POIPU — Shortly after finishing his 11th Kauai half marathon on Sunday, Gerald Pacheco was standing at the post-race celebration, cold beer in hand, proud smile on his face.
He was wearing a Kauai Marathon visor and a Kauai Marathon tank top.
The Koloa man knows why he looks forward to this race and returns year after year.
“I love running and the people,” he said, then, repeating, “The people.”
The 61-year-old completed the 13.1-mile race in 3 hours, 6 minutes and 1 second, and it was everything he hoped.
“It was nice and cool, little rain before Tree Tunnel. It was exciting,” he said. “It was good.”
The day went well for nearly 2,000 runners and walkers in the 11th annual Kauai Marathon and Half Marathon, which included participants from all 50 states and 15 countries.
The Aloha State was well represented with 1,137 local registrants, of which 881 are from Kauai. Fifty-one participants ran the full or half marathon for the 11th year in a row.
People ran for many reasons — in memory of a family member, to prove they could overcome challenges, to test their fitness, or to just enjoy being part of the event that continues to grow in popularity.
Trevor Bunch, a double-amputee, was holding a steady pace about three miles into the half marathon.
“It’s a little tougher than I’d like, but I think it’s a little more humid than it was last year,” he said. “But just keep on trucking, you know.”
The St. Louis man was born with a condition called tibial dysplasia, a rare defect in which the bones of the lower leg do not fully develop. At the age of 13 months, his legs were amputated above the knee.
Bunch grew up being active, loves to compete in sports and refuses to accept limits. It’s “about doing it for those who say they can’t or those who have been told they can’t,” he said.
He would finish in 2:29:37.
“The status quo for people with amputations like myself is very low,” he said. “My goal is to lift that and show people no matter the circumstances, you can do whatever you want.”
Jill Thompson of Aiea on Oahu won the marathon overall in 3:07:05, while Jason Gortari of Reno, Nev. led the men in 3:28:07.
Tyler McCandless of Boulder, Colo., won the half marathon for the sixth-straight year, with a time of 1:07:41.
Lauren Tippets, of Pescadero, Calif., led the women in 1:23:15, her fifth time winning the Kauai half marathon.
Thompson, a mother of four, didn’t come thinking she could win the marathon outright.
“That was not the race plan. That’s just how it ended up, so I’m thrilled with the results,” she said.
She planned to take it easy as part of her training for an upcoming 100-miler, and felt good through the first half when she realized only two men were in front of her.
“I said, ‘Well, that’s it. There’s goes the race plan.’ Because if there’s an opportunity to win this race and really represent the girls out there, I’m going for it, and then there’s my son,” she added, smiling.
Because, after her races, if she tells her kids she won the women’s field, son Brogan, 9, isn’t impressed.
“I’ll come home and he’ll be like, ‘Did you win?’ And I’ll be like, ‘Yes, I won.’ And he’ll say, ‘But did you win the race?’”
“He puts me in my place,” Thompson said. “I always have to then knock myself down a couple notches and tell him I was actually sixth.”
But not on Sunday. First belonged to her.
“This time, I’m very excited to go home and wait for that question, so I can say, ‘Yes, I did,’” she said, laughing.
Brooke Sugahara of Kapaa placed second in the women’s marathon with a time of 3:48:33, and Alex Dutcher of Koloa crossed the finish line in 3:50:10.
McCandless, a three-time winner of the Kauai Marathon, wasn’t challenged in defending his half-marathon title, and earned a kiss from wife Kristin at the finish line. That makes nine straight victories on Kauai for the 32-year-old who will be running in the Olympic marathon trials in February in Atlanta.
His time of 1:07:41 was a minute slower than last year, but the humidity and slick roads made for tougher conditions this year, he said.
“I just kept grinding,” he said.
Winning here each year since 2011 isn’t easy.
“It’s just hard to be healthy and be prepared every single year at the same time, and to do it now nine years in a row, it’s something I’m very proud of,” McCandless said.
Tippets claimed her fifth Kauai half-marathon title in her first race back since having a son seven months ago.
When asked what keeps her returning, she said, “Everything. The aloha spirit is unparalleled, the course is awesome, it’s just beautiful. It’s unlike any race I’ve run.”
Jackie Reding of Kapaa was the top local woman in the half in 1:36:43.
Renato Desouza of Lihue was the top local man in the half marathon in 1:29:56. The 47-year-old praised the volunteers and spectators for their encouragement.
“That’s a big help,” he said.
Karl Israelsen of Kalaheo was the top local finisher in the marathon, placing fifth overall in 3:37:35.
The 45-year-old said he went out a bit fast and his legs tired, but he battled through the steep climbs of Kalaheo and Lawai in the second half to finish strong.
“The final hills are tough up there,” Israelsen said.
About 10 members of the Takekuma ohana ran in memory of Barry Takekuma, who ran the Kauai marathon every year. He died in March at the age of 48 after suffering a heart attack while paddling.
Many held large pictures of him running the Kauai marathon that read, “In Loving Memory of Barry Takekuma.”
“It was an honor to run for him,” said his sister, Lee Takekuma, of Lihue.
“He actually blessed us because it was rainy and cool, compared to all the heat we’ve had,” she said. “It was a joy to run for him.”
Barry’s mom, Cathleen Takekuma, was at the finish line for her son. She smiled as she talked about his strong spirit.
“We do it for him,” she said.
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Bill Buley, editor-in-chief, can be reached at 245-0457 or bbuley@thegardenisland.com.
