s lead group up ahead — and I was closing in.
At the same time, Amanda Beaman, a 17-year old high school cross-country state champion (2013-2015) had caught back up to me and I couldn’t help but to feel so proud of her. As the youngest member on Team Hawaii, she was running like a pro and going for it.
One by one we began to catch them as we ran up and over Diamond Head hill. Then, it happened. I watched in complete awe as Ochichi’s smooth and graceful strides powered past me until she was out of sight. Next it was Otani.
By the time we hit Kapiolani Park, the Chaser’s mission was complete. Ochichi used her seven minute handicap to win by a large margin with a time of 1:10:37, with Otani (three minute handicap) second in 1:07:38. Beaman (20 minute handicap) hung on for third overall and top Hawaii finisher with her time of 1:25:23.
Makau and Kogo, who ran stride for stride, passed me in unison to sprint in fourth and fifth overall and given identical times of 1:05:35 — leaving me in sixth place to finish in 1:26:02.
Other Team Hawaii members from the Big Island fared well in their Chase debut. Volcano’s Barnett, in 12th overall, blazed the course in a 1:15:45.
“I ran my fastest half marathon ever so I’m pretty happy with that,” Barnett said. “The plan was just to go out hard from the start and try to hold on. Luckily I was able to hold on.”
Barnett added that although he is not that competitive minded, he enjoyed being in the mix of it all even when it became a bit painful.
“I was smiling most of the time,” he said. “I think the highlight was when the two Kenyans were passing me and I actually hung on with them for like half a mile. So it was cool to be going stride for stride with them even if it was only for a short time. I paid for it after that — I ran like a 6:30 mile to recover. But it was a really cool opportunity to be able to run with them.”
Kapaau’s Burris finished one spot later in 13th overall with an outstanding time of 1:13:27, the fastest finish for Team Hawaii.
“It was a lot of fun,” Burris said. “This was actually my first half marathon so I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect as far as pacing. I just wanted to stick with my group for as long as I felt well and hopefully hold off the pros for as long as possible. I’m pretty proud with how I paced myself, I stayed tough and didn’t run outside of myself.”
Burris, who recently moved to the Big Island last year, said that his strategy for The Chase was to be smart with his pacing from the beginning.
“Especially in a race like this that was really hyped up and there was a lot of fun stuff to do before,” the 23-year old said. “Don’t use all of your endorphins and emotions before the race, save some of it for the race and especially because of the big Diamond Head hill and coming down it.”
Wee, a professional triathlete and who has participated in The Chase three times prior, finished in 20th at 1:26:01.
“It’s always an honor to represent the place you call home,” Wee said. “Its also very humbling running with world-class Kenyans and being reminded that we are a big fish in a small pond. It’s also priceless to stand alongside athletes like Jared, Billy, and Rani. These are sport memories I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
While 24-year old Lerma of Hilo, a website designer who posted a 2:33:44 finish at last year’s Boston Marathon, ended up not finishing due to a right knee injury that had him sidelined from running over the last month.
Regardless of finishing times and placing, just to be given the opportunity to be on the start line among Hawaii’s most talented and world-class athletes, will forever be the experience of a lifetime worth sharing.
If you have ever wanted to do a fun, exciting, and scenic half marathon race with a first-class experience from start to finish, then definitely put the Hapalua race on your bucket list. Next year’s race is slated for April 9, 2017.