LIHU‘E — At 3 a.m. Wednesday, Joseph Kali and Lisa Ledesma will begin their run in Princeville. Kali and Ledesma make up Team Kaua‘i who will be participating in Epic 5 Challenge, described on its website as an unprecedented athletic
LIHU‘E — At 3 a.m. Wednesday, Joseph Kali and Lisa Ledesma will begin their run in Princeville.
Kali and Ledesma make up Team Kaua‘i who will be participating in Epic 5 Challenge, described on its website as an unprecedented athletic and spiritual journey, which starts on the island of Kaua‘i before traveling on consecutive days to O‘ahu, Moloka‘i and Maui before concluding in Kona on the Big Island.
“We’re going to be splitting the distances,” Kali said, wrapping up his swim workout with Ledesma Monday afternoon at the YMCA Pool. “The Epic 5 will have Kaua‘i solo charity athletes like Casey McGraw, who plans to do the whole thing.”
Epic 5, according to its website, will cover five Iron distance triathlons, which will include a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run.
“We’re going to start running at 3 a.m.,” Kali said. “The group should be done by night and be on the plane to O‘ahu where they do it again Thursday.”
Ledesma said the run will take place in Princeville followed by the swim in Hanalei Bay. Once done, the team bicycles to Polihale, returning to Lihu‘e Airport where they will be on the plane to O‘ahu and the next leg.
“I hope the weather holds up,” said Tom Tannery of the YMCA. “Last year, it rained so hard, they did the swim portion in the YMCA pool because of all the brown water.”
The brainchild of Jason Lester, founder of the Never Stop Foundation, the annual kickoff for the 703-mile annual journey took place in 2010, states the Epic 5 website.
Starting Wednesday, the 2012 event will feature nine athletes from around the world with one charity slot, each athlete being encouraged to raise funds for the charity of their choice, or to join Lester in raising funds for the Never Stop Foundation.
This year’s field includes Carlos Llano of Spain, Michael Flartey of the U.S., Pep Sanchez of Spain, Lester, a 22-time Iron Distance Triathlons, 5-time Ultraman finisher and 2-time Epic 5 finisher, of the U.S., Sebastian Niklitschek Soto of Chile, Matt Cunningham of the U.S., Team Kaua‘i comprised of Kali and Ledesma, Team Moloka‘i, Team O‘ahu, Team Kona, Team Maui and Kaua‘i Solo Charity Athlete McGraw.
The Never Stop Foundation, whose vision includes the development of The Epic Center in Kailua-Kona, has as its primary focus, the encouraging of youth to achieve their full potential through athletics, states the Epic 5 website.
The goal of The Never Stop Foundation is to help those in their formative years find their own true voice, help them build their confidence, improve their communication skills and learn the values of discipline, trust, compassion, self-reliance and respect.
Visit www.epic5.com for more information.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
