Six years ago Leonard Torricer decided that enough was enough. ADVERTISING Six years ago Leonard Torricer decided that enough was enough. The Kailua-Kona resident, who was 56-years old at the time, had gained an extra fifty pounds on his medium-sized
Six years ago Leonard Torricer decided that enough was enough.
The Kailua-Kona resident, who was 56-years old at the time, had gained an extra fifty pounds on his medium-sized frame. Torricer no longer had the energy to be an active spear fisherman and found that he had a hard time trying to keep up with his two young grandchildren.
On top of that, family genetics predisposed him to diabetes mellitus — a condition that impairs the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin. His two older brothers already had the condition and he desperately needed to change his lifestyle to prevent it from happening to him.
It was time to do something about it.
“I started running to get fit — the extra weight was a motivator for me,” Torricer said. “I decided to start running again since I used to run when I was thirty. I was also an active spear fisherman but I noticed that I was getting more tired, my legs were more tired, and my bottom time was less. So I thought that with running I could get back some of that fitness. Since then I’ve lost the 50 pounds and now I feel good again.”
Torricer said that losing the extra weight had literally changed his life. He is no longer at risk for becoming diabetic and now runs five-to-six days per week, averaging 40-50 miles. He also began competing in local running events, typically topping the podium in his age group.
However, there was one event that left Torricer feeling a bit of unfinished business — the Senior Strut 5K.
“I’ve done the other two (Senior Strut 5K) before this one when it was on Alii Drive at Hale Halawai,” he said. “And I remember that I chased Chico (Orestes Barrios). Both times Chico won, but he’s not here today.”
In its third year, local runner and triathlete, Kelly Hudik, has organized the Senior Strut 5K and 1-Mile walk/run events.
Hudik, who is the West Hawaii Program Director for the County of Hawaii Elderly Recreation Services, said that her inspiration to put on the free event came from the 55-and-older population typically beating her in local running and triathlon events.
“My job is to take care of seniors ages 55-and-older in West Hawaii,” Hudik said. “The objective is to primarily get people out and active, and since I do a lot of races myself, I always pay attention to how many people are in those age groups. I always joke that during the races, these are the guys that are always beating me – the ones in the 50-and-older, or 60-and-older age groups that I’m trying to chase down.
“And it’s also a good opportunity for those who may not be as competitive that may just want to come out and do something within their ability.”
Hudik added that often times people don’t want to be labeled as a “senior.” It may bring to mind an unwanted stereotype for those in the advanced age groups but Hudik hopes to change that mindset.
“I think sometimes people have in their head that being a senior is just someone sitting, playing bingo, or watching Golden Girls or at McDonald’s drinking coffee, and really not an active group,” she said. “They may have a picture in their head of what they think a senior is and so if they don’t fit into that mold, they are not partaking.
“The other part of it is because the population in West Hawaii is such an active, vivacious group, that if they don’t identify with being a senior then they won’t be here. So I want to change that because we have so many classes and activities for the 55-and-older population that they always amaze me and always blow me away with their abilities and what they can do physically, mentally, just everything.”
Saturday’s Senior Strut 5K and 1-Mile began and finished on the newly paved running, walking and cycling trail of the Queen’s Lei Project that paralleled Ane Keohokalole Highway from Kealakehe Parkway to Palani Road.
Nearly fifty people turned out for the third annual event – the largest in the history of the event.
Legendary distance runner and Kona Coffee ambassador, Jon Kunitake, easily won the 1-mile event with his time of 8 minutes and 36 seconds.
“I want to be healthy,” said the 74-year old Holualoa resident of participating in his third Senior Strut walk/run event. “It gives me inspiration to keep going. The first half mile I was tired, but I felt better during the second half.”
Denise Boatright and her little running companion, Ajax, was the first female and dog across the finish line in 11:22. Boatright’s participation marked the beginning of a long-term goal to compete in an Olympic Distance triathlon.
“I felt really good today and I feel proud of myself,” Boatright said. “The Ultraman that I crewed for challenged me to do a triathlon. So three weeks ago I started running, got some new shoes, got a little bit of coaching, and when I heard about this I thought it would be a great beginning race for me.”
In the longer 3.1-mile run/walk, Torricer found himself in an exciting race for first with local triathlete and coach, Rick Rubio. In the end, Torricer, who had finished in the runner-up spot twice before, finally earned bragging rights by winning his first Senior Strut 5K with his time of 23:01.
“It was harder than I thought,” Torricer said. “Most of the time I was by myself, but it was hard mainly because a lot of these seniors can run. I didn’t want to slow down because Rick would’ve caught me.”
Finishing in a close second was Rubio in 23:27, with Shirley Van Dyke topping the women’s podium with her time of 25:46.
While winning Saturday’s Senior Strut 5K may have left Torricer feeling ecstatic for the morning, Torricer felt that living an active and healthy lifestyle would most certainly equate to a lifelong endorphin high.
“I want to be around for my two grandchildren which is the main thing. I want to be able to do active things with them – not just sit at the beach or on a chair – I want to be able to be active with them and show them how to do things. I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life right now.”
