Hilo Medical Professionals Headed to do the Honolulu Marathon

Doc Morita to notch yet another marathon finish

More than 250 Big Island residents will be lacing up their shoes on Sunday, Dec. 12, for the Annual running of the Honolulu Marathon.

With an estimated field of 25,000 the Honolulu Marathon ranks as one of the top ten largest marathons in the world.  The economic value to the state exceeds $100 million and ranks this marathon as the largest financial sporting event in the State of Hawaii far exceeding the revenue brought in by the Pro Bowl or by the Professional Golf Association.

Each year Big Island residents will train for the event before making the pilgrimage to Oahu to run the 26.2 mile course along with some of the world’s fastest distance runners.

In Hilo a small contingent of medical professionals have been doing a long Sunday run together in preparation for Honolulu.

Led by veteran marathoner, Hilo Internist, Dr. Aaron Morita who will be doing his 11^th consecutive Honolulu Marathon, the group is a mixture of experienced and first time distance runners.

“Those in our group that run with us regularly are doctor’s Melanie Arakaki, Sara Chiu, and David Nakamura with registered nurses Imelda Tamayo, Noemi Arzaga, Gina Durant and Jennifer Maninga, along with recovery room technician Dave Adachi and Ululani Pharmacy office manager Cindy Kuwana,  ” Doc Morita said.

Morita will also meet up with a number of family members and friends in Honolulu, most of whom are in the medical field as well, making their group one of the largest, or at the very least one of the most educated in the marathon.

“We are planning an after marathon dinner at the Big City Diner in Kaimuki together with our supporters, friends and relatives,” Morita said.

Morita’s group just finished doing a 20 mile run on Sunday, Nov. 28, and the plan now is for all of them to begin their taper, decrease in mileage, before heading to Oahu and the excitement of doing one of the world’s largest marathons.

Cindy Kuwana

Cindy Kuwana trained with the group last year, but never realized her dream of doing her first marathon as she needed to stop training due to an injury.

“I’ve been training this entire year, with 17 miles being my longest run thus far,” Kuwana said.  “Since being in a side-impact automobile accident this past June, trying to recover from those injuries and doing my marathon training has been tough, both mentally and physically.”

Kuwana needed to take off a month from her training to recover from the auto accident and she describes the layoff as being the most frustrating and a humbling experience.

“I’m just hoping to cross the finish line for my first marathon,” she said.  “Anytime would be a good time since it would be such an accomplishment in itself.  Hopefully I’ll finish around six hours or a little over, but I don’t want to get too ahead of myself.

Jennifer Maninga

Another new comer to the marathon is Jennifer Maninga who has finished the Kona, Kauai and Maui half marathons, but never a full 26.2 event.

“I chose Honolulu because of the team that I train with, they always run the Honolulu Marathon,” Maninga said.  “I was compelled to join the team.”

Last year Maninga met the Hilo medical group while in Honolulu and felt the excitement permeating in the air.

“I could feel the excitement, but I also saw the pain and told myself that it would never be me running that distance,” she said.  “Now I know, never to say never!”

When asked what time she’d be finishing in Maninga replied with a wide grin, “I think we have to be in by midnight right?”

“I have a time in mind, but if I speak it, I will feel the pressure to make that time,” she said.  “Just the thought of finishing is pressure enough.”

“Running a marathon is something that I haven’t accomplished in my life,” Maninga said.  “It’s something that I never thought I could do.”

Lenny Baybayan

Another first time marathoner lacing up his shoes in Honolulu will be Leonard Baybayan, Jr. who began his training for the event back in April.

“This past February my wife, two daughters and six year old son walked the Great Aloha run and I told them I wanted to try next year,” Baybayan said.  “So I started my training in April and as my runs got longer my confidence began to grow.”

Baybayan started with long runs of six miles and increased gradually to eight, then ten and went all the way to 22 miles.

When Baybayan asked his family what they thought of his idea to go to Honolulu and run his first marathon his wife said “go” his daughters said “are you crazy” and his son didn’t care.

Like all the other first time marathoners Baybayan hasn’t set a time to finish the 26.2 miles and is just hoping to be able to cross the finish line.

“My personal goal for my first marathon is to reach the finish line and running it from start to finish,” he said.  “I don’t have a set time to finish it in as I don’t want to get discouraged if I don’t achieve that goal and not run again.”

Last weekend Doc Morita and the rest of his group received by mail their Official Running Number Pick-up Cards from the Honolulu Marathon.

“Receiving our packet pick up information has raised our excitement levels in addition to knowing that the marathon is only a few days away,” Morita said.   “I was assigned race number 703 and my wife commented that I must be an old-timer for this marathon as my number has gotten a lot smaller although I don’t run any faster than before.” 

Pat Bigold, the Director of Media Relations for the Honolulu Marathon, provided the 254 names of Big Islanders preregistered to do the race. 

Good luck to all those taking part in the years Honolulu Marathon.

Related link:  https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/254-big-islanders-signed-up-to-do-2010-honolulu-marathon/

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254 Big Islanders Signed up to do 2010 Honolulu Marathon

Jessica	Abner		Honokaa	Kristin	Krochina		Kailua-Kona
Mark	Abril		Hilo	Katie	Krochina		Kailua-Kona
Carole	Abril		Hilo	Kelsey	Kumiji		Hilo
Dave	Adachi		Hilo	Marie	Kuramoto		Hilo
Mathew	Adams		Kamuela	Chris	Kutsch		Kailua-kona
Charles	Aftoora		Kailua Kona	Bev	Kypfer		Waikoloa
Tiana	Aina		Hilo	Sudha	Laven		Waikoloa
Melanie	Aiona		Kamuela	Bobby	Layman		Pahoa
Kathryn	Akamine		Hilo	Alaia	Leighland		Kailua Kona
Isaac	Akashi		Keaau	Jaimi	Litus		Haleiwa
Haley	Albertson		Kamuela	Gregory	Lum Ho		Hilo
John	Alkire		Kamuela	Lani	Manaytay		Keaau
Zachary	Ameduri		Kailua Kona	Jennifer	Maninga		Hilo
Doug	Andrews		Kailua Kona	Sally	Marrack		Hilo
Kentaro	Aoki		Hilo	Debbie	Martin		Pahoa
Kensy	Apaka		Hilo	Yuta	Masuda		Kamuela
Melvin	Arai		Hilo	Matthew	Mather		Kailua Kona
Mark	Arakaki		Keaau	Margie	Mattingly		Kailua-Kona
Melanie	Arakaki		Hilo	Lucas	Mead		Keaau
Rudy	Arzaga		Hilo	Nichole	Meier		Kailua Kona
Noemi	Arzaga		Hilo	Brent	Meyer		Hilo
J	Ashford		Waikoloa	Simeon	Miranda		Kamuela
Twila	Ashley		Kailua Kona	Cameron	Miranda		Kamuela
Ferdinand	Babas		Hilo	Ralph	Misitano		Kailua-Kona
Caron	Badis		Keaau	Angie	Miyashiro		Volcano
Morgen	Bahurinsky		Hilo	Summer	Mochida		Hilo
Leonard	Baybayan Jr.		Keaau	Aaron	Morita		Hilo
Matteo	Belli		Pahoa	Taishi	Moriyama		Kamuela
Dan	Berman		Waikoloa	David	Nakamura		Hilo
Andrea	Bess		Waikoloa	Mark	Nakashima		Honokaa
Peter	Bianchi		Mountain View	Harvey	Nakasone		HIlo
Lisa	Biedenkapp		Kailua Kona	Seonaid	Nakata		Keaau
Hiroko	Blattler		Hilo	Eva	Naniole		Hilo
Dennis	Blinn		Hilo	Stephanie	Nepon		Hilo
Charles	Bolden		Hilo	Lynne	Nicola		Hilo
Charles	Bostwick		Mountain View	Susan	Nixon		Kamuela
Merle	Bowman		Kealakekua	Jason	Nixon		Kamuela
Angie	Bowman		Kealakekua	Anthony	Nolta		Hilo
Jason	Braswell		Kailua-Kona	Doris	Obina		Kapaau
Sam	Brown		Kailua-Kona	Leo	Ochi		Kailua kona
Lisa	Bryant		Kailua-Kona	Rick	Otani		Hilo
Marissa	Bryant-Manago		Kailua-Kona	Shantell	Otare		Kailua-KOna
Matt	Buongiorno		Kailua-Kona	Kapena	Otare		Kailua-Kona
Una	Burns		Ocean View	Jaime	Park		Hilo
Dennis	Burns		Ocean View	Kaleiolani	Pasciuta		Holualoa
Kate	Burns		Honolulu	Diana	Payne		Captain cook
Ellen	Carvalho		Waikoloa	Jono	Perea		Kailua-Kona
Matthew	Carvalho		Kailua-Kona	Lyman	Perry		Volcano
Christopher	Chang		Kailua-Kona	Jay	Plasman		Kailua-Kona
Nicola	Ching		Kailua Kona	Pepper	Pothier		Waikoloa
Lorrin	Ching		Kailua-Kona	Kalona	Purugganan		Kealakekua
Sara	Chiu		Hilo	Ricci	Racela		Kamuela
Nicholas	Chock		Kamuela	Herman	Rafol		Kailua Kona
Elizabeth	Chock		Kamuela	Mark	Ravaglia		Kamuela
Kathy	Cintas		Kailua-Kona	Sylvia	Ravaglia		Kamuela
Lee	Collins		Hilo	Seppo	Rinne		Hilo
Sandra	Connick		Keaau	Merceda	Rivera		Mountain View
Kristi	Connick		Kailua-Kona	Ruth	Rivera		Mountain View
Tina	Cook		Hilo	Nakana	Rivera		Mountain View
Susan	Cordell		Keaau	Lucas	Roberts		Kailua Kona
Leo	Cortez		Kealakekua	Jessica	Robinson		Waikoloa
Leigh	Dalton hunter		Captain cook	Sandi	Rosario		Papaikou
Diane	Danawelles		Kailua-Kona	Darren	Rosario		Papaikou
Craig	Davis		Kailua kona	Rick	Rubio		Kailua Kona
Dane	Decker		Kailua-Kona	Alan	Ryan		Laupahoehoe
Elsie	Dela Cruz		Kapaau	Christina	Saffran		Kailua-Kona
Elsie	Dela Cruz		Kapaau	Yoshihiko	Saito		Hilo
Katherine	Donovan		Waikoloa	Allison	Sakoda		Hilo
Kristin	Drost		Kailua-Kona	Jahn	Sawinski		Kailua-Kona
Wilfredo	Duran		Kailua Kona	Honya	Sawinski		Kailua-Kona
Jane	Eaton		Waikoloa	Monica	Scheel		Kailua Kona
Laura	Ebesugawa		Hilo	Annette	Schlegelmilch		Hilo
Ian	Ebesugawa		Hilo	Barret	Schlegelmilch		Hilo
Christoph	Eibl		Hilo	Nick	Selway		Kailua Kona
Rachael	Eichelberger-Iga		Hilo	Juan	Sepulveda		Kailua-Kona
Victor	Eisen		Pahoa	Miya	Shibano		Hilo
Gina	Ervin		Kamuela	Claire	Shigeoka		Hilo
Monina	Esguerra		Kamuela	Shigeki	Shirakuni		Kailua
David	Estess		Kailua-Kona	Junko	Shirakuni		Kailua
Elaine	Estess		Kailua-Kona	Trudy	Sleightholm		Hilo
Dr. Stan	Fortuna Jr		Hilo	Christopher	Smith		Holualoa
Colleen	Fratinardo		Laupahoehoe	Barbara ka’onohi	Smith		Hilo
John	Furumo		Hilo	William	Snider		Kamuela
Samuel	Furumo		Hilo	Betsy	Solis		Kailua
Paul	Furumo		Hilo	Jano	Soto		Kailua Kona
Kimberly	Furumo		Hilo	Rudy	Spencer		Hilo
Norbert	Furumo		Hilo	Jacklyn	Spencer		Hilo
James	Gannon		Holualoa	Brian	Stake		Waikoloa
Darl	Gleed		Kailua-Kona	Dylan	Steele		Kailua-Kona
Bill	Greineisen		Volcano	Jay	Stepetin		Waikoloa
Thomas	Hackett		Kailua Kona	Vella	Stephens		Waikoloa
Karen	Hale		Kailua	Betsy	Strance		Captain Cook
Dylan	Hale		Kailua	Jeffrey	Strang		Kailua-Kona
Kota	Hamanami		Kamuela	Ellie Mae	Sumic		Waikoloa
David	Hammes		Hilo	Emily	Taaroa		Keaau
Marvis	Hanano		Kailua-Kona	Nikka	Takane		Hilo
Roy	Hasegawa		Kamuela	Dawna	Takane		Hilo
Michael	Hasselbring		Hawi	Alan	Takane		Hilo
Kelley	Heaukulani		Hilo	Imelda	Tamayo		Hilo
Charles	Heaukulani		Hilo	Rani	Tanimoto		Kailua-Kona
Penn	Henderson		Kailua-Kona	Rosemary	Taylor		Kailua-Kona
Belinda	Herd		Kailua-kona	Yoko	Tochihara		Hilo
Eddie	Herd		Kailua kona	Daigo	Tomono		Hilo
Steven	Hiraki		Hilo	Guy	Toyama		Kailua Kona
Christian	Hirayama		Hilo	Ricky	Tsubota		Hilo
Pete	Hoffman		Waikoloa	Kazusa	Tsuchiya		Hilo
Lorena	Horcajo		Kailua Kona	Deen	Tsukamoto		Naalehu
Elli	Horn		Hilo	Rob	Van Geen		Waikoloa
Wendy	Howard		Kailua-Kona	Vinnie	Vasquez		Kailua kona
Michael	Hrynevych		Waikoloa	Michelle	Vieira		Hilo
Aldenn	Iga		Hilo	Melyn	Vigilla		Keaau
Paul	Incardona		Kailua kona	Jane	Vigilla		Keaau
Hideichi	Ito		Kailua Kona	Jason	Vigilla		Keaau
Jaime	Ito		Kailua Kona	Roberto	Villamil		Kailua kona
John	Jacobson		Kailua kona	Carrie	Voss		Waikoloa
Trevor	Johannsen		Pahoa	Dennis	Voss		Waikoloa
Jane	Johannsen		Pahoa	Todd	Wanke		Kailua Kona
Jon	Jokiel		Kailua-Kona	Karolina	Wanke		Kailua Kona
Esther	Kanehailua		Hilo	Myra	Weiher		Waikoloa
Michael	Karson		Pahoa	Geoff	Whitener		Kailua Kona
Justin	Kawamura		Kailua-Kona	Renee’	Wilson		Kailua Kona
Christine	Kim		Kailua Kona	Scott	Wilson		Kailua-Kona
Analani	Kippen		Kailua-Kona	Beth	Wilson		Kailua-Kona
Terry	Kobayashi		Hilo	Naoto	Yamagishi		Waikoloa
Hugh	Kobayashi		Hilo	Catherine	Yamanaka		Hilo
Gwen	Kobayashi		Hilo	Ray	Yamashita		Hilo
Tomas	Krasuski		Kamuela	Kyle	Yugawa		Hilo