When the 4th Kaua‘i Marathon unlocks on Sept. 2 in Po‘ipu, a “shadow” marathon will be releasing in Afghanistan. Capt. Varinka Ensminger of the Kentucky National Guard has run The Kaua‘i Marathon the past two years, but could not make
When the 4th Kaua‘i Marathon unlocks on Sept. 2 in Po‘ipu, a “shadow” marathon will be releasing in Afghanistan.
Capt. Varinka Ensminger of the Kentucky National Guard has run The Kaua‘i Marathon the past two years, but could not make the trip to Po‘ipu for the 2012 marathon because she is deployed in Afghanistan.
“Through a Facebook story request, Ensminger reached out to The Kaua‘i Marathon organizers about a ‘shadow’ race, overseas,” said Robin Jumper of TKM in a release. “This idea, starting out as a small-scale fun fun, has turned into more than 60 runners participating, all due to Ensminger’s efforts.”
The Afghanistan course is a half marathon and can be run individually or as a team, allowing a lot more people to participate, the release states.
Each runner will receive a Kaua‘i Marathon race jersey, commemorative medal, race bag and lei greeting along with other goodies at the finish line in Afghanistan.
The top male and female finisher will each earn a two-night stay at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i Resort and Spa, the Kaua‘i Marathon’s host hotel.
Ensminger is not a stranger to the running community, recently nominated by Nike-Plus as the “runner of the week.”
During the day of the Boston Marathon, the National Guard soldier ran 26.2 miles in Afghanistan to support The Hoyt Foundation. Team Hoyt is comprised of father Dick who pushes his son Rick in a wheelchair for each step of a marathon to the delight of fans.
Ensminger’s work is not only apparent through her running, but the spirit she brings working for the National Guard. Recently, her peers worked with officials and military units to train local females in Afghanistan on various hands-on skill training like gardening and sewing as well as the rules of Afghan law. The group also works with children in the area with fun educational projects and games as well as providing them with school supplies.
As the “shadow” marathon unfolds in Afghanistan, runners in The Kaua‘i Marathon will leave Po‘ipu Road fronting the Po‘ipu Shopping Village at 6 a.m., Hawai‘i Standard Time.
Marathan and half marathon runners share the first 11 miles of the course before the half marathoners, exiting Oma‘o town, turn off into the Kukui‘ula Resort to their oceanfront finish while the marathoners turn up Koloa Road toward neighborhoods in Lawai and Kalaheo before returning to Po‘ipu.
The marathon finishers’ party and awards ceremony will be located on the oceanfront lawn at The Sheraton Kaua‘i Resort starting at 8 a.m.
The online deadline for registering for The Kaua‘i Marathon is Aug. 29 at 11:59 Pacific Standard Time. Race packets, bibs and participant bags must be picked up at the Sports and Fitness Expo at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.
Visit www.thekauaimarathon.com for online registration as well as for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
