PUHI — A Kaua‘i tradition may be coming to an end, as nearly 80 runners from ages 2 to 16 braved the Saturday morning chill to participate in the 30th annual Keiki Fun Run hosted by the East Kaua‘i Y’s
PUHI — A Kaua‘i tradition may be coming to an end, as nearly 80 runners from ages 2 to 16 braved the Saturday morning chill to participate in the 30th annual Keiki Fun Run hosted by the East Kaua‘i Y’s Men’s Club and the YMCA of Kaua‘i at the Kilohana Estates lawn.
“This might be the last year for the run,” said Donna Schulze, member of the East Kaua‘i Y’s Men’s Club and longtime proponent of the keiki run. “We’re all getting old, and it’s hard, but no one wants to give it up.”
Schulze said that, among the organization, there are at least three members in their 90’s, five who are at least 88 years old, and unlike the days when the run first started, people now need help from canes and walkers.
Joining the field of runners were Schulze’s dog, Patches, a 7-year-old Chihuahua, running her fourth race; and Ginger, a 10-year-old shitsu-mix, running her first race. Both dogs were being handled by Rebecca Bowman.
“This is a unique race,” Schulze said. “I think we’re the only club who does this for as long as we’ve done it. We take anyone. We say it’s from 2 years old, but there are younger runners, and we allow the parents to run along with their children.”
Schulze, a former Physical Education teacher on the North Shore, said that there are now parents who remember running this race when they were youngsters. Now, they’re bringing their kids to run.
Ian Costa, representing Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. (who is in Washington, D.C. for the presidential inauguration), started the field following a course briefing by Tom Tannery of the YMCA.
“Age 2 youngsters run the one-mile course, and youngsters 10 through 16 years old take the two-mile course,” Schulze said. “And parents can run with their youngsters, if they want.”
James Pratt topped the field, being first to cross the race on the one-mile course with a 7:00 run.
Tia Fulks was the first female in the one-mile course, stopping the clock at 8:34.
Brodie Noice topped the two-mile run on a 13:26 run while Kyla Bandsma was the first female in the two-mile, stopping the clock at 15:07.
Beyond those honors, a lot of children were awarded prizes, as organizers tried to get prizes into the hands of as many participants as possible.
Additionally, all runners were eligible to win one of 32 bicycles being donated for the run.
“Everyone wanted to be part of the run,” Schulze said. “Nearly everyone came up with a check to pay for a bike, Walmart getting all the business. People kept saying, ‘I want to be part of the run.’”
Among the runners, Cheyanne Tannery, a freshman at Kaua‘i High School and recent winner of the Kaua‘i All Girl Rodeo Association horsemanship events and the Kaua‘i Keiki and High School Association high school division, said she can’t remember when she started running in the event.
Steve Stoltysik was a debut runner, running alongside his grandchild through the one-mile course.
For Jenny and Jiro Yukimura, East Kaua‘i Y’s Men’s Club members, there were three generations on the field as JoAnn Yukimura turned out to help and David Yukimura was running with his youngster.
“It’s too early to say what’s going to happen,” said Tom Tannery of the YMCA of Kaua‘i, about next year’s run. “Anything can happen.”
