Divas & Dudes run a success

Runner James Lloyd has had to make multiple adjustments to fuel his competitive fire since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lloyd, who was a member of the running team that captured the Kaua’i Divas &Dudes 72-mile run throughout the island Saturday afternoon, has had to create his fun with running with less organized competitive events being held.

The team that placed first featured Lloyd, Jim Benkert and Drew Stenovich, who won the 72-mile run recording a time of 1 hour, 48 minutes, with a 9 minute, 7-second separation from the second-place team.

The first-place female group included Lisa Ledesma, Theresa Lewis, Nancy Acorace Pappas, Heather Brody, Jennifer Graessle Poepoe, Tracy Capman, and Leigh Feutz, who clocked in with a time of 10:30 seconds.

The event, which was organized by Ledesma and Clifford Mission, celebrated its third year of existence.

“For this run specifically, we had different legs with different characteristics,” Lloyd said. “Some had hills and traffic areas. We had to work with our team to check in with another to see how everyone is feeling, and how everyone was dealing with (the running) they had left.”

According to the group’s website, Kaua’i Divas &Dudes is a group of athletes and aspiring athletes of all levels committed to championing, encouraging and motivating each other through friendships and adventures here on the beautiful island of Kaua‘i.

The organization posts group swims, runs, bikes, hikes, get-togethers, on-island and off-island races, and mainland and international races, from 5K to 140.6 miles in running events, swimming and triathlons.

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Jason Blasco, reporter, can be reached at 245-0437 or jblasco@thegardenisland.com