LIHUE — About 200 runners started Saturday’s Resolution Run. It’s unlikely that anyone endured more to reach the finish line than Benjamin Kimball.
The 12-year-old was among the leaders and cruising along for about two miles when he slipped a bit on some mud and injured his right ankle. Rather than quit, he took off his shoe and kept moving. He declined several offers of help — two runners offered to carry him — insisting on going it alone. He hobbled, limped and pushed through the pain to complete the 5K, and then promptly sat down on the grass.
As several people surrounded him to check out the injury, they praised his efforts.
“Good job Ben, you finished.”
“You’re awesome.”
As the son of Ryan and Kristen Kimball of Kapaa recovered, he said when he hurt his ankle, he was forced to back off from the fast pace he was running.
“I really don’t know what happened,” he said. “I was feeling great and going around one of the corners that had mud on it. It was like faint, and all of a sudden, it was hurting pretty good.”
The third annual race is a fundraiser for the Pu‘uwai Outrigger Canoe Club, which saw some of its canoes damaged in the recent heavy rains that flooded some areas near the Waimea River.
The course at Hokuala Resort wound its way through an old golf course, offered some scenic views along the way and a chance for runners to monitor others as they passed going in opposite directions.
Despite cold, windy and rainy conditions, it was a spirited crowd that hung around long after finishing to talk story, enjoy food and drink and applaud top finishers who received hats. All registered runners received shirts.
Benjamin Kimball, who won his age division in the Old Koloa Sugar Mill 10K in November, is planning to run the full Kauai Marathon in September.
When asked why he didn’t stop running when he was hurt and walk it in, he said, “Because my mom would be mad at me — for not training.”
That response drew some laughs from spectators. His mom had this to say: “I would never be mad at him for falling and being last, but for not training, I’m like ‘Hey, you’ve got a responsibility.’”
She said the Kauai Marathon is a difficult race with hot, hilly conditions, so her son will have to be ready.
“You have to train for that,” she said to him.
Benjamin nodded. He was disappointed he was injured Saturday but resolved to come back stronger.
“I really did not want to do that,” he said. “I didn’t want that to happen.”
His mom said she’s sure he’ll bounce back. His determination is what saw him through to the finish line of the Resolution Run.
“He’s very resilient. When he puts his mind to it, he can do anything,” she said.
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Bill Buley, editor-in-chief, can be reached at 245-0457 or bbuley@thegardenisland.com.
