David Hammes made his living as an economics professor at UH-Hilo, and too bad he didn’t earn a college master’s degree in marketing.
His life’s motto is: Just keep moving. That could be a signature line in commercials for running shoes or Lincoln cars.
Too bad, Matthew McConaughey, sort of, snagged it first with his just keep livin’ Foundation for underprivileged youth.
McConaughey’s famous JKL line from the movie “Dazed and Confused” has landed him additional mansion money with his Lincoln car commercials, where he’s seen riding in a MKX crossover, priced at more than 38 grand.
Hammes’ motto hasn’t bought him a new pair of running shoes, but it keeps him moving as part of the Final Four at the Big Island International Marathon.
He, DJ Blinn, Marie Kuramoto and Kailua-Kona’s Cowman are the last ones standing. They are the only ones to have completed all of the Hilo marathons.
Hammes, who retired in 2013, is the youngster of the group and blessed with a quick-hitting sense of humor.
“I’m 64 and the youngest. But that doesn’t mean a whole lot,” he said. “On occasion, I’m by far the slowest.”
Last year, the spring chicken finished in 5:13.21. Blinn and his wife Yuka crossed the line together in 4:51.13. Kuramoto clocked in at 6:15.35.
Two years ago, the starting point was changed from Pepeekeo to Hilo Bayfront, now the start and finish.
Both years Cowman’s name can’t be found on the list of marathon finishers.
Oh no, has Cowman lost his Final Four distinction?
He’s all good.
It’s just that Cowman finished after the seven-hour time limit. After 1 p.m. the volunteers need to run or drive home to watch their favorite team in the NCAA Tournament. (For the diehard Rainbow Warrior fans, UH plays Maryland at 1:10 p.m. Sunday, televised on TBS, channel 28.)
“We’re all sort of the mindset that we start and are not worried about any particular time to finish,” Hammes said.
Casey San, who used to live in Volcano, got the results and realized there were 14 Hilo marathon consecutive finishers after a few years.
“We’d throw in five bucks in a pot, and whoever was left would get it,” Hammes said. “Cowman didn’t chip in money, but he’s run them all.”
By 2008, the list was whittled to the Final Four. The pot stands at $750 and the Hilo trio throws in 10 bucks every year. (San moved to the East coast in 2007, so he was eliminated.)
Wayne “Big Dog” Joseph, who passed away in 2013, was part of the original 14. But in 2005, he took over race director duties and stopped his streak. (Bob Wedeman took over as the race chief.)
“He gave up running to put all the races on,” Hammes said. “That was a big-hearted thing to do. Wayne enjoyed doing all of them, but it was very important for the event that he took the job on.”
From the cold
Hammes was born in Minneapolis, but his dad was from Wisconsin so by family tradition he was a Milwaukee Braves and Green Bay Packers fan.
When he was a youngster, the family moved to Northwestern California, where he didn’t need snow boots to get exercise.
He competed in cross country, and track and field in high school. Hammes graduated from Humboldt State with an economics degree in 1973 and lived in Vancouver for a bit.
His wife Kathy is retired from the Department of Health, and their two sons Mark and Steven grew up in the Waiakea school system and ran for Joseph.
The Big Dog was not only Waiakea’s cross country, and track coach, but also the school’s chess club coach.
“I have so many favorite memories of the Big Dog and the boys, especially his enthusiasm and support of anyone no matter how fast or slow,” Hammes said. “He nicknamed me, ‘The Tortoise.’ Wayne always enjoyed it when his runners started beating their parents. He also enjoyed it when his chess players started beating him.
“Mark (a lawyer in Los Angeles) played chess for Wayne. He still plays chess, and Wayne would think that’s kind of cool. I can’t come close to beating him. We’re in totally different leagues, but I can beat him in a marathon.”
Well, in the old fable, the tortoise does beat the hare.
Hammes has completed 47 marathons and six ultras (31 to 100 miles), finishing his first 26.2-miler in 1980 in Vancouver.
He got Canada out of the way and also competed in Nevada and California. He does the Honolulu Marathon every other year.
Just keep moving
Hammes’ best time in the Hilo marathon was a hare-like 4:34 in 2009, and as years turn into decades one thing stays the same: his enthusiasm for his Final Four partners.
“We always have a great time together at the prerace carbo-load the night before the race,” Hammes said. “Of course, through the years, I see and train many miles with DJ Blinn and Marie Kuramoto. The fun thing is how encouraging and positive they are.”
Hammes, the spring chicken Tortoise, just keeps on moving.
“I enjoy the training and trying new things with training,” he said. “What I like when I get out there is to keep moving. It doesn’t matter how fast I go. But what’s important is being able to spend time on my feet, keep moving and keep moving forward.
“People will say to me, ‘I saw you running.’ That’s good, which means I’m not walking. But even if I’m walking, I’m still training.”
With the Big Dog’s enthusiasm for good health, it’s an easy money bet that The Tortoise will outlast any of McConaughey’s Lincolns.
Marathon
What: 19th annual Big Island International Marathon
Events: marathon, half-marathon, 3.1-mile run/walk
When: 6 a.m. Sunday
Where: start and finish at Hilo Bayfront
Defending champs: Mike Brunette, Illinois, 2:53.56; Leah Fitzgerald, Australia, 3:05.53
Old records: Justin Gillette, 2:34.39 (2011); Reka Batai, 2:53.13 (2010)
New records (two years): Harumitsu Yoshinaga, 2:51.12 (2014); Leah Fitzgerald, 3:05.53 (2015)
Info: hilomarathon.org
