WAIKOLOA — One of the most common reasons people from all over the globe come to the Big Island to participate in the Kona Marathon is because of the picturesque course.
WAIKOLOA — One of the most common reasons people from all over the globe come to the Big Island to participate in the Kona Marathon is because of the picturesque course.
Swaying palm trees in the Waikoloa breeze and a Pacific Ocean backdrop are some of the first things that come to mind for marathoners coming to the Aloha State.
But Kazuhiko Yamaguchi will not be seeing any of that.
Yamaguchi is a 70-year-old runner from Japan and is blind. Accompanied by his guide runner Terumi Saito, he will take on the Kona Marathon’s daunting 26.2-mile course on Sunday.
“At the age of 30, I started training, running to improve my health,” Yamaguchi said. “It is very hard, but practice makes perfect. That is very important for me to remember.”
Yamaguchi said it has been hard to find a good guide runner. Luckily for him, Saito came around. The pair met through a marathon club in Japan. Previously, they have done two half-marathons, but the Kona Marathon will be the first full-length excursion.
“I just started being a guide runner, so it can still be difficult,” Saito said. “But to see people achieve their goals is much more of a thrill than what I could get doing the race myself.”
Communication between the guide and runner are obviously key, but there are a few additional things Yamaguchi can do on the course to make it a successful day.
“The guide runner explains the locations on the course to me, but I can hear certain sounds and feel the difference in the load on my feet,” he said.
Yamaguchi wants his story to serve as an inspiration for other disabled athletes.
“I hope that more runners with disabilities will come out and participate in marathons. It’s healthy,” he said. “Running is very good exercise, and many who are disabled need something like that. I hope I can inspire them.”
Come one, come all
The experience level of runners at the Kona Marathon is all over the board.
There are the marathon maniacs, like Steve and Paula Boone of the 50 States Marathon Club, who have nearly 1,000 combined marathon finishes.
Then, there are the first-timers, who made the smart decision to begin their marathon careers in paradise.
“I have no idea what to expect,” said Koni Daws, who is in town from Missouri for her first race. “I’m planning on enjoying the scenery, forgetting about the time and just going for the finish.”
Daws came to the Kona Marathon to participate with her friend Valerie Harrison, who is part of a group celebrating her sister-in-law Tia Harrison finishing a marathon in all 50 states. Also a part of that crew is around 30 athletes from the Kingdom Running Club, who will be participating in the various distance races the Kona Marathon has to offer.
“A bunch of us decided to come down and cheer her on,” said Sharon Stewart of Kingdom Running Club.
Kingdom Running Club is based out of Forest Park, Illinois, and has been training people to do marathons for well over a decade. Nice weather, a popular course and a monumental achievement by one of their members all seemed like good reasons for the group to head west for the Kona Marathon.
“For us, this race is more about fellowship and fun, rather than speed,” Stewart said. “Our goal is this — if we get to the start line, we are going to get to the finish line. That’s one of the things about being a Christian running club — we run on faith. We know we are going to get through it.”
Another face in the crowd will be Jeannie Wokasch — an eight-time winner of the Kona Marathon.
It’s hard to find Wokasch with anything but a smile on her face, and that was especially true as she welcomed athletes to registration on Saturday with her puppet, Gertrude.
“I can’t wait to be here every year,” said Wokasch, who last won the race in 2006. “Seeing everyone racing together every year is amazing.”
Purple power
Julie Weiss, also known as the Marathon Goddess, has become a fixture at the Kona Marathon.
Weiss lost her father to pancreatic cancer in 2010 and uses marathons to raise money and awareness for the disease. From 2012-13, she ran 52 marathons in 52 weeks to aid the fight against pancreatic cancer. The Kona Marathon was No. 11 on that memorable journey, and she hasn’t missed one since.
“Like I always say, Kona was No. 11 and it was like running in heaven,” she said. “How can you not love running here.”
While many things have changed in Weiss’ life since her journey began, her goal is still the same.
In total, she has raised close to $400,000 for the cause and hit the 100-marathon mark earlier this year. She was on hand at the Kona Marathon Health and Fitness Expo on Saturday representing Project Purple, an organization with the same goals.
“The last thing you want to worry about when you are fighting for your life is how you are going to pay the rent,” Weiss said. “We can all do something to make the world a better place. It doesn’t have to be marathons. It can be anything, but it’s just getting out there and finding it.”