VOLCANO – On the occasion of this third Hilo-to-Volcano 50K run, Billy Barnett decided the time was right to mix a little strategy into the effort, something he didn’t do the first two times.
It turned out to be the same old story — Barnett won his third men’s open title Saturday — with a beneficial twist.
Barnett, 31, a Waiakea Middle School social studies and special education teacher, established a course record of 3:46.41 — 12 minutes faster than the previous best, according to race officials — on the day he developed a plan for the first time.
“The first two times I just ran and it killed me, each time I told myself I wouldn’t do it again,” Barnett said, “but this time I thought it might help to go easy at first and then save something for a push at the end.”
It was a winning strategy against relatively unknown challenger, 23-year-old Jared Burris, a native of Indiana who graduated from Wabash College last spring and decided to move to the Big Island where several friends had already relocated.
Burris led most of the way, but Barnett started going hard at the 20-mile marker and overtook Burris at about 23 miles.
Burris was a surprise in that few even knew of him because of his recent arrival, and also because he didn’t register until Saturday morning after forgetting to sign up for the last two months.
“I didn’t really have a plan,” Burris said, “but I figured, all uphill, I should probably be patient and not run myself out early, but the thing is, what’s ‘patient,’ how do you know, when you’re out front if you’re being patient?
“(Barnett) is really tough, really tough,” Burris said. “When he passed me it sort of got me, I was hoping I could hold him off, but I was hurting mentally when he went by. I think I can do better, now that I’ve done it once; if I’m a little smarter I know I can do better, but this is a goal accomplished and I’ll look forward to the next one.”
Caitlyn Tateishi did this run 11 years ago when she was 18 as part of a relay team, but this time she got a little extra New Year’s vacation time from her job in Washington, D.C., where she works for the Social Security Advisory Board, so she stayed over to compete and not only made her goal, but won the women’s open competition.
“I wanted to break 4:30, and I did it, barely,” she joked after seeing her 4:29.57 time. “My strategy was just to run how I felt, keep going, you know, and I knew the hills got steep after (mile) 20, but it’s different when you’re running it. Those hills are steep and probably the best strategy is to try and leave something for those hills.”
Tateishi, a Waiakea grad in 2004, was on plane back to Washington, D.C., Sunday morning.
First across the line was the team of Adrian Larkspur, 14, Louie Ondo, 17 and Axl Aricayos, 17, all Waiakea students who said they have been motivated by Barnett and that surely appeared to be the case with their 3:17.39 time, which officials to referred to as a “modern record.” In the past, the race had gone from Coconut Island to Volcano one year and then from Volcano down the hill the next year and those downhill times — that race has been discontinued — were understandably faster.
In terms of rare accomplishments, it’s worth mentioning that Les Martisko, 71, competed in the event for the 12th time, finishing every one. He came in not far behind the leaders, but Martisko started at 3:05 a.m, a four-hour jump on the others. He said this was his 378th marathon or ultra marathon. He’s been running for 51 years.
“Goal?” he said. “The goal is to do it.”
Another goal accomplished.
