KAILUA-KONA — Despite the early morning showers and a downed telephone pole along the race course, a record turnout of more than 600 runners took to the streets of Alii Drive fronting Coconut Grove Marketplace to take part in the 7th annual 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon and 5K run/walk.
The race wrapped up the 10 days of festivities tied to the annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival honoring Kona’s cultural heritage of coffee pioneers, farmers and artisans while celebrating the world’s most famous coffee bean — Kona Coffee.
Along with the popular 13.1-mile footrace, race organizer Keely McGhee decided to add a shorter 3.1-mile run/walk affectionately nicknamed “the espresso shot.”
“We are really excited because this year we added a 5K which adds a different dynamic to the event,” said McGhee, who is the nurse manager in the surgical pediatric unit at Hilo Medical Center. “We currently have around 600 people — which is the most we’ve ever had by over 200 — so I think the whole team is feeling really excited.”
McGhee added that their previous record was 413 participants, and felt being tied to the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival helped to promote the running event.
Hearing about the running events certainly helped 26-year-old Navy Lieutenant Junior Grade Seth Skopec decide which island to fly to for the long holiday weekend. Skopec won the inaugural 5K event in a speedy time of 17 minutes and 47 seconds.
“I’m originally from Missouri but I’ve been living on Oahu for three years,” said Skopec, who ran cross-country and track and field at the University of Central Missouri. “This is my third time to the Big Island. I wanted to do the 5K because I did Kauai’s Half Marathon in September. That race inspired me to want to do a different race on a different island. But it’s been a while since I’ve done a 5K so I thought I’d give it a shot to see what kind of time I could run.”
Following Skopec was Rob Reilly from Eugene, Oregon in 20:46 and Kailua-Kona’s Peaman in third place at 21:10.
On the women’s side, Canada’s Dana Kate won in a fantastic time of 22:20. Keauhou’s Rani Henderson and Switzerland’s Fang He secured the second and third spots with their times of 22:53 an 24:14 respectively.
“I thought it was well organized and everyone looks like they are having a great time,” Kate said. “I’m here for a medical school placement in family medicine and I was very fortunate to get the opportunity to come to Kona. While here, I’ve been trying to do as many local activities as I can and I happened to see this event on the calendar. So, I thought, why not?”
In the longer 13.1-mile race, Kailua-Kona’s Jantzen Hing proved to be a force to be reckoned with after taking the lead at mile 10.5 to win the overall title in a stellar time of 1 hour, 21 minutes and 18 seconds.
“It feels incredible! This is my first win — ever! I have never won any running event till today,” said the 25-year-old assistant cross-country coach at Kealakehe High School who is also employed in the medical record department at Hawaii Island Community Health Center. “I’ve been close a few times with second place finishes, but today is my very first win. I feel satisfaction and a lot of emotions. But right now, I feel worthy of coaching these upcoming high school athletes.”
Hing said he wasn’t sure how the race would unfold. From the start of the race, Kailua-Kona’s Nathan Coates took off on a blazing pace leaving Hing, Danny Friebel, and 2019 Pure Kona Coffee Marathon winner, Patrick Stover, in hot pursuit. Within miles, Coates was no longer in sight.
“I honestly didn’t think we would catch him since he went out extremely fast,” Hing said. “But the whole time I kept steady, I didn’t think about chasing him, I was patient, I thought about how my cross-country athletes have inspired me throughout their entire season, and I wanted to keep that good feeling going. Then when I saw him around mile 10.5, I decided to take a chance while I still had that good feeling. I could foresee myself holding onto my pace all the way till the end — and that’s what I did.”
In a gut-wrenching photo-finish for second place, Friebel, who was trailing Stover coming into the finishing chute, gave one last burst of speed to pass Stover at the finish line. Friebel finished ahead with his time of 1:22:53, with Stover in third at 1:22:54.
In the women’s division, Hawaii’s most decorated female runner and triathlete, Bree Wee, took home another overall win finishing in a blazing time of 1:29:30. The win marks her fifth 100% Pure Kona Coffee half marathon title in the event’s 8-year history, with a 100% Pure Kona Coffee marathon win in 2019.
“I honestly had no expectations for this race,” smiled the 43-year old Kahakai Elementary School fourth grade teacher after crossing the finish line. “I came out to support race director Keely, and also a handful of other local race directors putting on these kinds of events in Kona like Rani Henderson with the Jingle Bell Beach Run and Brent Imonen with the Kona Marathon. And of course, Gerry Rott’s Lavaman when she was alive.”
When asked if she thought winning races would ever get old, and any advice she would give to upcoming female runners, Wee didn’t hesitate.
“The winning feeling never gets old — in fact you can never take it for granted especially since I’m getting older. And to upcoming female athletes, I would just say to keep working on your head game. I was fortunate enough to run with Sierra Ponthier and if I had to pick a winner for this race, I had my money on her. I thought this was the race that she would pass me, but I think she’s still working on her head game. So, to all the younger girls, all the training you put into your legs and body, you got to put equal amount of training into your head. And I just want to say thanks to our community for coming out to support this event, and to Keely for keeping it going.”
For race director McGhee, her passion to continue organizing the 100% Pure Kona Coffee Half Marathon and 5K comes from feeling grateful to live in a wonderful running community.
“I feel so thankful to my sponsors — Kunitake Farms Kona Coffee, Big Island Running Company, BioAstin, Gypsea Gelato, Moku Pops and East Hawaii Health Clinic. So many come together to make this happen and I feel so grateful. When it comes together and the race actually happens then it’s a beautiful thing.”