As 13-year old Alec Ankrum eagerly waited for the countdown at Saturday’s Race the Reaper 5K, he had only one goal in mind – beating his family to the finish line. ADVERTISING As 13-year old Alec Ankrum eagerly waited for
As 13-year old Alec Ankrum eagerly waited for the countdown at Saturday’s Race the Reaper 5K, he had only one goal in mind – beating his family to the finish line.
But who can blame him? Anyone who has followed race results over the last year would know that his athletically gifted family of five have consistently finished in the top-tier of results at just about every local running and biathlon event in town.
Saturday was no different as Ankrum’s entire family claimed five out of the top overall six spots at the event that benefitted the Waverider Triathlon Club.
Adam, the father, is an elite triathlete and runner who is employed as a full-time Emergency Medicine Physician at North Hawaii Community Hospital. Laura, the mother, is a Family Practice Physician at West Hawaii Community Health Center and also a former U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier in 2000.
Younger brothers Aiden (11) and Archer (9) also competed in the race. Aiden excels in both age group swimming and triathlons, while Archer already seems to enjoy the fun competition with his family in any swim, bike or running event.
Having a natural born gift to excel in athletics is just part of being an Ankrum.
With family bragging rights at stake, the Kealakehe Middle School eighth-grader, who donned a scary “Friday the 13th” Halloween mask, blazed down the Keauhou Shopping Center hill like a rocket.
For the first half of the race along the 3.1-mile course on Alii Drive, it was father and son duking it out until the turnaround point near Laaloa Beach Park, also known as Magic Sands.
Alec then put a surge on his father to take the lead, and then he his increased his pace on the way back toward the finish line at the Keauhou Shopping Center.
With the steep Kona Coast Resort hill climb presenting the final challenge and knowing that his father was just behind breathing heavily down his neck, Alec used everything he had to claim his first win of his young running career to finish in an impressive time of 17 minutes and 50 seconds.
“I just wanted to come out and have fun,” Alec said. “I wore a mask for most of it and it got hot. And at that last hill – I just dusted my dad. But it was great because this is the very first event that I’ve won. So it was pretty cool to be in the lead while having fun.”
Alec said that watching the Olympic games over the summer definitely helped to fuel his passion for running.
“Running is just an amazing sport,” he said. “You can go and do it anywhere, anyone can do it, and it’s become a big part of my everyday life. Watching the Olympics was pretty inspiring. It was cool to watch all the fast sprinters and endurance athletes out there just running and being themselves.”
With the high school State Cross Country Championships happening earlier in the morning at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, Alec says that he is already looking forward to competing at the high school level as a freshman next year.
“I’m definitely planning on doing both cross country and track. I think 5K’s are fun but I basically enjoy doing any distance that’s four miles and under.”
Adam took second with his time of 18:08, with Jon Jokiel close behind in third at 18:22.
The next three spots went to the rest of the Ankrum family – Archer (20:54), Laura (20:59), who was also the first female, and Aiden (22:55).
“It’s awesome because the kids love racing and running and they’ve grown up with it since they were little and in strollers,” said Laura of her family competing together at local events. “So it’s been a big part of our lifestyle. And it’s so fun here because there are a lot of family events that we can participate in. It’s fun to see the progression from where we started – holding their hands – and now they are doing it on their own and they are faster than we are.”
Peaman Thrash and Dash
The very next morning, Pea-ticipants turned out for the shortest biathlon of the year – Peaman Thrash and Dash – featuring a 1/3-mile swim in Kailua Bay followed by a 2-mile sprint on Alii Drive.
Known as the “Ironman Fever Edition of Peamans,” the history and creation of this popular biathlon dates back to 1990 when Peaman and a close friend, Lenny Katz, decided upon a new kind of race that would appeal to all ages and fitness levels.
“How about if we make one that’s an explosion of energy?” said Katz as he tossed a football to Peaman. “A complete opposite of the Ironman distance. Anybody could do it!”
Peaman instantly loved the idea of an all-out burst of a race, and after tossing the football back and forth a few more times, the duo finally settled upon an appropriate name – “Thrash and Dash Biathlon.”
And over the last 29 years, this perennial event has lived up to it’s reputation with participant’s fierce thrashing of arms in the short 1/3 mile swim, followed by a speedy 2-mile dash on Alii Drive.
In Sunday’s close battle for first overall, Kona’s “Johnny Bananas” (John Howerton), outsprinted Josh Witt by one second for the win, finishing 20:33 to 20:34 respectively.
“I was surprised because it was a horrible race for me,” Howerton said. “And I didn’t know I won until a half hour later. There were people all over the place so I just didn’t know. So it was only after everyone came through that they finally told me that I won.”
Howerton, who is preparing to compete in his third Ultraman World Championship race during Thanksgiving weekend, said that after exiting the water, he began the run segment in seventh place and nearly 2-minutes behind the race leader, Witt.
“I finally saw him (Witt) as we headed back through town but it was only during the final stretch along the seawall that I decided to make my move,” he said. “I was basically ready to blow up when I passed him in front of Fish Hopper’s, but I told myself that I’d rather die than let him pass me at the end.”
Adam Ankrum wrapped up his weekend with yet another podium finish as he took third in a great time of 20:50.
For the women, Glee Jewell claimed her first women’s crown in a fabulous time of 24:39. Lorelei Nakagawa followed in second place at 25:56, with Alli Adams rounding out the women’s top three with her time of 26:10.
The Ankrum family once again dominated the Split Peas relay division with Aiden (swim), and Alec (run), teaming up to take the win with their combined time of 19:50.
Silas Wiley outsprinted Duke Becker to win the 1/3-mile swim race, finishing just one second apart with their times of 6:45 and 6:46 respectively. And Xitlalitl Reyes won the 2-mile sprint in 14:55.
In the shorter Pea Wee course featuring a 200-yard swim and 1-mile run, Brandon “Wildman” Curry sprinted through the finish line to win with his time of 10:21. John Palmer followed a minute back to take second in 11:20, and Eze S. Kidd claimed third place with his time of 11:26.
Hannah White won the female division in a terrific time of 15:56, with the next two spots going to Layla Gagnon and Kater Hiney in 16:32 and 18:03 respectively.
Team Juice Box claimed the relay division with their combined time of 22:18, with Teresa Silva being the only individual to complete the 200-yard swim in 10:30, and the 1-mile sprint going to Michael Winkler in a time of 7:44.
“I like to support Pea and what he does,” said Howerton of participating in Peaman events. “He gets people out moving. I love seeing all of the little kids out there and away from video games. The main reason I show up is to support what he’s doing for the community. Getting people to move should be part of our society.”
