It certainly was a breath of fresh air to see unmasked runners toeing the start line at Saturday’s 14th Annual Run for Hops 10K and 5K races held at the BMW of Hawaii Dealership.
While the field was much smaller than in years past — 230 participants compared to a record 667 in 2020 — the feeling of normalcy and an energized community reuniting for a common cause were evident by the endless smiles, hugs, and laughter.
“It’s so great to see everyone here,” said Jon Kunitake of Kunitake Farms Kona Coffee, pausing to hug friends as they walked to the start line. “It’s been so long seeing the people I love. I’m happy races are back and in a normal way.”
Since 2008, the Run for Hops has been held in conjunction with the Kona Brewers Festival — the longest running premier beer event in Hawaii, with the 6.2-mile and 3.1-mile footraces kicking off the multi-day community fundraising event.
Organized by PATH (People for Active Transportation Hawaii), the annual event has been a fundraiser for their bike and pedestrian education program with the exception of the last two years when all outdoor sporting events came to halt.
Saturday’s event began with a beautiful Hawaiian blessing by Kumu Keala Ching followed by a short safety briefing from PATH race director, Joe Loschiavo. Then it was business as usual with runners putting on their “race day game face” as 10K participants made their way to the start line fronting the BMW of Hawaii Dealership.
The 10K race began fast and furious with Kailua-Kona’s Dan Gampon and Jantzen Hing bolting to the front as they headed north toward the Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area runway strip. The course had athletes loop back and run through the Makaeo Walking Path, onto Makala Blvd, then to Luhia Street before a final turn on Loloku Street to run back to the BMW of Hawaii Dealership. Athletes in the 5K completed one-loop while the 10K race continued on for a double loop.
However, it was clear that by the second loop, Hilo’s David Collier had established a solid lead from the rest of the field with Kailua-Kona’s Patrick Stover now running in second place, and Bree Wee leading for the women.
Collier held onto this lead all the way to the finish to claim his first Run for Hops 10K title in a stellar time of 35 minutes and 21 seconds. Stover was next in 36:15, with Hing finishing in third place with his time of 37:51.
“It was amazing, I just felt really good,” Collier said of his finishing time. “I thought I was going a little too fast but I was able to hang on and finish. The goal for me was 37 or 38 minutes, but I just smashed my PR!”
That he did and with it, an added confidence boost for his upcoming performance at this weekend’s Hilo Marathon, a 26.2-mile race.
“I’m just thankful to everyone for making it happen,” said the 40-year-old tour guide. It’s been two years but we are finally getting back to our regular life. Maybe that’s why I ran so well, just feeling inspired getting back to our real world again.”
On the women’s side, a smiling Wee sprinted through the finish line to win the women’s division in a speedy time of 38:24. Not too far behind was Sierra Ponthier in 38:54, followed by Volcano’s Keely McGhee in 44:32.
“I’m really happy,” Wee said of her race. “I have a friend (Ponthier) who I have been training with and it’s really nice to see her up and coming. She stayed with me the first couple of miles. I just kept giving her cues to hold on and you can tell she is right there. A few more races and a little more experience and she’ll be winning these races.”
Wee said her next race is the upcoming 23rd Annual Lavaman Triathlon on April 3rd, an event she has won an incredible nine-times.
“It was amazing to be here today, just to see the community again as I think people really needed to see each other again,” said the 42-year old 4th grade teacher. “It was unbelievable to be back. I love loops so the (course change) was in my favor. And just to be healthy is always the goal so I feel like I accomplished that.”
The 5K event turned out to be equally as exciting with the race for overall bragging rights turning out to be a battle between husband and wife.
Adam and Laura Ankrum, both well-respected doctors in the community, each had a goal to cross the line in first.
“Laura was leading for two miles then I caught up to her, and then we ran together until the very end,” said Adam, who is an emergency room doctor at Kona Community Hospital. “I think she faded because last week she ran in the King’s Runner 10K (40:07), and then I guess she let me win.”
While Adam won the 5K outright in a time of 19:35, it came with a bit of confusion — and a funny story — as race organizers changed the finish line for this year’s event.
Adam explained he actually had to circle back so that he could enter the “new finish line area,” and then called out asking for more volunteers to help direct athletes to avoid confusion. But as Laura was next to cross the finish line to win the women’s division in a fantastic time of 19:41, instead of celebrating her win, she immediately went into “medical mode” upon hearing her husband’s call for help.
“All I could hear was Adam saying, ‘you got to get someone out there,” said Laura, who is a family physician at West Hawaii Community Health Center. “Immediately, my mind went to medical and I thought someone was having a medical emergency. We also just had CPR training at work so my mind was even more thinking medical. So, I’m looking round pacing back and forth, looking up and down the road trying to see if I could see anyone in need of help. And then I finally realize that Adam was saying there needs to be a volunteer out near the finish line to help direct people.”
Michael Ehl and James Murphy secured the next two spots in the men’s division with their times of 19:42 and 20:52 respectively. While Leah Winkler and Maureen Neville nabbed podium spots in the women’s division finishing second and third with their times of 23:13 and 23:36.
Laura and Adam will be joining their three sons in California as they will be competing in the Oakland Marathon on March 20th. As for being outside and competing in a running event without the requirement of masks and finishing off with a refreshing beer, Adam summed up the morning best.
“It’s really nice. Just to be outside with people again, it’s nice having a feeling of normalcy.”