Big Island Road Runners gave over $16,000 in scholarships over the years

   BIG ISLAND ROAD RUNNERS $1,000 SCHOLARSHIP WINNER

 

YEAR                 MALE                                          FEMALE

2006         Stefano Barbis – Hilo                 Malia Williams – Hilo

2007        Eamon Harriy – Kona                 Sarah Chitwood – Hilo

                Keoni Ucker – CLA (50%)

2008      Nick Hagemann – Keaau             Jamilia Epping – Keaau

              Nick Ucker- CLA (50%)

2009     Bryce Harada – Waiakea              Amy Eriksson – Keaau

                                                               Kaitlyn Yamamoto-Kamehameha (50%)

2010    Sai Weiss – Hilo                            Kaitlyn Chock – Waiakea

2011   Rogelio Barroga – Keaau                Hana Scully – HPA

2012   Robert Connors – Honokaa           Deann Nishimura-Thornton – Keaau

                                                                   Kelsie Kobayashi – Waiakea (50%)

The money for the BIRR scholarships was provided by Richard and Virginia Alderson.   Each year the BIRR five member scholarship committee reviews the numerous applications to made the awards.

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Volunteers make 2012 Big Island Marathon a Huge Success

Sunday concluded the 15^th running of the Big Island International Marathon and some of Hilo’s best runners were seen on the road, but weren’t entered in the race.

Local speedsters Keoni Ucker, Nick Hagemann, Zach Johnson, James Imai, Alejandra Sanchez, Krista Andrew, Kelly Rogers and Liliana Desmither got an early start on the race, but never crossed the finish line.

The above mentioned group are all members of the University of Hawaii at Hilo cross country men’s and women’s team and they were doing community service which had them on the roads at 1 am.

“We start at 1 in the morning by laying out the 400 state and county cones to clearly mark the course for the runners,” UHH harrier coach Jaime Guerpo said.

Guerpo and his group of runners are some of the more than 300 volunteers that provide the behind the scenes support that makes for a safe marathon, half marathon and 5K event.

“This is our fifth year that we have helped the Big Island Marathon and it is a gratifying experience for us,” Guerpo said.  “I think it just helps our team bonding and says a lot about my athletes and what we hope to contribute.”

Guerpo’s group will also lay out all the ‘runner on the road’ signs, along with other signs that clearly mark the course.

“We put up flashers on barricades to block off roads in order to send cars one way and to keep the runners safe,” Guerpo said.

At 9 am Guerpo and his athletes will do everything in reverse by picking up the cones and barricades and on Monday morning everything gets returned back to the County and State Highways Division.

Waiakea High School, Key Club, under the direction of Kari Sato also had numerous members spread over 26 miles of the course as they provided the needed liquid (water/Gatorade) to participants in an attempt to avoid serious cases of dehydration.

Sato has been assuming the role of providing the supplies necessary to all 13 aid stations over the past several years as a community service project and her job actually starts on Saturday when leaders of each aid station meets with her to  pick up their supplies.

“We see this as a good service project for all involved,” Sato said.  “It allows our Key clubbers to see, first hand a race up close.”

Also playing a key role are the Kiwanis who course marshal the entire 26 miles of the route.

“This project was taken on by our organization to assist and help the economy,” Roy Kagawa sad.  “The cost of hosting this event and welcoming many runners and guest from all over the world, only gains recognition if the community helps.”

Kiwanis have been helping the BIIM for more than 10 years and they took over the course marshalling of the route six years ago, under the direction of Roy Kagawa.

“The entire service project is our way of contributing and we can involve the entire Kiwanis Family in doing service in one day,” Kagawa said.

Kiwanis International sponsors a global organization in which there is a project called “Kiwanis One Day,” according to Kagawa/

“This is a way we can do our One Day contribution to our community,” Kagawa said.

The Kiwanis Family starts with the parent club, Kiwanis Club of East Hawaii, and they will support other various clubs in the BIIM event such as UHH Circle K. in Hilo, Hilo High Key Club, Waiakea High Key Club, Hilo Intermediate Builders Club, Waiakea Intermediate Builders Club, EB deSilva Elementary K-Kids, Hilo Union Elementary BUGS program which all make significant contributions to the success of the BIIM.

At the finish line another group of volunteers are waiting under a tent for the finishers of the marathon.

Dan Renteria, an athletic trainer from Waiakea High School, had assembled a group of high school trainers to volunteer in providing free massages to any marathoner who desired one.

“I began volunteering at the marathon to supplement my internship hours while attending Ki Mana Academy,” Renteria said.  “When I graduated and received my massage therapy license I would then volunteer to help promote my practice, Na Hiku Massage Therapy LLC.”

Locally, Licensed Massage Therapists have been difficult to get as volunteers so Renteria asked his fellow Certified Athletic Trainers if they could help.

“Some of the Athletic Trainers were interested in learning post event massage so I hold workshops and they practice the procedure on anyone walking into the facility door,” Renteria said.  “It’s been very gratifying to know our efforts have been appreciated by the runners and race organizers.”

During the first 10 miles of the race there are five aid stations and all of them are community sponsored and have been providing support to the marathon for 15 years.

Lorraine Mendoza, Susan Munro, May Navarro, G A Rock, are just a few aid station leaders

Clarita Corpuz from Retired Senior Volunteer Program brings RSVP volunteers to make packets for the runners several days before the event, then supplies the necessary manpower for packet pick up the day before the races.

At the race finish line you can see many RSVP workers handing out food and preparing drinks to insure that everyone is healthy and taken care of.

The Hawaii State Teachers active and retired take part in providing an aid station and in the distribution of finisher’s tee shirt.

The list goes on and on of those that came out to selfishly provide the manpower to make an event of this scale take place.

And someday should you happen to see a very grateful race organizer doing a jog around Hilo Bayfront remember to smile, say “woof” and never shy away from “Running with the Big Dog.”

Grassroot support growing to save UHH cross country program

Some members of the UHH women’s cross country team

“It is a sad day when UH Hilo cuts the only sport that has a connection to traditional Hawaiian culture (makahiki),” Kamehameha chemistry teacher Joel Truesdell said.

Truesdell is referring to the latest announcement from the Vulcan athletic department to cut both the men’s and women’s cross country programs in order to meet the projected 10 percent budget deficit.

“It shows a lack of sensitivity or awareness to the cultural basis of sport in our Hawaiian community,” Truesdell said.  “All we are left with are imported games.”

Along with being a teacher at the Kamehameha-Keaau campus Truesdell is also the head women’s cross country coach for the Warriors and an advocate for distance running.

The UHH cross country program is a non revenue generating sport and, like most business decisions, found itself at the bottom of the priority list and at the top of the chopping block of UHH Athletic Director Dexter Irvine.

“Our kids are devastated,” UHH cross country coach Jaime Guerpo said.  “I broke the news to them a few days ago and since that time we’ve been looking at ways to try to come up with the $100,000 needed each year to keep us going.”

Guerpo has been coaching the cross country program at UHH since 1999 and has taken a budget cut ever year.

“I feel it’s my duty to keep the program going,” Guerpo said.  “I understand that the administration had to make the cuts to keep the athletic program going and we’ve always made do with what we got and have produced a very successful program.”

Guerpo is even willing to coach the team without compensation if it would help salvage the program.

“I’d give up my pay in a heartbeat if that is what it would take to keep this program going,” he said.  “We’re looking at all sorts of ways to help keep cross country alive at UHH.”

Over the years Guerpo had heavily recruited local athletes from around the state to run on his men’s and women’s teams.

Currently Christian Liberty’s Justin Pang, Keoni and Nick Ucker, Keaau’s Nick Hagemann and Liliana DeSmither, Kau’s Kapua Lapera, Waiakea’s James Imai, and Hilo’s Stefano Barbis are members of the team.

Several of the current and former UHH cross country runners were winners of the Big Island Road Runners scholarship.

“We were all in shock when Coach Jaime broke the news to us a few days ago,” Imai said.  “We’re still hoping we can find a way to keep the programs alive.”

The BIRR, along with the Big Island International Marathon, Honolulu Marathon, and Big Island Running Company have all been contacted to lend their support towards helping to keep running alive at UHH.

These UHH runners have also been highly visible in the community, often found at the finish lines of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation cross country and track and field finish lines as they help give back to the sport in which they love dearly.

Guerpo and his runners have also been strong support/volunteers at Hawai’i Island Special Olympics and numerous County Parks and Recreation track and field meets as they serve as strong role models for our community.

“We also help out with the Big Island Marathon each year by setting up hundreds of cones and barricades along the 26.2 mile course at 3:00 a.m. and then collecting and returning them when the event is over,” Guerpo said.

“The UHH cross country team are not self-promoters, but are contributors in ways that are not always recognized in public forums,” Faith Nance, the cross country representative on the Vulcan Athletic Club said.

“Many of the talented high school runners who choose to remain at home have the opportunity to continue to participate in a sport that can become a lifelong avocation and a strong foundation for a healthy lifestyle,” Nance said.

Dozens of emails poured into the Big Dog’s mail box in support of looking at ways of keeping the cross country program alive at UH Hilo.

 “At least UH Manoa gets it,” Truesdell said.  “They have a full complement of the sports that are traditionally based such as cross country, track and field, swimming and sailing.”  

The UHH athletic department made their decision to cut cross country without getting community input which has many local residents upset because they feel they are stake holders in higher education.

“It seems to me that UH Hilo should reach out to the community before making this decision,” Truesdell said.  “The people here will take care of their own if given the opportunity or challenge.”

Guerpo continues to look over a variety of scenarios to see if something can be salvaged.

Vulcan runners support many local community races

“If we have to give something up then I’d like to see the women’s team saved as this would at least come into Title 9 compliance of gender equity, “Guerpo said.

 If the UHH decision makers were to come to BIIF cross country meet they would see the connections.  Keeping a sport like this will maintain and strengthen ties to the community that are priceless.

“A University’s cross country program provides a valuable benefit not only to the team members, but also to the entire university and surrounding community by inspiring everyone to get more active,” Jason Braswell, owner of the Big Island Running Company said.

“Collegiate cross country is particularly inspirational to middle school and high school students who get to see where their running can lead them,” Braswell said.

With the continued growth of the Big Island International Marathon and BIIF cross county programs the continuation of a university running team would be responding to the interest of a growing segment of our community.

We all hope that Athletic Director Dexter Irvin will reconsider his decision to cut an important sports program and instead become part of the solution in promoting something that has deep seeded roots in our culturally based community.

If anyone in the community would like to help save the UHH cross country program please contact the Big Dog at waiakeabigdog@aol.com or call 969-7400.

Related link:  https://waynejoseph.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/uhh-athletics-suspends-cross-country-cheerleading-press-release/

UHH to cut Men’s & Women’s Cross Country Programs

 UHH to eliminate men’s & women’s cross country:  Inside sources have leaked that the athletic department, under Dexter Irvin, is looking to make 10 percent budget cuts in the 2011 – 2012 season.Irvin and his staff have decided to eliminate, or suspend for two years, the men’s and women’s cross country program.Getting rid of cross country would save the Vulcan athletic department approximately $100,000 per year which would fit into the goal of reducing cost by 10 percent.Cross country is a non revenue producing sport and the UHH athletic department is looking at ways of increasing revenue.Many of our local runners have gone onto run at the collegiate level at UHH under Coach Jaime Guerpo who has recruited heavily within the state.

Keoni and Nick Ucker, along with Justin Pang formerly of Christian Liberty Academy; James Imai from Waiakea, Nick and Nina Hagemann of Keaau, Stefano Barbis and Milia Williams from Hilo, are just a few of the many talented local runners that Guerpo had recruited in recent years.

The athletic department is more concerned with high profile sports that can generate revenue as sports such as cross country, golf and tennis may be on its way out.

Coach Guerpo hasn’t given up and will be presenting a variety of options to the UHH athletic department.  If you’d like to help you can write letters to the UHH athletic department and address it to Mr. Dexter Irvine.

I hope the program can somehow be salvaged. 

Billy “The Ghost” Barnett wins Waikaumalo 7 mile challenge

 Big Island Road Runners
Waikaumalo 7 Mile Challenge
February 27, 2011 @ 7:30 am
Waikaumalo Park, Ninole, Hawaii

Billy “The Ghost” Barnett prepares for start of 7-mile challenge

Pictured on far right wearing red shorts, Barnett is undefeated in 2011 races

7	Mile Run				Pace
Plc	Name	Division		Time	(min/mi)
1	Billy Barnett	<<< Overall >>>		40:39	5:48
2	Keoni Ucker	Open		43:01	6:09
3	Chris Mosch	Open		44:03	6:18
4	Justin Pang	Open		45:08	6:27
5	Isaiah Sato	Open		45:54	6:33
6	Paul Mauser	Open		46:33	6:39
7	Nick Hagemann	Open		47:11	6:44
8	Nick Muragin	++ Master ++		47:38	6:48
9	Lyman Perry	Master		48:12	6:53
10	Keith Marrack	Master		49:24	7:03
11	Steve Pavao	Master		52:46	7:32
12	Robyn DeBenedet	<<< Overall >>>	F	52:56	7:34
13	James Imai	Open		53:08	7:35
14	Derek Dominguez	Open		53:10	7:36
15	Kirsta Andrew	Open	F	53:35	7:39
16	DJ Blinn	Master		54:56	7:51
17	Lory Hunter	++ Master ++	F	55:56	7:59
18	Rob Van Geen	Master		57:21	8:12
19	Ray Ibarra	Master		57:26	8:12
20	Maka’ala Cruz	Open		58:21	8:20
21	Melissa Braswell	Open	F	59:14	8:28
22	Nina Hagemann	Open	F	1:00:18	8:37
23	Barbie Nakamura	Master	F	1:01:24	8:46
24	Emily Kingery	Open	F	1:02:16	8:54
25	Harris Kaneshiro	Master		1:02:30	8:56
26	Donna Wong-Yuen	Master	F	1:04:00	9:09
27	Charlie Bostwick	Master		1:06:24	9:29
28	Andrea Hess	Master	F	1:07:15	9:36
29	Marti Banks	Master	F	1:07:38	9:40
30	David Hammes	Master		1:07:41	9:40
31	Kim Furumo	Master	F	1:08:48	9:50
32	Lindsay Englund	Open	F	1:09:02	9:52
33	Tiffany Lindsey	Open	F	1:09:24	9:55
34	Richard Grothmann	Master		1:09:48	9:58
35	Daria Cunningham	Master	F	1:11:15	10:11
36	Morgen Bahurinsky	Master	F	1:14:51	10:42
37	Betty Ben	Master	F	1:15:46	10:49
38	Kimi Jackson	Master	F	1:15:47	10:50
39	Lee Collins	Master	F	1:19:56	11:25
40	Bob Scales	Open		1:21:15	11:36
41	Rick Otani	Master		1:26:03	12:18
42	Claire Shigeoka	Master	F	1:34:06	13:27
43	Marie Kuramoto	Master	F	1:34:06	13:27
4	Mile Run				Pace
Plc	Name	Division		Time	(min/mi)
1	Stephen Hunter	Open		28:30	7:07
2	Carmen Garson-Shumway	Open	F	30:27	7:37
3	Timon Skinner	Open		34:00	8:30
4	Aleksandra Beloborodova	Open	F	37:08	9:17
5	Dawn Patterson	Open	F	37:28	9:22
6	Leslie Terada	Open		38:03	9:31
7	Bobby Nakamura	Master		40:00	10:00
8	Keleala DeCosta	Open	F	40:51	10:13
9	Cherie Berg	Open	F	41:09	10:17
10	Norman Skinner	Master		44:30	11:07
11	Dixie Newman	Open	F	48:48	12:12
12	Richard Alderson	Master		49:24	12:21
13	Rihei Grothmann	Open		52:43	13:11
14	Jordan Hirae	Open		52:43	13:11
15	Sharon Ibarra	Master	F	1:01:15	15:19