Honolulu Marathon 2014

After my struggles with the 2013 Honolulu Marathon in which I finished in 6:33:00, I quit running all together. Though the OAG's wanting to run it again, I still chose not to register. Time went on, I was soon to find out that fellow hiking friend Christian has stage 4 throat cancer. It was a sad time, for he was one of the first people I started hiking with in the Oahu hiking community. I didn't know what to do. Knowing that he signed up for the Honolulu Marathon, I asked him if I could run for him. He gave me his blessing and I started training with the OAG's, E and Proo. 

We started training consistently in about June. It was tough to run day after day, month after month. But we did it. It really helped to have discipline with the marathon readiness series and an inspiring presence (Christian's battle with cancer) as main factors in the training. 

As marathon day neared I was ready. I met Christian at Ala Moana on the 10th to pick up the packet. I was totally focused on the marathon, my job was second priority. On that Saturday (13th), The Judge, E, Proo, & I went to my brother's house to sleep over. My brother's apartment is at the start line of the Honolulu Marathon. At 3 am on the 14th we got ready and headed down to the start line. It was raining, JUNK, as it was going to be cold.

The fireworks malfunctioned as the start gun went off. But we were running. I felt like shit all the way until mile 8. Once we hit triangle park, my mind was right and I was ready to go. I blitzed it down the hill towards the gas station and onto Kalanianaole. My pace wasn't too fast, but it was good enough for today. 

I was on point until mile 21 when I started cramping in my quad. I pushed on however, keeping around a 10:20 pace. But the cramping became too much and my time slowed considerably as I pulled up from time to time. Though I really wanted to walk as my body was almost on E, Christian willed his power within me. My mind was weak, but it was like he took over and finished me through the run. With bad cramps, I finished my last 3 miles near 11:00 mile pace, nothing short of amazing. In the past, those last 3 miles would have been 15 minutes per mile at minimum. I finished my run in 4:36:16, beating my previous personal record of 5:47:00. It was a great run.

Christian gave me a call after the run to congratulate me. Such a heart warming experience. Christian hopes to battle his cancer and overcome it and hopefully run next year's marathon.